Tenzin Yangdon and Deepmala Sutar
Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru
Pages:159-165
The Tibetan refugees have experienced or witnessed a series of distressful circumstances
such as imprisonment, religious persecution and torture during the occupation and
eventually faced displacement, acclimatization, identity crisis, financial deprivation
etc. in exile after the escape. Yet, the population had revealed a lesser prevalence of
post-traumatic stress and related diagnoses than the other refugee communities. This
research paper endeavours to document the use of Buddhist doctrines in overcoming
these dominant physical, emotional and mental challenges reflected through the
narratives of 9 ordained Buddhist monks and nuns, the first-hand generation of Tibetan
refugees who escaped from the tyrannical oppression of invaders. The analysis of the
interviews indicated three major themes; Emotional and Cognitive coping, Goals and
aspirations, Meditation and middle path. This research used Braun & Clarke, 2006
thematic analysis framework to analyse the overall experiences of the participants into
a positive psychology of refocusing human strength for optimal functioning engaged
through Buddhist philosophy in the birth of a meaningful life