Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1986. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 376-389).

This doctrinal study demonstrates in what way the ‘Universal Applicability’ of Buddha Dhamma can be reflected in the intervention process in view of the contemporary situation of the Buddhist Mindfulness being integrated as a psychotherapeutic technique. In past few decades, the Western psychotherapists recognize Mindfulness as ‘the heart of Buddhist meditation’ and apply it as an impartial psychotherapeutic technique to serve their clients’ physical health and psychological wellness. As recorded in the Buddhist Pāli tradition, through practicing Mindfulness meditation, people are able to comprehend the ‘Universal Applicability’ of Buddha Dhamma, to realize three universal characteristics (lakkhanas) of sentient existence, namely impermanence (anicca), un-satisfactoriness (dukkha), and non-self (anatta), and eventually to liberate their mind from suffering. From studying the Buddhist teaching of Mindfulness embedded in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta and the Mahā-Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the researcher develops this tenet, “the Buddhist Mindfulness could be an effective psychotherapeutic technique when it is practiced within the Buddhist context and supported by the theoretical foundation, and when the ‘Universal Applicability’ of the Buddha Dhamma is reflected in the therapeutic process ”. Applying the tenet to study the case, the ‘Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program’ (the MBSR) initiated by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, she finds three issues which makes her hesitated to agree with the Western psychotherapists’ integrating the Buddhist Mindfulness as a stand-alone psychotherapeutic technique. The first two issues are the way the psychotherapists interpreting and implementing the Buddhist Mindfulness as a stand-alone technique without the Buddhist context and isolated from the Buddhist theoretical foundation. Resulted from the first two issues, the third one is the ‘Universal Applicability’ of Buddha Dhamma has no way to reflect in the treatment process to help people liberating from suffering. After identifying these three issues, the researcher carries on to incorporate ideas of practicing Mindfulness suggested by the Pali Buddhist tradition, and collaborate with the Social Work Profession with applying transferrable skills of the ‘Experiential Learning’ techniques to design a pilot service—the Buddhist Mindfulness-Based Social Service Project (the BMBSS). The BMBSS, consists of (1) an Orientation Meeting, (2) the six-session Prerequisite Training (the PRT-BMBSS) and, (3) the twenty-six-session Buddhist Mindfulness-Based Social Service Program (the BMBSS), aims at demonstrating the way to support the ‘Practicing Facilitators’ and the ‘Practicing Novices’ to apply the Buddhist teaching of Mindfulness into their daily activities. Moreover, the researcher designs the BMBSS Project in the way to promote interdisciplinary collaboration between Buddhist communities and the Social Work Profession to exchange ideas to benefit their services. The Social Work Profession may benefit from the Buddhist teaching on ‘non-self’ to apply its intrinsic technique of the ‘use of self’ to serve the clients, when the Buddhist communities may learn from the Social Work Profession to bring the Buddhist teaching to serve the society at large. Furthermore, ideas on supporting inter-disciplinary collaboration generated from developing the BMBSS may transfer into promoting dialogues and networking between the Buddhist communities and other professions to integrate the ‘Universal Applicability’ of Buddha Dhamma to serve the needs of the Buddhists and non-Buddhists. / published_or_final_version / Buddhist Studies / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (D.D.)--Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., 1900. / Bibliography: p. [325]-344.

This interdisciplinary study explores the dialogical space between Buddhism and economics grounded upon an empirical examination of the lived experience of western Buddhist teachers. The goal of Buddhist practice is enlightenment, a powerfully liberating and transformative understanding in which the ordinary sense of self is extinguished. There is a variety of claims made by Buddhist traditions regarding enlightenment, and little agreement as to its exact nature; most Buddhist traditions, however, regard the self as having no essential basis. This view contrasts sharply with those of contemporary economic thought. Modern economic thinking has generally seen Buddhism as one of many religions, and has resisted taking its claims seriously. At the heart of this divide lies a hermeneutic barrier that is not simply between East and West, but has its roots in modernity, which maintains a separation of humans from nature, a distinction between knowledge and power, and a distrust of human subjective experience. By engaging in a dialogical approach, this study attempts to bridge this divide. It builds on experiential corroboration of Buddhist conceptions of self, based on semi-structured interviews of 34 western Buddhist teachers, to critically examine their experiences of insight into the nature of self, its impact on their relationships with others and nature, and its impact on their decisions about everyday economic activities. The purpose is twofold: to examine the nature of realisation experientially and to explore its transformative potential with a view to unfolding implications for economic action. The findings clarify many traditional Buddhist understandings, challenge and validate previous interpretations, and suggest an embodied rather than transcendent view of consciousness and spirituality. The implications for economic thought include a new conception of the economic individual (homooeconomicus), recognising the old conception as based on a misplaced idea of concreteness of self; a new epistemology which incorporates a phenomenological appreciation of life; and a new perspective of agency as the mindful embodiment of a seamless interconnection between consciousness and the social and natural world. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, 2007. / A thesis submitted to the University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, School of Education, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Includes bibliographical references.

As part of the Phenomenological Method used in this dissertation, the research work applied the hermeneutical concepts of bhakti, karma and moksha. Focus was on the role played by the guru, the sadhus and devotees of the Swaminarayan Movement and how they related t~ their religious, ethical and social obligations. Their responses to ethical scriptures were evaluated, especially with a view to determining the extent to which ethical injunctions permeates, enhances, uplifts and shapes the adherents spiritually ,morally and socially. Swaminarayan ethics was also placed within the context of Classical Hindu Texts and in particular, the work of Ramanuja and his Vishistadvaita philosophy. Further, it has been observed that the quest for the Ultimate Reality (Purushottam) is through their relationship with Akshar, Guru Pramukh Swami, the model of ethical excellence whose charisma binds the fibre of the Movement and his role serves both the ethical and transcendental plane of the Movement. / Religious Studies and Arabic / MA (Religious Studies)

As part of the Phenomenological Method used in this dissertation, the research work applied the hermeneutical concepts of bhakti, karma and moksha. Focus was on the role played by the guru, the sadhus and devotees of the Swaminarayan Movement and how they related t~ their religious, ethical and social obligations. Their responses to ethical scriptures were evaluated, especially with a view to determining the extent to which ethical injunctions permeates, enhances, uplifts and shapes the adherents spiritually ,morally and socially. Swaminarayan ethics was also placed within the context of Classical Hindu Texts and in particular, the work of Ramanuja and his Vishistadvaita philosophy. Further, it has been observed that the quest for the Ultimate Reality (Purushottam) is through their relationship with Akshar, Guru Pramukh Swami, the model of ethical excellence whose charisma binds the fibre of the Movement and his role serves both the ethical and transcendental plane of the Movement. / Religious Studies and Arabic / MA (Religious Studies)