(Course code: -)
The Significance of Buddha’s Teachings Regarding Stress
Management to Overcome Psychological Conflicts
(Assignment
02)
Lecturer:
|
Name:
Student
Number:
1st semester
Date:
24th
August 2014
University
of
|
Acknowledgment
In
the current world, most people are suffering because of their “Anger and Stress”.
The best word for term stress has mentioned Asava in Pali and Asaharva in
Sanskrit by scholars. In 21st century, people work hard without
considering their health. Students learn hard as machine to be the symbol of
excellent. Finally the results are worthless. There are giving more pressure to
their mind which will be the cause for stress.
There are many people in current world who
dies cause of stress therefore in Japan it has famous and named as “Karosi”.
Therefore
in this assignment, I hope to elaborate about the causes to stress from
Buddhist interpretation and providing techniques to overcome from stress.
Contents
2.
Fundamental circumstances of the Stress……….…………………………….……...…2
i.
The Primitive characteristic of stress
ii.
The Psychological characteristic of stress
iii.
The emotional characteristic of stress
iv.
The physical characteristic of stress
v.
The Behavioral characteristic of stress
3.
Buddha’s Teachings for Stress Management to Overcome
Psychological Conflicts………3
i.
SabbŒsava sutta
ii.
Noble Eight Fold Path
iii.
Noble eight Fold Path with Sammanana and Samma Vimutti
iv.
SatipattŒna Sutta
v.
Four Sublime status
vi.
Loving-Kindness Meditation
vii.
Seven factors of enlightenment (Bojjhanga Suttas)
viii.
VitakkasantŒna sutta
ix.
AnumŒna Sutta
x.
Ratavin´ta Sutta
xi.
Bhaya bherava sutta
xii.
Aranavibanga sutta
xiii.
MahΠDukkhakkhanda sutta
xiv.
MettŒnisansa sutta
xv.
Mangala sutta
4. Personal views and techniques regarding manage a
stress in day to day life…..…….....12
5.
Conclusion
6.
End Notes………………………………………………….…………………….……….15
Introduction
The
term Stress has derived from a Latin word “Strictus”, which means hardship,
adversity and affliction. Not only the term “stress” but also “tension” is also
used to explain this mental status. However words such as Pressure, Being-down,
Anger, Anxiety, Nervousness, Strain, Energetic, Simulative, and being upset
also can use to elaborate the statues of stress, because various people explain
about this mental status variously.
In 1936 Hancy Sily has acquainted the
concept of Stress to the western world. At the inauguration the concept of
stress used in biology but later it has used in psychology and sociology. In
the 1920-30 the term uses in biological and psychological fields to mention
about mental strain, unwholesome happening, and harmful environmental agent
that can cause illness. [1]
Due to the rapid economic
development, most people have to work hard in their day to day life otherwise
it will inconvenient to live in current society. Therefore people are working
much hard without considering their moral practices and health. People are on
the race to collecting wealth and authority. As a results of this tendency
human qualities such as compassion and loving kindness are unknowingly
disappearing and occur psychological conflicts such as jealousy, fear,
desire, irritation, detestation, Stress
etc…In the 21st century most
people suffer from stress and in Japan people die due to stress. Therefore
stress is identified as sickness with the name of “Karosi”.
Buddhism has mentioned
regarding the stress management in many Sutta. The Pali term “Anuttaram
santivarapadam” mentioned about the exceptional of the Buddha’s teachings which
leads the disciples to ultimate peaceful of the mind. The Pali quotation from
Digajānu Sutta clarify the way to live without appealing any kind of struggle
of the world.[1]
Satipattana Sutta mentions the ways of purifications of livings beings.
Although these all teachings are taught by the Buddha in 6th century
of BC but appropriate to the current world. The qualities of Dhamma has
mentioned as “Akaliko”. Therefore the teachings of Buddha can use in current
world successfully.
As I have mentioned the rapidly
economic development is the reason for stress of current people. Buddhism shows
the appropriate methods to overcome from stress. It clarify that without much
considering about the collecting wealth people should live with straightforward
and less requirements. The essential is healthiness of mind and body.
Unfortunately most people has forgotten about good condition of mind while the journey of collecting of wealth.
Therefore current world is suffering from the stress. The teachings of Buddha
can secure from stress.
Stress Management
In the 21st century most people are suffering with
having stress. Many religious leaders and psychologists are doing their responsibility
and research to overcome from stress. There are many explanations regarding
stress and stress management. Swami Vivekananda says; “The stress like a short
television advertisement. It is very short but it influence to the person for
long time.” It is always exits in our mind. Mostly it can be patient by a
person and when it beyond the limit then it harmful to person. It can be cause
for heart attacks, blood pressure, and diseases related to the craw. Dr. Andrew
Galizzek names the stress as a disease of 20th century. The
following chart show how the stress goes to its highest harmful status step by
step.
The book named “Buddhist Psychology and
Counselling” which has written by Prof. Padmasiri de Silva has mentioned as “In
the context of the crucial issues in counselling, understanding the nature of
stress and stress management provides a useful background for understanding
more complex issues about fear and anxiety, loss of self- confidence and
depression, sudden onrush of aggression/anger, responding to grief and taking
to alcohol and drugs”. [2] With this statement I personally believe that
all the reasons for arisen more complex issues has ascending in recently with
overload of works.
The society is complex and people have confront
many difficulties. They cannot overcome all the difficulties without support or
proper guidance of the society. Therefore they need counsel by someone in such
period. [3] Buddhism has
provided such a great counsel techniques to overcome difficulties and guide
people to the right path.
External and internal are two main
factors which effects with stress. Physical environment such as job,
relationships with others, home, confronting situations, challenges,
difficulties, and expectations can be categorize as the external factors and
factors which decides the ability to respond to external factors which related
to stress can categorize into the internal factor. .[4]
The
word stress has used in Vedic manuscript in Rig, Yajur, Sama and Athrvan. In
Indian philosophy Ravo has said that the terms “Dukkha” and “Kilesa” are used
to indicate the idea of stress in Indian Philosophy. Its gives three kinds of
factors which are the reason for stress. Those are,
v Personal Factors
v Situational Factors
v Environmental Factors
01. Personal Factors
The condition such as jealousy, phobia, fear, anger, desire,
lust, covetousness, aversion, depression are the Physical or mental conditions
which influence to the person to develop stress in their mind.
02. Situational Factors
The condition such as
Quarrel, Anger, aggressiveness, and war cause for buildup stress in human
mind.
03. Environmental Factors
The condition such as natural disasters such as earth quick,
temperature, and volcano can be cause for the stress.
Due to difficulties of understand people’s mind and
characters most conflicts are arisen in the society. Buddhism highlight that
the important of understanding one ourselves. Kisagatami, Khema, Angulimala are
some examples which Buddha has used to the introspection theory. [5]
02. Fundamental
circumstance of the Stress
There
are different conditions of stress which occurs in our mind. Those conductions
can be divided into main five categories. Those are:
v The Primitive characteristic
of stress
v The Psychological characteristic
of stress
v The Emotional characteristic
of stress
v The Physical characteristic
of stress
v The Behavioral characteristic of stress
The
Primitive characteristic of stress arise with the complications of recognize
people’s observance and their behaviors. At these times mental balance will
change but after few minutes it comes to normal situation.
Second
the Psychological characteristic of stress arise to the mind. During long time
the ability of bearing the stresses which effect for extended period decrease
the strength of body and mind gradually.
Third
the emotional characteristic of stress make ability of confronting to the
stress has exceeds.
Fourth
the physical characteristic can serious damage to health also can appear.
Finally
the behavior characteristic of stress change their behavior with the fear that
society may identify the stressed behavior. But outside people show clear
changes of the behavior. When behavioral symptoms of the stress appeared it is
difficult to treat. It will harm to physical and mental health seriously. [6]
|
Primitive characteristic of stress
|
Psychological characteristic of stress
|
Emotional characteristic of stress
|
Physical characteristic of stress
|
Behavioral characteristic of stress
|
|
Uneasiness
|
Inability of concentration
|
Anxiety and phobia
|
Finger and palm wetted with sweat
|
Addicted to alcohol
|
|
Anxiety
|
Inability of make decision
|
Loneliness
|
Dried lips
|
Do not eat in proper time
|
|
Frequent pressure
|
Inability of judgment
|
Feeling of helplessness
|
Muscles rolling
|
Phobia
|
|
Feeling of busyness
|
Make decision arbitrary
|
Characteristics of Aragon
|
Flutter the hands
|
Emigration of society
|
|
No leisure time
|
Frequent negative feeling
|
Depression
|
Changing the voice
|
|
|
No chance to laugh
|
Mental tired
|
Feeling of refuse from the society
|
Difficulties to swallow
meals
|
Censorship of some person and places
|
|
Hustle and bustle
|
Forgetting
|
Fear of separation from the friends
|
Speed Pulse
|
Absence of social activities
|
|
Forgetting
|
Frustration
|
Fear to fail
|
Paint
|
Angriness
|
|
Negative thoughts
|
Feeling of helplessness
|
Feeling of guilty
|
Difficult to breathe
|
|
|
Frequent phobias
|
Depression
|
Hopelessness
|
Physical tired
|
|
|
|
No feeling about laugh
|
Fear to darkness
|
Difficulty to sleep
|
|
|
|
No sexual desire
|
Frequent angriness
|
Difficulty in sex
|
|
|
Arising of stress due to the physical and psychological
changes in life span.
|
||||
|
Childhood
|
Period of adolescence
|
Period of puberty
|
Marriages or late of marriages
|
Period of old age
|
Due to these changes in life span stress
can occur in human mind. With the references from Tripitaka Buddha’s teachings
provide perfect techniques to get rid from Stress.
03. Buddha’s
Teachings for Stress Management to Overcome Psychological Conflicts
“Mental contents such as depression,
aversion and perversion included in the Pali under the word “Āsava”.[2]
In English term “Āsava” has translated such as
Defilement, Taints, Cankers, Influxes, Influence,
Outflows Effluents, Mental intoxicants, Stress, Pressure
etc… [7] The term “Āsava” has used in Pali canon to indicate for stress.
In In Buddhism “Āsava” has categorized into four main parts. Those are,
v Stress
of sensuous pleasure (Kamasava)
v Stress
of becoming (Bhavasava)
v Stress
of views (Ditthasava)
There are numerous Suttas in the Pali
canon which explain about cause and the eradication of Stress. Those are,
Sabbasava sutta for stress management
v Sabbasava
sutta for stress management
v Noble
Eight Fold Path for stress management
v Noble
eight Fold Path with Sammanana and Samma Vimutti
v Satipattana
Sutta for stress management
v Four
Sublime status for stress management
v Loving-Kindness
Meditation for stress management
v Seven
factors of enlightenment for stress management
v Satipattana
Sutta for stress management
v Vitakkasantana
Sutta for stress management
v Anumana
Sutta for stress management
v Ratavinita
Sutta for stress management
v Bhaya
bherava Sutta for stress management
v Aranavibanga
Sutta for stress management
v Maha
Dukkhakkhanda Sutta for stress management
v Mettanisansa
Sutta for stress management
v Bojjhanga
Suttas for stress management
v Mangala
sutta for stress management
v Meditation
for stress management
01. SabbŒsava Sutta for Stress
Management
This Sutta explain about seven kinds of
methods to eradicate mental stress which occurs due to the hesitation, doubt, dissociation,
anxiety, and internal doldrums. Those are,
v Dassanā
Pahātabba - By seeing
v Sanwarā
Pahātaba - By restraining
v Patisevanā Pahātabba - By using
v Adhivāsanā Pahātaba - By
enduring
v Parivajjanā Pahātabba - By
avoiding
v Vinodanā Pahātabba -
By removing
This
sutta illuminate the techniques of eradicate stress from the human mind.
02. Noble Eight Fold Path for
Stress Management
The
Noble Eight Fold Path has mentioned in different suttas in Tripitaka. Its
concern about eradicate the defilements which helps to overcome from stress in
day to day life. Those are,
v Sammā
ditti
- Right view
v Sammā
Sankappa
- Right thoughts
v Sammā
Vācā
- Right speech
v Sammā
Kammanta
- Right action
v Sammā
Ājiva
- Right lively-hood
v Sammā
Vāyāma
- Right effort
v Sammā Sati
- Right mindfulness
v Sammā Samadhi
- Right concentration
03. Noble Eight Fold Path for
Stress Management with Sammanana and sammΠvimutti
With
the reference from Anguttara Nikaya, Buddha acknowledged ten aspects where
include the Noble Eight Fold Path and other two aspects which related to stress
management. Those are,
v Sammā
ŋāna
- Right wisdom
v Sammā
Vimukkti
- Right Liberation
It’s
completed to ten with adding this two aspects. All this ten has introduced as
the gradual system of achieve peace with the path of “Majjimā patipadā” on the
way of Nibbana.
04. SatipattŒna Sutta for Stress Management
Buddha
teaches four kinds of observations to practice to cultivate mindfulness. Those
are,
v The
contemplation of the body (kayanupasssana)
v The
contemplation of the feeling (vedananupassana)
v The
contemplation of state of the mind (cittanupassana)
v The
contemplation of the mental contents (dhammanupassana)
This
four kinds of observations eradicate the desires and helps to the way for
liberation
v Purification
of beings
- Sattanam visuddiya
v Overcoming
of sorrow, lamentation
- Sokaparidevanam samtikkamaya
v Destruction
of physical and mental suffering
- Dukkhadomanssanam attamgamaya
v Reaching
the right realization
- Nanassa adhigamaya
v Attain Nibbana
- Nibbanassa saccikiriyaya
05. Four Sublime status for stress
management
The
four Sublime status is another techniques of Buddhism that assistances to
reduce stress. Those are,
v Loving-kindness
(Metta)
v Compassion
(Karuna)
v Sympathetic
Joy (Mudita)
v Equanimity
(Upekkha)
Anger,
Cruel, Jealousy and Sadness are opposite bad qualities of sublime statues. If
anyone destroyed his above bad qualities and cultivate and develop four Sublime
status he or she will reduce and destroy his stress.
06. Loving-Kindness
Meditation for stress management
The
first Sublime status is loving-kindness (Metta) and it can use to reduce stress
in day to day life. The results shows in Mettanisansa Sutta of prating of loving-kindness.
v Comfortable
sleep
v Waking
comfortably
v Free
from nightmares
v Become
affectionate to human beings
v Become
affectionate to non-human beings
v Gods
save him
v No
any harm come to him by fire, poison, weapons etc.
v Can
concentrate mind easily
v Increase
beauty of the body
v Die
with right mindfulness
v After
death will born in Brahma world.
As
another results of cultivating loving-kindness medication, People develop below
qualities too. Those are,
v Practicing
generosity
– Dana
v Use
of pleasant, enduring words – Piyavacana
v Engaging
welfare works
– Attacariya
v Fellow
feeling
–
Samanatmata[10]
07. Seven Factors of enlightenment for stress
management (Bojjhanga Suttas)
The
Seven factors of Enlightenment which helps to eradicate stress. Those are,
v Mindfulness
- Sati
v Investigation
of mental phenomena - Dhammavicaya
v Energy
- Viriya
v Joy
or rapture
-
Piti
v Relaxation
or tranquility of both mind and
body - Passaddhi
v Concentration,
a clam one pointed state of concentration of mind – Samadhi
08. VitakkasantŒna Sutta for stress management
The meaning of Vitakaksantana Sutta is the relaxation
of thoughts. It has mentioned five methods for overcoming harmful thoughts.
09.
AnumŒna Sutta for stress
management
Anumana sutta explain that if anyone destroy the bad thoughts he/she
can live with calm life. Looking towards his character, person must understood
his week points and remove one by one from his life.
10.
Ratavin´ta Sutta for stress management
Ratavinita Sutta illuminates the seven stages of purity. Those seven are,
v Sila visuddhi -purity of morals
v Citta vissudi -purity of mind
v Ditthi vissudi -purity of views
v Knkavitarana vissudhi -purity of the conquest of doubts
v Maggamagga nanadasana vissudhi -purity of knowledge and insight into the right and wrong path
v Patipada nanadassana visuddhi - purity of knowledge and insight into progress
v Nanadassana vissuddhi -purity of knowledge and insight into the noble path
11.
Bhaya bherava Sutta for stress management
In this sutta illuminate the way leading to the cessation of stress. Buddha has explained about His experiences regarding the mental challenges during his stay in the forest. In Summary Aranavibanga Sutta, Maha Dukkhakkhanda Sutta, Mettanisansa Sutta, Mangala sutta are rest of the suttas which elucidate the ways to the overcome from Stress.
These
suttas are a small number of teachings and techniques from Buddhism. There are
outstanding teachings from Abhidhamma and Vinaya Pitaka to eradicate stress.
04. Personal views and techniques regarding manage a stress
in day to day life
Personally, I believe that most people
in current world are suffering from stress. We live in 21st century, where economic
development are highly required. If you are not able to develop with economic,
the society do not respect. With these reasons people are working with
thousands of dreams. They forget the
middle path of Buddhism and follow the economic development path to improve
their life. On the way of economic development, people have to be much
pressured and which will effect as Stress. They forget their needs and wants to
live their life.
The stress occur with unable to
understand the religious teachings and increasing their desires. If people can
live the concepts of Buddhism, more will be live calm and happily without
stress. Therefore the cause for stress is nothing but the reasons of our
desires. Due to the desire, People word hard for earn more money which will be
the cause for stress.
Conclusion
Most
people suffer and struggle to live in current world with worry and afraid. Due
to the rapid economic development and competitive society, lots of pressure
come into their mind. They required to earn more money, statues and power for
comfortable lifestyle. Normally when they are unable to success to achieve
their goals and dreams, Stress occur in their mind.
Personally,
I believe that Stress occurs due to the unbalance and unrecognized of needs and
wants of people. Food, Shelter, cloth and medicine are the basic needs of every
beings but due to their desires the needs turn into wants. Therefore, People
are struggling to earn more resources. While the journey of collecting and
finalizing their goals they have to face many struggle such as anger, hatred,
cruel, jealousy and sadness are occurring in their mind.
Everyone
who lives in current society is suffering by stress. Therefore religious
leaders and psychotherapists use their experiences and techniques to reduce and
eradicate the stress. The Buddhist teachings and techniques are exceptional to
eradicate the stress from human mind. It’s emphasized the important of moral
practices. Buddhist meditation are beneficial to decrease stress. Therefore
western world are attracted and more interested on Buddhist mediation. While
they are interesting and turning towards Buddhist teachings and techniques, we
have to provide correct information which are in mentioned in Pali canon.
End Notes
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress
[2] Silva,
P. d., Ed. (2014). Buddhist Psychology and Counselling. Monash University,
Australia.
[3] Edirisingha,
Daya. Hapuaracchi, Gamini, Carl Rogers and modern psychology, page 01-05
[6]
Queck, Jenny. The Buddha’s Technique and Practice of
counseling as Depicted in the Pali Canon, p. 107
[7]
Queck, Jenny. The Buddha’s Technique and Practice of
counseling as Depicted in the Pali Canon,
p. 108
Bibliography
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