SCIENCE TODAY

WHEN SPIRITUALITY EMBRACE SCIENTIFIC PATH




By Lhundup Dorjee Khangsara

In a broader context, Buddhist dharma includes all scientific knowledge, and this alone is sufficient enough to lead a devotee to a state of ultimate omniscience. Considering the motivation a true Mahayanist Buddhist has or one is suppose to have, ignoring modern science makes Buddhist culture irrelevant to rest of the world, including the younger generation of Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet. Though it is true that modern science developed first in western part of the world then gradually spread it towards the eastern part of the world. In order to make the two cultures relevant to each other, the only solution is an initiating effort to find a common platform to establish a new system, which will have potentials to benefit human community in general. 
Buddhism as other world religions do, has little faith element in it although it is a rational philosophy. It has been through a period of rigid orthodoxy and seclusion. But owing to path breaking exploration and collaboration with science in the last four decades under the guidance of the Dalai Lama it has proven time and again that an individual with a strong scientific background and Buddhist philosophy sees no contradictions. Instead one foresees a close connection between the two dominant views in our contemporary world. One view mainly describes about the physical realities of the world outside while the other one describe about the inner world of human emotions. The two are therefore the two faces of a same coin.  

Now the question is; should the Tibetan Buddhist monks inculcate the finer depth of modern science? Considering the prospects, it sounds more than reasonable for Buddhist monks to do so. This doesn’t mean that they should engross themselves into this new, seemingly alien field of study. Buddhist philosophy should always remain their prerogative; since it is the tree trunk and other field of knowledge as branches. One cannot abandon ones roots.

Unlike other religious beliefs, Buddhism draws conclusions on the true existence of phenomena following rigorous analysis. Science follows the same pattern. Everything what science explains come into existence after a numerous repeated experimentations and most of the time conclusions drawn by scientific studies are true to human conception and imagination. The ultimate goal is basically the same; it is to find the true nature of reality. Therefore, studying science will not dilute the Buddhist beliefs. Instead, it will validate and strengthen Buddhist beliefs. 

Today, Tibetan Buddhist monks are opening up to views propounded by others. They are slowly but steadily embracing science like never before. It will be a path breaking change in the monastic community if science becomes an integral part of their academic studies. There is no short cut to see the reality unless one has profound understanding of something. More importantly, monastic clergy should see the significance, which of course is a distant reality. To this end, one should be convinced spontaneously by the wider horizon of the existing yet undiscovered genre of scientific knowledge. 

The brighter aspect is that the traditional mode of acquiring knowledge in the major seats of Tibetan Buddhism is facing a great deal of transformation. This is a timely change whose necessity is undeniably indispensable and hence the present system facilitates a good environment to study science in the monasteries. The teaching techniques employed by the knowledge equipped teachers are always comprehensible, practical and most importantly relevant to day-to-day life. Most of the explanations of science are convincing enough and acceptable which would foster the broadening of the outlook of Buddhist beliefs and practices, some of which are, far from the realities of the present life.  

Buddhist perspectives see an explanation in everything that govern one’s life and everything that is taking place in the world. Today the monastic community in exile feels the importance of science and more so it is receiving ever-increasing approval from the monks today. This is mainly because of interdependency between various knowledge systems to solve the common human problem. Inquisitiveness and diligence are some of the most important qualities one should possess to study science. Monks, unlike normal Tibetan students, are trained in this manner by dialectics and debates which they are accustomed with. They are very enthusiastic to put questions and most of the time their queries are of good standard. Considering these situations, the prospects of a new breed of monk scientists are very much in the offing. 

Now the bottom-line is what the Buddhist monks will have to offer having studied science? The immediate contribution is to disseminate the scientific knowledge they gained to the younger generation of monks in their respective monasteries. This will accelerate the establishment of scientific environment in the monastic communities. They can also translate the technical terms into appropriate Tibetan terms and this will lay a foundation for complementary Tibetan terms. This will be a historic contribution to the Tibetan language.

It is widely known that Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism, is the fastest growing religion in today’s world. It is because of its unique characteristics and result oriented benefits that attract mass followings. It can even benefit wider audience if the Buddhist scholars understand the true nature of both the worlds: inner world precisely explained by Buddhist teachings and the outer world convincingly explained by science. If people live their lives on the realization attained on the two worlds, what more is left for human being to experience. This I presume is a true Mahayanist way of a Mahayana practitioner. 

We cannot deny the fact that everything is not free from shortcomings. Certain phenomenon that Buddhism fails to explain is well explained by scientific experience and vice versa. Both science and Buddhist culture explain the composition of matter in their own terms. Buddhism views five elements of nature as the basic components of matter and each element consist of particles of its own kind. There is no further clear explanation on that matter. On the other hand, science has experimental proofs that a matter is made up of atoms, the smallest building blocks. These atoms are composed of even smaller entities called subatomic particles. These subatomic particles are further broken into even smaller particles. Thus, science has explanation to the subtlest level. Similarly, Buddhist theories of emptiness and interdependence have potentials to describe logically many natural phenomenal where the knowledge of science is limited. Thus, both are complementary to each other.

With the advent of technology, the world is transforming into one big human family and this naturally reinforces the Buddhist concept of interdependence. Buddhist philosophy alone is not enough to meet one’s end and remaining blindfolded to the wonders of science is sheer ignorance. In order to promote Buddhist teachings to a wider audience, it is imperative for a Buddhist to understand the know-how of the techniques of Science.  
In order to have maximum exchange of knowledge and to make science teachings effective, an open minded attitude and a receptive mentality ready to explore the unexplored shores of learning is fundamentally essential in the age of information. Science can flirt and collaborate with Buddhism, if Geshes have the time and a knack for science. A Buddhist monk with sound and prolific knowledge of Science and Buddhism can make a huge difference to the world in which we live. This I believe will be the biggest and the best contribution towards Buddha Dharma and for humanity in general.

He is a Science Translator and teacher at Dharma meet Science Project