Alliance of Civilizations: Perfect Match between the West and the East (Part VII)

K.S.Chow

Bipolarity

Religion unveils that human nature is bipolar process reality of dynamic process becoming (sanātana Dharma). It is both exoteric and esoteric. It is both secular and spiritual. Craving  hedonists and blind  secularists stay aloof and even alienate from spirituality. They live a life of extreme secularism and materialism. They erroneously regard that mere science and technology will fulfill human satisfaction and happiness. Science and technology are merely exoteric. They have neglected the esoteric dimension of life which can be provided by religion. If science, technology and religion are conglomerated, this is perfection of wisdom of the Middle Path. This is like  light appearing  in the dark tunnel. Religion is only  renunciation of self or ego. It is not the renunciation of moderate materialism and secular life.

Mutual Flow

Traditionally, the eastern civilization is characterized by advancement in religious civilizations represented by Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism , Sikhism and Islam. Eastern nations are relatively more perfumed in religious upbringing or nurture. The eastern civilization  is relatively weaker in science and technology or material civilization. The western nations are relatively more powerful in science and technology. Consequently, their material civilization is relatively much more advanced than that of the east. Owing to the incessant flow of  immigration and emigration, overseas education , direct foreign investments, cross cultural exchange programs  and tourism, the alliance of civilizations between the west and the east has resulted in the mutual transfer of knowledge, skills and experiences .

We witness that religions from the east flows  to the west and science and technology from the west  flow to the east. In actuality, major cities in the world especially those in the west or oceania have become increasing cosmopolitant. The unity of cross cultural exchange between nations of the west and the east propels the creative advance of the global concrescence.  Process-theistically put, this is the enlargement of Unity of Existence which is eternal Truth of God. Buddhistly put, it is the expansion of eternal principle of Emptiness.

Bi-polarization

 Neuro-scientifically put, science and technology are left-brain functioning; esoteric religion is right-brain functioning. Genuine happiness or bliss is only derived from the balanced utility of both left and right  brains. Neuro- scientists, neuro-spiritualists, modern educationists and religionists or Theosophists  have corroborated this bipolar Reality. The Heart Sūtra has revealed that Form is Emptiness and Emptiness is Form. Form is the multiplicity and Emptiness is Unity. Multiplicity is secular ; Unity is spiritual. The many is in the One; the One is in the many. The dipolar Truth comprises the conventional reality and the ultimate Reality. It is Buddhist Theory  of two truths (dvayasatyavāda).

Most interestingly. Western process or perennial philosophy has helped the easterners  comprehend  better their abstruse religious suttas or sūtras or philosophical classics. Most significantly, the western invention or discovery of the cyber world of internet has facilitated the free flow of data and information between the west and the east. The internet is , in fact, an  unlimited electronic library  resources open freely to all the global villagers for the benefits of all.

Full Circulation

The Middle Path is the harmonious interpenetration between secularism and spiritualism. Traditionally, the orientalists are adept at spiritual wisdom of religion whilst the westerners are expert in secular wisdom in science and technology. Really, the east and the west can learn from one another. This is what I conceive as the wholesome alliance of civilizations between the east and the west. Owing to the rapid development of western universities which constantly absorb the religious elites from the east, the western universities have already developed their own first class religious  elites, savants, intelligentsia or professors.

A full circulation of best and brightest brains has been completed through the alliance of civilizations between the west and the east. It is exuberant to note that the university students from the east  have now gone to the west and  study in the western universities. The easterners are  now  learning  eastern religions and philosophies from the western professors.  In fact, many of the  best and brightest religious professors  are found in the western universities such as Harvard university in U.S and Oxford University in U.K and many other leading western universities.

The best and brightest brains from the east have also emigrated there. The orientalists can learn from them in the west. This is another aspect of the reality of circulation of talents or elites  between the west and the east. The increasing political and economic  globalization and liberalization corroborates the process reality of the oneness of the borderless world  or the cosmic Unity. We are living as a single human family. Racial discrimination is a mere illusion. It is a sinful alienation from the Lord.

Conclusion

Theistically and Buddhistly put, the west and east cannot be divorced in terms of Process Reality.  The Process Reality of dynamic process becoming unveils that the western and eastern civilizations have integrated into an incessant flow of process becoming. The process becoming is Unity of Existence. This dynamic Unity of Existence is God or the Principle of Emptiness.  Whoever discerns this global interdependence and integration knows the Lord. All religious adherents of dissimilar religious denominations see an identical Lord – the process reality of the One in the many and the many in the One.