The third academic community activity of the overarching project "The Theory and Practice of Buddhism and Psychotherapy" for the 2021 academic year, organized by the Center for Buddhist Studies at Fo Guang University, was held on November 26 at Yunshuixuan, Fo Guang University, with simultaneous Zoom video conferencing. Twenty-two participants, including project members from within and outside the university and student assistants, attended the meeting. The presenters for this session were sub-project hosts Prof. Huang Guo-Zhang of the Department of Psychology at Fo Guang University and Prof. Peng Rong-Bang of the Department of Human Development and Psychology at Tzu Chi University.
Prof. Huang Guo-Zhang reported on "An Exploration of the Correlation between Self-Concept, Emotional Attachment, and 'Suffering' (Dukkha) in Buddhism," with the aim of developing a scale for "Suffering." He began by reviewing the Buddhist understanding of "Suffering," focusing on physical suffering, mental suffering, and the Eight Sufferings. He also introduced Western theories regarding "suffering" in contexts of depression, anxiety, and various situations of loss. "Self-concept" is derived from external affirmation and internal nurturing, which relates to the environment of upbringing or the strength of emotional attachment; thus, it involves attachment theory, explained here using John Bowlby's theory.
Next, Prof. Huang outlined his concept for qualitative interviews and quantitative questionnaires regarding "Suffering." He proposed using individual interviews to explore which background variables affect attachment styles and the dimensions of self-concept formation. The research framework will utilize the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, anxiety and stress scales, and scales on the suffering experiences of university students. Prior to this, focus group interviews are planned to discuss with experts how psychology corresponds to the Buddhist Eight Sufferings and mental suffering, as well as the causal relationship between "suffering" and "emotions," to facilitate the drafting of the scale.
Prof. Peng Rong-Bang reported on "What is Heart-Mind? What is Emotion? An Attempt at Indigenizing 'Emotion Theory'." He laid out his personal path from his doctoral research to engaging in the dialogue between psychology and Buddhist studies. He used the complex emotional experiences of "suffering" arising in hospice care and chemotherapy settings as an empirical basis. Referencing Chinese semantics and Heidegger's existential phenomenology regarding emotion, he explained that expressing emotions through appropriate language allows one to understand a person's existential situation. Based on this, he formulated an emotion theory of "Emotion—Situation—Embodiment—Expression" that is close to indigenous experience, responding to the problems that arise in the indigenous clinical reflexive relation [Note 1] when using Western psychology derived through translation.
"Initially, I only wanted to clarify things within the Chinese context. It was later, when dealing with ethical issues in empirical research, that I started thinking about connecting with Buddhism." Prof. Peng concluded by displaying the research results of his indigenous emotion theory, focusing on "commiseration" (compassion) or Buddhist compassion. This is an emotion summoned in the subject position when facing the suffering of others, which can correspond to the subject position of a "familial person" and can also be understood using Prof. Yu De-Hui's concept of "karmic affinity" (yuan-fen).
The exchange session clarified the similarities and differences between the Buddhist concept of "Suffering" and psychological terminology. Discussions focused on Buddhist emotional state scales, Buddhist emotional language, and the possibility of using psychological Attachment Theory [Note 2] to expand upon the Buddhist concept of the "Suffering of separation from loved ones." Additionally, the Buddhist concept of "Three Kinds of Compassion" (compassion dependent on sentient beings, compassion dependent on phenomena/dharma, and compassion with no object/unconditional compassion) was used to discuss the attitude of hospice care providers toward patients. The focus was on how the liberation view of the third kind, "Unconditional Compassion," distinguishes Buddhism from psychotherapy. This reveals that both the patient's pain and the therapist's trauma stem from being trapped in language. Buddhism advocates ceasing language to liberate oneself from suffering, while the Mahayana tradition emphasizes returning to the world with wisdom-language to transform ignorance-language and manage life's problems.
The fourth community activity is scheduled for December 24, with reports to be presented by Prof. Lee Wei-Lun and Prof. Lin Wei-Lun.
Notes:
1. There is a reflexive relation between psychological knowledge and its object of study; that is, psychological knowledge originates from the psychological life of local people and, in turn, shapes their understanding of that psychological life. However, Western psychology, when arrived at through translation, presents problems in this reflexive relation. Especially in clinical psychology settings, the language used often has no relation to the client's lived experience. Indigenous psychology attempts to retrieve language that is close to local lived experience. Cf. Peng, Rong-Bang. "The Humanistic Gaze: Tracing the Not-So-Distant Figure of Mr. Yu De-Hui." In Humanistic Clinical Practice and Ethical Healing, edited by Yu An-Bang, 337-360. 2017. https://reurl.cc/1o514G
2. Cf. Bowlby, John. Attachment and Loss, Vol. 1: Attachment; Vol. 2: Separation: Anxiety and Anger; Vol. 3: Loss: Sadness and Depression. Translated by Wang Zhi-Yan, Wan Ju-Ling, Bai Jian-Lei, et al.; revised by Weng Shih-Heng. New Taipei City: Owl Publishing, 2021.
The third academic community activity featured reports by Prof. Huang Guo-Zhang (left) and Prof. Peng Rong-Bang (center), moderated by Prof. Guo Chao-Shun (right).
Prof. Tseng Chih-Mien (left) and Prof. Chen Yi-Biao (center) of the Department of Buddhist Studies at Fo Guang University, and Prof. Weng Shih-Heng (right) of the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology at National Dong Hwa University participating enthusiastically in the discussion. During the session, Prof. Weng shared the translation of the Attachment Theory Trilogy, which he finished revising this year.
Prof. Lin Wei-Lun (center) of the Department of Psychology at Fo Guang University and Prof. Lee Wei-Lun (right) of the Department of Philosophy at National Chengchi University. The left image shows a scene from the discussion exchange.