The Buddha’s Prescription for Well-Being: Integrating Buddhist Principles Into Substance Addiction Treatment

Abstract

Substance addiction represents a multifaceted and widespread issue that impacts individuals across diverse cultural and social contexts. While extensive research has been conducted to elucidate the etiological factors and intervention strategies for addiction, there has been a relative dearth of scholarly work that has employed a Buddhist framework to explore this phenomenon. This is noteworthy given that Buddhism, as a religion, psychology, and philosophy, influences millions of individuals worldwide. To address this gap, the present article investigates early Buddhist scriptures, specifically the Pali Canon, to develop two conceptual models for understanding addiction from a Buddhist perspective. The first model, the “Clinging Model of Addiction,” is derived from the core Buddhist teachings regarding the root causes of suffering, namely, the tendency to cling to a sense of self. The second model, the “Purification and Environment Model of Addiction Intervention,” outlines a Buddhist approach to intervention, emphasizing the dual processes of purifying the internal environment through ethical, mental, and wisdom-based practices, as well as harnessing the empowerment derived from the external environment. By integrating these contemplative insights and frameworks from the Buddhist tradition, the authors propose that novel perspectives and directions for research and clinical practice in the addiction domain may be uncovered. This endeavor holds promise for enhancing our understanding and treatment of substance use disorders through the lens of key Buddhist principles, such as nonself, impermanence, and compassion.