A Buddhist Perspective on Mental Health & Caring for Buddhist Mental Health Patients

A Buddhist Perspective on Mental Health & Caring for Buddhist Mental Health Patients

(summary of presentation for Cultural Diversity and Mental Illness conference; 10/29/09)

Sean Hillman, B.A. East Asian Studies; Master’s Student, Buddhism/Bioethics, U of T

The Buddha’s teachings, and Buddhist practice and study in general, are ultimately aimed at one thing: achieving a state of perfect mental health. This state is not seen as an ephemeral ideal, but rather, one that has been actually developed by many other humans in addition to the historical Buddha Himself, and one that every person has the potential to fully actualize. What does this perfect mental health look like? It is an enlightened mind. A Fully Enlightened being has both omniscience and unending great compassion. This infinite wisdom and unbiased concern for all sentient beings not only leaves its possessor with indescribable bliss, but, most importantly, it allows for flawless skill and ability in helping others to move away from the unenlightened state of suffering. The suffering that a Buddha leaves behind arises from delusions and manifests as afflicted emotions. How does Buddhist practice move the practitioner towards an enlightened mind? The path resembles its result, and thus can be fit into those practices which cultivate wisdom, and those which cause compassion to grow. Although Buddhism is often equated with meditation, and is an important factor, to be sure, it is only one of many concurrent practices. The texts subdivide Buddhist practice into three categories: concentration, wisdom and ethics. The calm-abiding and insight forms of meditation can help in the development of the first two, but it is important to note that the tidy categorization and listing that one finds in Buddhist texts may sometimes obscure the fact that all of the practices can be incorporated and mutually complement each other. In the context of mental health, the benefits that come from calm-abiding and insight meditation, such as more stability and an increased understanding of one’s own mind, will not be effectively seen if done independent from the third training of ethics, or restraining from harm and engaging in helpfulness. It is often said that ethics are the foundation upon which all spiritual practices are based. Simply, if one is causing trouble for others, how can one then expect to sit on a cushion with a settled mind? The disturbance caused to others comes from one’s own inner disturbance, and will result in more! Harming others mainly affects the one engaging in harm. In that moment the mind of the harmer must be in a state of suffering, and in the future the harm will return full-circle to the harmer. The interdependence of the practices that we see with the incorporation of the three trainings is mirrored by the interdependence encouraged in Buddhist thought in relation to how we interact to others. In changing our behaviour towards others it is necessary to change our view of actions and their results. One can boldly say that the contemplation of karma, or cause and effect, is the most powerful way to change behavior in light of the fact that wholesome actions lead to happy results, and harmful actions lead to miserable results. At the bedside, interdependence is a living reality in that the caregiver’s emotions have a strong influence on the patient, and vice versa. We might come across Buddhist mental health patients, and health care providers know already from their practice in a diverse cultural setting that none will be alike. It is helpful, regardless, to know that they might have a unique openness to such ideas as past and future lives, the existence of enlightened beings (and the potential to become one), and the law of cause and effect.