Q: Buddhists often use the word ‘mind-study(learning mind)’. What does it mean?

A: It means experiencing, seeing, knowing, or recognizing mind. However, I also personally think it means healing mind.

Q: Is there any difference between healing mind and experiencing mind or other ways of expressions?

A: Basically, I don't think there is difference unless Buddhists do not cling to the word.

Q: I sometimes have heard the word psychotherapy. Do you have a special reason for using the word healing instead of the word therapy?

A: Yes, there is a difference in English although we do not distinguish them. According to Western therapists, the word healing means to cure mental problems or suffering completely, while the word therapy means to help persons to manage more effectively mental problems or suffering. In other words, the word therapy does not mean to cure completely.

Q: Are you saying that the Western psychotherapy focuses on alleviating mental symptoms or sufferings and that the ‘mind-study’ in Buddhism aims to cure them completely?

A: Yes. Nowadays, many Western therapists or clinicians agree with such a point.

Q: Then, through the ‘mind-study’, what kind of mind do we focus on to heal?

A: From the therapeutic view, the‘mind-study’heals our unhealthy emotions, such as anger, depression, sadness, or anxiety, etc.

Q: Could you explain the reason that makes us to be in such an emotional state?

A: There are several reasons depending on cultures and academic fields. From Buddhist point of view, errant cognitions or beliefs about us cause such unhealthy emotions. That is why Seon Masters have instructed to“change your mind”or“change your thinking, for, there will be an‘Utmost Bliss’”

Q: Could you tell me more about errant cognition and belief of self?

A: In a word, errant cognition and belief of self are related to egoism. For example, errant cognition and belief of self mean attachment to self, which is in reality no-self on the other hand, wrong views consider self to be different, superior, or inferior from others. Undoubtedly, their roots are the three poisons; greed, hatred, and delusion. That is, we are hurt by ourselves due to such poisons in us.