Fundamentals of Buddhist Psychotherapy

In the Buddhist psychotherapy, it is stated that there are many fundamentals. Lobha, Dosa and Moha are considered as the basic factors of mental problems in day to day life. At the moment one’s mind is too much overwhelmed with such unwholesome thoughts, his mind becomes impure and thus he becomes unhappy and unhealthy. We can see many people who are full of grief because of strong desire for material things. In the Buddhist psychotherapy, it is considered that too much unwholesome consciousness can put one into the terrible trouble. By reducing them, one can be in the condition of healthy body and happy mind. This is the reason why we should eliminate them in order to gain the real happiness.

It is natural that what is unwholesome arises in ordinary people. In Visuddhimagga, it is said that there are six characteristics of people. They are Lobha (Raga), Dosa, Moha, Saddha, Buddhi and Vitakka. When they arise positively, they are good for us, but when they arise negatively, they become very dangerous for us like a poisonous snake. It is stated in the Visuddhimagga that Lobha character is similar to Saddha character, Dosa character to Buddhi character and Moha character to Vitakka character. But it doesn’t mean exactly the same to each other. We can see from these that they also have positive aspects. Positive way of thinking and doing is what we need in daily life for it brings happiness. Actually all worldly beings are patients who are suffering from mental diseases such as strong greed, bitter hatred, and delusion. Actually, a patient is nothing but a group of five aggregates. As long as five aggregates belong to us, we can’t escape from either physical disease or mental disease. Any attachment to them can cause one to feel mental disease, but meditation on them can lead one to the Ultimate Goal of Buddhism. Ven. Nanda could eradicate mental problem when he meditated on them under the instruction of the Buddha. At the moment one can reduce or eliminate the attachments to material things with the help of non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion, one can be free from mental diseases. No doubt, psychological problems are related to greed, hatred and delusion. Anyone who wants to destroy mental problems has to develop non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion. Similarly, one has to generate these characters—Saddha, Buddhi and Vitakka through right methods.

The best way to overcome the problems is to develop morality, concentration and wisdom. With the aid of Sila, Samadhi and Panna, mental problems can be eliminated. It is true that we can reject bad things temporarily, timely and completely with the help of morality, concentration and wisdom. In fact, such rejects are called temporary rejection, Tadangapahana, timely rejection, vikkhambhanapahana and completely rejection, Samuccheda pahana. By explaining the nature of the world through Four Noble Truths, one can remove mental disease to some extent. What’s more, to attain a happy and healthy way of living, Ahara is considered as an important factor. There are four kinds of food according to Buddhism. Mental food is more important than material foods. This is a kind of mental support. It is evident that just as material food is important, so also, mental food is essential on the way to happiness. This is why they are considered as vital factors of the fundamentals.

Then, cause and effect theory of Kamma is also considered as a basic aspect in Buddhist psychotherapy. If one were suffered from the bad kammic action, one would not be cured. To cure that problem is to develop one’s good kamma by doing what is good. And kamma can be used as a tool to console one when in bad condition. Because of Kamma, people are different from one another not only in social status but also in education standards and so on. In the commentary on Sabbasavasutta, it is said that Dassana and Bhavana are very important factors. Through understanding and meditation, we can overcome all kinds of problems. On taking care of a patient, it is also necessary to apply behavioral therapy. It can be seen in the story of Padacari who was full of grief due to the losses of her son and husband. The Buddha asked her to look for a mustard-seed from a house where no one died. By walking and asking it from door to door, she became aware of the nature of birth and death and finally understood it. This is indeed how the Buddha gave her a behavioral therapy. Then, Sila, Smadhi and Panna together with other things mentioned above, can be used as a tool of Buddhist psychotherapy. We may interpret Sila as behavioral therapy and Samadhi as mental therapy and Panna as cognitive therapy in order to cure such and such problems. They must be used according to suitable situation. In fact, these three cannot be separated from one another. They are interrelated.

In conclusion, by practicing and developing all of them methodically, one can escape from mental problems, and finally these fundamentals will lead one to the attainment of real happiness, Nibbana.