Even the Buddha experienced challenges with meditation: Historical texts reveal its potential downsides
While meditation has been shown to have health benefits, it may not always be the right practice for all people.
As a scholar of Buddhist medicine, the author has long studied the connections between Buddhism and well-being. In 2020, they learned that psychologists were beginning to document the same phenomenon, which prompted them to examine how Buddhist texts address meditation-related challenges. This led to the creation of a book titled "Meditation Sickness: A Sourcebook on the Dangers of Buddhist Practice," which included scriptures, historical documents, autobiographies of sufferers, and advice from contemporary teachers across Asia.
The book reveals that Buddhism has always recognized meditation as having potential downsides, but also offers guidance on how to address these side effects.
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