Buddhist Practices as Therapeutic Tools: The Mental Health Effects of Meditation, Mindfulness, and Compassion Training
Advances in Education Humanities and Social Science Research March 6, 2026 DOI: 10.56028/aehssr.16.1.221.2026 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractFor over 2500 years, Buddhism has aimed to help people liberate themselves from suffering and attain well-being. Buddhist practices in emotional management, especially meditation, mindfulness, and compassion meditation, improve concentration, calm the mind, and strengthen empathy and compassion. These practices have been widely used in clinical interventions to heal stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental distress, with their efficacy confirmed by neuroscience. This article reviews the historical origins, mechanisms, and contemporary clinical applications of these practices, highlighting their potential as integrative therapeutic tools for mental health and underscoring the need for systematic research to optimize intervention strategies across diverse populations.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Compassion Happiness Psychological intervention Mental health |
| Key finding | Meditation, mindfulness, and compassion meditation, rooted in Buddhism, are effective in clinical interventions for stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental distress, with efficacy confirmed by neuroscience. |
Abstract
For over 2500 years, the aim of Buddhism has been to help people liberate themselves from suffering, attain happiness and well-being, and ultimately achieve Nirvana, the path to freedom. Many Buddhist practices in emotional management are effective in alleviating suffering. Among these, meditation, mindfulness, and compassion meditation, due to their effects on improving concentration, calming the mind, and strengthening empathy, understanding, and compassion, have been widely used in clinical interventions to heal stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental distress. Their efficacy has also been confirmed by neuroscience. This article reviews the historical origins, mechanisms, and contemporary clinical applications of these practices. By bridging traditional Buddhist methods with modern psychological science, this study highlights their potential as integrative therapeutic tools, offering a holistic approach to mental health. Furthermore, it underscores the need for systematic research to optimize intervention strategies, adapt these practices across diverse populations, and deepen the evidence base for combining ancient wisdom with evidence-based psychological interventions.