Buddhist Peaceful Means and Emotional Well-being Through Dhamma Songs: A Practice-Based Illustration from the Buddhamahametta Foundation
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Abstract
This article examines the operationalization of Buddhist peaceful means to promote emotional well-being by integrating Dhamma songs into a full-day meditation program at the Buddhamahametta Foundation in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Drawing on Theravada canonical sources regarding mindfulness (sati), concentration (samadhi), and the Brahmaviharas, as well as contemporary scholarship on contemplative practice and music-related emotion processes, the article delineates a structured practice-development sequence: ethical grounding, systematic mindfulness cultivation, stabilization of attention, cultivation of wholesome affect (particularly loving-kindness), and insight-oriented reflection. Using the foundation’s program as a case study, it identifies common emotional challenges reported by contemporary practitioners, such as reactivity, rumination, stress-related somatic tension, and relational strain. The analysis demonstrates how carefully selected Dhamma songs can serve as auditory scaffolding, supporting sustained attention, evoking prosocial affect, reinforcing memory for key teachings, and providing portable cues for daily-life practice. The article also introduces an Intensive–Extensive hybrid model, wherein a brief intensive practice context fosters initial experiential clarity, and structured repetition in everyday settings consolidates skills and facilitates contextual transfer. Finally, it discusses implementation considerations for meditation centers and allied well-being programs, highlighting doctrinal accuracy, voluntary participation, and sensitivity to individual differences.
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