Compare the two visions of positive psychology with Indian perspectives.

 The certain important differences between PP 1 and PP 2 in the light of Indian thought. First, Seligman focused more on positive experiences, positive traits, and the community and institutions that help in the development of them. In this vision, the role of pain and suffering was not recognized. Second, Wong focused on this neglected aspects in Seligman’s vision. He emphasizes that the term positive psychology need not imply we neglect the importance of what is seen as negatives of life. He has argued that even our struggles of life and consequent pain and suffering also contribute for human growth by providing meaning, if properly viewed, and thereby to our sense of well-being. Therefore, PP1 and PP2 taken together provide us a better picture which is not one sided about the meaning of well-being than considering either of them. Wong, of course has extended the vision of PP1, but due to his existential background and emphasis on meaning tend to focus more on this in his views. In contrast to PP1 and PP2, the Indian thought approaches the subject of well-being from a vantage point that goes beyond the binaries.

It is interesting and important to note that Abraham Maslow in his last work Farther Reaches of Human Nature (published posthumously) did recognize that human beings not only aspire to fulfill the need for self-actualization they also have a need for self-transcendence. He termed them as “peakers” or “transcenders.” He distinguished them from merely healthy self-actualizers. Transcenders wish to remain in what U. A. Asrani described as “unitive consciousness.” Healthy self-actualizers, on the other hand, undergo peak experience or transcendent experience but engage themselves actively in society actualizing their potentialities (Maslow, 1971). Neither PP1 nor PP2 recognize transcendence as understood by Maslow or by Indian thinkers. The discussion of Being values in Maslow’s theory and the idea of meaning as one of the elements of well-being in PP1 and PP2 appear to be similar. In other words, both PP1 and PP2 do not speak so much about the need for self-transcendence in the Maslowian sense or what Indian rishis or yogis have envisioned. Thus, Indian psychological thought is guided by a broader and deeper worldview. Our discussion of issues related to positive psychology need to be approached within that framework. This will help to expand the range and scope of contemporary positive psychology discourse.

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