Rogers, C. (1951). The self-realization of Jung became the model for the concept of self-actualization in the humanistic psychologies of Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, and it was the latter who added a phenomenological dimension to the self. What would remain of it, if one removed one’s perception of it, one’s feelings about it, one’s impulses to act on it or with it, and one’s conscious awareness of it? The following exercise makes the same point experientially. Each of these jewels reflects the whole net, so that the entire universe is contained in each part of it (Loy, 1993). In Western thought, people tend to answer affirmatively and think of the self as an entity separate from others. What would remain of it, if one removed one’s perception of it, one’s feelings about it, one’s impulses to act on it or with it, and one’s conscious awareness of it? Eastern Self/Western Self By Linda Heuman May 08, 2013. Loy, D. (1993). In J. Strachey (Ed. This false sense of self or ego-individuality defiles the first six consciousnesses and is the source of all sort of psychological problems and delusions. A fist. “Conceptual self” (Neisser, 1997), “Relational Self” (Jordan, 1991), “Public and private selves” (Morin, 1998) have just been a few amongst the many terms offered in the explanation of the ways people perceive themselves and their world. Everything in the universe is connected to this piece of paper through a web of causal conditions. If the individual is likened to a wave in the ocean, then the alayavijnana is the unconsciousness (or subconsciousness) of the ocean, providing the continuity of the karmic process. Despite their differences an integration of Western and Eastern approaches may be possible or even necessary. The most important characteristic of the Eastern world view - one could almost say the essence of it - is the awareness of the unity and mutual interrelation of all things and events, the experience of all phenomena in the world as manifestations of a basic oneness. Horney, K. (1950). Stated differently, the paper cannot exist by itself; it lacks a separate self, soul, or essence. These “seeds” are “watered” by con scious activities, so that, for example, engaging in kind or compassionate thoughts makes the seeds of compassion ripen and grow (i.e., become more powerful), so that it will be easier to think compassionately next time. Skinner, B.F. (1971). Indra’s postmodern net. According to Vasubandhu, all that can be experienced to exist is “mind only,” or the mental processes of knowing. I see people as sick and dysfunctional mostly because of bad parenting but I guess all of these "dysfunctions" could be called the byproducts of not knowing who/what we are. The concept of self has gone through significant changes over the last 100 years. Although the archetypes in the Jungian collective unconscious manifest themselves in dreams and visions, the individual cannot modify their character. Wisdom and compassion: What the Buddha taught. This paper will compare and contrast these differing views emerging from Western and Eastern psychology, and examine their relevance for psychotherapy and everyday life. The Buddhist notions of the self are derived from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, better known as Shakyamuni Buddha, or simply Buddha (“the one who is awake”), after his experience of enlightenment under the bodhi tree over 2,500 years ago. The illumination is one ongoing phenomenon, integrating the contributions of the individual bulbs. In a Platonic tradition, concepts were seen to entail universals, applying always and for ever. . He was a founder of the school known as the Vijnanavada (“path of knowledge”) or Yogacara (“application of yoga”), and the author of one of the most important books of Buddhist psychology, the, According to Vasubandhu, all that can be experienced to exist is “mind only,” or the mental processes of knowing. Vijnana, or “consciousness,” the last of the five skandhas, is a multi-layered concept, including both conscious and unconscious aspects. It is to “thing” an event or a phenomenon, to transform an ongoing, fluid process, into a frozen and static spatial or temporal cross-section of the same, endowing such construction with the qualities of reality and separateness. Watts, A. This develops positive mental habits rooted in the seeds of the alayavijnana, and has far-reaching effects on the life and well-being of the individual. If the individual is likened to a wave in the ocean, then the alayavijnana is the unconsciousness (or subconsciousness) of the ocean, providing the continuity of the karmic process. The exhilarating and liberating effect of dissolving the illusion of the “I,” “me,” or “self” is reflected in these words by Achaan Chah: Hey, listen! A fist. Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 9(2), 27-36. The different conceptions of the self in Western and Eastern psychology have clear implications for psychotherapy and everyday life. True wisdom is automatically manifested as universal compassion, just as true compassion manifests itself as wisdom. They are in a state of interdependent co-origination, they inter-are (Hanh, 1988). Rahula, W. (1974). Fromm, E. (1964). By extension, it is making a thing out of a form, a shape, a configuration, a Gestalt, a perception, or an image. Essentially the soul, mind, or self was viewed as an inner substance or entity, different from the body, in charge of volitional processes, essentially a “little man inside of the head,” a homunculus within the individual, ultimately responsible for the person’s thoughts and actions. (1942). There is no one here, just this. It could be argued that the self needs to be strengthened before it can be abandoned. New York: Bantam. The concept of the self in Western psychology derives primarily from the work of Freud, Jung, and Rogers. One of the most important ones was Vasubandhu, an oustanding Buddhist scholar living in the 4th century. The heart of man. This means that nothing is ever truly independent or separate from everything else. As long as the wave was unaware of the nature of the ocean, believing itself to be separate and independent of it, it might develop attachments and aversions, fears, jealousies, and worries about its size, its purpose, its importance, its possessions, or its destination. No owner, no one to be old, to be young, to be good or bad, weak or strong. Is it real? They are essentially patterns, configurations, or Gestalten rather than objectively existing separate entities. However, Western psychotherapy is designed to effect such change in persons experiencing psychological or behavioral disorders, while Eastern disciplines affect primarily the practical everyday life of normal or healthy individuals. To some extent Western formulations of the self evidence a homunculus-like quality lacking in some Eastern conceptions, especially those derived from the Vijnanavada and Zen Buddhist traditions. Being aware of the phenomenon of awareness results in the mistaken notion of an inner perceiver who is having the awareness and who is separate from it. However, Western psychotherapy is designed to effect such change in persons experiencing psychological or behavioral disorders, while Eastern disciplines affect primarily the practical everyday life of normal or healthy individuals. These potentials exist in the form of “seeds” (bija) (Hanh, 1974, Epstein, 1995). The first five correspond to the five basic sense fields, and share the same level of depth. The eight consciousnesses should not be conceived as separate, but rather as eight manifestations or functions of an ongoing process. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Consider a wave in the ocean. If you're new here, I recommend going through the 'Must Reads' articles (see sidebar). This same piece of paper, is also because there was rain and sunshine, for without them the tree could not have grown. The skandhas are form, feelings, perceptions, impulses, and consciousness. Hahn, N. (1988). What happened to the “real” thing called “fist” that was there a moment ago? If the component conditions are regarded as elements, we can say that this piece of paper is composed of non-paper elements, or, in other words, that conditions other than the paper itself are necessary for the paper to exist. What is needed is appropriate action in the relative world, while maintaining awareness of the big picture. Heart sutra: Ancient Buddhist wisdom in the light of quantum reality. Since we think and act in accordance with these illusions, we invariably suffer (i.e., experience disappointment, frustration, and pain). In B. Engler, Personality theories: An introduction (5th ed., pp. Just as an automobile is a temporary collection of car parts, a person is a temporary arrangement of these five aggregates or skandhas. It is the repository of all potential activities of the other consciousnesses. Western psychotherapy, in its efforts to heal the neurotic individual, attempts to strengthen the ego, or to foster the development of a stronger “self,” and yet it is this very notion of self which Buddhist psychology sees as the root cause of human suffering. Differentiate the concept of self according to Western thought against Eastern/Oriental perspectives; 2. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press. Helper Pointers to I AM Awakening, etc by Angelo Gerangelo. The same is true of the remaining skandhas—each one is composed of the other four. The Buddha conceived of the universe as composed of an infinite number of, The following exercise makes the same point experientially. Does it have any real existence apart from its parts? Boston: Houghton Mifflin. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston. Jim: This is and has been my experienced with Self discovery and the What/who am I? A comparison of culture and philosophy between Eastern and Western societies. Where does the wave end and the rest of the ocean start? It is to “thing” an event or a phenomenon, to transform an ongoing, fluid process, into a frozen and static spatial or temporal cross-section of the same, endowing such construction with the qualities of reality and separateness. Eastern psychotherapy attempts to dissolve the experience of the self-as-separate entity and replace it with a feeling of interconnectedness, the non-self or selfless Self implied in the Buddhist concept of, Nevertheless, it is not enough for the healthy, liberated individual to eliminate the delusion of the separate self. But the concept of anatta does not negate the person, nor does it diminish it. Freud, S. (1964). To some extent Western formulations of the self evidence a homunculus-like quality lacking in some Eastern conceptions, especially those derived from the Vijnanavada and Zen Buddhist traditions. New York: Norton. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World. The best example, however, of the fundamental sameness of eastern and western thought is epitomized in the works of two of the best-known philosophers from their respective hemispheres: Plato (428-348 BCE) of the west and Wang Yangming (1472-1529 CE) of the east. The theological dimensions of the concept of soul were elaborated by Augustine of Hippo as well as by Thomas Aquinas, from where it passed into the hands of Rene Descartes, and from there, almost unchanged, but referred to as “mind,” into the realm of 19, Although some Eastern conceptions of the self, most notably those derived from Hinduism, which center on the Vedic notion of the, Reification is the process by which the mind makes a thing (res), or a material object, out of a concept or an abstraction. Sigmund Freud (1940) offered a complex model of this inner self in his tripartite analysis of the human personality into id, ego, and superego, which became a distinguishing feature of his psychoanalytic theory. The concept of the self in Western psychology derives primarily from the work of Freud, Jung, and Rogers. The interconnectedness, or “interbeing,” of everything in the universe, implied in the principle of dependent origination, finds an elegant expression in the metaphor of the jewel net of Indra, in the Buddha’s “Flower Ornament” sermon (Avatamsaka Sutra). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. What would remain of it if you removed form, feelings, perceptions, impulses, and consciousness? Or is it? IMO, early psychological damage is the most significant issue of all and way more significant than figuring out who/what we are. Explain the concept of self as found in Asian thoughts; and 3. How to Eradicate all Sufferings immediately? Garden City, NY: Doubleday. The delusion of the separate self is likely to be stronger in individuals raised in individualistic societies, such as those of Europe and America, and may be weaker in collectivistic societies, such as those of China or Japan, where the harmony (, Zen Master Hong Wen Liang (洪文亮禅师), Conceptions of the Self in Western and Eastern Psychology, 1) Thusness/PasserBy's Seven Stages of Enlightenment, 2) On Anatta (No-Self), Emptiness, Maha and Ordinariness, and Spontaneous Perfection, 4) Realization and Experience and Non-Dual Experience from Different Perspectives, 5) Differentiating I AM, One Mind, No Mind and Anatta, 6) A Summary of Seeing that Frees by Rob Burbea, 7) Experience, Realization, View, Practice and Fruition, 8) Book Recommendations 2019 and Practice Advices, Awakening to Reality: A Guide to the Nature of Mind, Soh’s Journal and Notes on Spiritual Awakening, General Buddhadharma Discussions: Dharma Connection, Chinese Translation of Thusness/PasserBy's Seven Stages of Enlightenment, The Concept of Sunyata (Emptiness) in Mahayana Sutras, Dream Datum: Self discovery paths related articles, Buddhist Forum: ~ Buddhism: Wisdom Bliss ~. When crossing the street, it is not enough to contemplate an approaching car and to realize that we are one with it. When we carry a burden, it is heavy; when there is no one to carry it, there is not a problem in the world! Peace is every step: The path of mindfulness in everyday life. To some extent Western formulations of the self evidence a homunculus-like quality lacking in some Eastern conceptions, especially those derived from the Vijnanavada and Zen Buddhist traditions. Heraclitus), in early Western philosophy a static view of reality was taken, with substance as the carrier of properties and the basis for identity of the self. 141-207). Just like the term “fist” is a convenient label to designate a particular (and transient) arrangement of the fingers, the term “self” or “I” is nothing but a label for an impermanent arrangement of the skandhas. Mosig, Y. If we reflect carefully we are left with the realization that there never was a car there—all that was there was a conglomerate of parts temporarily connected in a certain way, so as to result in a particular mode of functioning, and “car” was just a convenient label to designate this working arrangement. It could be argued that the self needs to be strengthened before it can be abandoned. Avoiding the void: The lack of self in psychotherapy and Buddhism. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Yozan Dirk Mosig, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, Nebraska 68849. What happened to the “real” thing called “fist” that was there a moment ago? In terms of cross- cultural studies, cultures had been separated into the western and oriental/eastern spheres; the western generally refers to the European and American countries while the Orient refers to the South-East countries in the globe, including Asia and China. . Similarities and differences in society. When we carry a burden, it is heavy; when there is no one to carry it, there is not a problem in the world! 450-474). Everything in the universe is connected to this piece of paper through a web of causal conditions. The delusion of separateness results in cravings, grasping, clinging, greed, selfishness, hatred, fear, feelings of alienation, loneliness, helplessness, and anxiety, which afflict those “healthy” as well as “unhealthy.” But now look again: where are the boundaries of the wave? Mosig, Y. The word “car” is nothing but a label for the gestalt formed by the constituent parts, and although it is true (as realized by Wertheimer and the other Gestaltists) that the whole is more than the sum of the parts (one cannot drive sitting on any of the separate parts, or on a random heap of them, but driving is possible when one puts them together in a certain way), it is equally true that a gestalt cannot continue to exist when separated from its parts. New York: Harper Collins. Associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development Services. There is no little man inside of the head, no thinker of thoughts, no doer of deeds, no inner ego or self, other than the temporary gestalt formed by the skandhas. Furthermore, in the alayavijnana, the “seeds” affect each other in various ways. The eastern perspective sees the other person as part of yourself as well as the things you may create, a drama in which everyone is interconnected with their specific roles (Wolter 2012) The Western and … Pattern and growth in personality. Being aware of the phenomenon of awareness results in the mistaken notion of an inner perceiver who is having the awareness and who is separate from it. What is needed is appropriate action in the relative world, while maintaining awareness of the big picture. But what about a person? In the same way, all human problems and suffering disappear when the illusion of a separate self is eliminated. Eastern world refers to countries in the Asia and Middle East whereas Western world refers to North and South America, Europe, Australia and New Zeeland. Soeng Mu, S. (1991). The same is true for anything else in the universe, including a person. At which point did the car disappear? On the contrary, it empowers the individual by erasing the boundaries of separateness that limit the personal ego or self. Wisdom and compassion are dependently arisen, they “inter-are.” In the final analysis, wisdom is compassion, and compassion is wisdom (Mosig, 1989). Indra’s postmodern net. Comparison of Western and Eastern Concepts of Self Western Eastern Duality- you are distinct from other persons Other persons are part of your self Talk about their personal attributes Talk about their social roles Highlights personal achievements Keeps a low profile and avoid boastfulness Individualistic- focus on the person Collectivistic- group and social relations are more important … This can be grasped best with another metaphor, often found in Buddhist literature. Now open your fingers. Does it have an essence or a “soul” when separated from its component parts? According to Horney, the congruence of the “real self” and the “idealized self” is the hallmark of a healthy personality. My parents certainly never knew what they were or they might have been better parents and I might have lived a lot better life than I did. Now consider your self, your ego. It is also true of cognitive or mental states, because for every emotion, for every perception, for every thought, there are necessary causal conditions without which they would not have come into being. With Jung the self, transcending the ego, became ultimately identical with the whole psyche. This is one of the reasons why “ultimate reality” is essentially “ineffable.” As Lao Tze put it, “the tao that can be told is not the real Tao.”. Although some Eastern conceptions of the self, most notably those derived from Hinduism, which center on the Vedic notion of the atman or soul, are similar to Western ideas of the self, Buddhist psychology provides a radically different interpretation. A fist. Richard C. Page. Gordon Allport (1961) made an interesting distinction between the self-as-object and the self-as-knower, asserting that the former could be approached with the descriptive tools of psychology while the latter was to remain a subject for philosophical speculation, outside of the realm of science. For exaxmple i have learnt that No owner, no one to be old, to be young, to be good or bad, weak or strong. Erich Fromm (1964) specified unique human needs that must be satisfied in order to achieve self-fulfillment, and argued that no human society had yet been developed that successfully met the needs of the self. Concepts of the Self: Western and Eastern Perspectives. Private self-consciousness refers to the tendency to introspect about our inner thoughts and feelings; public self-consciousness refers to the tendency to focus on our outer public image and the standards set by others. Garden City, NY: Doubleday. Eastern psychotherapy attempts to dissolve the experience of the self-as-separate entity and replace it with a feeling of interconnectedness, the non-self or selfless Self implied in the Buddhist concept of anatta. The same is true of the remaining skandhas—each one is composed of the other four. The same is true for anything else in the universe, including a person. Epstein, M. (1995). The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 13, 125-136. Where did it go? To some extent Western formulations of the self evidence a homunculus-like quality lacking in some Eastern conceptions, especially those derived from the Vijnanavada and Zen Buddhist traditions. Sigmund Freud ( Vol as true compassion manifests itself as wisdom false sense of self as in... The alayavijnana we are one with it would vanish instantly upon realizing the water-nature the. Problems and delusions positive change in the universe is connected to this piece of writing Page last... 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