Physical Scientists and Buddhist Saints : A Comparative Study of Human Wisdom
By K.S.Chow
Introduction
In the late 1960s, my Chemistry teachers taught us John Dalton’s (1766-1844) Atomic Theory that all chemical substances are constituted from elementary particles which are indivisible elementary constituents (dhammas; dharmas) called Atoms. In other words, atoms were then perceived as the finest irreducible particles of a chemical substance. Atoms were then perceived as real and ultimate in the ultimate analysis. But it is obvious that atoms can never exist independently as discrete entities separate from a chemical substance as atoms can not exist independently. Atoms are synthesized or dependently co-produce a chemical substance. At that point of time in history between 18th-19th century C.E and in this ultimate sense, scientific knowledge of substance and its constituting atoms was already compatible with the Theory of Elements (Dhammavāda) of the Theravāda Abhidhamma. John Dalton, an English Chemist also put forwards the Atomic Theory that atoms in a chemical substance can neither be created nor destroyed. This scientific finding of John Dalton concurs with the exposition Heart Sūtra and the Large Sūtras of Perfection of Wisdom of the Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition. Both these two Mahāyāna Sūtras advocate the Ultimate Truth that all phenomena are neither increasing nor decreasing. As atoms do not exist as independently as self-contained or separate entities, the Atomic Theory of John Dalton should be understood in terms of analysis and synthesis in the Abhidhammic philosophy. It is evident that a chemical substance is empty of permanent, immutable intrinsic nature (niḥsvabhā̄̄va). The scientific wisdom of John Dalton concurs with the philosophical wisdom of Sākyamuni Buddha.
Buddhist discernment of both physical and mental worlds is constructed on the basis of the fundamental Doctrine of Anattā (Insubstantiality) and Dependent Co-arising (Paṭiccasamupāda) in the Theravāda tradition and as the Doctrine of Emptiness (Śūnyatā) in the Heart Sūtra (Hṛdaya Sūtra) of the Mahāyāna tradition. Amazingly and pleasantly, subsequent incessant scientific researches and discoveries verify that atoms are not ultimately discrete entities possessing their respective permanent and immutable intrinsic natures. The atoms can still be further analysed and reduced into sub-atomic particles. In short, even a atom is empty of inherent existence. This is compatible with the Buddhist fundamental doctrine of Insubstantiality and Dependent Co-arising. Modern scientific analysis and synthesis works become increasingly convergent with what the wisdom of Śākyamuni Buddha has unvealed to the world: The constituents of an Atom or a Substance are not permanent, immutable, and substantial entities.
Further Discoveries
Subsequently, sub-atomic particles or more elementary constituents of atoms were discovered by physical scientists. It is discovered and confirmed presently that a unit of atom can be further reduced into three more elementary constituents known as Electron, Proton and Neutron. Succinctly put, an atom is dependently co-arisen from these three aforementioned elementary components. Such discovered revelation concurs with the central theme of Buddhist wisdom that every phenomenon(dharma) is dependently co-arisen from its elementary elements (dhātus) or conditions (paccayas). That, the existence of an atom is conditioned by its elementary components of Electron, Proton and Neutron, concurs with the Doctrine of Dependent Arising (Pratītyasamutpāda) expounded by Śākyamuni Buddha. The sub-atomic particle of Electron was discovered by the physical scientists in 1897 and that of Nucleus in 1911. In 1930, about 19 years later, physical scientists further discovered and unvealed that the sub-atomic particle of Nucleus can be further reduced into more elementary constituents known as Proton(s) and Neutron(s). All these sub-subatomic discoveries provide further testimonies that every atom is empty of a permanent self-nature or intrinsic nature which is permanent and immutable. The verifies the Buddhist Doctrine of Emptiness (Śūnyatā) expounded ardently in the Heart Sūtra. The Heart Sūtra is the encapsulation or the crystallization of the entire Buddhist canonical texts or scriptures known as Tipiṭaka of the Theravāda tradition and Tripiṭaka of the Mahāyāna tradition. The Buddhist Doctrine of Emptiness, highlighted in the Heart Sūtra or the Sūtras of Perfection of Wisdom of the Mahāyāna tradition, teaches that a permanent and immutable intrinsic nature of any phenomenon, either matter and mind, does not exist. Emptiness connotes that every phenomenon, including a physical substance, is devoid of any unchangeable intrinsic nature.
Further Secrets Unveiled
What is most astonishing is that in 1970s, the astute, penetrative wisdom of modern physical scientists unveiled more reducible elementary constituents of Electron, Proton and Neutron. The newly discovered particles of the fundamental buildling blocks of all matter discovered are designated as Quarks and Leptons. The newly discovery verifies the increasing nature of Emptiness or Insubstantiality of an Atom or a Substance. Subsequently, these newly discovered fundamental building blocks of matter can be further reduced into even more elementary constituents designated by the scientists as ‘Bosons’. From the particle of Boson, about 200 new more elementary constituents have been discovered by the scientists. Most interestingly, each of these newly discovered particles is conditioned by an Anti-particle. Briefly put, every Matter is conditioning and is being conditioned by a corresponding anti-matter. The discovery of the anti-matter of a matter invigorates the fundamental doctrine of Dependent Co-arising of every phenomenon. These discoveries of the modern physical science on these minute building blocks of physical world furnish ample evidences that every phenomenon, such as physical phenomenon of a Substance is empty of any inherent existence called permanent, immutable self-nature or intrinsic nature. It is, therefore, evident that there is no permanent, immutable self- or intrinsic nature of any substance. The continuous scientific discoveries of the increasing number of elementary constituents or the minute buildling blocks of matter testify that the Doctrine of Impermanence (Aniccatā). Aniccatā is categorically emphasized in Buddhist philosophy to awaken human wisdom to discern things as they really are. There is, of course, the distinction between the enterprise of scientisfic investigation and that of Dhamma investigation. The former is undertaken positively by scientists in order to elevate material standard or quality of living of human species and negatively to derive innate enormous power of matter to invent weapons of mass destruction to defend or to outwit others viewed as their potential enemies. Nevertheless, Dhamma investigation on the Emptiness or Insubstantiality of both the physical and mental worlds is oriented nobly towards creating maximally excellent human species in knowledge and conduct. Men of utmost Excellence can bring about lasting happiness and well-being to others who care to listen to them. When Science and Religion are married or syncretized harmoniously , the terrestrial world itself is a Pure Land or a blissful Heaven.
Building Blocks of the World
Buddhism does not deal with only building blocks of the physical world. Buddhism deals also with the building blocks of both the physical and mental worlds, described as physical and mental phenomena (dhammas) in the Abhidhamma of the Theravāda tradition. The physical and the mental phenomena together constitute the finite cosmos. In fact, Buddhism also deals with the infinite world of Tathāgatas which is the Infinite or Pure Consciousness of the saints or the Absolute Truth. Physical science is merely a subset of Buddhist ontology and cosmology. Buddhism goes beyond modern Science.
Logical Positivism
The modern scientists and Gotama Buddha are both logical positivists. A logical positivist is one who derives epistemology (science of origin of knowledge) from direct empirical knowledge or direct sense experience. According to the epistemological Theory of Logical Positivism, knowledge is true and valid only if and only if it has been derived and verified empirically, that is, by direct sense experiences. To many, such an epistemological attitude is truly scientific and an acceptable means of deriving valid knowledge.
In the Kālāma Sutta (AN.3.65), Gotama Buddha repeatedly promulgates that one should not blindly believe in anything heard, traditions transmitted through many generations, knowledge generally accepted by many, scriptures (may erroneously be compiled), and on the authority of teachers or elders but one should accept only the truth after it has been personally observed and analysed through direct empirical experiences. The Buddha‘s attitude towards epistemology differs not from that of a modern scientist. There is no wonder that Albert Einstein asserted before his demise that he would prefer to be reborn as a Buddhist in his next life. Albert Einstein spoke from reason and not from emotion.
Conclusion
The physical science and the Buddhist philosophy concurs in the worldview of Insubstantilaity (nairātmya) or Emptiness (Śūnyatā). Insubstantiality and Emptiness, elucidating the Ultimate Truth (Paramārtha Satya), are synonymous. Both fundamental doctrines of Buddhism advocate the ultimate Truth of conditionality (paccayatā) or conditional relations (paṭṭhānanaya) pertinent to the interconnectedness and interrelatedness of the building blocks of the empirical world. Buddhism is more- encompassing or more comprehensive than what Science can offer us. Science merely explains the actuality of the physical world whereas Buddhism elucidates the Actuality or Truth of both the physical and mental world. Buddhism is both scientific and religious. Its religious philosophy creates maximally excellent persons in knowledge and ethical conduct. Most importantly, Buddhism can bring about eternal salvation or emancipation to all sentient beings. If the wisdom of Buddhist religion or any other esoteric religion is utilized to harmonize the peaceful utility of science, much international tensions, conflicts or enmities, which we confront today could have been avoided wisely or resolved amicably. One of the Confucian canons, the Confucian Classic of Great Learning pin-points the root-solution to all human confusions or disharmony is self-rectification which harmonizes human relations. Self-rectification is effected through self-awareness or self-redemption of the innate human Conscience – innate supreme goodness of Man variously designated as Tao of Taoism, Ming Te of Confucianism, Ātman of Upaniṣ̣ads, Kṛ̣ṣ̣na Consciousness of Hinduism, Tathāgata-garbha of Mahāyāna Buddhism , Anupādāna of the five aggregates of Theravāda Buddhism, Eden of Christianity, Fanā of Sufism, and Baqā of Islam expounded in different religious faiths or philosophy. The common function of all esoteric religions, of course, is to eventuate and consummate self-rectification through self-demption. Innately, all human species are intrinsically endowed with the power of disillusion and self-awakening. The saints or sages unveil or uncover this hidden innate treasure rediscovered by them through gnosis. As long as human species survive, the Truth survives.
The physical Science deals only with the Conventional Truth of phenomena and multiplicity whilst esoteric religions like Buddhism deal with both the Conventional Truth of Phenomena and Multiplicity and the Ultimate Truth of Principle of Oneness or Unity. Therefore, it is evident that an esoteric religion is a universal set whilst physical Science is merely a sub-set of the universal set of esoteric religion. All truths of the empirical world is incorporated in the knowledge of the esoteric religion which regards its exoteric or exterior dimension as the foundation to its esoteric or interior dimension. Science is only an exoteric study of reality. Religion is both exoteric and esoteric study of the cosmos. Therefore, it is evident that religion is more comprehensive than Science. In fact, religious spirituality can bring us above and beyond all religions – the maximal self-actualization attainable by the supremely Enlightened Ones called the religious saints.
References and Recommended Readings :
- Encyclopedia : Britannica Concise. www.britannica.comm accessed on 31.8.2007.
- S. Lopez, Donald. Elaboration on Emptiness: Uses of the Heart Sūtra. Dehli : Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1996.
- Kalupahana, David.J. Mūlamadhyamakakārikā of Nāgārjuna. Dehli : Motilal Nanarsidass
Publishers Private Limited, 2004.
- Jayatilleke.K.N. Early Buddhist Theory of Knowledge. Dehli: Motilal Banarsidass
Publishers Private Limited, 1998. |
