Contents
1.
Introduction
2.
Definition on Buddhism
and Science
3.
Relationship
between science and Buddhism
4.
Scholar’s
notions of relationship between Buddhism and science
5.
My personal
views on science and Buddhism
6.
Conclusion
7.
Bibliography
Introduction
This assignment related
to the subject of Buddhism and science. Through this I tried to clarify the
main difference between Science and Buddhism.
“Buddhism will
be the only religion that will survive by the year 2050 and that scientist
cannot hammer it down or destroy it.”
(Arthur C.
Clarke)
According to
above statement of Arthur C. Clarke, which emphasizes that, Buddhism is better
than modern science. He has highlighted the importance of Buddhism, which is
the main purpose of this assignment too.
Definition
on Buddhism and Science
“The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It
should transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology”[1].
Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious
sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual as a
meaningful unity. Is there any religion that would cope with modern scientific
needs, it would be Buddhism.”[2]
Both
Buddhism and science can be defined as the two ways with one aim to discover
truth. The main difference is Buddhism has already discovered, but science is
still on their approach. Today the most scientists have agreed with the
Buddhism and researching through the Buddhist teachings. Most scientific
theories which are discovering new things that had discovered by Buddha before
two thousand five hundred years ago.
The nature of the science is doubt
and not to prove but to disprove. Its approach is not to prove, but
to disprove the hypotheses formed in respect of apparent characteristics and
relationships of observed phenomena[3]. If they cannot
disprove then that is the truth. Nature of Buddhism is understanding the
reality of nature with the teachings of Buddha. The ultimate goal is attending
NibbŒna.
Therefore,
I personally define that Buddhism as the father of science and science as the son.
Relationship
between Science and Buddhism
Under this
sub-topic, I hope to discuss these topics to clarify the relationship between
Science and Buddhism.
I.
Basic Concepts of Buddhism and science
II.
Limits of Science
III.
Buddhism is beyond than Science
IV.
Science without Buddhism
V.
Similarities
and differences between science and Buddhism (Special information from Prof. Gunadasa’s
Speech)
Basic Concepts of Buddhism and
science
Buddhism was
discovered before 2500 years ago in India. It was not touched by science until
the beginning of last century. Buddhism is opened for all beings and it was
always open to scientific thinking. The main reason that scientific embrace
Buddhism easily because the Buddha never asked to have the forceful belief in
his teaching. Buddha never force to have a faith what He taught, but allowed
great flexibility and freedom of thought. That is why the qualities of the Dhamma
has mentioned that “SvŒkhŒto BhawatŒ Dhammo Sandi iko AkŒliko Ehipassiko Opanahiko Pacchattaµ Veditabbo Vinnuh´ti.”
While other
religions teach about the creation theory, Buddhism teaches to come and see (Ehi
passiko), realize by yourself then believe it. Buddhism does not force to have believed
what Buddha taught. According to the KŒlŒma Sutta of D´gha NikŒya has mentioned that “MŒ Samano No Garu,” which means do
not believe that’s because Buddha has preached until you, realizes by yourself.
The second
point cab be describe as the approach of discovering truth. Buddha used the
testing spiritual truth which is much closed to the scientist. They also doing
their experiments until the discover truth.
Buddha is the best scientist who has used the
scientific method for attended the Nibbana and the experiences of Nibbana.
Buddha used this methods before 2500 years ago which is using by present
scientist in modern world.
It is true that science has discovered the
better way to swim in the water faster than fishes and fly more fasts than
birds. These methods has already discover by Buddhism with cultivating his mind
people can swim in the water and fly in the sky. The main things which
scientist cannot discover but Buddhism discovered is control the mind and moral
control guidance.
People in 21 century believe that Science is better
than religion because science has disproved by evidence that that religion has
preached. Science approach is not to prove, but to disprove. Science has
disproved many religious teachings, therefore between science and religion has
conflicts. Buddhism is the only teachings, which scientists cannot, disproved. That
is the main reason that modern science are agreeing with Buddhism
Limitations
of Science
The main limitation of the science can be
describe as the limited to the data received through the sense organs. Even how
much they are doing their experiments they are not able to be successful on
received data through the sense organs. Then another question comes into our
mind is can science make people better in moral development? They are limited on development of spiritual
part of human life.
Even how
much they have discovered about universal they will never find the end of it.
They can developed the world through materials but still spiritual sides are
dreams for scientist.
Buddhism
is beyond than Science
Buddhism is better than science because the part which modern scientists
are discovering has already discovered by Buddha before 2500 years ago. The
part of spiritual development which has discovered by the Buddha but scientists
are in basic level on the spiritual development. Buddha’s one quality is “Vijja
Carana Sampanno Sugato Loka Vidu” which means He knows about all kinds of world.
Scientist are doing their experiments to discover the aliens and another
planet.
The scientific method is
outwardly directed, and the modern scientist exploits nature and the elements
for their own comfort, often disregarding the need to harmonize with the
environment and causing pollution in the world. In contrast, Buddhism is
inwardly directed and is concerned with the inner development of man. On the
lower level, Buddhism teaches the individual how to adjust and cope with events
and circumstances of daily life. At the higher level, it represents the human endeavor
to grow beyond himself through the practice of mental culture or mind
development taught by the Buddha. [4]
Buddhism shows better experiments than science the main problems is
Buddhism do not have resources to do big experiments and also Buddhism main goals is not attaching
and researching material world but to the spiritual development.
Science
without Buddhism
If science is running without
religious concepts such as moral development the humankind is in danger. The real
understand of science without Buddhism will realize after these two question
which are much related to our life from the Prof.Gunadasa speech.
1.
How to do a thing?
2.
Should that thing be done?
•
Answer to the first has to be found through Science: to the
second through Religion.
This indicate the moral part of human mind and the machine
part of scientist’s experiments.
Therefore, I believe that if science is running without
Buddhism then the humankind are in danger.
Albert
Einstein paid a tribute to Buddhism when he said, “If there is any religion
that would cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism”. Buddhism
requires no revision to keep it ‘up to date’ with recent scientific findings.
Buddhism need not surrender its views of science because it embraces science as
well as goes beyond science. Buddhism bridges between religious and scientific
thoughts by stimulating man to discover the latent potentialities within
himself and his environment. [5]
Similarities and differences between science and
Buddhism
There are numbers of Similarities as same as the
difference between Science and Buddhism. Such as
1. Science
depends on experiments, but Buddhism has accepted extra-sensory perception.
2. The
science and Buddhism have conventional theories.
3. There
is no final goal in science, but Buddhism shows NibbŒna
as the final goal.
4. The
Buddhism has limited its research, but science has to research even in the
future.
5. Science
changes their truth but Dhamma is eternal forever. (Akaliko)
Scholar’s notions of relationship between Buddhism
and science
There
are numbers of definitions as well as notions of the relationship between
Science and Buddhism. I have mentioned some of them as following.
“The
religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a
personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both the natural and the
spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience
of all things, natural and spiritual as a meaningful unity. Is there is any
religion that would cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism.”
[6] (Einstein)
[6] (Einstein)
“Buddhism
will be the only religion that will survive by the year 2050 and that scientist
cannot hammer it down or destroy it.”
(Arthur C. Clarke)
These
are few scholars’ notions about the relationship between science and Buddhism.
My personal views on Science and Buddhism
Religion without
science is blind, while science without religion is crippled. [7]
With
the agreeing on the viewpoints of Ven.K.Sri.Dhammananda Nayaka thero, that we
need both to continue of the world. Personally I feel that more than other
religions Buddhism is so closed with
modern Science. The experiment, which scientists are doing today, has already
done by Buddha therefore Buddhism is father of Science.
Finally, in
accordance with both Sattasuriya sutta of Anguttara NikŒya
and Agga––a
sutta, the facts that we get here to prove the Buddha’s deep understanding and
recognition of the cosmological, biological, and social evolution, which are
almost exactly, be comparable or equivalent in the character of form in the
scientific thought.
Buddha is the
Philosophical leader who was successfully find the truth of nature. Buddhism
will be only philosophy, which will exist in the future.
Conclusion
As a
conclusion, I would like to mention that religion is the first originated and
helped to find the truth but only Buddhism was able to become successful.
Science is the latest way to find the truth. While the scientists are proving
that religion's teachings are false graded, then the conflicts arose between science
and religion. Until today science was unable to prove that the teachings of
Buddha are untruthful, therefore most scientists are respected and agreeing
with Buddhism. They are researching about the Buddha’s teachings. While the
most religion's teachings are proving as false the only religion, which was
faced with science with confidently is Buddhism. That is why most scientists appreciate
Buddhism.
“Buddhism will
be the only religion that will survive by the year 2050 and that scientist
cannot hammer it down or destroy it.”
(Arthur C. Clarke)
It has already proved
in modern society because Buddhism is the only one religion, which has all
answers of those questions of scientists. Therefore, Buddhism is a more advance
level of science and one-day science will bow to the Buddhism. At that moment
Buddhist monks of Sri Lanka have many duties to the answers of those questions
in English. Therefore, I suggest learning Dhamma in English medium, which will
make proud in front of the scientist as better Buddhist scientists.
Bibliography
Primary
Sources
·
KŒlŒma
sutta, D´gha
NikŒya
·
Sattasuriya sutta of Anguttara NikŒya
·
Aganna Sutta of Digha NikŒya
Secondary
Sources
·
What Buddhists Believe, chapter 12, K. Sri.
Dhammananda
·
Religion
in a scientific age By Ven. Dr K Sri
Dhammananda
·
Why Religion? By K. Sri. Dhammananda
·
The free dictionary and Oxford
dictionary
·
Prof. Gunadasa’s presentation on
Compatibility or Interface between Science and Religion with Special Reference
to Buddhism
[1] Dr. Verhoeven
.Martin J., Buddhism and
Science,Probing the Boundaries of Faith and Reason ,Religion East and West, Issue 1, June 2001, pp. 77-97
[2] Albert Einstein
[3] Prof.Gunadasa’s Presentation at
SIBA 12.30 p.m. on 2013-11-07
[4] What Buddhist believe – religion
in a Scientific Age
[5]What Buddhist believe – religion
in a Scientific Age
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