BUDDHIST PSYCHOTHERAPY AN ANCIENT REMEDY FOR MODERN MALADIES
Reluctant to believe that our lives are reflected on our hands and that astrology can predict our lives, I held my palm to Prof. Sumanapala and requested him to read his observations Referring to his methods of treatment Dr Sumanapala said, “This system is created by blending elements from Buddhism, Astrology, counselling and Ayurvedic rituals. The financial support for this programme is provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the South East Asian Region. We treat patients with psychological disorders through counselling, behavioral therapy, meditation and medicine as well
The Human mind drifts between ‘conceit’ and ‘confusion’ like a journey from the North Pole to the South Pole: when people are happy and blessed with everything they need, the human mind becomes conceited. Similarly, when they lose things they cherish most, the human mind gets sad and confused.
The Buddhist psychotherapy is a postgraduate study programme which teaches this truth along with six tools that strike the right balance and is taught at the Kelaniya university by Prof. G.D. Sumanapala after years of research and experiments in Pali and Buddhist studies.
It was late in the morning when we arrived at the Manelwatta International Buddhist Centre for the opening of the Training and Treatment Centre for Buddhist and Ayurvedic Counselling and Psycho-therapy. However my first private encounter with Prof. Sumanapala explained everything that needed to be known about this extraordinary personality - a mind filled with volumes of books he had read and written throughout the years and his actions and words signified the knowledge and experience he had gained.
Referring to his methods of treatment Dr Sumanapala said, “This system is created by blending elements from Buddhism, Astrology, counselling and Ayurvedic rit- uals. The financial support for this programme is provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the South East Asian Region. We treat patients with psychological disorders through counselling, behavioral therapy, meditation and medicine as well,” he said.
A stark reality
Reluctant to believe that our lives are reflected on our hands and that astrology can predict our lives, I held my palm to Prof. Sumanapala and requested him to read his observations. There were heavy rains and strong winds at that moment. Prof. Sumanapala turned down my request and said “sorry, not here.” After much persuasion, he agreed and asked me to lay my hand on my note book making it impossible for others to see he was reading my palm.
Strangely, a few things he related about my life were shockingly true. Strap The result of unwholesome thoughts Explaining this, Prof. Sumanapala writes in his thesis, “the above mentioned Abhidhammic analysis of psycho-physical process includes seventeen thought-moments. The complete process does not occur with all experiences of sense-faculties. The moments of thought-process may vary with the extent of experiences and the mind as a sense-faculty, contacts with mental objects or ideas directly. Many mental problems in modern society are caused by thinking or reflecting on the concepts created through the sense data and can be identified as mentality, mental concomitants or thoughts explained in the Abhidhamma as 52 cetasikas. Of these, the 14 karmically unwholesome cetasikas become the psychological basis for many mental problems and are mainly related to greed, hatred and delusion. The wholesome thoughts (25 cetasikas) together with relevant behaviour provide a good ground to get rid of all such problems. According to early Buddhist teachings human beings possess two mental tendencies by birth, namely ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes,’ essential for the survival of human beings. Although they are not harmful defilements problems arise when they are developed without limits. The 13 remaining cetasikas (thoughts) fall into the category of neutral thoughts.”
Speaking about the tendencies of ‘liking’ and ‘disliking’ Prof. Sumanapala said, “the normal level of these reactions turn out to be ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’, while the middle level is ‘greed’ and ‘hate’ and the final level is ‘covetousness’ (discontent) and ‘malevolence’ (desire to injure). The middle level tendencies are considered as mental disorders or unwholesome mental roots and the final ones are treated as unwholesome mental functions. As a result of unlimited development of greed and discontent one wishes to get everything that he or she likes and this is impossible, causing delusion within the mind. On the other hand due to the development of hate and malevolence though one wishes to keep away from everything that he or she does not like, the impermanent nature of the world makes this attempt unsuccessful.. So delusion or mental disorder (confusion) is common among all unenlightened beings - the Buddhist saying that all ordinary beings are like mad people. This madness is coupled with another defilement called conceit in the mind resulting from achievement and delusion and conceit are the basic factors of mental disorders.”
According to “An Analytical and Creative Study of the Buddhist Theory and Practice of Psycho-therapy,” the practice of psycho-therapy is also based on a simple formula which can expand to meet any mental problem of human beings. This practice has three gradual stages: i. Development of moral behaviour - behavioural therapy
ii. Development of concentration - psychological therapy
iii. Development of understanding - cognitive therapy
Therapy through restrainment and development
The first type of therapy refers to restrainment of the five senses responsible for the physical and verbal behaviour of man. The second type refers to restrainment of the mental disorders - greed, hatred and delusion-conceit. The third type of therapy concerns the development of understanding of people regarding the true nature of the world of experience.
These three stages are interconnected and support the restrainment and development of each aspect. According to the Ayurveda all physical illnesses are related to imbalance of the three humours: phlegm, bile and air. And according to the Visuddhimagga these three humours are connected with mentality - Greed – phlegm Hatred - bile Delusion - air Prof. Sumanapala has concluded his thesis by relating numerous ways (a few methods which are taught in the postgraduate courses in Kelaniya University and a few methods which are used in counselling programmes) people can attain mental comfort and complete their recovery programme temporally, till they attain the final realisation of human freedom, content and happiness - Nibbana.
These methods are confession, imita- tion, generalisation, Kamma, dialogue, noble silence, psycho-analysis, right motivation, logical analysis, innocent punishment, praising, friendly meeting, creating religious emotions and creating emotion and intellect.
Distant light seen through the cloud
At Mannelwatta, we also encountered a mother and a son who were being treated for depression from a Buddhist psychotherapy doctor named Ruwan Pathirana. The 59 year old mother, Fathima Khan said, “my son was diagnosed with depression when he was studying for his Advanced Level (A/L) examination. Maybe it was due to the death of my husband caused by an accident when my son was in grade seven. He fell ill at the time of his A/Ls and watching his suffering, I too fell sick. My son was diagnosed with depression. However after receiving counselling and also engaging in breathing exercises we both feel much better. My son is an active youth who always tries to study hard and his ultimate aim is to to become a lawyer.” As she spoke, her eyes shone brightly with happiness and her son who is now a tall, well built 22 year old youth stood by her.
Doctor Ruwan Pathirana who is treating Fathima and her son was also present and said that only a maximum number of 10 patients could be treated according to this therapeutic systemisation of healing. Listing a few common diseases that could be treated under this system, Dr Pathirana said, “sexual disorders, suicidal sentiments, incurable headaches, mental imbalances, personality disorders, irrational fears and psychotic epilepsy (seizure) are some of the sicknesses which are treatable by this method of medication. We try to treat the root course of the disease instead of treating the symptoms of that sickness and the method of treatment is different for each patient. Relief programmes are available for patients who cannot afford to pay the complete medical fees. Our goal is to cure physical diseases and mental illnesses through the use of Buddhism, Ayurveda, astrology and exorcisms.”
Irrespective of ethnicity, hundreds of people have benefited from Buddhist psychotherapy today. In this modern world, where ‘conceit’ can vacillate into ‘confusion’ and ‘confusion’ into’ conceit’ in a moment, it is good to realise there is hope for a balance between these two extremes...
Pix by Kushan Pathiraja