"Is psychoanalysis a secular form of spirituality? That is a bold and controversial claim. But Psychoanalysis and Buddhism is a breakthrough book that will make all readers reexamine their thinking about psychoanalysis and religion. Bringing together for the first time established Buddhist scholars and the leading figures in relational psychoanalysis this volume opens up an important dialogue between these two rich and continually unfolding traditions."—Lewis Aron, Ph.D., Director, New York University, Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis and author of A Meeting of Minds

"Certain to become the emblematic book of this burgeoning relationship, given the range of cutting-edge psychoanalytic views represented, the beautifully edited dialogical format, and— above all— the urgency of the crisis of meaning in Western culture."—Andrew Samuels, Professor of Analytical Psychology, University of Essex, author of Politics on the Couch: Citizenship and the Internal Life

"Intriguing, complex, searching, yet very accessible— a bouquet of scholarly, imaginative, humane discussion of psychoanalysis and Buddhism which enlivens both. A vital book."—Michael Eigen, Ph.D, author of Ecstasy

"What a wonderful book! Jeremy Safran has assembled an absolutely stellar group of writers and has himself contributed an illuminating introduction. The essays are riveting, one after another after another, and the book is the rare edited collection with real thematic unity. If you think you might have an interest in the intersection of psychoanalysis and buddhism, this is the place to start. If you already know you're interested, once you look at the table of contents you'll find (at least I did) that you want to let Psychoanalysis and Buddhism displace whatever you were going to read next."—Donnel B. Stern, Ph.D., author of Unformulated Experience and editor of Contemporary Psychoanalysis

"This rich and important book is a landmark for both disciplines"—Joan Halifax, Abbess, Upaya Zen Center

"Rewarding... manages in places to rival the best of comparative commentaries published so far... The back-and-forth dialogue provides the reader with a gratifying spectacle... The true centerpiece is the essay by Jack Engler, a reconsideration of the now-famous dictum he uttered some twenty years ago: 'You have to be somebody before you can be nobody.' With impressive subtlety and dazzling insight, Engler artfully teases apart the two notions of self that his statement assumes— the self that therapy endeavors to strengthen and the self that Buddhism, at its radical best, aims to expose as essentially empty. 'The need to reclaim and develop a healthy sense of self and self-esteem, a capacity for intimacy, and a creative way to live in the world with full commitment, cannot and should not be separated from Western spiritual practice.'"—Tricycle

"What a joy to witness the realization in this book of a first class discussion of the relations between psychoanalysis and Buddhism! Jeremy Safran, after an excellent historical and conceptual exposition of the two healing disciplines, assembles an extraordinary array of contributors. Some are psychoanalysts who have been steeped in Buddhist practice over many years. Others are leading figures in comtemporary psychoanalysis, who have an interest in exploring the areas of overlap, as well as the dissimilarities between the two worlds. The dialogue format of the book dramatically enlivens the text for the reader who is thereby afforded the opportunity to hear some of his or her most pressing questions asked and commented on by a discussant and then responded to by the first author. The contributors cover a wide territory in the examination of Buddhism from a psychoanalytic point of view-including the concept that is so difficult for the Western mind, the question of no-self. Jack Engler, in an exceptionally lucid and engaging chapter, "Being somebody and being nobody: A re-examination of the understanding of self in psychoanalysis and Buddhism," and in his response to Stephen Mitchell's probing musings, provides for us a quite wonderful avenue of access to this vexing conception-No, not conception, experience. Safran has provided us with a book that will be deeply rewarding to both psychoanalysts and Buddhists; it will extend the horizons of both."—Emmanuel Ghent, M.D., Supervisor and Faculty, New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis

"Contemplating the complexities of the human mind, will, and spirit, these informed and informative writings meditate upon the depths of transformation in the individual. A profound and recommended addition to Buddhist studies shelves, PSYCHOANALYSIS AND BUDDHISM will prove of immense value to students of Eastern Philosophy and Western Psychology."—Midwest Book Review

"This book is the first to initiate a formal dialogue betywen mainstream psychoanalysts and those who write about the interface of psychoanalysis and Buddhism. The editor of this volume, a long-time student of Zen and Tibetan Buddhism and a psychology professor, has has contributed an illuminating introduction, and has assembled an absolutely stellar group of writers." —Eastern Horizon

"A very valuable addition to this emerging field. Safran is both highly credentialed in psychology and a long-time participant in Buddhist meditative practices. Every chapter of this collection is worthy of a focused review in itself. This fine collection will be of great interest not only to those therapists interested in Buddhism in particular, but also those with a more general interest in human spirituality and its role in psychological and emotional healing. Early explorers like Erich Fromm took a lot of flack for their interest in this subject. A collection of this caliber more than vindicates them."—The Ernest Becker Foundation

"It may be too soon to write the definitive book on Buddhism and Psychoanalysis but Safran's volume allows us to make a definitive step forward. Through rigorous scholarly method, he poses the question: 'Why now?' Why has psychoanalysis become strongly interested in Buddhism? . . . Safran is himself is a long-time serious meditator and respectful student of Buddhism. Like the other authors in this collection, he can communicate sense and sensibility of his Buddhism in his elegantly construed concepts of mind from a Buddhist perspective. The chapter by Jack Engler on the experience of self from Buddhist perspectives, with Steve Mitchell as the discussant, may alone attract people to this book. . . The different approaches here allow us to sketch out a few compass points in this dialogue between the sacred and the secular. It is with thanks to the breadth, quality and comprehensiveness that we can begin to ask such questions."—Psychologist-Psychoanalyst

"In an ingenious arrangement, Safran asked nine psychotherapists, all of them deeply influenced by both Buddhism and psychoanalytic thought, and many of them analysts themselves, to write about the relevance of Buddhism to their work and their thought. He then asked nine senior psychoanalysts, none of them dismissive of Buddhism, but few of them conversant with it, to comment on the initial papers. These pairing were inspired. The dialogues that resulted are fascinating, not only for what they revealed about the links between analysis and Buddhism, but for what they revealed about the authors themselves, all of them serious therapists struggling to integrate spirituality into their work. Rarely in the analytic literature has there been so open a discussion of the role of spirituality in the mind of the therapist. [ . . . ] One of the special treats of this volume is to see how surprisingly Buddhist the psychoanalysts often are: clear, open, doubting, and precise in their thinking. Many of the dialogues are delightful in this way. They are true exchanges, in which we can see strong mind grappling with difficult ideas, or in some cases, strong minds wrestling with simple ideas made difficult by the very minds that are trying to simplify them. The patient reader will be rewarded many times over. This volume marks a maturation point in the Buddhist-analytic dialogue. We can see the beginning of something new: an analytic psychology that is not exclusively Buddhist and not simply analytic, but that is true to the spirit of both. [ . . . ] The linchpin of the book is the magnificent contribution of Jack Engler entitled 'Being Somebody and Being Nobody: A Re-examination of the Understanding of Self in Psychoanalysis and Buddhism.' This article alone would make the entire book worthwhile. [ . . . ] A combination of individual honesty in the face of uncertain truth characterizes the entire volume of PSYCHOANALYSIS AND BUDDHISM. It is a very impressive, and moving, combination— one that reflects well on each discipline while opening up the possibility of something new. It might take another hundred years, but, on the basic of this collaboration, it will certainly be worth the wait."—Mark Epstein, MD, author of Thoughts Without A Thinker, in Contemporary Psychoanalysis

"This collection of essays be respected psychoanalysts— and others not necessarily known for their Buddhist interests— puts the spotlight on human spirituality and the role it plays in psychological and emotional healing. The editor is a long-time student of Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, and a psychology professor; his skill in pulling this highly readable and intriguing collection together is to be marveled at."—Mandala: A Tibetan Buddhist Journal