A spectrum of self-processing modes: Indian philosophical insights and contemporary science on wellbeing
Sonu Sharma, Pradeep Kumar, Vishva Chaudhary, A C Senthil Kumar, Anupam Yadav, Ravinder Kumar, Annu Yadav, Anshul Girdhar, Nidhi Kalonia, Pavitra Singh
Frontiers in Psychology July 7, 2026 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1884131 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Conceptual paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism |
| Keywords | Contemplation Interpretation philosophy Mode computer interface Simple philosophy Spectrum functional analysis Well-being Phenomenology philosophy Epistemology Cognitive psychology |
| Key points | Wellbeing may involve flexible regulation of self-identification rather than simple self-enhancement. |
Abstract
While contemporary psychology focuses on developing a cohesive self for wellbeing, Indian philosophical traditions such as Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism and the teachings of J. Krishnamurti provide a critique of the notion of a fixed self-identity. This conceptual paper compares them at a phenomenological and functional level and relates these comparisons to contemplative neuroscience, particularly the default mode network, self-referential processing, and meditation-related changes in self-experience. Furthermore, It proposes a spectrum model: self-referential processing as an ordinary mode, meta-awareness as a trainable capacity, and non-self experience as a transformed outcome. The framework suggests that wellbeing may involve flexible regulation of self-identification rather than simple self-enhancement. Finally, implications for research, clinical practice, and cultural interpretation are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 22
- The toronto mindfulness scale: Development and validation Journal of Clinical Psychology 2006
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Patterns of Brain Activity Supporting Autobiographical Memory, Prospection, and Theory of Mind, and Their Relationship to the Default Mode Network Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience July 6, 2009
- Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
and 17 more in the library