Korean Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

This is a study on ‘Mindfulness of Breathing(Āāāasati)’ and its application to the Psychosomatic therapy. According to the Pāi texts in the Theravāa tradition, Mindfulness of Breathing has some unique features. The Mindfulness of Breathing is the meditation practised by the Buddha himself, which comprises the Four Satipaṭṭāa; it can be applied to the both Samatha and Vipassanāeditation and fulfills all of four conditions which are presented for the comparison to the other methods of meditation. Therefore it can be asserted that among the fifty kinds of meditation-subjects which were aught by the Buddha, the Āāāasati is the most important meditation with a complete system to cover the whole spiritual journey from the start to the final goal. The Āāāasati has an excellent function of psychotherapy as we see the benefits and fruits of Āāāasati described in Pāi texts. So this paper investigated how the Āāāasati has been applied to the various programs of western psychosomatic therapy. In the MBSR program, the Mindfulness of Breathing is treated as an significant method and is applied throughout the whole eight weeks in either direct or indirect ways. The MBCT also provides the Mindfulness of Breathing as the ‘3 Minutes Breathing Space’ in the third week to escape from unconscious automatic reactions. The DBT also uses the Mindfulness of Breathing in several ways. Application of Buddhist meditation to psychosomatic therapy is a new trend in modern times. Although the western therapeutic programs aim to cure just mental and physical diseases through Buddhist meditation, it is worthy to note that this meditation also cures suffering and gives the light of wisdom and insight to the people involved.