Recognizing Cognitive Models as Models: Critical Meta-Awareness as a Key to Exploring Buddhist Practices and Their Contemporary Applications

In Mahāyāna Buddhism, the path to liberation involves recognizing that all phenomena lack inherent existence. This paper reframes that concept using contemporary psychological and cognitive-science terms, introducing 'critical meta-awareness' as a parallel to the traditional notion of wisdom (prajñā). Wisdom is central to reducing suffering, which stems from identifying with a self and treating cognitive models as objective reality. The paper reviews contemplative research to examine how meditation develops critical meta-awareness and how that awareness relates to well-being. It identifies three Tibetan Buddhist contemplative practices that cultivate such awareness but have been overlooked by research due to their metaphysical framing. The author argues that, secularly reframed, these practices could advance metacognition research and have broader societal applications.

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Abstract

Abstract The soteriological path in Mahāyāna Buddhism entails a pivotal cognitive shift through which all phenomena are recognized as empty of inherent existence. This paper aims to reformulate this concept using terminology aligned with contemporary psychology and cognitive science, demonstrating how Buddhist methodologies are directed toward developing the capacity to recognize cognitive constructs as such. This capacity is referred to here as “critical meta-awareness,” a notion that closely parallels the traditional concept of wisdom ( prajñā ). Within the framework of Buddhist soteriology, wisdom plays a fundamental role in alleviating suffering—suffering that arises from identification with the notion of self and from the attribution of objectivity to the cognitive models shaping experience. Building on these premises, the paper examines recent contemplative research in order to (1) investigate the relationship between meditation and the development of skills associated with critical meta-awareness, and (2) assess the connection between meta-awareness and psychological well-being. While the existing literature indicates that mindfulness meditation can foster metacognitive abilities, it also becomes evident that the Buddhist tradition includes contemplative practices specifically designed to cultivate various forms and degrees of critical meta-awareness. These practices have received limited attention in current research, largely due to their presumed metaphysical or religious character. By analyzing three specific practices drawn from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, this paper argues that such methods merit further investigation. Once reframed from a secular perspective, they may offer valuable contributions to research on metacognition and meta-awareness, as well as potential applications in broader societal contexts.