Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): Origins, Structure, and Buddhist Foundations

Abstract

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979, is one of the most influential secular adaptations of Buddhist mindfulness. This analytical paper traces MBSR's origins, eight-week curriculum and theoretical foundations, examining Kabat-Zinn's "universal dharma foundation" and recent scholarship revealing Mahāyāna (Zen and Tibetan Dzogchen) influences. It treats MBSR as a form of skilful means (upāya) adapted to secular contexts, illuminating how Buddhist contemplative practices have been translated into Western therapeutic settings.