Stress management in Buddhist Perspective

Kundasale Subhagya Meheninwahance
Lecturer, Religious course coordinator;
Intercollegiate Sri Lanka Education
Affiliated to the University of Peradaniya

“Oh! Bhikkhus there are two kinds of illnesses. What are those two? Physical illnesses and Mental illnesses. They seem to be people who enjoy freedom from physical illnesses even for a year or two even for 100 years or more. But Oh! Bhikkhus rare in this world are those who enjoy freedom from mental illnesses even for one moment except those who are free from mental defilements or cankers except the Arahant.”

According to this stanza we can identify that basically human have Mental and Physical illnesses. According to the Buddhism stress also mental illnesses which are results of the imbalance situations. If the human beings not live in a natural way that is mainly define as the Stress. Stress is a Latin word. Hardship and adversity is some similar words or terms to the stress. Karoshi is the Japanese word for the stress. Most of the Japanese people are hardworking people. They do lot of work for a day. Due to the hard work people get stress. 1936 Harsy Selye found out this mental condition as Stress. According to this scholar stress means “not living in normal mental situation”.

Stress can identify from the symptoms.

Initial stage symptom ( Feel like over work, not peaceful, Uncomfortable anxiety)

Psychological symptom (Unable to concentrate, unable to take dictions, Frustration)

Emotional symptom (Fear at future, feeling longless, thinking about the mistakes)

Physical symptom ( dry lips, voice chiming, Body paining)

Behavioral symptom (Addiction to intoxicant, hiding from the society, all ways angry)

are the main symptom categories of the stress. There are many reasons that people can get stress. Bad experience in the childhood, Family culture, Family background and habits, Unsuitable marriage, Love problems, Sex problems, Hardworking, Long time physical illnesses, Imbalance of finance, Behavioral changes are some of the reasons for the Stress. Not only that there are specific incidents and events for the Stress. As examples less affection from the parents, Discontinue education, shaken marriage and sexual behavior, Loss of job and economic problems, Physical illnesses can be taken.

According to the Buddhist perspective sava is the term for the stress. Robert H. Thouless the one of the lecturer in Cambridge University gave this term for the stress from the Buddhism. According to his elaboration sava is the most suitable word to the stress from the Buddhism. Defilement, Cankers are some of the similar words to the stress from the Buddhism.

According to the Buddhism we can find many ways to manage and get rid from the Stress. There are many Sutta’s in Tripitaka which are explaining to manage the stress. Sabbsava , Vitakkasantna, Aranavibhanga, Bhayaberava, Anumna, savadhamma, Mahdukkakanda, Rathavintha, Satipattna, some of examples for them. There are lots of related stories to prove that a lot of people came to the Buddha with stressed mind for refuge. As examples Patachara, Suneeta, Kisagotami, Alavaka came to see Buddha with lots of stress.

The Buddha has preached seven techniques in Sabbsava Sutta MN 2 to controlling the Stress.

Dassana Pahatabba – By seeing

Samvara Phatabba – By restraining

Patisevana Pahatabba – By using

Adhivasana Pahatabba – By enduring

Paravajjana Pahatabba – By avoiding

Vinodana Pahatabba – By rejections

Bhavana Pahatabba – By developing

According to the Vitakkasantana Sutta MN there are five ways to control the Stress.

Animitta

Adinavo upaparikato

Asathi

Vitakkamulabheda

Abhinigganhato

Meditation is one of best treatment for the stress. People can have controlled mind and can understand the situation of the people from the meditation. Meditation is the cultivating the mind and cultivating the thoughts.

Stress is very common mental change which can get for every people in this world.

Especially this can see from the younger generation. Younger generation is almost busy with the education, professions and day to day activities. Because of that they get stress. Killing, harming to others, suicide, drug addiction are mainly based on the Stress. Buddhism is highly advice to the people to maintain the mindfulness always with them. Buddhism always give many solutions for get rid from the stress.