The Journal of International Buddhist Studies College (JIBSC)

An Application of the Breathing Concept in Buddhism to Breathing Yoga Practice

vonna siri — 2025-05-07

This study explores the integration of Buddhist breathing concepts, particularly ānāpānasati (mindfulness of breathing), into contemporary yoga practice, highlighting its potential to enhance individual well-being and societal harmony. Three objectives: tracing yoga’s origin and development, analyzing how Ānāpānasati may refine yoga practice, and applying Ānāpānasati in breathing-based yoga. Data were collected via interviews with five practitioners versed in Theravāda Buddhism and Brahmanical (Vedic) traditions. This study underscores physiological, psychological, and ethical synergies between these traditions. Central to both practices are foundational breathing techniques that optimise autonomic nervous system function, reduce stress, and improve mental clarity. These methods foster physical health and cultivate emotional resilience, enabling practitioners to navigate challenges with equanimity by synthesising principles from Buddhist meditation and classical yoga.

The study emphasises how ānāpānasati’s focus on present-moment awareness complements yoga’s holistic philosophy, which unites body, mind, and spirit through postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama), and ethical discipline. The four classical yogic pathways, Karma Yoga (selfless action), Jhāna Yoga (contemplative wisdom), Bhakti Yoga (devotional practice), and Kriya Yoga (energy cultivation), are examined as frameworks for addressing modern stressors, promoting balance across physical, cognitive, emotional, and energetic dimensions of human experience.

On a societal level, integrating breath-centric mindfulness into community and institutional settings holds transformative potential. By reducing stress-related health burdens, enhancing focus in educational and workplace environments, and fostering prosocial behaviours rooted in compassion, these practices offer scalable solutions to contemporary issues such as healthcare costs, productivity deficits, and social fragmentation. The ethical imperatives embedded in both traditions, including non-harm (ahimsa) and selfless service (seva), further model a vision of collective well-being grounded in mutual respect and cooperation.

The research concludes that the confluence of Buddhist breathing techniques and yogic discipline provides a robust, transdisciplinary approach to holistic health. It bridges ancient wisdom with modern scientific understanding, advocating for practices that not only elevate individual well-being but also nurture resilient, empathetic communities. By prioritizing mindful engagement over passive consumption, this integration presents a sustainable paradigm for addressing the complexities of 21st-century life, ultimately aligning personal transformation with broader societal flourishing.

The Interplay of Buddhist Mindfulness Practices: Fostering Harmonious Relationships in Couples

Piyarom Bunnag — 2025-05-01

In today’s world, romantic relationships face numerous challenges, including communication breakdowns and the increasing impact of external stressors. While modern psychological interventions, particularly Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), often focus on behavioural changes, they can overlook the deeper intra- and interpersonal dynamics that are essential for relational health.

This article suggests that Buddhist mindfulness practices can offer a valuable framework to address these gaps. It explores how Vipassanā (insight meditation), mettā (loving-kindness), karuṇā (compassion), and the ethical precepts (pañcaśīla) work together to promote positive interactions among couples. By integrating classical Buddhist philosophy with contemporary relational theories, the study demonstrates how these practices can cultivate focused attention, non-judgmental awareness, and emotional regulation. This, in turn, empowers individuals to move beyond maladaptive responses and fosters mutual empathy, enhances responsiveness to partners' needs, and helps de-escalate conflicts.

At the core of this process are the ethical teachings of Buddhism, which emphasize non-harm, truthfulness, and mental discipline. These principles nurture relational environments built on trust and mutual respect. Emerging empirical evidence supports the effectiveness of these mindfulness practices, showing they can enhance emotional resilience, active listening, and collaborative problem-solving, all of which are critical for relationship satisfaction.

Incorporating mindfulness into therapeutic settings complements traditional models by addressing both individual well-being and the dynamics of relationships, offering a comprehensive approach to enhancing intimacy. This article argues that using Buddhist mindfulness practices not only fills gaps in existing therapeutic approaches but also provides culturally adaptable tools for fostering closeness in a fragmented world. By redefining mindfulness as a relational practice rather than just an individual one, this research contributes to interdisciplinary discussions across psychology, theology, and sociology, advocating for evidence-based, ethically grounded interventions to help couples navigate the complexities

The Evolution of the Dharmakāya Concept: Exploring its Social Benefits in Buddhist Practice

Mahendradatta Jayadi — 2025-05-10

This article traces the historical evolution of the concept of Dharmakāya in Buddhism, its transformation from a “body of doctrine” into a complex metaphysical and devotional principle. The study identifies three distinct chronological stages shaping this development. In the first stage, during the Buddha’s lifetime (6th–5th century BCE), Dharmakāya was closely linked to the Buddha’s physical form (rūpakāya) and his spoken teachings (Buddhavacana), preserved through oral tradition and regarded as infallible truths. Devotional focus was primarily on the Buddha and his Dharma as inseparable realities. The second stage, spanning from the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa to the emergence of textual traditions (5th century BCE–1st century CE), saw the identification of the Buddha with the Dharma itself, elevating Dharmakāya as the essence of Buddhahood. This period also witnessed the rise of devotional practices centered on relics and stupas, alongside doctrinal schisms between groups emphasizing the Buddha’s human or superhuman nature, which later crystallized into Theravāda and Mahāyāna traditions. The third stage, from the Mahāyāna emergence to modern times (1st century CE–present), introduced a more elaborate triadic theory of the Buddha’s bodies (trikāya), distinguishing dharmakāya as the ultimate, cosmic, and non-dual reality transcending physical form. Mahāyāna texts portrayed the Buddha as possessing superhuman qualities, capable of manifesting multiple bodies for compassionate activity. This stage also saw the textual canon’s dominance over oral transmission and diverse devotional practices reflecting these metaphysical developments.

The article argues that modern devotional engagement with Dharmakāya fosters greater compassion, interconnectedness, and respect for diversity, illustrating the concept’s enduring social and spiritual relevance. By synthesizing doctrinal shifts with devotional praxis, this article reveals how Dharmakāya evolved from a textual metaphor into a dynamic force promoting tolerance, ecological stewardship, and cross-cultural dialogue. The findings illuminate Buddhism’s adaptive hermeneutics, illustrating how metaphysical concepts can catalyze tangible social benefits in pluralistic societies.