Is Mindfulness Buddhist? (and Why It Matters)
Open accessAbstract
Modern exponents of mindfulness meditation promote the therapeutic effects of “bare attention”—a sort of non-judgmental, non-discursive attending to the moment-to-moment flow of consciousness. This approach to Buddhist meditation can be traced to Burmese Buddhist reform movements of the first half of the 20th century, and is arguably at odds with more traditional Theravāda Buddhist doctrine and meditative practices. But the cultivation of present-centered awareness is not without precedent in Buddhist history; similar innovations arose in medieval Chinese Zen (Chan) and Tibetan Dzogchen. These movements have several things in common. In each case the reforms were, in part, attempts to render Buddhist practice and insight accessible to laypersons unfamiliar with Buddhist philosophy and/or unwilling to adopt a renunciatory lifestyle. In addition, these movements all promised astonishingly quick results. And finally, the innovations in practice were met with suspicion and criticism from traditional Buddhist quarters. Those interested in the therapeutic effects of mindfulness and bare attention are often not aware of the existence, much less the content, of the controversies surrounding these practices in Asian Buddhist history.
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- Findingcitation
In the author's work on eighth-century Chinese Zen, certain early Zen teachers turned away from traditional meditation-repentance practices and meditations on corpses and bodily impurity in favor of instructing disciples to set aside distinctions and conceptualizations and let the mind rest in the here-and-now.
“In my own work on the roots of the Zen (Chinese: Chan) tradition in 8thcentury China, I found that certain early Zen teachers seem to have turned away from traditional forms of meditation-repentance practices, meditations on corpses and the impurity of the body, and so on-in favor of instructing their disciples to simply set aside all distinctions and conceptualizations, and allow the mind to come”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Sharf, 2014b
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
- Interpretationnone given
The understanding of mindfulness as bare attention is at odds with more traditional Theravada Buddhist doctrine and meditative practices.
“and is arguably at odds with more traditional Therava ¯da Buddhist doctrine and meditative practices.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Interpretationreasoning
These movements all promised astonishingly quick results.
“In addition, these movements all promised astonishingly quick results.”
- Also stated in: § Critiques of mindfulness as bare attention · plain
“they touted a method that was simple, promised quick results, and could be cultivated by anyone in a short period of time.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Also stated in: § Critiques of mindfulness as bare attention · plain
- Premisenone given
Mahasi emphasized sati as moment-to-moment, lucid, non-reactive, non-judgmental awareness of whatever appears to consciousness.
“Instead, Mah as ı placed emphasis on the notion of sati, understood as the moment-to-moment, lucid, non-reactive, non-judgmental awareness of whatever appears to consciousness.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Interpretationnone given
These movements were met with suspicion and criticism from traditional Buddhist quarters.
“And finally, the innovations in practice were met with suspicion and criticism from traditional Buddhist quarters.”
- Also stated in: § Critiques of mindfulness as bare attention · plain
“Given the ambiguities surrounding sati, it is not surprising that the Mah as ı method quickly came under fire from a number of quarters, including both Therav ada traditionalists in Southeast Asia and practitioners and scholars in the West.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Also stated in: § Critiques of mindfulness as bare attention · plain
- Interpretationcitation
The psychological model behind Nyanaponika's understanding of sati as bare attention may owe more to internalist and empiricist epistemologies than to early Buddhist or traditional Theravada formulations.
“The psychological model behind Nyanaponika's understanding of sati as bare attention may owe more to internalist and empiricist epistemologies than it owes to early Buddhist or traditional Therav ada formulations (Sharf, 1998).”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Sharf, 1998
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
- Interpretationreasoning
The Burmese, Zen, and Dzogchen movements attempted to make Buddhist practice and insight accessible to laypersons unfamiliar with Buddhist philosophy or unwilling to adopt a renunciatory lifestyle.
“In each case the reforms were, in part, attempts to render Buddhist practice and insight accessible to laypersons unfamiliar with Buddhist philosophy and/or unwilling to adopt a renunciatory lifestyle.”
- Also stated in: § Buddhist modernism and the rhetoric of bare attention · plain
“Designed to be accessible to laypersons, it did not require familiarity with Buddhist philosophy or literature”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Also stated in: § Buddhist modernism and the rhetoric of bare attention · plain
- Premisecitation
Theravada teachings hold that escape from samsara requires abandoning hope that happiness in this world is possible.
“(3) escape requires, among other things, abandoning hope that happiness in this world is possible.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Premisenone given
Mahasi designed his method with laypersons in mind, including those with little or no prior exposure to Buddhist doctrine or liturgical practice.
“Mah as ı designed this method with laypersons in mind, including those with little or no prior exposure to Buddhist doctrine or liturgical practice.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Premisecitation
Early Buddhist sutras and Theravada teachings hold that to live is to suffer.
“early Buddhist sutras in general, and Therav ada teachings in particular, hold that (1) to live is to suffer”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Premisereasoning
The understanding of mindfulness as bare attention can be traced to Burmese Buddhist reform movements of the first half of the twentieth century.
“This approach to Buddhist meditation can be traced to Burmese Buddhist reform movements of the first half of the 20th century”
- Also stated in: § Buddhist modernism and the rhetoric of bare attention · hedged
“Scholars have argued that the widespread understanding of mindfulness as bare attention has its roots in the Therav ada meditation revival of the 20th century”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Also stated in: § Buddhist modernism and the rhetoric of bare attention · hedged
- Premisecitation
According to Theravada teachings, it is necessary to experience despair in order to acquire the resolve to abandon attachment to things of this world.
“Yet, according to Therav ada teachings, it is necessary to experience such despair-to confront the unmitigated horror of sentient existence-so as to acquire the resolve necessary to abandon the last vestiges of attachment to things of this world.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Premisecitation
Theravada teachings hold that the only genuine remedy to suffering is escape from samsara altogether.
“(2) the only genuine remedy to suffering is escape from samsara (the phenomenal world) altogether”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Premisenone given
Mahasi Sayadaw developed the technique best known today, in which the practitioner focuses on whatever sensory object arises in the moment-to-moment flow of consciousness.
“Mingun's disciple, Mah as ı Say adaw , developed the technique that is best known today, in which the practitioner is trained to focus on whatever sensory object arises in the moment-to-moment flow of consciousness.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Interpretationnone given
Similar innovations to present-centered awareness arose in medieval Chinese Zen (Chan) and Tibetan Dzogchen.
“similar innovations arose in medieval Chinese Zen (Chan) and Tibetan Dzogchen.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Interpretationnone given
Advanced meditation practitioners in more traditional Asian settings may not display the kinds of behavior associated with mental health.
“It is not just that advanced meditation practitioners in more traditional Asian settings may not exhibit the kinds of behavior that we associate with mental health.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Interpretationreasoning
The psychological benefits of Burmese style mindfulness practices are not borne out by centuries of Buddhist experience.
“Such is not the case.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim- Rests on an assumption: In the early period, the Buddhist samgha was a renunciate community that embodied a critique of mainstream social values and cultural norms.
- Rests on an assumption: For the early samgha, liberation required letting go, which meant a radical change in lifestyle: opting out of family ties and worldly pursuits and into a communal, celibate, highly regulated lifestyle.
- Interpretationreasoning
The modern mindfulness movement is undergirded by ethical and political commitments, in addition to metaphysical ones.
“Just as there is a set of metaphysical commitments that undergird the modern mindfulness movement, there are also ethical and political commitments.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Interpretationnone given
Mindfulness is promoted as a means to more fulfilling sensual experiences rather than as a practice of renouncing carnal and sensual pleasure.
“Rather than enjoining practitioners to renounce carnal and sensual pleasure, mindfulness is touted as a way to more fulfilling sensual experiences.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim - Interpretationreasoning
Mindfulness is presented as a way to cope better with mainstream American culture rather than as a way to renounce it.
“Rather than enjoining practitioners to renounce mainstream American culture, mindfulness is seen as a way to better cope with it.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Interpretationcitation
The real challenge for researchers studying the causal relationship between traditional Buddhist meditation and psychological and behavioral outcomes is that practitioners may not aspire to our model of mental health.
“And this, I submit, is the real challenge for those interested in the causal relationship between traditional forms of Buddhist meditation and the psychological and behavioral outcomes that such meditation is assumed to produce.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim - Interpretationcitation
It is not clear that advanced meditation practitioners in traditional Asian settings aspire to our model of mental health.
“It is that, as Obeyesekere noted, it is not clear that they aspire to our model of mental health in the first place.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Obeyesekere
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
- Interpretationreasoning
The criticism of modern mindfulness parallels the criticism directed against Mahasi's technique in modern Southeast Asia.
“The nature of the criticism warrants our attention, as it parallels criticism directed against Mah as ı's technique in modern Southeast Asia.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
- May combine two claims. 7
- Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 7
- The quote only partly states this claim. 1
May combine two claims.
Findingnone givenContemporary mindfulness teachers seldom require students to make radical lifestyle changes, and the therapeutic benefits of mindfulness apparently do not depend on such changes.
“Modern teachers of mindfulness rarely make such demands of their students; the liberating, or if you will therapeutic, benefits apparently do not require dramatic changes in the way one lives.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimMay combine two claims.
PremisereasoningMahasi's method was designed to be accessible to laypersons and did not require familiarity with Buddhist philosophy or abhidhamma, renunciation of lay life, or long training.
“Designed to be accessible to laypersons, it did not require familiarity with Buddhist philosophy or literature, most notably with the scholastic literature known as abhidhamma.”
- Also stated in: § Buddhist modernism and the rhetoric of bare attention · hedged
“It also did not require renunciation of lay life, and it could be taught in a relatively short period of time in a retreat format.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim- Also stated in: § Buddhist modernism and the rhetoric of bare attention · hedged
Classified as probably not a substantial claim.
Premisenone givenMahasi claimed that cultivating liberating insight did not require advanced skill in concentration (samatha) or the experience of absorption (jhana).
“Perhaps most radical was Mah as ı's claim that the cultivation of liberating insight did not require advanced skill in concentration (samatha) or the experience of absorption (jh ana).”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimProbably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).
Premisenone givenBuddhist modernism evolved out of a complex intellectual exchange between Asia and the West over roughly the last 150 years.
“an approach to Buddhism that evolved out of a complex intellectual exchange between Asia and the West that took place over the last 150 years or so.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimProbably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).
Premisenone givenMindfulness is promoted as a cure-all for anxiety and affective disorders, alcoholism and drug dependency, attention-deficit disorder, anti-social and criminal behavior, and the stresses of modern urban life.
“Mindfulness is promoted as a cure-all for anxiety and affective disorders including post-traumatic stress, for alcoholism and drug dependency, for attention-deficit disorder, for anti-social and criminal behavior, and for the commonplace debilitating stresses of modern urban life.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claimClassified as probably not a substantial claim.
PremisecitationThe emotional valence of the advanced stage knowledge of appearance as terror is likened to that of a mother forced to witness the execution of all three of her sons.
“the emotional valence of this advanced stage of insight is likened to that of a mother being forced to witness the execution of all three of her sons.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimMay combine two claims.
InterpretationreasoningIn the United States, the ethical and political commitments of modern mindfulness closely resemble those of mainstream consumer culture, and this resemblance largely escapes notice.
“The problem is that, in America at least, these commitments so resemble those of mainstream consumer culture that they go largely unnoticed.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim- Rests on an assumption: Mainstream consumer culture is ethically dubious and politically reactionary.
Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). The quote only partly states this claim.
InterpretationreasoningThe packaging of mindfulness in programs such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy is arguably a variant on the same consumerist theme.
“The packaging of mindfulness in programs such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is arguably a variant on the same theme.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim- Rests on an assumption: Mainstream consumer culture is ethically dubious and politically reactionary.
May combine two claims.
InterpretationcitationTo the extent that the modern approach to mindfulness existed in premodern Asia, it was a minority position and was met with considerable criticism from traditional quarters.
“To the extent that the modern approach to mindfulness can be found in premodern Asia, it was a minority position that was met with considerable criticism from traditional quarters.”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Ahn, 2007
Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.
- Rests on an assumption: In the early period, the Buddhist samgha was a renunciate community that embodied a critique of mainstream social values and cultural norms.
- Rests on an assumption: For the early samgha, liberation required letting go, which meant a radical change in lifestyle: opting out of family ties and worldly pursuits and into a communal, celibate, highly regulated lifestyle.
May combine two claims.
InterpretationreasoningEarly Zen patriarchs and Dzogchen masters, like their modern Burmese counterparts, sought a method simple enough for those unschooled in Buddhist doctrine and scripture, not wedded to classical Indian cosmology, without time or inclination for extended monastic practice, and interested in immediate results.
“the early Zen patriarchs and Dzogchen masters, like their modern Burmese counterparts, were interested in developing a method simple enough to be accessible to those who were unschooled in Buddhist doctrine and scripture, who were not necessarily wedded to classical Indian cosmology, who may not have had the time or inclination for extended monastic practice, and who were interested in immediate”
Quote in the paperSubstantial claimProbably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).
PremisecitationThe critique that Japanese Buddhist schools' ethical failings can be traced in part to buddha-nature theory emerges from within the Buddhist tradition itself.
“This is not the place to weigh in on this issue, except to note that this critique too emerges not from without, but from within the Buddhist tradition itself.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked- cites Hubbard & Swanson, 1997 source
Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.
Interpretationnone givenTricycle Magazine exemplifies an ethically dubious and politically reactionary stance through advertisements for expensive meditation gear, dharmic dating services, dharmic dentists and accountants, and through its implicit authorization of commercial activities by dharma centers and self-styled Buddhist masters.
“There may be no better exemplar of this ethically dubious and politically reactionary stance than Tricycle Magazine, with its advertisements for expensive meditation gear, for dharmic dating services, dharmic dentists and accountants, and its implicit authorization of the entrepreneurial and commercial activities of countless dharma centers and self-styled Buddhist masters.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim- Rests on an assumption: Mainstream consumer culture is ethically dubious and politically reactionary.
May combine two claims.
Interpretationnone givenEarly Zen reformers, like the Burmese reformers, were popularizers who promoted a simple method, promised quick results, and said it could be cultivated by anyone in a short time.
“The early Zen reformers, like the Burmese reformers in the 20th century, were popularizers: they touted a method that was simple, promised quick results, and could be cultivated by anyone in a short period of time.”
Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
The paper relies on this without support.
Those interested in the therapeutic effects of mindfulness and bare attention are often unaware of the existence or content of controversies surrounding these practices in Asian Buddhist history.
“Those interested in the therapeutic effects of mindfulness and bare attention are often not aware of the existence, much less the content, of the controversies surrounding these practices in Asian Buddhist history.”
The paper relies on this without support.
Modern exponents of mindfulness meditation may see little need to explore the intellectual history of the concept in Buddhism.
“and thus modern exponents of mindfulness meditation may see little need to explore the intellectual history of the concept in Buddhism.”
The paper relies on this without support.
In the early period, the Buddhist samgha was a renunciate community that embodied a critique of mainstream social values and cultural norms.
“Note that, in the early period at least, the Buddhist institution-known as the sam _ gha-comprised a renunciate community that embodied, quite literally, a critique of mainstream social values and cultural norms.”
The paper relies on this without support.
For the early samgha, liberation required letting go, which meant a radical change in lifestyle: opting out of family ties and worldly pursuits and into a communal, celibate, highly regulated lifestyle.
“For the sam _ gha, liberation required”
“Rather, it necessitated a radical change in the way one lived; one was required to opt out of family ties and worldly pursuits, and opt into an alternative, communal, celibate, and highly regulated lifestyle.”
The paper relies on this without support.
Mainstream consumer culture is ethically dubious and politically reactionary.
“There may be no better exemplar of this ethically dubious and politically reactionary stance than Tricycle Magazine, with its advertisements”
The paper relies on this without support.
Many psychologists, cognitive scientists, and sociologists researching Burmese style mindfulness practices assume that the psychological benefits of such practice are borne out by centuries of Buddhist experience.
“To conclude, it is my impression that many of the psychologists, cognitive scientists, and sociologists doing research on Burmese style mindfulness practices seem to assume that the psychological benefits of such practice are born out by centuries of Buddhist experience.”
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Associating Buddhist mindfulness with resilience has been widely regarded as a particularly western modern reinterpretation of Buddhism.
“Associating Buddhist mindfulness with resilience has been widely regarded as a particularly western modern reinterpretation of Buddhism (Samuel 2015; Sharf 2015; Wilson 2014; Gleig 2019).”
From Introduction: Buddhism and Resilience (2021) · cites this paper as Sharf 2015
The Introduction describes mindfulness being promoted as a way to relieve stress and other psychological difficulties, and “Buddhist modernism and the rhetoric of bare attention” identifies therapeutic interpretations as characteristic of Buddhist modernism. But the paper does not specifically discuss resilience, and it describes Buddhist modernism as arising from an exchange between Asia and the West, rather than as a particularly Western reinterpretation. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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Van Dam, N. T., van Vugt, M. K., Vago, D. R., Schmalzl, L., Saron, C. D., Olendzki, A., Meissner, T., Lazar, S. W., Kerr, C. E., Gorchov, J., et al. (2018) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691617709589 · Cited by 1,506 · see citing works
Reconstructing and deconstructing the self: cognitive mechanisms in meditation practice
Dahl, C. J., Lutz, A., & Davidson, R. J. (2015) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2015.07.001 · Cited by 809 · see citing works
Lindahl, J. R., Fisher, N. E., Cooper, D. J., Rosen, R. K., & Britton, W. B. (2017) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0176239 · Cited by 476 · see citing works
Mindfulness in cultural context
Kirmayer, L. J. (2015) · Transcultural Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/1363461515598949 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
“In the first article in this issue, Robert Sharf (2015) discusses the historical roots of concepts of mindfulness.”
BackgroundThe brain on silent: mind wandering, mindful awareness, and states of mental tranquility
Vago, D. R., & Zeidan, F. Z. (2016) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1111/nyas.13171 · Cited by 159 · see citing works
Burke, A., Forbes, D., & Purser, R. E. (2016) · Mindfulness in behavioral health · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-44019-4 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
Defining Mindfulness: A Review of Existing Definitions and Suggested Refinements
Chems-Maarif, R., Cavanagh, K., Baer, R. A., Gu, J., & Strauss, C. (2025) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-024-02507-2 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
“It is important to note that the three main traditions of Buddhism— Theravāda , Mahāyāna , and Vajrayāna —may differ to some extent in their conceptions and practices of mindfulness (Harvey, 2015; Monteiro et al., 2015).”
InfluentialMeditation and the Wandering Mind: A Theoretical Framework of Underlying Neurocognitive Mechanisms
Brandmeyer, T., & Arnaud Delorme, A. (2020) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691620917340 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
A balanced view of mindfulness at work
Choi, E., Gruman, J. A., & Leonard, C. (2021) · Organizational Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/20413866211036930 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Tulver, K., Kaup, K., Laukkonen, R., & Aru, J. (2023) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2023.103494 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Sanada, K., Díez, M. A., Valero, M. S., Pérez-Yus, M. C., Demarzo, M., Montero‐Marín, J., Garcı́a-Toro, M., & García‐Campayo, J. (2017) · BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine · doi:10.1186/s12906-017-1638-y · Cited by 62 · see citing works
“This is one of the most essential concepts in Buddhism and could be translated as “bare attention” or “present-centred awareness”, which is intended to mean a sort of non-judgemental, nondiscursive attending to the here and now [1].”
BackgroundThe contemplative exercise through the lenses of predictive processing: A promising approach
Pagnoni, G. (2019) · Progress in brain research · doi:10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.10.022 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Dam, N. T. V., van Vugt, M. K., Vago, D. R., Schmalzl, L., Saron, C. D., Olendzki, A., Meissner, T., Lazar, S. W., Gorchov, J., Fox, K. C. R., et al. (2017) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691617727529 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
“Historically, many such practices arose in religious and spiritual contexts where the motivations and goals for what could and would be achieved through meditation differed greatly from secular Western notions of health, well-being, and flourishing (McMahan, 2008; Sharf, 2015).”
Aival‐Naveh, E., Rothschild‐Yakar, L., & Kurman, J. (2019) · Clinical Psychology Science and Practice · doi:10.1111/cpsp.12300 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Palitsky, R., & Kaplan, D. M. (2021) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-019-01253-0 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
“DoMBIs lead to ethical problems when deracinated from their religious foundations (Sharf 2015)?”
BackgroundInfluentialHsu, F. (2016) · Mindfulness in behavioral health · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-44019-4_24 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
From Ancient Contemplative Practice to the App Store
Lukoff, K., Lyngs, U., Gueorguieva, S., Dillman, E., Hiniker, A., & Munson, S. A. (2020) · Designing Interactive Systems Conference · doi:10.1145/3357236.3395444 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
“In the Buddhist tradition, mindfulness is a translation of the Pali word sati, which can also mean “to recollect” or “to remember” [62].”
BackgroundThe question of mindfulness’ connection with ethics and compassion
Jinpa, T. (2018) · Current Opinion in Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.10.016 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Husgafvel, V. (2018) · Contemporary Buddhism · doi:10.1080/14639947.2018.1572329 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
“By comparing Kabat-Zinn’s views with the characteristic concepts and ideas held by his contemporary Buddhist influences (see Husgafvel 2016, 101–104), I demonstrate that foundational principles and insights in Kabat-Zinn’s understanding of mindfulness practice diverge from Theravāda teachings but are aligned with non-…”
BackgroundInfluentialMindfulness-Based Intervention Development for Children and Adolescents
Saunders, D. C., & Hedy Kober, A. (2020) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-020-01360-3 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“…neither the NIH stage model nor the NCCIH framework emphasizes the role of theory in intervention development at these stages; theory may be particularly salient for MBPs, which rests on a rich Buddhist theoretical context (Bodhi 2011; Dunne 2011; Harrington and Dunne 2015; Sharf 2015).”
BackgroundEthical Foundations of Mindfulness
Stanley, S., Purser, R. E., & Singh, N. N. (2018) · Mindfulness in behavioral health · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-76538-9_1 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Valerio, A. (2016) · Contemporary Buddhism · doi:10.1080/14639947.2016.1162425 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
(2019) · BRILL eBooks · doi:10.1163/9789004331471 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Mindfulness and morality: Educational insights from Confucius
Tan, C. (2020) · Journal of Moral Education · doi:10.1080/03057240.2020.1779045 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
The Emphasis on the Present Moment in the Cultivation of Mindfulness
Anālayo, B. (2018) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-018-1074-1 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Education and Mindfulness Practice: Exploring a Dialog Between Two Traditions
Ergas, O. (2019) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-019-01130-w · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Testing a quick mindfulness intervention in the university classroom
Miller, C. J., Borsatto, J., & Al-Salom, P. (2018) · Journal of Further and Higher Education · doi:10.1080/0309877x.2017.1409345 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
“And, as it becomes more common, a wider variety of individuals are seeking mindfulness training to learn to better manage their own distress (Sharf, 2015).”
BackgroundThe Emperor’s Clothes: A Look Behind the Western Mindfulness Mystique
Rosch, E. H. (2015) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2263-5_19 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Cooper, D. J., Lindahl, J. R., Palitsky, R., & Britton, W. B. (2021) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel12121042 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Grasmann, J., Almenräder, F., Voracek, M., & Tran, U. S. (2023) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms24054445 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
“The construct of mindfulness has its roots in Eastern spiritual traditions and can be seen as a fundamental core of Buddhist meditation [2].”
BackgroundMindfulness of the kindness of others: The contemplative practice of Naikan in cultural context
Silva, C. O. (2014) · Transcultural Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/1363461514562922 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Rethinking the Concept of Mindfulness: A Neo‐Confucian Approach
Tan, C. (2019) · Journal of Philosophy of Education · doi:10.1111/1467-9752.12343 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Sitting with the Demons – Mindfulness, Suffering, and Existential Transformation
Vörös, S. (2016) · Asian Studies · doi:10.4312/as.2016.4.2.59-83 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Is Mindfulness Secular or Religious, and Does It Matter?
Compson, J. (2017) · Mindfulness in behavioral health · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-64924-5_2 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
“There are countless expressions of Buddhist teachings and they continue to morph and adapt over time, such that a quest for an authoritative version is problematic (Sharf, 2015).”
Background‘What it means to be truly human’: The postsecular hack of mindfulness
Arat, A. (2017) · Social Compass · doi:10.1177/0037768617697390 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Keeping it together: Idioms of resilience and distress in Thai Buddhist mindlessness
Cassaniti, J. (2019) · Transcultural Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/1363461519847303 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Bender, S. L., Roth, R. A., Zielenski, A. A., Longo, Z., & Chermak, A. (2018) · Psychology in the Schools · doi:10.1002/pits.22132 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Arpaia, J., & Andersen, J. P. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00379 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“One recent version of mindfulness is a method called bare attention, which involves acceptance of one’s experience observing phenomena without judgment (39).”
MethodRahmani, M., van Mulukom, V., & Farias, M. (2023) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-023-02164-x · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“This transformed Buddhism placed an emphasis on meditative experience, shifted religious authority and responsibility of salvation to the individual, and adopted a new universalist approach and an international outlook (Sharf, 2015).”
BackgroundThe Feasibility of Bringing Brief Mindfulness-Based Training to the University Classroom
Miller, C. J., Elder, K., & Scavone, A. (2017) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-017-0680-7 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Hawaii educators’ experiences in a professional development course on mindfulness
Le, T. N., & Alefaio, D. (2018) · Professional Development in Education · doi:10.1080/19415257.2018.1474485 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“Although the content of the training to the Hawaii educators included scientific studies taken from neuroscience, clinical science, and youth development, the information was also presented within the framework of Buddhist principles of ethics/virtues (e.g., wholesome vs. unwholesome mind states) and acknowledgement t…”
BackgroundInfluentialPalitsky, R., Lyons, M. J., & Kaplan, D. M. (2023) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-023-02276-4 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“…times including and other times discarding, ignoring, or translating aspects of religious worldviews associated with mindfulness practices while also introducing values consistent with secularization, medicali-zation, or individualistic self-improvement (Anālayo, 2019; Lindahl, 2014; Sharf, 2015).”
Paying Attention to the Self: a Systematic Review of the Study of the Self in Mindfulness Research
Shireen, H., Khanyari, S., Vance, A., Johannesson, H., Preissner, C. E., Dor‐Ziderman, Y., Khoury, B., & Knaüper, B. (2022) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-022-01844-4 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“In addition, some scholars contend that a lack of critical intellectual engagement with the Buddhist teachings on the ethical, social, and political dimension of the practice may lead to a heightened self-absorption (Sharf, 2015).”
BackgroundTse, B. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.908503 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“This missing moral code in secular mindfulness has already sparked intense debates and attracted criticism from those mindfulness scholars with a Buddhist background (Lindahl, 2015; Sharf, 2015; Bodhi, 2016; Purser, 2019).”
BackgroundNature, Assessment, and Mechanisms of Mindfulness
Bravo, A. J., Lindsay, E. K., & Pearson, M. R. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-77644-2_2-1 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Equanimity: The somatization of a moral sentiment from the eighteenth to late twentieth century
McKay, F. (2019) · Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.1002/jhbs.21990 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Unearthing intentionality: Building transformative capacity by reclaiming consciousness
Schmid, B., & Nesterova, I. (2023) · Environmental Values · doi:10.1177/09632719231175245 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“Although there is much disagreement on what mindfulness is and what it is not (Purser 2019; Sharf 2015), most approaches to mindfulness involve a quieting down of ‘ mental chatter ’ and are linked to practices such as meditation and yoga which help achieve this state of mind (Buckingham 2017;…”
BackgroundDivino, F. (2024) · Histories · doi:10.3390/histories4010008 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“(Sharf 2014, p. 472) Sharf accurately identifies that the early Buddhist institution was fundamentally a renunciate community, literally embodying a critique of prevailing societal values and cultural norms (ibid., p. 478).”
BackgroundZhong, Z., Jiang, H., Wang, H., & Liu, Y. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1404680 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“Speci fi cally, it can be explained as “ pure attention ” or “ present-centered awareness, ” signifying a non-judgmental, non-verbal focus on the here and now (16).”
BackgroundPalitsky, R., Cooper, D. J., Lindahl, J. R., & Britton, W. B. (2023) · Journal of Contemplative Studies · doi:10.57010/gdcw6138 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Mindfulness, Heedfulness, and Ethics
Krägeloh, C. U. (2018) · Mindfulness in behavioral health · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-76538-9_5 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Stapp, A. C., & Lambert, A. B. (2020) · lnternational Electronic Journal of Elementary Education · doi:10.26822/iejee.2020562137 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“Sharf (2015) stated that early Buddhist be - liefs expressed a need for suffering in life; in order to relieve this suffering, one must escape this world.”
InfluentialJackson, K. T. (2018) · Humanistic Management Journal · doi:10.1007/s41463-018-0040-3 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“See, e.g., Scharf, 2015.”
Mindfulness in a digital math learning game: Insights from two randomized controlled trials
Bereczki, E. O., Takács, Z. K., Richey, J. E., Nguyen, H. A., Mogessie, M., & McLaren, B. M. (2024) · Journal of Computer Assisted Learning · doi:10.1111/jcal.12971 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“Originating from Buddhist traditions (Sharf, 2015), mindfulness-based programs have become popular resources both in clinical and educational settings (Zenner et al., 2014).”
BackgroundNair, B., Khan, S., Naidoo, N. S., Jannati, S., Shivani, B., & Banerjee, Y. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1240791 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“…complexities, the implementation of MBSR as a technique to augment resilience and reduce stress in undergraduate medical education may be deemed unsuitable due to its historical and epistemological roots in Buddhist philosophy, specifically the Vipassana tradition (Sharf, 2015; Sanivarapu, 2016).”
BackgroundMindfulness and Buddhist economics in the financial market–generating Delta or Alpha?
Ng, E. C. H. (2018) · Society and Economy · doi:10.1556/204.2018.40.4.3 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
What's in a Concept? Conceptualizing the Nonconceptual in Buddhist Philosophy and Cognitive SciencePreprint
Thompson, E. T. (2020) · doi:10.31231/osf.io/2m84e · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Utilizing contemplative practices in social work education
Wang, D. S., Perlman, A., & Temme, L. J. (2019) · Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work Social Thought · doi:10.1080/15426432.2019.1635063 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Chen, Y., Hansen, C., & Vu, H. T. (2021) · Journal of American College Health · doi:10.1080/07448481.2021.1909042 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Mindfulness and Memory in Early Buddhism: a Response to Ven. Anālayo
Rapgay, L. (2018) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-018-1033-x · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Draper-Clarke, L. (2020) · South African Journal of Higher Education · doi:10.20853/34-1-2525 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“Ethical passivity is considered a dangerous mental state (Sharf 2015).”
BackgroundMindfulness and Resilience in Britain: A Genealogy of the “Present Moment”
Cook, J. (2021) · Zenodo · doi:10.5281/zenodo.4727573 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Wang, C. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1649564 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“While many Western mindfulness approaches emphasize present-moment awareness, Samatha-Vipassana frameworks integrate both concentrated stabilization and discernment of mental patterns (Sharf, 2015).”
Meditation, Mindfulness, and Prayer: Three Spiritual Modalities Utilized for Healing
Levin, J. (2024) · Journal of Religion and Health · doi:10.1007/s10943-024-02122-4 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“While mindfulness may have emerged, controversially, in the West as a Buddhist-contexted religious concept (Sharf, 2015), it has been valuably applied in secular clinical settings, as well, for decades (Kabat-Zinn, 1982).”
BackgroundCollective mindfulness: Somatic attention to group and self in meditation practice in Israel
Pagis, M., & Tal, O. (2022) · Anthropology Today · doi:10.1111/1467-8322.12708 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Tempone-Wiltshire, J., & Dowie, T.-I. (2024) · Journal of Consciousness Studies · doi:10.53765/20512201.31.11.228 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Of mountains, lakes and essences: John Teasdale and the transmission of mindfulness
Drage, M. (2018) · History of the Human Sciences · doi:10.1177/0952695118790429 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Divino, F. (2023) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel14020249 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Jiwani, Z., Goldberg, S. B., Stroud, J., Young, J., Curtin, J., Dunne, J. D., Simonsson, O., Webb, C. A., Carhart-Harris, R., & Schlosser, M. (2025) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0310160 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“Attitudes traditionally emphasized in both secular (e.g., mindfulness-based stress reduction; [38]) and Buddhist meditation traditions [107] may support the adoption of psychedelic use as a complement to meditation.”
Bisato, E. (2022) · Rivista Italiana di Antropologia Applicata · doi:10.32054/2499-1848-2022-1-4 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Brumett, A. (2021) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-021-01683-9 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Sharf (2015) called this line of reasoning “perennialism”—the assertion that all practitioners are effectively tapping into the same truth, regardless of their religious or philosophical affiliations.”
BackgroundInfluentialNotes Toward a Coming Backlash
Drougge, P. (2016) · Mindfulness in behavioral health · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-44019-4_12 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Die allgegenwärtige Aktivierung innerer Ressourcen
Niebel, V., & Straub, J. (2020) · Diskurse der Achtsamkeit · doi:10.30820/0171-3434-2019-4-5 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
McMahan, D. L. (2023) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-023-02244-y · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Ehmann, S., Sezer, I., Keller, A. S., Treves, I. N., & Sacchet, M. D. (2025) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121602 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Ninivaggi, F. J. (2019) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-816484-6.00001-4 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Stuart, D. M. (2018) · Religions of South Asia · doi:10.1558/rosa.37022 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Mindfulness and Hasidic Modernism
Seeman, D., & Karlin, M. (2019) · Religion and Society · doi:10.3167/arrs.2019.100105 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Humanistic Mindfulness: A Bridge Between Traditional and Modern Mindfulness in Schools
Malin, Y. (2022) · Journal of Transformative Education · doi:10.1177/15413446221084004 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Measurement at the Intersection of Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion/Spirituality
Hill, P. C., DiFonzo, N., Jones, C., & Bell, J. S. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-10274-5_7 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Helderman, I. (2015) · Buddhist Studies Review · doi:10.1558/bsrv.v32i1.27024 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Empires of Enlightenment: On Illumination and the Politics of Buddhism in Heart of Darkness
Alpert, A. (2017) · Journal of Modern Literature · doi:10.2979/jmodelite.40.2.01 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Incorporating Mindfulness Practice for Better Performance in Work and Daily Life
Urcola‐Pardo, F. (2023) · Integrated science · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-15959-6_16 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
ChatGPT, machine ethics, and conceptualizing Digital Dharma Therapy
Kahambing, J. G., Zhao, J., & Fu, F. (2023) · Ethics Medicine and Public Health · doi:10.1016/j.jemep.2023.100933 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Mindfulness Traps and the Entanglement of Self: An Inquiry into the Regime of Mind
Dixey, R., & Purser, R. E. (2024) · International Journal of Transpersonal Studies · doi:10.24972/ijts.2023.42.2.81 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“(And Why It Matters),” Robert Sharf (2015) described the early Chan patriarchs who also taught meditation to cultivate “no mind” through intense immersion in the here-and-now, inducing deep tranquility and non-discursive awareness.”
BackgroundSecular, religious or spiritual? A sociological portrait of UK mindfulness teachers
Arat, A., & Hemming, P. (2024) · Religion · doi:10.1080/0048721x.2024.2388534 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“…primarily on textual and his-toriographic analyses of Buddhist, clinical and popular interpretations of mindfulness (e.g., McMahan and Braun 2017; Sharf 2015); the constitutional legality of introducing mindfulness programmes in US public schools (Brown 2019); or clinical and psychological…”
Kwah, H. (2019) · Cultural Studies of Science Education · doi:10.1007/s11422-019-09930-1 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Rahmani, M. (2020) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198808640.013.31 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Kogiso, K., & Miura, A. (2020) · Staps · doi:10.3917/sta.129.0073 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Klebanova, K. (2022) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel13010066 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Am I going mad?: Adverse meditation events and the anthropology of ethics
McKay, F. (2022) · Anthropology Today · doi:10.1111/1467-8322.12710 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Hsu, F. (2024) · The Review of Education Pedagogy & Cultural Studies · doi:10.1080/10714413.2024.2348833 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“Thus, though labeled secular to appeal to a wide audience (Chen, 2022), the recently popularized mindfulness movement, including school MBPs, draws from a Buddhist foundation (Brown, 2019a; Hyland, 2017; Sharf, 2015; Wilson, 2014).”
Understanding mindfulness: Current epistemological, methodological, and ethical issues
Virtbauer, G., & Shaw, S. (2017) · Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversität Wien (SFU) · doi:10.15135/2017.5.2.22-49 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“This paper is a contribution to recent discussions about the meeting of Buddhism and Western psychology in the field of mindfulness (Amaro, 2015; Baer, 2015; Bodhi, 2011; Davis, 2015; Gethin, 2011; Greenberg & Mitra, 2015; Grossman, 2015; Kabat-Zinn, 2011; Kuan, 2008, 2011; Kwee, 2010; Kwee, Gergen, & Koshikawa, 2006;…”
Borup, J. (2016) · Religion i Danmark · doi:10.7146/rid.v7i2.23716 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
From Ancient Contemplative Practice to the App Store: Designing a Digital Container for MindfulnessPreprint
Lukoff, K., Lyngs, U., Gueorguieva, S., Dillman, E., Hiniker, A., & Munson, S. A. (2020) · arXiv (Cornell University) · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2006.09521 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“In the Buddhist tradition, mindfulness is a translation of the Pali word sati, which can also mean “to recollect” or “to remember” [62].”
BackgroundLocal Cure, Global Chant: Performing Theravadic Awakening in the Footsteps of the Ledi Sayadaw
Stuart, D. M. (2024) · Numen · doi:10.1163/15685276-20240006 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Levendusky, A., & Crippen, K. J. (2025) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-025-02612-w · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“In the Buddhist tradition, deep spiritual practice has generally required “a radical change in the way one lived; one was required to opt out of family ties and worldly pursuits and opt into an alternative, communal, celibate, and highly regulated lifestyle” (Sharf, 2015, p. 9).”
Kempton, H. M., & Waila, K. (2025) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel16111439 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Boxer, A., Shawyer, F., Coghlan, I., & Meadows, G. N. (2026) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-026-02791-0 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Tyler, P. M. (2018) · Buddhist-Christian Studies · doi:10.1353/bcs.2018.0022 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
- Authors
- Sharf, R. H.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sharf, Robert H.
- Venue
- Transcultural Psychiatry
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2014-10-31
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 470-484
- ISSN
- 1363-4615 (ISSN-L)
- 1461-7471
- OpenAlex
- W2170759063
- Cited by
- 192
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 148.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- escholarship.org
- Locations
- Transcultural Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Indian and Buddhist Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Chinese history and philosophy
- Keywords
- mindfulness meditation, Theravada Buddhism, Dzogchen, lay Buddhist practice
- MeSH terms
- Attention, Awareness, Buddhism, Humans, Religion and Psychology, Meditation, History, 19th Century, History, 20th Century, History, Ancient
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Claims read by deepseek-v4.1-flash under definition version 3 (extract-v3) on 2026-10-05.
Classified by jev-1.13-20260917 (gold-guideline-v0.2) on 2026-10-05.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
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