This article was conducted to understand the Buddhist doctrine of 'not-self' (anatta) in respect of psychotherapy. The author reviewed the earliest Buddhist canons (Nikayas) and extracted the thoughts of 'not-self'. The Buddhist self (or ego) is not equal to the recent psycological self (or ego). It is rather the systemic being than the single one, which is composed of 5 aggregates. 'Anatta' does not mean 'no self' but 'not-self'. Buddha regards that self or ego is not real but conceptual. The Buddhist doctrine of 'anatta' is based upon the theory of the dependent origination (paticcasamuppada). Buddhism and psychotherapy consent that one could be emancipated from sufferings not by belief, but by introspection. Just as the emotional insight may lead to the change of behavior and personality in psychotherapy, so the true insight to Enlightenment in Buddhism. The psychotherapeutic significance of 'not-self' implies both the recognition and extinction of the conscious and the unconscious adherence. Therefore psychotherapeutic analysis can be introduced into Buddhism and the meditative contemplation of 'paticcasamuppada' can be adopted by psychotherapy.
Buddhism ; Ego ; Psychotherapy

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of relationship between the frequency of various persecutors in schizophrenic delusion and religious orientation with other religious variables. METHODS: The subjects were 105 schizophrenic patients. Diagnostic criteria used in this study was DSM-III-R. Religious orientation was assessed with the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Religious Orientation Scale. Demographic data, religious data, and contents of persecutory delusion were also analyzed. RESULTS: 1) The group obsessed with religious delusion regarded God, ghosts, and supernatural beings as persecutors. Predominantly, they used to have religious affiliation with protestantism before schizophrenic onset while being "intrinsic" in religious attitude. They also participated in religious activities more than 2 times every week. 2) The group who regarded religious leaders and shamans as persecutors predominantly had a religious affiliation after schizophrenic onset with "proreligious" and "intrinsic" religious attitude while some of them never participated in religious activity. 3) The group who regarded predominantly family and relatives as persecutors have a religious affiliation with buddhism and others(shamanism and etc) after schizophrenic onset with "extrinsic" religious attitude. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that religious orientation and other religious factors seem to affect persecutory delusion formation in schizophrenic patients.
Buddhism ; Delusions* ; Humans ; Protestantism ; Schizophrenia

PURPOSE: All nurses should provide spiritual care for their clients. It is especially important to care spiritually for cancer patients facing the crisis of life. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the concept of spirituality which is one of the basic concepts for spiritual care in cancer patients. METHOD: The subjects of this study were 8 cancer patients; 2 Christians,3 Buddhists, and 3 persons who did not have any religion. The data was collected and analyzed by Hybrid Model. RESULT: The results of this study were as follows: Dimensions of spirituality(vertical dimension connected with the absolute being, horizontal dimension related to others, existential dimension related to seeking of meaning), attributes of spirituality(dynamic process strengthened in suffering due to struggle with cancer, connectedness with the absolute being or will and belief in oneself, transcendence of reality, meaning and purpose of life, future oriented), outcomes of spirituality(intrinsic, behavioral). CONCLUSION: The spirituality of cancer patients is manifested differently by his(her) religion, age, past experiences and burden of family, and is able to be strengthened with cancer. Therefore, nurses should recognize that diagnosis and deterioration of cancer is not only a spiritual crisis but can be a good chance for spiritual growth, as well.
Buddhism* ; Christianity* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Spirituality*

Koreans' traditional view on death has been much influenced by Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and shamanism since ancient times. Confucianism emphasizes the importance of the real life in this world and highly praises doing good deeds for the family and the community. It also praises people who are enlightened by education and self-discipline. Confucian scholars admit that death cannot be understood by rational thinking although it is unavoidable as a cosmic order. Taoism sees life as the same entity as death; Both are two different aspects of the same cosmos or the wholeness. However, the disciples of Taoism became much interested in a long life and well being that may be achieved by harmonizing with the cosmic order. Buddhism thinks that death and life are an "illusion". It says that people can be enlightened by recognizing the fact that "Nothing is born and nothing is dying in this world. Everything is the product of your mind occupied with false belief." However, secular Buddhists believe in the afterlife and metempsychosis of the soul. This belief is sometimes connected with the view of the traditional shamanism. Shamanism dichotomizes the world between "this world" and "that world". After death, the person's soul travels to "that world", where it may influence life of people who reside in "this world". And shamans who are spiritual beings living in "this world" mediate souls and living people. In conclusion, there are various views and beliefs regarding death, which are influenced by a number of religions and philosophies. They should be seriously considered when making a medical decision regarding the end of patients' life.
Buddhism ; Confucianism ; Humans ; Philosophy ; Religious Philosophies ; Republic of Korea ; Shamanism ; Thinking

PURPOSE: This correlational study was to examine the relationships between dementia knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy and preventive behavior of low income middled-aged women. METHODS: The subjects for this study were 125 low income middle aged women living in I city. The data were collected using the questionnaires for dementia knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy and preventive behavior. The data analysis was done by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson product moment correlation and stepwise multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean of dementia knowledge was 13.96 out of 20, attitude was 43.98 out of 60, self-efficacy was 54.07 out of 75 and preventive behavior was 25.98 out of 36. The positive correlations were revealed between dementia knowledge (r=.458, p=.000), attitude (r=.498, p=.000), self-efficacy (r=.573, p=.000) and preventive behavior. The influencing factors for dementia preventive behavior were self-efficacy, belief in Buddhism and attitude which accounted for 42.5% of the total variance. CONCLUSION: Dementia knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy were identified as variables that correlate dementia preventive behavior. Also, self-efficacy is the most influential factor affecting dementia preventive behavior. On the basis of these results, it is necessary for nurses to consider using dementia knowledge and mode of efficacy expectation in order to improve dementia preventive behavior.
Buddhism ; Dementia ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Lack of historical records causes some difficulties in the historical studies of ancient Korea. It is the same case as that of the history of medicine. We imagine what the situation of medicine was like in ancient Korea with a bit of historical records. In ancient times, medicine had very close relation with religions. In ancient Korea, it had very close relation with Buddhism. According to {Sam Kuk Sa Ki and {Sam Kuk Yu Sa buddhists monks treated patients with the religious rituals. In this article, the authors would like to present a record which had been unnoticed until now. It is the commentary of Wonhyo on a certain Buddhistic cannon called {Kum Kwang Myung Kyung. A chapter of this cannon is on the theory of medicine, causes of diseases and treatments. We can presume Wonhyo's knowledge of medicine at that time through his commentary on this chapter.
Buddhism/*history ; English Abstract ; History of Medicine, Ancient ; Korea ; Religion and Medicine

PURPOSE: To explore the meaning of prayer in Korean patients with end-stage cancer who profess Christianity or Buddhism, given the significant differences between these religions. METHODS: The Colaizzi (1978) analysis method was employed. In-depth interview were performed with 13 participants (seven Christians and six Buddhists) who were admitted to a University-affiliated hospital in Korea. RESULTS: The six categories emerged: 1) communication with God, 2) mind discipline, 3) spiritual growth, 4) mysterious experiences, 5) perception of death and after-life, and 6) various forms of prayers. CONCLUSION: The participants' prayer experiences were described in a religious context. Christians believed that prayer is communication with God while Buddhists regarded it as disciplining of minds. Despite some differences between the religious groups, a general meaning of prayer was a desperate desire to solve their health issues by relying on God or someone who is more powerful than themselves. They also experienced personal and spiritual growth through prayer. This study explains the phenomenon of prayer experiences and shows that prayer is an important coping mechanism.
Buddhism ; Christianity ; Faith Healing ; Humans ; Korea ; Methods ; Religion*

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate nurses' awareness of death and the meaning of life and identify factors influencing the meaning of life. METHODS: Participants were 198 women nurses who had experienced the death of patients. They answered a self-administered questionnaire including demographics, awareness of death scale and meaning in life II scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test, and multiple regression (enter method). RESULTS: The average score for awareness of death was 127.3+/-10.14. This score is moderate not biased toward positive or negative. The average score for meaning of life was 130.3+/-9.42 with 51% for loss steps, 45.5% for pursuit steps and 3.5% for discovery steps to the meaning of life. Factors affecting the meaning of life were religion, Buddhism (beta=6.25, p=.015) or Atheist (beta=5.91, p=.017), educational level, Master's or higher (beta=16.22, p=.003), work department, special department (beta=3.49, p=.017). CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study indicate a need to provide nursing programs that will promote nurses' spiritual and inner maturity.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Buddhism ; Demography ; Female ; Humans ; Methods ; Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of religious orientation and religious life pattern in schizophrenic patients and their relationships to the types and themes of delusion. METHODS: Subjects were 120 schizophrenic patients. Diagnostic criteria used in this study was DSM-III-R. Religious orientations were assessed with the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Religious Orientation Scale. Demographic data, religious data and contents of delusion were also analyzed. RESULTS: 1) Distribution and prevalence of religious affiliations were similar to those of general population in Korea. 2) Religious orientations of the schizophrenic patients changed from the "extrinsic" attitude to the "proreligious" attitude as time passed. 3) Prominent religious orientations were different according to religious affiliation. The "proreligious" orientation and the "intrinsic" orientation were dominant in the religious group, whereas the "extrinsic" orientation and "antireligious" orientation were dominant in the nonreligious group. 4) Religious orientations were different according to the types of religions. The "intrinsic" orientation was dominant in Protestantism and Catholicism, the "extrinsic" orientation was dominant in Buddhism and the "proreligious" orientation was dominant in other type of religious group. 5) Schizophrenic delusion and religious factors showed several characteristic relations First, it was suggested that religion facilitated the psychological maturation and served as a ventilating pathway of guilty feeling. Second, schizophrenic delusion seemed to be affected by the types of the religions. Buddhism group dominantly presented delusion of reference and of guilt, whereas Protestant and Catholic groups dominantly presented delusion of being controlled. Other groups of religion dominantly presented somatic delusion. Third, delusion of guilt was most prevalent in the "extrinsic" attitude and 1311owe4 by the "proreligious" and "intrinsic" attitudes. It was similar to the previous study that guilty feeling was most prevalent in the "extrinsic" attitude in the orders of the "antireligious" , the "proreligious" , and the "intrinsic" attitude. Fourth, religious and supernatural themes of delusion were most dominant in the "intrinsic" attitude, whereas realistic themes of delusion were most dominant in the "extrinsic" attitude. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that religious orientation and other religious factors seem to affect delusion formation and mental health in schizophrenic patients.
Buddhism ; Catholicism ; Delusions* ; Guilt ; Humans ; Korea ; Mental Health ; Prevalence ; Protestantism ; Schizophrenia

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of recovery from disease in the patients doing a kind of Buddhist meditation, and to develop a grounded theory about meditation. METHOD: Data was collected by an in-depth interview using tape-recordings from sixteen participants doing meditation. The data was analyzed using the grounded theory method proposed by Strauss and Corbin(1998). RESULT: The core category was discovering the true self. The participants began to do meditation because of their disease. They experienced obstacles due to incomplete religious acceptance. However, their faith grew gradually based on religious experiences that were indescribable. Finally, they entirely trusted the inner healer, which is emphasized in meditation. The strategies that they used were self reflection and seeking help for accepting deep meditation. They were stabilized in physical, psychological and social daily living. The processes of discovering the true self were identified as entering religious discipline, embodying religious discipline, self-accomplishing religious faith, and recovering mind-body health. CONCLUSION: This study provided the understanding of mind-body integration. Empirical research may be needed to prove scientifically the effects of meditation.
*Mind-Body Relations (Metaphysics) ; Middle Aged ; *Meditation ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; *Convalescence ; Buddhism ; Aged ; Adult