Walking with Buddha: are we there yet?

The growing interest in mindfulness and meditation practices have generated a corresponding interest in the Buddha’s teachings (Dhamma). The approach adopted in this article is informed by the poem of Rumi, a 13th-century Sufi poet—Two Kinds of Intelligence—which recommends getting in touch with our intuitive (as opposed to learned) intelligence. In this article, I discuss the understanding and applications of mindfulness and meditation in Buddhist traditions and classical texts and their articulation in contemporary contexts and literature. I also discuss the importance of practicing dana (generosity), sila (ethical conduct), and wisdom (panna) holistically with meditation and mindfulness (bhavana). I address some contemporary issues—the “debate” about acknowledging the connections with the Dhamma in current teachings and applications of mindfulness more unequivocally; the direction and limitations of some mindfulness research and mindfulness-based therapies; and the appraisal of the adverse effects uncovered in mindfulness research. I share anecdotes and clinical vignettes to illustrate the themes discussed in the article. Finally, I discuss my vision and hope for how the Dhamma can contribute further to contemporary society. In unpacking some of the misconceptions about the Buddha’s teachings, especially in relation to mindfulness, and explicating a more nuanced and “right” understanding of the Dhamma, I hope that this paper can make further contributions to the understanding and applications of mindfulness, mindfulness research, and the place of mindfulness in psychology and psychotherapy.