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Discuss some parallels between Buddhism and modern ideas on emotional intelligence.

Approach

• Start your answer by briefly describing emotional intelligence
• Discuss the similarities between Buddhism and the concept of emotional intelligence
• Conclude accordingly

Introduction

Understanding and controlling your own emotions as well as those of those around you is referred to as emotional intelligence, or EI. People who possess high levels of emotional intelligence are aware of their feelings, what they signify, and how they may effect others.

Body

What is known today as El, is what Siddhartha Gautam (the Buddha), urged his disciples to develop in them, and the doctrine he preached was in essence a well-defined path to developing EI to its practical extreme.

Components of Emotional Intelligence:

• Self-awareness is the capacity to recognise and comprehend one’s own emotions as they arise and change.
• Self-regulation is the ability to rein in one’s emotions so that, rather than reacting instantly, one will think things through before speaking.
• Internal drive to improve and attain goals, commitment to ones’ objectives, initiative or willingness to act on opportunities, optimism, and resilience are all examples of internal drive.
• Empathy is the capacity to understand situations from the perspectives of others and to be aware of the needs and feelings of others, both individually and collectively.
• Applying empathy and weighing one’s needs and wants against those of others are social skills. It entails fostering positive relationships with people.
• Buddhist philosophy and emotional intelligence are similar:
• Right Mindfulness: The idea of mindfulness, which entails being conscious of and present in the moment without passing judgement, is one of the fundamental tenets of Buddhism.
• This is comparable to the current idea of emotional intelligence, which encompasses the capacity to understand and control both one’s own and other people’s emotions.
• The stress placed on self-regulation and emotional control is another similarity between emotional intelligence and Buddhism.

This is frequently referred to as “equanimity” in Buddhism, which is the capacity to stay calm and composed in the presence of distressing feelings or situations.

This is comparable to the modern idea of emotional intelligence, which encompasses the capacity for healthy and effective emotion regulation and control.

Buddhism and emotional intelligence both place a strong emphasis on compassion and empathising with other people. This is frequently referred to as “compassion” in Buddhism, which entails being aware of and sympathetic to the suffering of others.

Effective communication and relationship development depend on having high levels of emotional intelligence, which includes the capacity to recognise other people’s feelings and respond to them properly.

Right View: It is the intellectual aspect of wisdom. It implies penetrating the outward aspect of things, understanding the transient and imperfect nature.

Right Speech: It is a route to moral discipline which sustains other virtues. Right speech consists of the following:

• to refrain from speaking deceptively and from lying.
• to refrain from insulting or defamatory language.
• should refrain from saying things that are hurtful to other people.
• to avoid meaningless conversation that lacks substance or purpose.
• Being honest, respecting others’ property, and abstaining from sexual misconduct are all examples of right action, as are other kind and compassionate deeds.
• Proper Efforts: It alludes to a kind of psychic energy that can either cause wholesome or unwholesome mental experiences. For instance, it might cause aggressiveness, envy, desire, or violence. But the same force can also result in self-control, sincerity, compassion, and charity. The ability to manage one’s thoughts through the right efforts.

Conclusion
Buddhism and contemporary theories of emotional intelligence generally agree that in order to live a good and meaningful life, it is essential to be aware of, control, and respond to one’s own emotions as well as those of others.