From Mud to Lotus: Transforming Dukkha Into a Pedagogy of Love
Gaston Bacquet Quiroga
July 7, 2026 DOI: 10.1108/978-1-80686-083-820261002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Narrative or theoretical essay |
|---|---|
| Interventions | meditation practice study of Dharma texts walking meditation loving-kindness meditation (Metta Bhavana) cultivation of Right Speech |
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Contemplation Disengagement theory Personal narrative Spirituality Pedagogy Aesthetics Personal development Praxis Empathy |
| Key points | Argues that Buddhist-informed contemplative practices can transform a teacher's personal suffering into empathetic pedagogy and authentic student connections. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter chronicles a personal journey of transforming suffering (dukkha) into healing through the application of Buddhist-informed contemplative practice and pedagogical engagement. Following a period of the author’s personal hardship, this narrative explores how Buddhist teachings—particularly those of Thich Nhat Hanh on mindfulness and loving-kindness—became instrumental in his personal healing and pedagogical transformation. The author examines how his own emotional disengagement and lack of presence initially manifested in the classroom, preventing meaningful connections with students facing their own challenges including financial strain, adaptation difficulties, and academic struggles. The chapter further chronicles how meditation practice, study of Dharma texts, and cultivation of metta (loving-kindness) served as the foundation to offer students a more genuine presence. The chapter details specific practices including walking meditation, loving-kindness meditation (Metta Bhavana), and the cultivation of Right Speech that facilitated this transformation. By shifting attention from personal suffering to students’ needs and wellbeing, the author experienced healing while creating a space for authentic student connection and support. The narrative demonstrates how contemplative practices can transform both teacher and classroom relationships, arguing that recognizing our shared human experience of suffering enables a more empathetic, compassionate pedagogy. The chapter concludes by reflecting on lasting impacts of these practices on the author’s professional relationships and teaching philosophy.
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 |