An Introduction to

Buddhist Psychology

Ven. H. Pemarathana
BA(B&P), BA(hon’s), MA(Soci),
BUDDHIST COUNSELING

1
 Introduction
In modern society the Psychology is most popular topic in any subjects areas because with
working of people has faced many mental problems. Technology is rapid day by day and the
persons are clanging to them. Earn lots of money and live with very comfortably but thing is there
is no the rest of mind. The release of the mind cannot get out side that’s why it might be received
from itself. The subject of psychology has been beginning in previous history and it tries to heal
the mind of all person but it is not a permanent effort. It is just only temporal treatment for the
mind as the sense of modern subject of psychology. But whole teaching in Buddhism was based
on as in psychological perspective. In this paper tries to indicate what the Buddhist Psychology is.
Firstly it introduces the Psychology in modern sense and its features after that I would like to
illustrate the Buddhist Psychology.

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An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology.
What is the psychology?
Psychology is the science of behavior and mind, embracing all aspects of conscious and
unconscious experience as well as thought. It is an academic discipline and a social science which
seeks to understand individuals and groups by establishing general principles and researching
specific cases.1

In this area, a professional researcher is called a psychologist and it can be classified as a

social, behavioral, or cognitive scientist. They attempt to understand the role of mental functions
in individual and social behavior, while also exploring the physiological and biological processes
that underlie cognitive functions and behaviors.

Psychologists seek behavior and mental processes, including with below facts;

 Perception
 Cognition
 Attention
 Emotion (affect)
 Intelligence
 Phenomenology
 Motivation (conation)
 Brain functioning and
 Personality.

This facts to interaction between people, such as interpersonal relationships, including

psychological resilience, family resilience, and other areas. Psychologists of diverse orientations
also consider the unconscious mind. Psychologists employ empirical methods to infer causal and
correlational relationships between psychosocial variables. In addition, or in opposition, to
employing empirical and deductive methods, some-especially clinical and counseling

1
Fernald LD, Psychology: Six perspectives (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications - 2008) 12-15.

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psychologists-at times rely upon symbolic interpretation and other inductive techniques.
Psychology has been described as a “hub science”.

While psychological knowledge is often applied to the assessment and treatment of mental health
problems, it is also directed towards understanding and solving problems in several spheres of
human activity. By many accounts psychology ultimately aims to benefit society.2

Definition of Psychology.

Psychology is best defined as the “scientific study of behavior in humans and animals.”
Behavior is what people and animals do: e.g., what a person says about last night's dream, and how
long it takes a rat to run a maze.

The word psychology derives from Greek roots meaning study of the psyche, or soul
(psukhē, “breath, spirit, soul” and -logia, “study of” or “research’’).3 The Latin word psychologia
was first used by the Croatian humanist and Latinist Marko Marulić in his book, Psichiologia de
ratione animae humanae in the late 15th century or early 16th century. The earliest known
reference to the word psychology in English was by Steven Blankaart in 1694 in The Physical
Dictionary which refers to “Anatomy, which treats the Body, and Psychology, which treats of the
Soul.”4

In 1890, William James defined psychology as “the science of mental life, both of its
phenomena and their conditions”. This definition enjoyed widespread currency for decades.
However, this meaning was contested, Almost a hundred years ago, John Watson decided that
psychology should be a science: not just a vague and introspective reflection on our own thoughts
and feelings. Watson urged that psychology be defined as the scientific study of behavior. Since
about 1920, most university psychologists have accepted Watson's definition.

2
O'Neil, H.F.; cited in Coon, D.; Mitterer, J.O., Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior, 12th
ed(Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning - 2008) 15-16.
3
Online Etymology Dictionary. "Psychology" - 2001).
4
Steven Blankaart, as quoted in "psychology n." A Dictionary of Psychology. Edited by Andrew M. Colman.
(Oxford University Press - 2009) 13.

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History of psychology

The ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, China, India, and Persia all engaged in the
philosophical study of psychology. Historians note that Greek philosophers, including Thales,
Plato, and Aristotle, addressed the workings of the mind.[15] As early as the 4th century BC, Greek
physician Hippocrates theorized that mental disorders had physical rather than supernatural
causes.5

In China, psychological understanding grew from the philosophical works of Laozi and
Confucius, and later from the doctrines of Buddhism. This body of knowledge involves insights
drawn from introspection and observation, as well as techniques for focused thinking and acting.
Distinctions in types of awareness appear in the ancient thought of India, influenced by Hinduism.
A central idea of the Upanishads is the distinction between a person's transient mundane self and
their eternal unchanging soul. Divergent Hindu doctrines, and Buddhism, have challenged this
hierarchy of selves, but have all emphasized the importance of reaching higher awareness. Yoga
is a range of techniques used in pursuit of this goal.

Germany, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) applied his principles of calculus to

the mind, arguing that mental activity took place on an indivisible continuum-most notably, that
among an infinity of human perceptions and desires, the difference between conscious and
unconscious awareness is only a matter of degree. Christian Wolff identified psychology as its
own science, writing Psychologia empirica in 1732 and Psychologia rationalis in 1734. This notion
advanced further under Immanuel Kant who established the idea of anthropology, with
psychology as an important subdivision. However, Kant explicitly and notoriously rejected the
idea of experimental psychology, writing that “the empirical doctrine of the soul can also never
approach chemistry even as a systematic art of analysis or experimental doctrine, in it the manifold
of inner observation can be separated only by mere division in thought, and cannot then be held
separate and recombined at will (but still less does another thinking subject suffer himself to be
experimented upon to suit our purpose), and even observation by itself already changes and
displaces the state of the observed object.” Having consulted philosophers Hegel and Herbart, in

5
T.L. Brink. Psychology: A Student Friendly Approach. "Unit One: The Definition and History of Psychology."
(2008) 9.

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1825 the Prussian state established psychology as a mandatory discipline in its rapidly expanding
and highly influential educational system.

Branches of Psychology.

Any attempt to explain why humans think and behave in the way that they do will
inevitably be linked to one or another branch of psychology. The different disciplines of
psychology are extremely wide-ranging. They include:6

 Clinical psychology
 Cognitive psychology: memory
 Cognitive psychology: intelligence
 Developmental psychology
 Evolutionary psychology
 Forensic psychology
 Health psychology
 Neuropsychology
 Occupational psychology
 Social psychology

What all these different approaches to psychology have in common is a desire to explain
the behaviour of individuals based on the workings of the mind. And in every area, psychologists
apply scientific methodology. They formulate theories, test hypotheses through observation and
experiment, and analyse the findings with statistical techniques that help them identify important
findings.

Buddhist Psychology

The term "Buddhist psychology" should be recognized as a coherent cognitive framework

and belief system that as a whole plays a psychologically important role in shaping the culture-
specific developmental contexts of many human beings. Buddhism includes an analysis of human
psychology, emotion, cognition, behavior and motivation along with therapeutic practices. A
unique feature of Buddhist psychology is that it is embedded within the greater Buddhist ethical
and philosophical system, and its psychological terminology is colored by ethical overtones.

6
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scienudce/humanbody/mind/articles/psychology/what_is_psychology.shtml 20/11/2017

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Buddhist psychology has two therapeutic goals: the healthy and virtuous life of a householder
(samacariya, "harmonious living") and the ultimate goal of nirvana, the total cessation of
dissatisfaction and suffering (dukkha).7

. Buddhism and the modern discipline of Psychology have multiple parallels and points of
overlap. This includes a descriptive phenomenology of mental states, emotions and behaviors, as
well as theories of perception and unconscious mental factors. Psychotherapists such as Erich
Fromm have found in Buddhist enlightenment experiences the potential for transformation,
healing and finding existential meaning. Some contemporary mental-health practitioners such as
Jon Kabat-Zinn increasingly find ancient Buddhist practices (such as the development of
mindfulness) of empirically proven therapeutic value,8 while Buddhist teachers such as Jack
Kornfield see Western Psychology as providing complementary practices for Buddhists.

A central feature of Buddhist psychology is its methodology, which is based on personal

experience through introspection and phenomenological self-observation.9 According to the
Buddha while initially unreliable, one's mind can be trained, calmed and cultivated so as to make
introspection a refined and reliable method. This methodology is the foundation for the personal
insight into the nature of the mind the Buddha is said to have achieved. While introspection is a
key aspect of the Buddhist method, observation of a person's behavior is also important.

The early Buddhist texts outline a theory of perception and cognition based on the Ᾱyatanas
(sense bases, sense media, sense spheres) which are categorized into sense organs, sense objects
and awareness. The contact between these bases leads to a perceptual event as explained in
Buddhist texts: “when the eye that is internal is intact and external visible forms come within
its range, and when there is an appropriate act of attention on the part of the mind, there is
the emergence of perceptual consciousness.”10

7
De Silva, Padmasiri, An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology, 4th edition, Palgrave Macmillan, 3-107.
8
DeAngelis, Tori; A blend of Buddhism and psychology, (February 2014, Vol 45, No. 2 Print version) 64.
9
De Silva, Padmasiri; An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology, (4th edition, Palgrave Macmillan) 13.
10
De Silva, Padmasiri; An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology, 22.

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 The usual process of sense cognition is entangled with what the Buddha terms “papañca”
(conceptual proliferation), a distortion and elaboration in the cognitive process of the raw sensation
or feeling (vedana).

Buddha's theory of human motivation is based on certain key factors shared by all human
beings and is primarily concerned with the nature of human dissatisfaction (dukkha) and how to
dispel it. In the suttas, human beings are said to be motivated by craving (tanha, literally 'thirst') of
three types:

1. Kāma taṇha - craving for sensory gratification, sex, novel stimuli, and pleasure.
2. Bhava taṇha - craving for survival or continued existence, also includes hunger and
sleep as well as desire for power, wealth and fame.
3. Vibhava tanṇha - craving for annihilation, non-existence, also associated with
aggression and violence towards oneself and others.

With these main facts the mind is processed in numerical ways as psychological
background. For arising the passion, hatred and delusion these points are very much impacted and
that is to cause the mind is running out. In essential Buddhism of early period in Buddha’s lifetime
was most focused the mind of person in psychological way; the mind is for runner (manopubbaṃ
gama damma) and it was not a religion or philosophy because the seems most of the teachings
were based on what the psychology. Then the basics of essential Buddhism are covered, including
dukkha, clinging, four noble truths, eight-fold path, concentration, and mindfulness.11

The core of all major branches of Buddhism teaches to heal the mind without arising
defilements. The fundamental principles of Buddhism reveal the psychological background in
mind in which particular points. Insightful understanding of essential Buddhism has been
continually stressed from the Buddha through to the current Dalai Lama. Essential Buddhism has
no personal deity or impersonal godhead, no creeds or dogmas, no rituals or worship, no savior,
and nothing to take on faith; rather it is a set of practices and free inquiry by which one sees for
oneself the truth and usefulness of the teachings and it is psychology.

William L. Mikulas, “Buddhism and Western Psychology: Fundamentals of Integration,” Journal of

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Consciousness Studies, 14, no. 4 (2007): 4-49.

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 Buddhist psychology deals with topics such as sensation, perception, emotion,
motivation, cognition, mind, and consciousness. The Buddha said his primary work was to reduce
suffering, and the Dalai Lama continually stresses that his approach to Buddhism is about
increasing happiness. Padmasiri de Silva (2000) points out how more attention is given to
psychology in Buddhism than in any other major spiritual discipline. In this teaching of Buddha
the purification of mind is the most prominent thing. This explain in modern psychology as
psychotherapy. The very first teaching and most important teaching of the Buddha what the four
noble truths: it teaches to purify mind of person in centered four points;

1. Disease

There is suffering, unsatisfactoriness. This unsatisfactoriness refers to disease, discomfort,

anxiety, disappointment, longing. It includes all shades and variations of psychic and physical
states that are imperfect and discontented.

2. Cause of the Disease

The origin or cause of suffering is attachment to desire/craving. There are 3 types of

craving:

1) craving for sensual desires

2) craving for being

3) craving for non-being

3. Cure

There is the cessation of suffering/unsatisfactoriness.

4. Medicine

There is the way/the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. This is the Noble Eightfold Path.

1. Right Understanding, Right View

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 2. Right Aspiration, Right Thinking

3. Right Speech

4. Right Action

5. Right Livelihood

6. Right Effort

7. Right Mindfulness

8. Right Concentration

The particular points are based on mind. A very broad and central concept in Buddhist
psychology is "dukkha" which is usually translated as "suffering"; but actually means something
closer to "unsatisfactoriness." Literal translations include hard to bear, off the mark, and
frustrating. It was used to refer to an axel off-center and a bone out of socket. It includes anxiety
as described in Western psychology. Dukkha arises when the discrepancy causes an undesired
emotion, such as anxiety, anger, frustration, or jealousy. Dukkha then often impairs one’s
behavior, such as one’s thinking. For example, if one’s child or co-worker is not acting as one
wants, then this discrepancy may cause one to act in ways to influence the other person. But if the
discrepancy also causes anger, then one may think less clearly and thus be less effective. Another
common form of dukkha is a sense of personal and/or spiritual unsatisfactoriness, possibly
including the feeling that things are not quite right, the sense that real happiness is continually out
of reach, and/or the conviction that one can’t get free.

The mind has a tendency to crave for and cling to certain sensations, perceptions, beliefs,
expectations, opinions, rituals, images of the self, and models of reality. In essential Buddhism,
this craving and clinging is the cause of dukkha. The reason comparing one’s perception of one’s
self with an ideal self causes dukkha is because of some clinging, such as to the desire or belief
that there should be no discrepancy. If one clings to certain ideas or opinions, one will suffer
dukkha when one is wrong, and will probably have trouble recognizing one is wrong and changing
one’s mind. Instead one may come up with reasons why one is not really wrong after all.

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 Behaviors of the Mind

A critical distinction is between contents of the mind and behaviors of the mind. Contents
of the mind include the various objects that arise in a person’s consciousness, such as perceptual
experiences, verbal and visual thoughts, reconstructed memories, attributions and beliefs, and
cognitive aspects of emotions and attitudes. Behaviors of the mind are those processes of the mind
(or brain if one prefers) that select and construct the contents and that provide awareness of the
contents.

There are three fundamental behaviors of the mind: clinging, concentration, and
mindfulness. Clinging, discussed above, refers to the tendency of the mind to grasp for and cling
to certain contents of the mind. Concentration refers to the focus of the mind; and mindfulness
involves the awareness of the mind, including properties of breadth and clarity.

Concentration is the learned control of the focus of one’s attention; it is the behavior of
keeping one’s awareness, with varying degrees of one-pointedness, on a particular set of contents
of the mind. The world literature on meditation-produced concentration, some Western research
(Murphy & Donovan, 1997), and anecdotal reports8 suggest that developing concentration can
have a wide range of applications in therapy, education, sports, and art.12 In Buddhism
concentration has a more profound purpose, the disidentification with contents of the mind and
creating space for insight knowing. If one does not quiet the mind, then one will probably stay
lost in the contents most of the time; one’s reality is the contents and one believes one’s self to be
the self-related contents.

Mindfulness, as a behavior of the mind, is defined as the active maximizing of the breadth
and clarity of awareness. It is the behavior of moving and sharpening the focus of awareness
within the field of consciousness. in the Buddhist literature mindfulness is described more as a
property of the mind, in which case the above definition corresponds more to the cultivation of
mindfulness, rather than mindfulness itself.

12
Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., & Allen, K. B. Assessment of mindfulness by self report: The Kentucky inventory of
mindfulness skills. Assessment, 11, no. 3 (2004) 191-206.

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 Mindfulness involves simply observing the contents and processes of the mind; it is just
being aware, bare attention, detached observation, choiceless awareness. Vipassana meditation is
often called "insight meditation" because in essential Buddhism it is held that cultivation of
mindfulness leads to a form of insight called prajna (Pali: panna), an immediately experienced
intuitive wisdom.

In a classic discourse (satipatthana), the Buddha suggested four "foundations" of

mindfulness, four overlapping domains in which mindfulness can be cultivated: (1) body, (2)
feelings, (3) mind, including behaviors of the mind and defilements such as hatred and greed, and
(4) mental factors, which refer to variables and characteristics of the mind specifically related to
the development of psychospiritual freedom or enlightenment. The Buddha and his disciples
practiced and recommended mindfulness for pain control. More recently Jon Kabat-Zinn
developed a stress reduction clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center to treat stress
and pain. Over 16,000 medical patients have gone through this program, now called "mindfulness-
based stress reduction" (MBSR).13 Of all the components of the MBSR program, including
mindfulness, it has not been determined their relative weights and contributions to the overall
effectiveness of the program.

The behaviors of the mind component refers to the fact that all the major meditation
traditions in the world stress the development of concentration and/or mindfulness; hence this
would be part of an ultimate definition of meditation. All the major meditation practices contain
both concentration and mindfulness, but most emphasize concentration. The emphasis given to
mindfulness is Buddhism's strong contribution; but in some Buddhist meditation practices and/or
an individual's practice at a certain time, concentration is emphasized.

In study of buddhism both sutta and especially the abhidhamma pitaka can be considered
the textual foundation of Buddhist psychology. It is huge scope which related with mind or
purification of mind. According to the Buddhist psychological analysis of the self-concept, one's
"I" consciousness is constituted by five aggregates (skandha): (1) physical forms Rupa, which
includes the four elements: earth (solidity), water (liquidity), fire (temperature), and wind

13
Baker, T. B., Piper, M. E., McCarthy, D. E., Majeskie, M. R., & Fiore, M. C. Addiction motivation reformulated:
An affective processing model of negative reinforcement. Psychological Review, 111, (2004) 33-51.

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(expansion); (2) sensations and feelings (vedana), which refer to unpleasant, pleasant, or neutral
sensations (touch, sound, appearance, smell, taste. and mental object) that result from contact
between any of the six internal sensory organs (body, ears, eyes. nose, tongue, and mind) and
external objects: (3) perception (sanna) of physical form, sound, appearance. smell, taste, and
spirit; (4) mental formations (sankhara), including stereotypes, prejudices, and habits from which
the six expressions of will emerge. which can be directed toward all of the sensations and
perceptions specified above; and (5) consciousness (vinnana) of the six sensory organs and the
external objects assigned to them.

Conclusion

Essential Buddhism has no personal deity or impersonal godhead, no creeds or dogmas, no

rituals or worship, no savior, and nothing to take on faith; rather it is a set of practices and free
inquiry by which one sees for oneself the truth and usefulness of the teachings and it is psychology.
Buddhist psychology deals with topics such as sensation, perception, emotion, motivation,
cognition, mind, and consciousness. We can say that the Buddhism directly deals with psychology
for purification mind.

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