Recognizing Cognitive Models as Models: Critical Meta-Awareness as a Key to Exploring Buddhist Practices and Their Contemporary Applications
Francesco Tormen, C. Mascarello
Mindfulness October 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-025-02654-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Contemplation Terminology Parallels Metacognition Impermanence Epistemology Buddhist philosophy Attribution Transcendence philosophy Discernment Objectivity philosophy Clarity Cognitive psychology Cognitive science Identification biology |
| Key points | Argues that Buddhist contemplative practices designed to cultivate critical meta-awareness have been understudied in current research due to their presumed metaphysical or religious character, and that reframing them from a secular perspective could benefit metacognition research and societal applications. |
Abstract
Abstract The soteriological path in Mahāyāna Buddhism entails a pivotal cognitive shift through which all phenomena are recognized as empty of inherent existence. This paper aims to reformulate this concept using terminology aligned with contemporary psychology and cognitive science, demonstrating how Buddhist methodologies are directed toward developing the capacity to recognize cognitive constructs as such. This capacity is referred to here as “critical meta-awareness,” a notion that closely parallels the traditional concept of wisdom ( prajñā ). Within the framework of Buddhist soteriology, wisdom plays a fundamental role in alleviating suffering—suffering that arises from identification with the notion of self and from the attribution of objectivity to the cognitive models shaping experience. Building on these premises, the paper examines recent contemplative research in order to (1) investigate the relationship between meditation and the development of skills associated with critical meta-awareness, and (2) assess the connection between meta-awareness and psychological well-being. While the existing literature indicates that mindfulness meditation can foster metacognitive abilities, it also becomes evident that the Buddhist tradition includes contemplative practices specifically designed to cultivate various forms and degrees of critical meta-awareness. These practices have received limited attention in current research, largely due to their presumed metaphysical or religious character. By analyzing three specific practices drawn from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, this paper argues that such methods merit further investigation. Once reframed from a secular perspective, they may offer valuable contributions to research on metacognition and meta-awareness, as well as potential applications in broader societal contexts.
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
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- The toronto mindfulness scale: Development and validation Journal of Clinical Psychology 2006
- Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- An empirical study of the mechanisms of mindfulness in a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program Journal of Clinical Psychology March 6, 2009
- Treatment-specific changes in decentering following mindfulness-based cognitive therapy versus antidepressant medication or placebo for prevention of depressive relapse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology March 12, 2012
and 17 more in the library