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

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.