1. Buddhism & ACT: A Comparison Andrew Scherbarth History & Systems PSYC5060

2. What in the is going to happen here today? ► Buddhism:  What is it?  Basis for suffering  Approaches to reduce suffering ► Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)  What is it?  Basis for suffering  Approaches to reduce suffering ► How they agree & disagree

3. Buddhism: What is it? ► “Religion?” Not quite. ¹  There’s no formal “God” ► Buddhas & Bodhisattvas:  Are/were people who can assist enlightenment of others.  There’s no formal dogma  Doesn’t speculate on questions of universe ► “Methodology” is more accurate

4. Buddhism: Basis for Suffering ► Suffering is inherent in life ¹  Mind is the source of suffering ► Three Poisons²  Greed… ► Separation from desires ► Inability to fulfill your desires  Hatred:…Presence of that which you loathe  Delusion (Ignorance): “Real-life is Pleasantville!”

5. Approaches to Reduce Suffering ► Eightfold Path has a tripartite mission 1, ³ :  Prajana: Wisdom  Sila: Moral Discipline…Ethical Behavior  Samadi: Mind…Meditative Practice ► Devotion practices  Common, NOT inherent in the original teachings  Diverse ways to do that…(Pure Land vs. Zen)

6. Buddhist Approaches… ► Wisdom  Right View: ► Recognizing the actions that lead to suffering ► Recognizing the actions that lead to suffering 4  Right Intent: ► Develop the intent/thought to live in ways that are beneficial to self and others, rather than ways that aren’t¹ ► Develop the intent/thought to live in ways that are beneficial to self and others, rather than ways that aren’t¹,4

7. Buddhist Approaches… ► Moral Discipline: How 2 avoid bad karma…dude Prohibitions on action that creates disharmony  Right Speech:  Right Speech 4 : ► No dishonesty, spreading rumors, idle chatting  Right Action:  Right Action 4 : ► No killing, stealing, hurtful activity  Right Livelihood  Right Livelihood 4: ► No deceptive business practices ► Develop a career that contributes to society

8. Buddhist Approaches… ► Mind³: Functioning of the mind  Right Effort ► ► Effort to know what’s arising in your mind 1  Right Mindfulness 4 ► Awareness of the “Four frames of reference”: ► Mental states, thoughts, feelings, desire/aversion  Right Concentration 1 ► Sharp mental focus

9. ACT: What is it? 5 ► Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) ► A 3 rd generation behavior therapy that targets the FUNCTION of private experiences rather than the CONTENTS of these experiences ► ACT targets thoughts/feelings/memories/sensations/urges that impair daily life — stopping public speaking — NOT specific experiences — ► ”I’m just a big freakin’ dork!” or heart-pounding, nervousness, etc. or heart-pounding, nervousness, etc.

10. ACT: Basis for suffering ► Assumes that events occur & are not positive or negative 5 ► The origin of suffering is verbal processes 6  Relational conditioning: Check this out! ► Goal of ACT: Psychological Flexibility  “Designed to bring language to heel so that it can become a tool…”  “Designed to bring language to heel so that it can become a tool…” 7

11. ACT: Origins of Suffering FEAR 5 ► Fusion: Treating a private experience as if it had only one literal function (i.e., boss calls u) only one literal function (i.e., boss calls u) ► Evaluation: Labeling ► Avoidance: Denial, emotional numbing, etc. ► Reason-giving: aka Rationalizing with socially acceptable & technically correct, but likely weak excuses

12. ACT: Approach to Relieve Suffering Processes…DAVE 5 ► Defusion:  Decrease the distressing function of a private experience  CAN’T eliminate functions, BUT new ones can be added! ► Acceptance:  Develop Willingness, since Control is the problem:  Law of Private Events ► Values: Determine what they want to play for in life ► Engagement: Behavioral activation, NOT wedding bells Mindfulness 6 : Contact w/ the present moment & Self-as-context Contact w/ the present moment & Self-as-context

13. Buddhism & ACT: Agree…& disagree Nature of human existence ► All beings have Buddha nature 1 ACT: Whole, Complete, Perfect 6 — no missing pieces  The perfect quote 8 ► The perceived world is what it is BUT our reality is created by the mind: BUT our reality is created by the mind:  Heaven & hell 8 ► Karma & Engagement: Behaviors create repercussions for beings in their daily life,  BUT Karma also is a reincarnation accounting system

14. Still going… Nature of human existence ► Buddhism says all things are interconnected & everything contains it’s opposite 1 ► ACT says that all private experiences are interconnected, & stops at the nature of the world ► ACT says that all private experiences are interconnected 9, & stops at the nature of the world ► Have distaste for the conceptualized-self ► Have distaste for the conceptualized-self 1,6 aka the ego we think of ourselves as vs. a self who acts aka the ego we think of ourselves as vs. a self who actsSuffering ► Life inherently contains suffering ► Life inherently contains suffering 9 ► Say your mind is responsible for suffering  BUT 3 Poisons vs. Verbal Processes (FEAR)

15. And going… Approaches to reduce suffering ► Decision-making based on direct experience ► Decision-making based on direct experience 1,5 ► They agree that congruence between one’s stated values & their actions reduces suffering 8, 6 BUT ACT doesn’t dictate specific values 10 ► Endorse mindfulness:  Buddhism endorses formal practice  ACT promotes exercises to establish Contact w/ the present moment & Self-as-context (identify self as the thinker/feeler vs. a experience) ► Disagree on contents of mindfulness:  4 Frames of Reference vs. 5 parts of experience