Buddhism & Science

Mid-Exam...

1.      What are the essential features of ‘Buddhism and scientific revolution’ as written by the author? Do you agree with the author or not? Justify your answer.

According with K. N. Jayatilleke, Science made its discoveries and progressed quite comfortably on the assumption of universal causation without the necessity for teleological explanations or divine intervention. Even such an ethics need not be universal, for, as anthropologists discovered different societies seem to have followed different moral codes which suited them and ethical relativism was the scientific truth about the nature of moral values.

Some Western writers on religion seem to have assumed that this was so, but if one reads through the Buddhist texts, one begins to wonder whether the scientific revolution would have at all affected religion adversely if it had taken place in the context of early Buddhism which emphasizes the importance of the scientific outlook in dealing with the problems of morality and religion. Buddhism teaches modern science, but that the scientific revolution does not have the same adverse effect on Buddhism as it had on other religious traditions.

No, I deny with authors because according to Kalama Suta, the Buddha say Do not accept anything because it is rumored so, because it is the traditional belief, because the majority hold to it, because it is found in the scriptures, because it is the product of metaphysical argument and speculation, or after a superficial investigation of facts, or because it conforms with one’s inclinations, because it is authoritative or because of the prestige value of your teacher.” Critical investigation and personal verification was to be the guide to true morality and religion. So, the reason why we can see clearly even though sciences is not necessarily to achieve enlightenment but we need necessary for development of our human society.

However  we dare say that scientific will effect on others religions we can no deny some science doctrine will not effect on Buddhism such as people’s beliefs who have traditional belief from early heritage mouths history but after sciences discover truth theirs belief may be wrong. You know, let me give one clearly example, in Burma, people have still believe the Pagoda of Shwedagon was constituted with relic of Buddha hair  same as Buddha life time pored but it is impossible because at that time geologically so far to travel country to country by cow-cart.  However, some of points I agree with authors.

2.      Summarize the articles “The relation of Buddhism to modern science” and tell why the author said like that. How and why do you agree or disagree with him/her? Justify your answer.

As much as I understand this article which is not so much consist relatively about Buddhism & Modern Sciences but authors, Robert F. Spencer try to compare with Buddhism to do not say as religion that he said “Buddhism is not a religion, if, in scientific terms, we define religion as the mystic experience, the psychic thrill. It is not a religion because it de-emphasizes faith in the unknown and unknowable and it rejects dogmatism”. He continues properly his point it is a system for life and living in a world is formal limit with difficulty and beset with suffering.

Yes, I agreed with author this point just 50% because I don’t agreed with first ideal mention that Buddhism is not a religion. Why we need to be unsatisfied saying as religion. There is no clear reason because everybody knows Buddhist religion which are including four largest one in the world else, Chartism, Muslim and Hinduism. Of course, we have special limitation to do not for Buddhist monks and lay-people. For monks we have 227-rules in Theravada, 250-rules in Mahayana. It is the exactly rules to follow for Bhukkhu and Bhukkhni more limit as well. But will be some point diffident with others religions, nowadays, most of religion try to develop peace and harmony. Those are a kind of evolution of religion teachings expect from Muslim but they say the need also peaceful lives. And how can I compare science with modern Buddhism why Buddhists do not want to say of their religions. Here, author say Buddhism rejects dogmatism. It may be correct but how say so? I have no really idea. As I understand Buddha said that don’t believe what I am saying come and invest. He didn’t say come and change so. We cannot deny Buddhism is free religion but we cannot dare say Buddhism is not a religion.

Second part of view, it is very acceptable things that author said Buddhism is system for life and living in a world. Of course, right in the mean teaching of Buddha there are noble eightfold path as such, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. Thus eight fold paths guile exactly how to live and how to die in our everyday life. But if I compare with science those two points, science and Buddhism are absolutely diffident; science talk about creation using with technology to know exactly where is it really exit materially but Buddhism talk about reality exit with mentality which can be reached by our truly wisdom. This kind of wisdom we can gain only by meditation according to Buddhism not consisting with critical thinking.

Let’s me summarize whole point that Buddhism is the one system, excepting perhaps science itself, which achieves an objective and detached view toward the nature and destiny of man. In other words, the Buddhist sees in science reflections of principles expressed and reiterated by the Lord Buddha. Here needless to say how author talk about possibly point from diffident part of views from. Of course not, it was not suing scientist method, saying The Lord Buddha is as the greatest scientist, to realize others, but because he realized that the man who helped himself would inevitably help others.

3.      What is the relationship between the ‘The Buddha’s Middle Way’ and ‘Western Psychotherapy’? Justify your answer.

                                                                                          

After read this article I am not so clear what are the relationship between Middle way & Western Psychotherapy but I collected ideal from another authors writing papers to make me understand more clear that I found two ways diffident between Buddhism & Psychotherapy. Buddhism can be related to psychotherapy. Firstly, as transpersonal therapists do, by developing a therapy that fully embraces the ‘spiritual dimension. The second way is to maintain a non-spiritual therapeutic position, but to include the useful insights from spiritual traditions, as I will do here with the Buddhist middle way. The mean teaching of Buddha is the middle way. It is one of the most fundamental and essential principle in Buddhism also this is the path which can lead one to the ultimate goal in life Nivana or Nivorna. 

Psychotherapy is helping mental illness, heal very effectively using techniques of system methods to solve human problem in daily life such as asking question and give back advice what should be do for the cause of problem. It is the final definition goal of  western psychotherapy. According to Shanti Tayal, Psychotherapy is form of treatment for problems of an emotional nature in which a trained person deliberately establishes a professional relationship with a patient with the object of removing, modifying, or retarding existing symptoms, of mediating disturbed patterns of behavior, and of promoting positive personality growth and development. It is very clear answer to understand western psychotherapy.

Buddhism and psychotherapy have many elements in common, as well as two things become diffident. Approaching the world’s problems with the aid of psychological and Buddhist understandings of the mind, as well as techniques for calming and fixing it, would appear to be a wise course of action in these troubled times. This original article has not clear mentions about different between Middle Way & Western Psychotherapy but author Mark O’Donghue said “Buddhism and therapy have two very different aims. Therapy is to help people live their day-to-day lives more effectively and perhaps with less pain. The central problem of Buddhism is how to deal with the inevitability of sickness, old age, death and anguish in general. Someone may have a life that does not require or desire therapy, and yet may not have confronted the central concerns of Buddhism”.

I have perspective  of middle way on how do I write this do not make  too long or too short, do not go into too much detail nor too little detail, do not write too forcefully nor too softly. Between then I try to explain very affective using by middle way avoiding two-extremes. Thus I have understanding of what diffident authors focus on Buddhism & western psychotherapy.

4.      Show your explanation of the relationship between ‘Buddhism’ and ‘the Universe and Cosmology’.  Justify your answer?

The way understanding between Buddhism & Science have almost the same on Universe and Cosmology. Firstly, thinking about of our universe many wonder question hit in my mind that any others plant like our earth where life exists or not? Because, we cannot say another plants will not exit lives or not?  it is clear that our earth is just small planets. Here Buddhist idea has conception that hundreds of thousands of suns, moons, earths and higher worlds constitute the minor world system in pali texts same as modern science nowadays.

The Cosmology of the Universe is based upon the discovery that the universe is expanding. Until just a few years ago, there were 9 planets in the Solar System Our planet earth is solar system which is in Miky Way (The galaxy that we are living in is called the Milky Way ) and it is believed that on an average a galaxy consists of 350 planets. According to the studies carried out till now, there are at least 100 billion galaxies present in our universe. So, this indicates that in all there are 35 trillion planets in our universe but this minimum amount of planets as a large part of universe is still believed that we cannot account exactly how much really existing. Scientists have predicted that our galaxy, the Milky Way, has about 400 billion stars. Therefore, our solar system is only extremely small part of the Milky Way. Each galaxy has star, gas and dust held together by gravity (force). 

So what do we know about this universe to clear understand this discovery of an expanding universe was made by two astronomers Hubble and Huminson in the 1930. In this theory of cosmology the universe began as an explosion. The Earth and Moon were thought to have been formed nearly 4.54 billion years ago but new research suggests they were created much later. The effect on light from stars, Light travels in waves in space about 186,000 miles, the stars. After about 10 billion years a star will use all its nuclear fuel. New stars are born out of the dust and gasses of stars that have died. This happens over a period of billions of years after the dust and gasses are condensed together.

Our solar system is filled with a wide assortment of celestial bodies - the Sun itself, our eight planets, dwarf planets, and asteroids and on Earth, life itself. The inner solar system is occasionally visited by comets that loop in from the outer reaches of the solar system on highly elliptical orbits. Solar system formation began billions of years ago, when gases and dust began to come together to form the Sun, planets, and other bodies of the solar system. Planets in our galaxy which not only bear life but also intelligent life having really exist.

According to Buddhadasa P. Kitthisinghe, Planets in our galaxy have not only bear life but may have intelligent life even in our galaxy. Therefor Brahma devas from other worlds coming down to earth during the Buddha time it was very reasonable event to believe and also we may Buddhism give the same ideal with sciences on Universe & Cosmology.

                                                              

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