Health and Sickness in Buddhist Perspective

Abstract

In examining the concepts of health and sickness, in Buddhist perspective, there are three important questions which call for analysis and discussion. Firstly, in what sense can we talk of concepts of mental health and sickness in Buddhism? Secondly, if Buddhism has significant insights on the nature of mental health and sickness, in what way can Buddhism be regarded as a ‘therapeutic system’? Thirdly, what are the most central therapeutic strategies of Buddhism and some of the specific techniques? In discussing these issues, material will be drawn basically from the early Buddhist tradition.