Buddhism, Philosophy & Science

5. Dialogue Between Buddhist Science and Western Science

When His Holiness the Dalai Lama initiated a dialogue with Western science in the light of the Buddha’s teachings, that discussion was primarily confined to Buddhist science and Western science; it did not extend to Buddhist philosophy or Buddhist religion. This is because religion, philosophy, and science are three distinct domains, separate from one another (see No. 4). Therefore, dialogue between science and science, philosophy and philosophy, and religion and religion is the most logical and appropriate approach.

Following this principle, discussions become more rational, meaningful, and harmonious when Buddhist science is dialogued with Western science, Buddhist philosophy with Eastern and Western philosophy, and Buddhist religion with other religious traditions. From this perspective, the respected Dalai Lama began a dialogue with Western science in the light of the Buddha’s teachings and largely limited that dialogue to the sphere of Buddhist science and Western science.

He initiated discussions on several important topics shared by Buddhist and Western science. The principal subjects of these dialogues included cosmology, quantum physics, neuroscience, and psychology. This dialogue has continued for more than thirty years, and a total of thirty-three dialogues have been held so far. Over time, its scope gradually expanded, and the dialogue continues even today.

Most of the scientists who participated in these dialogues were world-renowned figures. Among them were Nobel Prize–winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman and geneticist Eric Lander. Later, Nobel Prize–winning quantum physicist Anton Zeilinger also joined the discussions. Other participants included social entrepreneur R. Adam Engle, physicist and author Arthur Zajonc, biologist, philosopher, and neuroscientist Francisco J. Varela, psychologist Richard J. Davidson, professor of medicine Jon Kabat-Zinn, psychologist and author Daniel Goleman, cellular biologist and author Matthieu Ricard, and author and Buddhist scholar B. Alan Wallace, among others.

As a result of these dialogues, more than 280 research papers and books have been published. Later, the Mind & Life Institute was established to explore more deeply the relationship between Western science and Buddhist science. In 1991, this institute paved the way for the development and establishment of new fields of research such as Contemplative Science (or Contemplative Neuroscience) and Contemplative Studies.

Questions for Discussion:

1. Why did His Holiness the Dalai Lama wish to limit the dialogue to Buddhist science and Western science?
2. Why are the fields of religion, philosophy, and science considered distinct from one another?
3. According to the author, with which fields should Buddhist science, Buddhist philosophy, and Buddhist religion engage in dialogue?
4. What were the main topics discussed in the dialogue between Buddhist and Western science?
5. For how many years has this dialogue continued, and how many dialogues have been held in total?
6. Name the Nobel Prize–winning scientists who participated in these dialogues.
7. In which fields did Daniel Kahneman and Anton Zeilinger make significant contributions?
8. What was the primary purpose behind establishing the Mind & Life Institute?
9. What is meant by Contemplative Science?
10. What kind of impact has the dialogue between Buddhist and Western science had on modern fields of research?

4. Buddhist Religion, Buddhist Philosophy, and Buddhist Science

His Holiness the Venerable Dalai Lama participated in a symposium on neuroscience held at the University of Zurich in Switzerland on August 3, 2005. The symposium was attended by neuroscientists, scientists from various disciplines, students of the University of Zurich, and many distinguished members of society and the state. During his speech at the symposium, he said, “I consider the three principal aspects of Buddhism separately: first, Buddhist science; second, Buddhist philosophy; and third, Buddhist practice” (you can hear these words of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay82wmkvFtg).

Later, it was also mentioned in the book The Monastery and the Microscope: Conversations with the Dalai Lama on Mind, Mindfulness, and the Nature of Reality (London: Yale University Press, 2017, p. 8), edited by Wendy Hasenkamp and Janna R. White, that His Holiness the Dalai Lama divided the teachings of the Buddha into three separate fields. These are—Buddhist Religion, Buddhist Philosophy, and Buddhist Science.

According to the explanation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Buddhist science mainly discusses the fundamental mechanisms of various phenomena. For example, it investigates: how the mind works; the nature of perception, emotion, and consciousness; and how these elements of our experience may be transformed through training or practice. In addition, Buddhism provides detailed explanations about energy and matter and also presents its own cosmology regarding the origin and development of the universe.

On the other hand, Buddhist philosophy emphasizes the application of reasoning, analysis, and experiential knowledge in order to uncover the true nature of reality. It is composed of various branches of philosophy and employs logical and empirical methods in the search for truth. (See number 3).

Finally, Buddhist religion encompasses Buddhist beliefs and spiritual practices. These include concepts related to kamma, rebirth, and enlightenment, as well as meditation, various rituals and ceremonies, mantra recitation, devotion to gurus, worship, religious festivals, and other forms of practice.

Among these three fields mentioned above, Buddhist science and Buddhist philosophy possess universal characteristics. Regardless of religion, caste, or community, anyone can study and practice them. This is because they are not based on blind faith; rather, they are founded upon reason, analysis, and experience-based inquiry.

Questions for Discussion:

1. Into how many major divisions did His Holiness the Dalai Lama divide Buddhist teachings? What are they?
2. What subject did the Dalai Lama emphasize at the symposium held at the University of Zurich in 2005?
3. What are the main topics discussed in Buddhist science?
4. According to Buddhist science, what is investigated regarding the nature of mind, emotion, and consciousness?
5. Which methods does Buddhist philosophy emphasize in uncovering the true nature of reality?
6. What is the role of reasoning and experiential knowledge in Buddhist philosophy?
7. What spiritual practices are included within Buddhist Religion?
8. What concepts does Buddhist Religion provide regarding kamma and rebirth?
9. Why are Buddhist science and Buddhist philosophy described as having universal characteristics?
10. Why is it said that Buddhist science and Buddhist philosophy are not based on faith?
11. Which idea of the Dalai Lama is mentioned in the book edited by Wendy Hasenkamp and Janna R. White?
12. What is the main difference between Buddhist religion, Buddhist philosophy, and Buddhist science?

3. Branches of Philosophy

The earliest known philosophers emerged in ancient Greece during the sixth century BCE. As societies grew more stable and complex, some thinkers began to challenge traditional explanations of how the universe and human life functioned, looking instead for answers grounded in reason rather than custom or religion. Their first major question—“What is the world made of?”—laid the foundation for what we now call metaphysics. From there, they explored how we can know anything with certainty, a field known as epistemology, as well as the nature of existence itself, or ontology. Over time, they developed more structured methods of reasoning, including formal logic and systematic questioning, to uncover deeper truths. These efforts expanded into moral philosophy, or ethics, which examines ideas such as justice, virtue, and happiness. In turn, this led philosophers to consider the kind of society people should live in, giving rise to political philosophy.

Just as Western philosophers gradually divided their philosophy into various branches, Buddhist philosophers likewise organized Buddhist philosophy into many different divisions. As a result, today we find subjects such as Buddhist metaphysics, Buddhist epistemology, Buddhist ontology, Buddhist logic, Buddhist ethics, Buddhist political philosophy, Buddhist philosophy of mind, Buddhist philosophy of language, Buddhist social philosophy, and Buddhist aesthetics.

Questions for Discussion:
1. In which century and region did the first known philosophers appear?
2. Why did early philosophers begin questioning traditional explanations of the universe and society?
3. What was the first major question early philosophers tried to answer?
4. Which branch of philosophy deals with the question “What is the world made of?”
5. What is epistemology concerned with?
6. What does ontology study about human existence?
7. How did the development of logic and questioning techniques influence philosophy?
8. What topics are central to moral philosophy (ethics)?
9. How did ethics lead to the development of political philosophy?
10. In what ways are ethics and political philosophy connected?
11. What does political philosophy seek to explore about society?

2. Explaining the word ‘philosophy’ for people without a background in philosophy

The word ‘philosophy’, like so much else in Western philosophy, is Greek in origin: the original word φιλοσοφια (philosophia) means ‘love of wisdom’, but while that may be a nice description of the subject, it doesn’t tell us much about what it actually is.

Perhaps it is best to think of philosophy as being ‘what philosophers do’ – an activity, rather than a study – which is to use the human capacity for rational thought to pose and attempt to answer fundamental questions about the universe and our place in it. This may be a broad definition of a very broad subject, but it is a useful way to distinguish philosophy from other ways in which we try to make sense of the world we live in. At its heart, philosophy is thinking: thinking about why things are the way they are, how best we should live our lives, how we can be certain about what we know, and what meaning, if any, there is to our existence. The same questions are asked by religion and science, but while religion gives answers based on faith or belief, philosophy uses reasoning, and where science provides description, philosophy seeks explanation.

Philosophy as an academic subject studies the ideas of the great thinkers, and it is these that will dominate this discussion, but it is also something that almost everybody indulges in: we all spend some of our time wondering about the same questions addressed by the great philosophers or discussing them with friends in the pub or over the dinner table. Often, we will disagree, and just as often, we will find no definite answers – philosophers, too, have widely differing opinions, and frequently come up with more questions than answers. But philosophers throughout history have provided us with different ways of looking at these questions, and by understanding their thought processes we can learn how to organize our thoughts and arguments.

Questions For Discussion:

1. The word “philosophy” means “love of wisdom,” but why might this definition be considered too vague to explain what philosophy actually involves?
2. The text describes philosophy as an activity rather than a subject—what does it mean to “do” philosophy, and how is this different from simply studying it?
3. How does philosophy differ from religion and science in the way it approaches questions about life and the universe?
4. The passage says philosophy is fundamentally about thinking—what kinds of questions does philosophical thinking typically focus on?
5. Why do philosophers often end up with more questions than answers, and what value might there be in that?
6. In what ways do ordinary people engage in philosophical thinking in everyday life?
7. How can studying the ideas of past philosophers help us improve our own thinking and reasoning skills?
8. Why is disagreement such a common feature in philosophical discussions, and what does that suggest about the nature of philosophical inquiry?

1. Buddhism, philosophy, and science

Religion, philosophy, and science are the three main domains of knowledge or wisdom that people seek to explore in their lives. Although they share similarities in some respects, they are fundamentally distinct from one another. Each has its own methods and perspectives for the pursuit of knowledge or wisdom.

The teachings of the Buddha, that is, Buddhism, can be interpreted and classified in light of these three domains—religion, philosophy, and science. On this page, an effort will be made to discuss each of these areas with a focus on Buddhism, philosophy, and science (BPS).

🙏🙏🙏
Maraṇasati bhāvanā (mindfulness of death, death awareness):

Every minute someone leaves this world behind. Age has nothing to do with it.
We are all in "the line" without knowing it.
We never know how many people are before us.
We can not move to the back of the line.
We can not step out of the line.
We can not avoid the line.

So while we wait in line:

Make moments count.
Make priorities.
Make the time.
Make your gifts known.
Make a nobody feel like a somebody.
Make your voice heard.
Make the small things big.
Make someone smile.
Make the change.
Make love.
Make up.
Make peace.
Make sure to tell your people they are loved.
Make sure to have no regrets.
Make sure you are ready…

Every minute someone leaves this world.

A disciple who has learned just a little but puts what he or she has learned into practice is superior to one who learns much without applying it.
- Aṅguttara Nikāya: 4:6

It has just been announced that Anton Zeilinger, seen here with the Dalai Lama, has won the Nobel Prize for Physics for his work on quantum mechanics.

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2022/summary/

Be Mindful

A young and strong person
who does not strive
when he should strive,
who is given to idleness,
who is loose in his purpose and
thoughts, and who is lazy -
that idler never finds the way
to wisdom.