The Intuitive Buddhist: Psychological Type as a new hermeneutic of Buddhist diversity in the West

262 Pages·2020·13.329 MB·English

by  Phra Nicholas Thanissaro

RELIGION, EDUCATION AND VALUES
By examining teenage heritage and convert Buddhist communities in the West through
Th e Intuitive Buddhist
the lens of Psychological Type, this book presents hard evidence from hundreds of self-
identifying Buddhists in the UK, that the diversity of Buddhists, previously described in
terms of ethnic dichotomy, is better explained in terms of Psychological Type preferences. By Th
moving past biologically determined features such as ethnicity, the book represents a long
e
overdue yardstick for the full spectrum of diversity within the Buddhist community – since Psychological Type as a new hermeneutic

Psychological Type preferences, such as the sliding scale of Intuition, give more predictive I
n
nuance and avoid orientalist prejudice. Th e book puts Buddhism on the map of Psychology of Buddhist diversity in the West
t
of Religion by showing the statistical links between personality and more than twenty u
individual diff erences, including tendency to meditate or visit the temple. Th e hermeneutic i
t
of intra-Buddhist diversity described in this book, apart from providing a mirror of self- i
v
understanding for individual Buddhist practitioners, can be applied by anthropologists
e
of Buddhism, Religious Education stakeholders and chaplains to ensure equality and
B
objectivity in their work. Meanwhile, the book’s relatable ‘Type Compass’ style of graphic
presentation represents a common ‘language’ for religious study that invites comparison u Phra Nicholas Th anissaro
d
between Buddhism and other faith traditions.
d
h
i
In this highly original study, Th anissaro makes a novel contribution to the psychology s
t N
of religion by focusing on convert and heritage Buddhists. At the same time, he makes a N
novel contribution to Buddhist Studies by drawing on established theories shaped within
the psychology of individual diff erences and personality. Th e result is essential reading for
Buddhist practitioners and students of religious diversity.
Professor Leslie J. Francis, University of Warwick, UK
With rigorous research, precise argumentation, and compassionate sensitivity, Th anissaro P P II
h
refutes the overly simplistic and empirically unfounded dichotomy between heritage Buddhists
r
and converts. He demonstrates how Jungian psychological types illuminate the complex a
Dt.N
diversity of Buddhist experience and practice, making a signifi cant contribution both to N
Psychology of Religion and to Buddhist Studies. i
c
Frank Rogers Jr., Ph.D., Professor of Spiritual Formation at the Claremont School of
h T Dt.T Dt.F F
Th eology, and author of Practicing Compassion o T F
l
a
s
Dt.S
Phra Nicholas Th anissaro is a Buddhist monk of 24 years standing. With thirty years of Th
meditation experience, he is a UK Complementary Medical Association qualifi ed teacher
of meditation. Affi liated with the Dhammakāya Foundation, he is also qualifi ed as a school a
teacher and MBTI practitioner. As a scholar-practitioner, during his time as Associate Fellow at n EE JJ
i
the University of Warwick, he published widely in peer-reviewed journals on the formation of s
s
Buddhist identity in teenagers and continues to research the appeal of meditation in the West. a
r
He currently lectures in ‘Living Buddhism’ and ‘Religious Individualization’ at Claremont o
School of Th eology, California and Willamette University, Oregon.
SS
Peter Lang
www.peterlang.com
9781789971859_cvr_eu.indd All Pages 13-Jul-20 11:20:45
RELIGION, EDUCATION AND VALUES
By examining teenage heritage and convert Buddhist communities in the West through
Th e Intuitive Buddhist
the lens of Psychological Type, this book presents hard evidence from hundreds of self-
identifying Buddhists in the UK, that the diversity of Buddhists, previously described in
terms of ethnic dichotomy, is better explained in terms of Psychological Type preferences. By Th
moving past biologically determined features such as ethnicity, the book represents a long
e
overdue yardstick for the full spectrum of diversity within the Buddhist community – since Psychological Type as a new hermeneutic

Psychological Type preferences, such as the sliding scale of Intuition, give more predictive I
n
nuance and avoid orientalist prejudice. Th e book puts Buddhism on the map of Psychology of Buddhist diversity in the West
t
of Religion by showing the statistical links between personality and more than twenty u
individual diff erences, including tendency to meditate or visit the temple. Th e hermeneutic i
t
of intra-Buddhist diversity described in this book, apart from providing a mirror of self- i
v
understanding for individual Buddhist practitioners, can be applied by anthropologists
e
of Buddhism, Religious Education stakeholders and chaplains to ensure equality and
B
objectivity in their work. Meanwhile, the book’s relatable ‘Type Compass’ style of graphic
presentation represents a common ‘language’ for religious study that invites comparison u Phra Nicholas Th anissaro
d
between Buddhism and other faith traditions.
d
h
i
In this highly original study, Th anissaro makes a novel contribution to the psychology s
t N
of religion by focusing on convert and heritage Buddhists. At the same time, he makes a N
novel contribution to Buddhist Studies by drawing on established theories shaped within
the psychology of individual diff erences and personality. Th e result is essential reading for
Buddhist practitioners and students of religious diversity.
Professor Leslie J. Francis, University of Warwick, UK
P P II
With rigorous research, precise argumentation, and compassionate sensitivity, Th anissaro h
refutes the overly simplistic and empirically unfounded dichotomy between heritage Buddhists r
a
and converts. He demonstrates how Jungian psychological types illuminate the complex Dt.N
diversity of Buddhist experience and practice, making a signifi cant contribution both to N
Psychology of Religion and to Buddhist Studies. i
c
Frank Rogers Jr., Ph.D., Professor of Spiritual Formation at the Claremont School of h TT Dt.T Dt.F FF
o
Th eology, and author of Practicing Compassion
l
a
s
Dt.S
Th
Phra Nicholas Th anissaro is a Buddhist monk of 24 years standing. With thirty years of

meditation experience, he is a UK Complementary Medical Association qualifi ed teacher a
of meditation. Affi liated with the Dhammakāya Foundation, he is also qualifi ed as a school n EE JJ
teacher and MBTI practitioner. As a scholar-practitioner, during his time as Associate Fellow at is
the University of Warwick, he published widely in peer-reviewed journals on the formation of s
a
Buddhist identity in teenagers and continues to research the appeal of meditation in the West. r
o
He currently lectures in ‘Living Buddhism’ and ‘Religious Individualization’ at Claremont

School of Th eology, California and Willamette University, Oregon.
SS
Peter Lang
www.peterlang.com
9781789971859_cvr_eu.indd All Pages 13-Jul-20 11:29:55
The Intuitive Buddhist
Religion, Education and Values
SERIES EDITORS:
Professor Stephen G. Parker
The Rev’d Canon Professor Leslie J. Francis
Professor Rob Freathy
Professor Mandy Robbins
Volume 15
PETER LANG
Oxford • Bern • Berlin • Bruxelles • New York • Wien
The Intuitive Buddhist
Psychological Type as a new hermeneutic of
Buddhist diversity in the West
Phra Nicholas Thanissaro
PETER LANG
Oxford • Bern • Berlin • Bruxelles • New York • Wien
Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche National-
bibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at
http://dnb.d-nb.de.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018941687
Cover design and image: © Phra Nicholas Thanissaro
issn 2235-4638
isbn 978-1-78997-185-9 (print) • isbn 978-1-78997-186-6 (ePDF)
isbn 978-1-78997-187-3 (ePub) • isbn 978-1-78997-188-0 (mobi)
© Peter Lang AG 2020
Published by Peter Lang Ltd, International Academic Publishers,
52 St Giles, Oxford, OX1 3LU, United Kingdom
[email protected], www.peterlang.com
Phra Nicholas Thanissaro has asserted his right under the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this Work.
All rights reserved.
All parts of this publication are protected by copyright.
Any utilisation outside the strict limits of the copyright law, without
the permission of the publisher, is forbidden and liable to prosecution.
This applies in particular to reproductions, translations, microfilming,
and storage and processing in electronic retrieval systems.
This publication has been peer reviewed.
Contents

List of Figures vii
List of Tables ix
List of Abbreviations xv
Chapter 1
How Diverse Is a Buddhist Congregation? 1
Chapter 2
Psychological Type and Individual Differences 23
Chapter 3
C. G. Jung, Psychological Type and Buddhism 41
Chapter 4
What Introversion and Extraversion Mean for Buddhists 63
Chapter 5
What Intuition and Sensing Preferences Mean for Buddhists 81
Chapter 6
What Feeling and Thinking Preferences Mean for Buddhists 99
Chapter 7
What Judging and Perceiving Preferences Mean for Buddhists 115
Chapter 8
Conclusion 131
vi Contents
Bibliography 157
Appendix A: Research Methodology 171
Appendix B: Tables for Chapters 4–8 177
Appendix C: Glossary of Technical Terms and Names 207
Index 213
Figures
Figure 1. Worked example of how data is derived from a
conventional SSRT 56
Figure 2. Worked example of a Type compass indicating
skew towards Intuition 58
Figure 3. Worked example of a Type compass rose indicating
skew towards INFJ 59
Figure 4. Worked example of a Type grid indicating skew
towards IN 59
Figure 5. Type compass for horizontal collectivists 66
Figure 6. Type compass for ‘proper Buddhists’ 67
Figure 7. Type compass for Buddhists who bowed to their parents 70
Figure 8. Type compass for Buddhists with higher self-
esteem scores 72
Figure 9. Type compass for Buddhists from a lower socio-
economic group 74
Figure 10. Type compass for Buddhists who ‘would not say
they are happy’ 75
Figure 11. Type compass for ‘stay-at-home’ Buddhists 77
Figure 12. Type compass for weekly temple attendance 85
Figure 13. Type compass for practising regular meditation 89
Figure 14. Type compass for having a Buddhist shrine at home 92
Figure 15. Type compass for vertical collectivists 93
Figure 16. Type compass for highly traditional Buddhists 95
Figure 17. Type compass for high mystical orientation (MOS-R) 101
Figure 18. Type compass for those who have had a Religious
or Spiritual Experience 102
viii Figures
Figure 19. Type compass for female Buddhist teens 106
Figure 20. Type compass for Buddhist teens with an
ambitious work ethic 108
Figure 21. Type compass for high-scoring Precept-scale Buddhists 117
Figure 22. Type compass for Buddhist self-identifiers 119
Figure 23. Type compass for late teen Buddhists 122
Figure 24. Type compass for Buddhists teens from a family
that had experienced divorce 127
Figure 25. Type compass for Buddhists as compared with the
religiously undifferentiated 133
Figure 26. Type compass for heritage Buddhists as compared
with the religiously undifferentiated 142
Figure 27. Type compass for heritage Buddhists as compared
with convert Buddhists 143
Figure 28. Type compass for convert Buddhists as compared
with the religiously undifferentiated 147
Figure 29. Type compass for convert Buddhists as compared
with heritage Buddhists 148