In contrast, it would be alarming if Buddhism in the West were to be overdetermined by psychological discourse and Buddhism evolved into a kind of spiritual psychotherapy. That would be far too reductive. The practice of the dharma embraces the totality of the eightfold path. It is an integral way of life that balances philosophical insight, ethical commitment, right livelihood, spiritual discipline, and the forming of community. To overemphasize its psychological dimension risks losing sight of its complex reality as a culture that addresses every aspect of human need.
