Special Religious Education - SRE

The Buddhist tradition has focused for over 2,500 years on cultivating exceptional states of mental well-being as well as identifying and treating psychological problems (Wallace & Shapiro, 2006). This assignment is an inquiry into whether or not the Buddhist training of morality would be conducive to wellbeing, not only from the Buddhist perspective, but also from a western psychological perspective on wellbeing. This inquiry may help to open up collaborative dialogue between the ancient tradition and western psychology, by establishing common grounds for mutually enriching understanding to take place. The assignment will first present the Buddhist training on morality as the Practice of the Three Acts of Goodness, then draw link between morality and the notion of Buddhist wellbeing, before exploring its relevance to the western approach of wellbeing, and conclude by using a model on wellbeing drawn from both the Buddhist tradition and western psychological research to shed insight on the process of mental training behind the Three Acts of Goodness. The materials will be drawn from relevant academic papers, journals and government policy papers.

Buddhist moral virtue &Three Acts of Goodness

In Buddhism, moral virtue is the foundation of the spiritual path (Harvey 2013, p. 264).

As part of the practice of the path, it is traditional for the lay followers to take on five precepts: (i) to refrain from harming living creatures, from taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxicants that cause heedlessness. This undertaking of precepts is for the purpose of restraining the mind and drawing it back from the grosser kinds of unwholesome behaviour (Gethin 1998, p. 170).

The Three Acts of Goodness– Do Good Deeds, Say Good Words, and Have Good Thoughts, encapsulate the five precepts, and represent the cultivation in body, speech and mind, which should be the starting point of our Buddhist practice (Hsingyun 2003, p. 3). On explaining what the Three Acts of Goodness entails, Hsingyun (2003, p. 3) wrote:

To do good deeds is to not kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct as well as not commit any illicit drugs (precept i, ii, iii, v). Instead, one should practice doing good by benefiting others with kind and beneficial deeds. To say good words is to not lie (precept iv), nor engage in duplicitous, harsh or trivial speech. When one speaks, one’s words should be kind, rational, wise and truthful. Bearing good thoughts refers to cultivation of the mind. A mind should be free of doubt, jealousy, greed, anger and hatred, and instead have compassion, kindness, benevolence, motivation and vows. Cultivating these qualities is the practice of bearing good thoughts.

The Three Acts of Goodness has as its essence, the primary ethical activity of giving (Dāna), which, according to Harvey, forms a basis for further moral and spiritual development (Harvey 2013, p. 267).

Three Acts of Goodness and Buddhist notion of Well-Being

Buddhism’s ideal state of well-being is a state of flourishing that arises from mental balance and insight into the nature of reality. Rather than a fleeting emotion or mood aroused by sensory and conceptual stimuli, it is an enduring trait that arises from a mind in a state of equilibrium and entails a conceptually unstructured and unfiltered awareness of the true nature of reality (Ekman et al. 2005). In another word, mental wellbeing is a mind that is free of its afflictive tendencies and obscurations. It comes as a result of realizing one’s fullest potential in terms of wisdom, compassion and creativity (Wallace, in press).

“The true causes of such wellbeing are rooted in a wholesome way of life, are nurtured through the cultivation of mental balance, and come to fruition in the experience of wisdom and compassion. In this way the pursuits of genuine well-being, understanding, and virtue come to be thoroughly integrated” (Wallace & Shapiro 2006).

The Three Acts of Goodness, which represents the Buddhist moral virtue is conducive to the Buddhist notion of wellbeing in that 1) it encourages a wholesome way of life, 2) cultivate wholesome state of mind free of its afflictive tendencies and obscurations, and 3) the observance of the Five Precepts represents the preliminary training of the mind, which is strongly emphasized in the Buddhist practice (Shantideva, 1997; Wallace, 2001a).

Three Acts of Goodness and Western psychological approach to Well-Being

This section will explore the relevance of the Three Acts of Goodness to the western psychological approach on well-being.

According to the wellbeing framework for schools (Department of Education and Communities [DEC] 2015), “two major approaches to defining wellbeing relate it to our subjective experience of feeling good or experiencing pleasure and positive emotion; or our potential to flourish”.

The framework points out that:

While there is debate about whether one or both of these approaches to wellbeing offers the best way of understanding it, an approach that considers the whole person, and which combines feeling good and functioning well offers the most utility. The literatures recognize that wellbeing needs to be considered against background of how we feel and function across several domains, recognizing the multi-dimensional nature of wellbeing. These domains include cognitive, emotional, social, physical and spiritual wellbeing.

While The DEC framework did not propose an operational model on Wellbeing, for the purpose of understanding The Three Acts of Goodness and whether or not it is conducive to the western psychological notion of wellbeing, the assignment will propose the PERMA model by Dr. Martin Seligman (2012), as a model that operationalize the DEC’s framework on Wellbeing. Firstly, a brief understanding of what the PERMA model entails;

Dr. Martin Seligman (2012), in his book Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being presented the well-being theory as a construct which has five measurable elements (PERMA) that count toward it:

Positive emotion – feeling good, of which happiness and life satisfaction are all aspects

Engagement – being completely absorbed in activities

Relationships – being authentically connected to others

Meaning – purposeful existence

Accomplishment – a sense of accomplishment and success

According to Seligman (2012), no one element defines well-being, but each contributes to it. The model also recognizes and considers the whole person, as well as the multi-dimensional nature of wellbeing. The upshot of the model, according to Seligman (2011) is that well-being cannot exist just in your own head: well-being is a combination of feeling good as well as actually having meaning, good relationships, and accomplishment. As the PERMA model meets all of the criteria cited as important in the DEC framework on wellbeing, it will be used as the model for understanding the western psychological approach to wellbeing in this assignment.

“Do Good Deeds” (benefiting others with kind and beneficial deeds) in Seligman’s PEMA model, could represent the building block of Relationship and Engagement. Under the Department of Education and Communities wellbeing framework for schools, “Do Good Deeds” could contribute to social wellbeing, which is defined as “the extent to which we experience positive relationships and connectedness to others. It is important to pro-social behavior and our empathy towards others” (DEC 2015).

“Say Good Words” (speaking words of kindness, rationality, wisdom and truth) is reinforcing truth by searching it out, recognizing falsity and attaining precision thought (Hsingyun 2003, p. 3). It is interesting to note here that “Say Good Words” can be directed not only externally, i.e. to others, but could also be directed to oneself. This then, could make the practice conducive to the building blocks of Relationship (directed externally) and Positive Emotion (directed internally) in the PERMA model, and to both social and Emotional wellbeing in the DET framework, which defines emotional wellbeing as “…relates to self-awareness and emotional regulation. It includes how well we cope, and is often reflected by the level of a person’s resilience. Emotional wellbeing is in part informed by our capacity for self-reflection” (DEC 2015).

Think Good thoughts (cultivating these wholesome qualities) in Seligman’s model, may be seen as the driving force behind all of the building blocks of wellbeing, whilst in the DET framework, could be seen as relating to our cognitive wellbeing and spiritual wellbeing; cognitive wellbeing defined as “associated with achievement and success. It includes how information is processed and judgements are made. It is also informed by motivation and persistence to achieve” (DEC 2015). Spiritual wellbeing is defined as “relating to our sense of meaning and purpose. It can include our connection to culture, religion or community and includes the beliefs, values and ethics we hold” (DEC 2015).

Three Acts of Goodness and the mechanism for well-being.

Both the Buddhist and western psychology approach to well-being lend support to durable happiness resulting from internal mental training than stimulus-driven pleasures (Brickman & Cambell, 1971; Ryan & Deci, 2001). For example, the cultivation of meaningful priorities, attitudes, perspectives and behaviours are highlighted in the PERMA model and DET framework, whilst the Buddhist construct on wellbeing includes “a deep sense of well-being, a propensity toward compassion, reduced vulnerability to outer circumstances and recognition of the interconnectedness with people and other living beings in one’s environment” (Ekman et al. 2005).

This section will look at an innovative model for wellbeing which draws on both traditional Buddhist theory and Western psychological research. The model represents a systematic and dynamic process of evolving toward well-being (Wallace, A & Shapiro, S 2006). Applying the Three Acts of Goodness to this model, the study hopes to shed light on ways to deepen the Buddhist practice of morality in a secular world, in order to make it relevant and beneficial for all.

The model presented by Wallace & Shapiro consists of four components which they believe encapsulate the major processes involved in training the mind to achieve exceptional levels of health and well-being. They are; conative, attentional, cognitive, and affective.

Conative Balance

The term conation refers to “the faculties of intention and volition” (Wallace, A & Shapiro, S 2006). Wallace & Shapiro discuss this mental balance first because of its central importance to all other mental states. If one does not develop conative balance, a reality-based range of desires and aspirations oriented toward ones’ own and others’ happiness- then there will be little or no incentive to try to balance ones’ attentional, cognitive, and affective faculties. The conative balance in this model entails intentions and volitions that are conducive to ones’ own and others’ wellbeing, as opposed to conative imbalances, which constitute ways in which people’s desires and intentions lead them away from psychological flourishing and into psychological distress (Rinpoche, 2003; Wallace, 1993, p. 31-43).

Practices which pertain directly to conative balance include reflection on meaningful and wholesome desires and recognizing unwholesome desires that will lead to suffering both for oneself and others (Tsong-kha-pa, 2000, 2004).

Given the explanation above, the Three Acts of Goodness seems like a good starting point for cultivating conative Balance.

Attentional Balance

Attentional balance, including the development of sustained, voluntary attention, is a crucial feature of mental health and optimal performance in any kind of meaningful activity (Wallace, A & Shapiro, S 2006).

Attentional balance is achieved when the mind is free of both attentional laxity (deficit) and excitation (hyperactivity), and it can be used effectively for any task to which it is put (Wallace, 2996a, p. 167-173).

An interesting insight that came up as a result of this discussion is the need for attentional balance for effective practicing of the Three Acts of Goodness. For example, to do good deeds, require not only physical and mental ease to sustain it over the long run (to avoid burnout), but also the stability and vividness of attention for it to be effectively carried out.

Cognitive Balance

Cognitive balance entails engaging with the world of experience without imposing conceptual assumptions or ideas on events and thereby misapprehending or distorting them (Wallace, A & Shapiro, S 2006). It therefore involves being calmly and clearly present with experience as it arises moment to moment. The term cognitive is used in the sense of knowing as opposed to purely discursive thought (Wallace, 2005a).

An interesting training of this cognitive balance involves changing one’s relationship to thoughts instead of changing the content of thoughts themselves (Wallace, A & Shapiro, S 2006). Given this, the act of “say good words” (directed outward and inward to oneself) could be looked at as a training to change one’s relationship to thoughts, perhaps from a negative state to a more balanced state.

Affective Balance

Affective balance as defined by Wallace & Shapiro (Wallace, A & Shapiro, S 2006) entails a freedom from excessive emotional vacillation, emotional apathy, and inappropriate emotions.

Affective balance is a natural outcome of conative, attentional, and cognitive balance, but affective imbalances also impair those other facets of mental health (Goleman, 1997, 2003).

Interestingly, this state of mind shares very similar qualities to what Hsingyun (2003, p. 3), defined as “Think Good Thoughts” in the Three Acts of Goodness, in which he described it as a mind

“…free of doubt, jealousy, greed, anger and hatred, and instead have compassion, kindness, benevolence, motivation and vows. Cultivating these qualities is the practice of bearing good thoughts”.

This finding has shed insight on how to deepen the practice of “Think Good Thoughts”, based on the system of Buddhist meditative practices used to counter affective imbalances. These are described as cultivating the qualities of (a) loving-kindness, (b) compassion, (c) empathetic joy, and (d) equanimity (Aronson, 1980; Salzberg, 2002). Defined respectively, as (a) the heartfelt yearning that oneself and others might experience well-being and its causes, (b) the heartfelt yearning that oneself and others might be free of suffering and its causes, (c) delight in ones’ own and others’ joys and virtues, and (d) an impartial sense of caring for others’ wellbeing, regardless of ones’ own self-centered likes and dislikes (Wallace, 2004).

This system of meditative practices gives insight into the processes involved in training the mind to achieve exceptional levels of health and well-being, which Venerable Master Hsing Yun coined “Think Good Thoughts” in the Three Acts of Goodness. Conclusion

As remarked by Bodhi, 2005“…all schools of Buddhism share in common with western psychology the fundamental goal of reducing suffering”

According to Buddhist definition following the moral guideline leads to wholesome mental state. Western definitions of mental wellbeing have a number of differences from Buddhist definition. However, both systems aim to reduce suffering and thus have a common ground in working with this problem.

This assignment is an attempt to establish this common ground. It does so by first presenting the Buddhist training on morality as the Practice of the “Three Acts of Goodness”, then drew link between morality and the notion of Buddhist wellbeing, before exploring its relevance to the western notion of wellbeing. It then tries to establish a common ground between the two by using a model on wellbeing drawn from both the Buddhist tradition and western psychological research.

In doing so, the assignment presented a way for understanding and deepening the Practice of the Three Acts of Goodness in achieving wellbeing that is grounded on Buddhist principles and supported by western psychology.

References

Brickman, P & Campbell D 1971, adaptation level theory: a symposium. Academic Press, NY. pp. 287-302.

Ekman, P, Davidson, R, Ricard, M, & Wallace, A 2005, ‘Buddhist and psychological perspectives on emotions and well-being’, American psychologist, vol. 14. no. 2, pp. 59-63.

Gethin, R 1998, The foundations of Buddhism, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Gorkom, N 2010, Cetasikas, Lightningsource, UK.

Harvey, P 2000, An introduction to Buddhist ethics: foundations, values and issues, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Hsingyun, 2003, Let Go, Move On: between ignorance and enlightenment V, Buddha’s Light Publishing, CA.

NSW Department of Education and Communities, 2015, The Wellbeing Framework For Schools, viewed 9 February 2017, https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/wellbeing/about/16531_Wellbeing-Framework-for-schools_Acessible.pdf

Positive Psychology Melbourne, PERMA, viewed 10 February 2017, http://positivepsychologymelbourne.com.au/perma-model/#p

Rinpoche 2003, Parting from the four attachments, Snow Lion, Ithaca, NY.; Wallace, 1993, p. 31-43). Ryan, R & Deci, E 2001, ‘On happiness and human potentials: a review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being’ Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 52, pp. 141-166.

Seligman, M 1998, Learned optimism, Pocket Books, New York, NY.

Seligman, M 2012, Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being, Atria Books, New York, NY.

Shantideva 1997, A guide to the bodhisattva way of life, trans. A Wallace, Snow Lion, NY.

Wallace, B 1993, Tibetan Buddhism from the ground up, Wisdom, Boston.

Wallace, B 2001a, Buddhism with an attitude: the Tibetan seven point mind-training, Snow Lion, NY.

Wallace, B & Shapiro, S 2006, ‘Mental balance and well-being: building bridges between buddhism and western psychology’, American Psychologist, vol. 61, no. 7, pp. 690-701.