Oriental Psychology

8/13/2019 Oriental Psychology

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Oriental

Psychology

by: Jennibeth D. Baculna(Development of Psychological Thoughts)


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Consists of the psychologically relevant

materials taken from ancient writings in the

Orient. As a rule, the practice of Oriental Psychology

is called meditation(dhyana).

Meditation was changed to REALIZATIONthe process of making certain principles real to

oneself.


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Oriental Psychologists distinguish

between realization and action as

means of attaining the experienceof spiritual freedom which they term

as bodh i (enlightenment) or

kaivalya(liberation).


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Indian Psychology

Encompasses the vast body of Indiaswisdom that concerns the human being the sources could be Vedas, Upanishads,

Yoga, Bhagavad Gita, Buddhism and itsvarious schools.

Indian philosophy and Indian psychologyshare a framework and believe the humanhas enormous potential hidden in its being.It also has an endless array of techniquesto raise human consciousness.


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Studies in the West on psychology of

consciousness, parapsychology,

psychology of religion and transpersonalpsychology in the last few decades

borrow from the ideas of Indian

psychology.


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Personality development consists of

growth toward unity.

Six personality types recognized in Buddhism:

-Ragacharith (attached)

-Doscharith (envy)-Mohacharith (dull, idle)

-Buddhicharith (rational)

-Vithakkacharith (imaginative)

-Sadvacharith (disciplined)


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Buddhism

The most scientificreligion.It does not

speak of God, there is no soul, but only

the contribution of experiences or karmaor personality through different

incarnations. The ultimate reality is

described as vacuum or sunyata.


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Mindfulness (Vipassana)

A major

technique in

Buddhismbeing mindful

of even

mundane

activities


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Four noble truths:

Pain

Cause of Pain (passion and lust)

Annihilation of Pain (the possibility of ending pain)

The eight folds path leading to cessation of pain

*In the Buddhist doctrine, mind is the starting point, the

focal point, and also, as the liberated and purified

mind of the arhat or enlightened being, the culminating

point.


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Doctrine of Interdependent

Origination of Buddhism

Explains how the present mind moment is

influenced by the preceding mental state, and

how the present state conditions the

succeeding moments of experience. One of

the practical skills taught by the Buddha for

bringing about psychological transformation is

the ability to discern the two different sorts ofmental states that arises in the mind: healthy

and unhealthy.


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Four processes of the mind:

Consciousness (vinnana) Perception (sanna) Sensation (vedana)

Reaction (sankhara)*Consc iousness is nonjudgmental awareness,until percept ion interprets the stimuli eithernegatively or positively. This interpretation

produces a sensat ionwithin us, which is eitherpleasant or unpleasant, depending upon ourperception. And finally comes react ion, which isthe action the sensation provokes.


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Desirelessness

Key to nirvana, emphasized

moderation (not total indulgence or

complete self-denial)


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Jainism

Jain philosophy

differentiates cognitive,

knowledge and intuitive

understanding.

The path to realization:

-Right faith

-Right knowledge

-Right conduct


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They believe that the soul is the possessor of material

karma

an aggregate of particles of very fine matterimperceptible to our senses. The soul is inherently pure

and perfect. But just as the shining sun is often obscured

by either a cloud or mist or a veil of dust, so the soul is

clouded by karma.


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Jainism has its own yoga called caritra.

Bondage is due to the inflow of karmic

matter that is due to the actions of body,mind and speech. Hence the process of

emancipation will naturally start with the

stoppage of this inflow and liquidation ofthe already accumulated karma-

particles.


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Jain typology called lesya or colour

type theory grades people

according to the coloration of soul

by karmic passions: black, blue,grey, pink, red and white. Six types

of colour-indexes have been

suggested to fit in with all the moral

and immoral kinds of beings:

(black)-wickedness and cruelty

(blue)-anger and envy

(grey)-dishonesty and meanness

(pink)-discipline

(yellow)-subduing of passions(white)-meditation of virtue and

truth (the favoured colour of Jain

monks).


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The Psychology

of Zen

Variety of Buddhismwhich evolved in Japan.

The zen derived from

Dhyan which meansmeditation.

The focus in Zen is notto free oneself fromnegative outside

influences, but tochange oneself on theinside. Moreover, Zendeals with anexamination of the self,recognizing that if we

understand ourselveswe'll be better able tocontrol our senses andemotions rather thanbeing controlled bythem.


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Zen asserts that it is important for a person

to be situated without holding back. Really

be who you are. Rather than a removed ordissociated approach to life, Zen

encourages full involvement and

participation in life. The more a person

becomes their situatedness, the more theirnatural or inherent self appears in their

experience.


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Taoism

A religion flourished in China.

Tao = Way or How

It can be known by becoming aware of what is

happening through meditation. Tao does not behave,

does nothing at all yet everything gets done. It is the

law of things, the common ground of all creation.

The Taoist way of life involves living in harmony with

nature.

Documents

Oriental Psychology