INDIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, 2003, 45 (III), 142-146 SPECIAL A R T I C L E : S P I R I T U A L T H R O U G H T S I N PSYCHIATRY-I P r a c t i c a l and Buddhism and West. T h e o r e t i c a l i n t e r a c t i o n s Psychiatry : a view from of t h e THOMAS R. OSBORNE. DINESH BHUGRA A B S T R A C T One of the greatest religions in the world. Buddhism and its tenets have been used for understanding the pain and human emotions. Using these tenets social and psychological development of the individuals can be encouraged.They key constructs of Buddhism can be employed in cognitive therapy. In this paper we provide an overview of the key principles embedded in Buddhism and also place these in the context of Western concepts of psychotherapy. We link the Buddhist concepts with anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders, addictions and chronic illness. Key words: I N T R O D U C T I O N Buddhism is often classified as one of the great religions of the world. However, Buddhism is different from the other great faiths in that it does not propose the existence of a central God or creator. Some scholars see Buddhism as a philosophy, and others as a way of life, but to pigeonhole it in this way is somewhat academic. Buddhism can be seen as a set of beliefs which alleviates suffering by encouraging and motivating the follower onto a path of beneficial psychological and social development. When regarded in these terms, it is easy to sec how over two millennia of Buddhist teachings could prove a fertile ground for those in the West attempting to develop psychological therapies for improving mental health. Yet only relatively recently has the West begun to realise how rich a harvest Buddhism may impart. Over the past two decades a rapidly- growing body of work has amassed which explores the commonalties of Buddhism and Western psychological therapeutics. This body of work is the subject of this review. A brief background is given to some of the key constructs of Buddhism - providing the framework upon which the remainder of the discussion is built. Western models of anxiety states are briefly discussed with a view to highlighting the similarities with the Buddhist view of the mind. The Buddhist technique of mindfulness meditation is considered as a possible intervention for a number of anxiety disorders. The potential benefits of Buddhist psychology to those suffering from addiction problems, chronic pain, and chronic illness such as HIV are also discussed. Finally, the application of Buddhist psychology as an adjunct to psychotherapy is considered, with reference to the potential therapeutic benefit of the Buddhist no-self. Before embarking upon an account of Buddhism's historical and philosophical constructs, it is important to note that an array of different schools of Buddhism exist the world over. The basic tenets presented here are central to all of them, but arc by no means exhaustive to any. Described here arc only those facets of Buddhism relevant to the present discussion. For a more comprehensive account, see (142) Morris (1993), and for a more detailed account with reference to western therapeutics see Kumar (2002). B A C K G R O U N D Buddha delivered the Four Noble Truths, and thereafter was known as the Buddha, or Awakened One. The First Noble truth states simply that dukkha (suffering) is an inevitable part of human existence. Dukkha encompasses all forms of pain, misery, discontent, emptiness, dissatisfaction or any other negative emotional experience. Since suffering is an existential fact, not an evil, it should not be feared - nothing is gained from responding to suffering with impatience. The Second Noble Truth describes that the source of suffering is tartha (thirst or craving). Tanba is born from our sensations and perceptions of the world, and is "bound up with pleasures, lusts, the desire to become more, to j r w " (Morris, 1993). Craving results in attachment to objects, ideas and desires, which ultimately leads to suffering. Suffering can, however, be overcome by eliminating its cause (craving) through the self-regulation of desires and emotions. This is the Third Noble Truth. Finally, the Fourth Noble Truth proposes how this is achieved: by following the Eightfold Path to Enlightenment. A detailed description of the Eightfold Path is not required here. Its broad aim is to alleviate dukkha (suffering) through the practice of mindfulness mediation. Mindfulness meditation is a Buddhist technique for training the mind through a combination of focussed attention and breathing techniques. The meditator develops a heightened awareness of all mental and bodily sensations as they occur and cease to occur. To the Buddhist, thoughts are to the mind as sounds are to the ear - the mind is a sense organ whose stimuli are the concepts and thoughts passing through it. As such, when a thought enters the mind it is subject to the same interpretations as any other stimulus. Consider the psychological events that occur when listening to a piece of music. The experience is far more complex that simply