Dōgen and the Boundaries of Secular Mindfulness

Mindfulness, when adapted for use in healthcare, education, and other institutions, undergoes a process of 'ontological attenuation'—a loss of experiential depth caused by reframing it as an instrumental technique rather than a practice embedded in a broader worldview. Analyzing the MYRIAD trial through the lens of Zen master Dōgen's concept of practice-realization unity shows that separating mindfulness from its original ontological foundations alters its nature. While secular mindfulness retains practical and clinical value, it does not reproduce the deeper commitments of its contemplative sources. The authors argue for greater conceptual and ethical clarity about what mindfulness can and cannot deliver in modern settings.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To examine how contemporary mindfulness has been transformed through its integration into healthcare, education, and institutional settings, and to clarify what is at stake when contemplative practices are reframed as instrumental techniques. Methods The paper combines conceptual analysis with an illustrative case study of the My Resilience in Adolescence (MYRIAD) trial. Dōgen’s account of practice-realization unity ( shushō-ittō ) is used as a philosophical lens to analyze the consequences of separating mindfulness practice from its ontological foundations. Results Contemporary mindfulness is argued to exhibit “ontological attenuation”—a reduction in experiential depth arising from its instrumentalization. This attenuation is evident across research design, pedagogical delivery, and participant experience, and reflects structural constraints within secular, institutional contexts. Conclusions Secular mindfulness retains clinical and practical value but does not reproduce the ontological commitments of its contemplative sources. Greater conceptual and ethical clarity is needed, including explicit recognition of what mindfulness can and cannot deliver within modern contexts.