Beyond self-actualization

The concept of self actualization in Humanistic Psychology, as developed by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, is compared and contrasted with the concept of self-realization in Vedandic Hinduism and the two major schools of Buddhism-Thervada and Mahayana. The first part of the paper deals with the theoretical views of Maslow and Rogers and their philosophical foundations. The second part of the paper deals with common elements and differences among the schools of Eastern philosophies. Finally, the concept of self actualization in Humanistic Psychology is compared and contrasted with the concept of self-realization in the three Eastern philosophies covered in this paper. It is concluded that the two concepts complement each other and provide us with a broader view of self-development than each view by itself. Implications for counseling are brought out.