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Buddhism is more like traditional Western Psychology than a religion. There are many reasons why a person practices the Buddhist teaching or, “Dharma,” as it's called. But naturally one of the most popular reasons is for the therapy. The teaching is more like Cognitive Therapy. This is because, like Cognitive Therapy, Buddhism teaches a, “Change of thinking sedative.”

The sedative comes from the change in thinking – not from God, the Buddha or any other Deity!

Buddhism teaches only: how to end all suffering. There is no salvation that comes by way of a Deity, like most other religions. For this reason many Christians practice the Buddhist Teaching, since it doesn't conflict with the Bible. And as such, a person is not required to accept the teaching exclusively or on blind faith. Rather the teaching is applied in life as an experiment. Then each Buddhist Practitioner gets his or her own scientific proof. In this way each person directly experience the, “Change of thinking sedative.”

The Buddha said, “Don't practice the Dharma because I say so, or because some musty, moth-eaten manuscript says so. Instead put it into practice in your own life, and if you find it has some good, continue using it yourself and teach others about it's value.”

According to Albert Ellis, PhD, there are thousands of scientific studies to show that a, “Change of thinking sedative,” can be as fast acting and effective as a drink or a pill.”

In the same way, the Buddhist Dharma, “Change of thinking sedative,” can be shown scientifically to be as fast acting and effective as a drink or a pill.

The only drawback to the, “Change of thinking sedative,” is that once applied, it may not last long. That is, the emotional pain is immediately gone. But it comes back! Therefore, like Cognitive Therapy, Buddhist Dharma must sometimes be applied all day long. In Buddhism the process of reapplying the Dharma is called, “Mindfulness.”

Buddha taught a permanent and final end to suffering while we are still living – not when we die and go to heaven or some other place. We can enter nirvana or state of non suffering, in our present body and live free from suffering from that point forward. Such a person is called a Buddha. The Buddha achieved this state himself. Buddha said he cut suffering off in his life, “Cut it off – never to arise again – cut it off – like a palm tree stump!

The permanent end to suffering was given in his first sermon. It's called the Four Noble Truths. The Fourth Noble Truth is, “Suffering is permanently ended by following a path, “The Eight Fold Path,” that leads to the permanent end of suffering.

This is the sum and substance of Buddhism and is protrayed in art form as Wheel: that is, a Dharama Wheel with 8 spokes:

The most important of these paths is the Fourth which is, ”Right Wisdom.” this includes Right View and Right Intention. Of these, the important one is Right View. It's the part a person, especially a beginner, should really really be concerned. This is because, Right View includes the Dharma Jewels. No other part of the Eight Fold Path is as profound or meaningful for a person looking for peace of mind.

The Dharma Jewels of Right view provides immediate relief from all emotional pain.

Dharma Jewels are simple to use. They aren't complicated at all. A therapist or teacher is not necessary. Everyone becomes his or her own therapist. But if you want a therapist or Buddhist teacher, you can do this too. The Dharma Jewels still work.

They become Dharma Jewels because the person has realized a particular part of the teaching. Just learning the Dharma will not cause a Dharma Jewel. But the good part is, once a Dharma Jewel is realized, it's never forgotten. Dharma Jewels are good for Eternity. This means that everyone came into this lifetime having learned many Dharma Jewels in previous lifetimes. All religions have them. Having learned the Dharma Jewels in a previous lifetime, it's a simply matter of uncovering what you already know. And this happens right away for some of the most popular ones.

Some Dharma Jewels take a long time to realize and sometimes the realization is quick.

Dharma jewels fall neatly into three categories: Buddha said all suffering is caused by three poisons of the mind. That is:

2, Anger, (Buddha said, “If you are angry it is like being shot with a poisoned arrow. It must come out immediately.)(manic state in Western psychology)

3, and Ignorance. (Ignorance includes ordinary ignorance, as well as Fear, Depression and Guilt.) (depressive state in Western psychology)

These are the poisons of the mind that cause emotional pain. Dharma Jewels work as antidotes killing the poison of all emotional pain.

It is not possible to have Right Intention as long as there is emotional pain. Emotional pain is always wrong intention.

For example, all anger caries with it the thought of revenge. Naturally as Buddhists we protect ourselves. But Revenge is Wrong Intention. So in order to practice Right Intention, we protect ourselves, but at the same time we correct our thinking with a Dharma Jewel that also works as a, “Change of thinking sedative.” By practicing the Dharma Jewel we then practice Right View as well.

Or for example, self pity or depression is Wrong Intention also. It's self-centered concern for myself alone – lacking consideration for others.

My daily reward for practicing Dharma Jewels is a feeling of dignity, honor and piece of mind. If I don't have this feeling, I know immediately, I'm not practicing Dharma. That is, I'm not practicing Right View. I'm not practicing the path of the Bodhisattva.

Freud invented a new word for Western psychology to describe this process. It's called, “Sublimation.” Derived from the word “Sublime,” sublimate means “To divert the expression or impulse of an instinctual desire or mental reaction, from its unacceptable form, to one that is considered more socially, culturally, or morally acceptable.”

Sublimation leads to the sublime, which means “To elevate or exalt, especially in dignity, honor or peace of mind.” Simply, virtue is its own reward, since it forces the mind into a higher state of consciousness. In Buddhism this process is called the path of the Bodhisattva.

Not all cognitive therapy leads to the sublime, even though it may relieve pain. And just relieving pain doesn't create happiness. That's the big advantage in Dharma Jewels, they lead to the sublime – a state of dignity, honor and piece of mind. All religions have them – not just Buddhism.

First: There are Conventional Dharma Jewels based on Buddha's teaching concerning conventional reality: that is, Conventional Bodhichitta. This includes simple sublimation of emotional pain using the practice of virtue.

And secondly: there are Ultimate Dharma Jewels based on Buddha's teaching on Ultimate Reality: that is, emptiness, non-self, etc. That is, Ultimate Bodhichitta.

Conventionnal Buddhist psychology
can be categorized into a convenient chart of Scientific Axioms that explain the workings of the human mind:

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By
Doug Remington

Doug Remington
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Hillsboro, Oregon 97123

503 575-9009

Just as the ancient Greek axioms of Geometry apply scientifically to all geometric forms, these Psychology Axioms, derived from Aristotle's Ethics and Sanskrit Psychology -- the path of the Bodhisattva -- apply to all persons. This is not meant to be a blind, dogmatic statement. Rather, it’s scientific statement of fact. Everyone can prove these truths in the laboratory of his or her life. Thus, these truths are verified by personal experience:

Chart: Buddhist Scientific Psychology Axioms

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