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Buddhist and Western Perspectives on Suffering, Stress, and Coping
Journal of Religion and Health
Format: Journal Article
Publication Year: n.d.
Pages: 351-357
Library/Archive: Copyright © 2007 Springer
Sources ID: 21969
Visibility: Private
Abstract: (Show)
The distinct definition of stress postulated by Buddhist and Western cultures is the foundation for their different coping styles, traditions, and practices. Dukkha, derived from Buddha's Four Noble Truths, appears on the surface similar to psychological stress. Further examination of the Eastern cosmology yields a fundamental disagreement between Western psychological theory and Buddhists' conception of suffering and stress related to incorporating reality into the formulation. Cross-cultural research on traditional approaches to coping with occupational stress found that problem solving was the most effective strategy, however in Thailand meditation helped nurses cope with a variety of stressors such as dealing with death and dying.