The Journal of International Buddhist Studies College

A Buddhist-Inspired Media Innovation Process for Emotional Well-Being in Digitally Intensive Work Environments

Kornkij Praditpolpanich — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study developed and preliminarily evaluated a Buddhist-Inspired Media Innovation Process (BIMIP) for enhancing digital mental well-being among working adults in digitally intensive environments. The objectives were to examine the emotional well-being challenges associated with digital overwhelm, to develop a contemplative media process grounded in Buddhist principles, and to evaluate its preliminary effects on emotional well-being.

A mixed-methods developmental design was employed in three phases: documentary and qualitative exploration, process development with expert validation, and implementation of a 14-day contemplative media intervention with 26 working adults. Quantitative data were collected through pre- and post-intervention emotional well-being assessments, while qualitative data were gathered from reflective journals and participant reflections.

The findings indicate that working adults experienced digital fatigue, cognitive overload, emotional tension, fragmented attention, and a diminished sense of meaning in their daily work lives. The developed BIMIP consists of three interconnected stages: Grounding the Mind, Softening Emotional Tension, and Reconnecting with Meaning. The process integrates mindfulness, loving-kindness, compassion, and wise attention through guided audio practices, contemplative narratives, and reflective micro-learning media. Pre-post descriptive results and qualitative reflections suggested improvements in emotional awareness, inner stability, reflective capacity, and perceived meaning. The study presents a structured framework that links Buddhist contemplative wisdom with media innovation to support emotional well-being in contemporary digital environments. Because the study used a small sample, a short intervention period, and no control group, its findings should be interpreted as preliminary.

Asoka’s Dhamma Policies and Buddhist Peaceful Means: A Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Peace in Contemporary Societies

A Shin Pandita — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This qualitative documentary study examined sustainable peace through selected Buddhist peaceful means, Asoka’s Dhamma policies, and their possible relevance to contemporary peacebuilding. The study pursued three objectives: to analyze the Buddhist ethical and psychological foundations of sustainable peace; to examine Asoka’s Dhamma policies as a historical model of ethical governance; and to synthesize these perspectives into a conceptual framework for contemporary societies. Data were drawn from selected discourses in the Pāli Canon, English translations of Asoka’s rock and pillar edicts, and relevant scholarship in Buddhist ethics, ancient Indian history, and peace studies. The materials were examined through thematic coding, contextual comparison, and integrative synthesis. The findings indicate that Buddhist peaceful means emphasize inner cultivation and social responsibility through generosity (dāna), loving-kindness (mettā), wisdom (paññā), non-harming, and communal principles such as the aparihāniya-dhamma. Asoka’s edicts illustrate a complementary institutional dimension expressed through Dhamma-vijaya, interreligious respect, moral exhortation, welfare administration, restraint in the use of violence, and the appointment of Dhamma-mahāmattas. The study proposes an integrated Buddhist–Asokan peacebuilding framework in which bottom-up ethical cultivation and top-down welfare-oriented governance operate as mutually reinforcing conditions for positive and sustainable peace. Because the study is documentary and interpretive, the framework should be regarded as a conceptual contribution rather than an empirically validated policy model. Comparative and field-based research is required to assess its feasibility across different political, cultural, and institutional settings.

Developing a Process for Observing the Five Precepts to Enhance Emotional Well-being Among Working Adults at Buddhamahametta Foundation

Yanyang Zhao — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0700

This study developed and evaluated a structured process for integrating the Five Precepts into daily reflective practice to support emotional well-being among working adults. The study had three objectives: to examine emotional well-being challenges in contemporary work settings; to interpret the Five Precepts as a practical framework for ethical awareness and emotional regulation; and to develop and preliminarily evaluate a 14-day audio-guided reflective process. A mixed-methods developmental design was conducted in three phases comprising documentary and qualitative exploration, process development and expert review, and field implementation. The intervention consisted of daily audio-guided reflections lasting approximately four to six minutes. Quantitative data were collected using the 17-item Emotional Well-Being Questionnaire (EWBQ), which assesses emotional awareness and positivity, social connection and support, meaningful engagement, and accomplishment and growth. Qualitative data were obtained through follow-up interviews and reflective accounts. Descriptive pretest-posttest comparisons indicated higher posttest scores across the four EWBQ domains, while qualitative findings suggested greater awareness of the relationship among intention, emotion, speech, and action. Participants described pausing before reacting, communicating more carefully, and considering the effects of their behavior on colleagues and family members. They also regarded the short audio format as feasible within ordinary work routines. The study proposes the Five Precepts Reflective Process Model, in which ethical reflection is linked to heightened awareness, improved emotional regulation, and more constructive interpersonal conduct. Because the manuscript does not yet report the sample size, instrument psychometrics, exact quantitative results, or a comparison group, the findings should be interpreted as preliminary evidence of feasibility and perceived benefit rather than proof of effectiveness.