The Psychological Benefits and Risks of Emptiness: Reflections of a Second Century Buddhist Philosopher in Contemporary Psychology

Abstract

Several psychotherapies were developed in the United States in the late twentieth century that incorporate aspects of Buddhist practice. A common element in these therapies is an emphasis on the benefits of Buddhist approaches to mindfulness, broadly defined as sustained, non-judgmental, present-moment awareness. The mindfulness components of some of these therapies are well known, but it remains an open question whether these therapies also contain implicit elements of Buddhist philosophy. This study starts to address that question by examining if and how two of these therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), incorporate the Buddhist concept of emptiness. My focus is on the idea of emptiness developed by the second century Indian philosopher Nāgārjuna, a prominent figure in early Mahāyāna Buddhism. Nāgārjuna argued that all things depend on other things, that therefore all things are empty of inherent existence, or essence, and that a true understanding of this emptiness is important for achieving enlightenment. After reviewing the history of Buddhist influence on western psychology, I compare Nāgārjuna’s discussion of emptiness with the founding descriptions of ACT and DBT. I find that the philosophical foundations of both ACT and DBT contain important elements that are equivalent to Nāgārjuna’s philosophy of emptiness, and conclude that emptiness is an implicit component of these therapies. Based on a comparison of how the idea of emptiness is used by Nāgārjuna and these two therapies, I discuss several mechanisms by which a consideration of emptiness is beneficial for mental health, as well some risks that could arise from an incorrect understanding of emptiness. I conclude that these widely-used therapies are an important avenue not only for promoting the practice of mindfulness, but also the Buddhist philosophy of emptiness.