重病家屬照顧者運用佛法自我調適之初探

Abstract

本研究旨在探討擁有正信的佛法觀念，對一個佛教徒在面臨家屬罹患重大疾病時，身為一位照顧者運用佛法因應的具體情形。 本研究採立意取樣，選取身為佛教徒的重病家屬照顧者，以半結構訪談大綱進行深度訪談。研究參與者條件為：一、已皈依之佛教徒；二、家屬的重病為十大死因之前五項、或健保醫療點數之前五大疾病；三、承擔照顧責任並提供照顧行為的家人，且自認有照顧負荷者。爲確保研究參與者有基礎佛法概念，第一階段徵募對象為聖嚴書院佛學初階班結業的學員，第二階段，研究者也網羅上過其他佛法課程的佛教徒，以上，研究者基於希望參與者具有佛法的基礎知見，而作此設定。 本研究有下列三項研究目的，希望藉由此研究探討： 一、佛教徒重病家屬照顧者如何用佛法自我調適 二、佛法對佛教徒重病家屬照顧者的影響 三、佛法對佛教徒重病家屬照顧者的貢獻 依據研究目的，本研究結果發現： 一、佛法對重病家屬照顧者具調適功能： （一）佛法有不同層次的調適功能： 1. 用方法收攝內心：淺則發揮安定身心的功能；深則增長智慧與慈悲，乃至於無事不辦的境界。 2. 解行並重形成轉化：淺則在照顧歷程中減輕負荷及煩惱，深則肯認法的真理，勤加修行，達到解脫。 （二）苦是調適的下手處： 1. 轉念：了解苦是自己主觀錯誤的認知，不是客觀存在的事實，不認為是苦，自然就沒有苦。 2. 賦予受苦的意義：苦是無法避免的，藉由受苦體證佛法，受苦有其意義和目的，因此能夠在苦難中成長。 二、佛法對重病家屬照顧者的影響與貢獻： （一）同理他人、增長智慧 （二）提醒自己把握因緣，提醒自己好好修行！ （三）出離心到菩提心：從自我的解脫到自利利他的菩薩行！ 文末研究者也對於佛法的學習及相關政策提出建議。

The purpose of this study is to explore how Buddhist teachings with the right views influence the Buddhist caregivers in the process of caring for a family member with severe illnesses. In this study, we selected participants based on the following criteria to conduct an in-depth semi-structured interview. The criteria for participants were: I. Buddhists who have taken the Three Refuges; II. The illness of participant’s family member belongs in the category of the top five causes of death, or is one of the five major diseases recognized by the health care system. III. Participants are responsible of providing care and are taking care of the sick family member. In order to ensure that participants have fundamental understanding of Buddhist teachings, the candidates in the first stage are the students who have completed the introductory course of Buddhism in Sheng Yen Academy. In the second stage, Buddhists who have completed other Buddhist courses will be recruited. There are three objectives in this research: I. How do Buddhist caregivers adjust themselves in terms of attitude and mindset with Buddhist teachings in the process of providing care to seriously ill family members? II. How does Buddha-dharma influence Buddhist caregivers. III. How do Buddhist caregivers benefit from Buddha-dharma? According to our research, it is found that: I. Buddha-dharma helps the Buddhist caregivers to adapt themselves while taking care of seriously ill family member. A. Buddha-dharma helps Buddhist caregivers to adapt in different levels: 1. Methods to collect the mind: from calming the body and mind, to deepening wisdom and compassion, and even to the state of nothing unachievable. 2. Unification of understanding and practice, which leads to transformation: from reducing vexations during the process of providing caring, to acknowledging the truth of dharma, with diligent practice, to achieve liberation. B. Suffering provides an entrance to making adjustment: 1. Changing mindset: Understand that suffering is a misconception due to deluded subjective thinking, not an objective existing fact. If you do not consider it as suffering, there is no suffering. 2. Giving meaning to suffering: Suffering is unavoidable, and through the journey of suffering, one can realize the meaning and purpose behind suffering, therefore grow amidst suffering and hardships. II. The influence and contribution of Buddhism to the Buddhist caretakers of seriously ill family members: A. Empathize with others and grow in wisdom. B. Reminder to seize the causes and conditions which allow us to practice, and thus practice hard! C. From renunciation mind to Bodhi mind: From being self-liberated to benefiting self and others, walking the Bodhisattva path.