Science topic
Buddhism - Science topic
The teaching ascribed to Gautama Buddha (ca. 483 B.C.) holding that suffering is inherent in life and that one can escape it into nirvana by mental and moral self-purification. (Webster, 3d ed)
Questions related to Buddhism
Buddhism seems to be answering the same question: What is the fundamental nature of living stuff?
How distressed would reincarnation believers be to realize that the afterlife is a universalist Christian heaven instead of being born again? Why? How? My answer: According to India in 2021, apparently not distressed because in many(if not all) the religions that do believe in reincarnation, a point comes when the soul stops reincarnating.
Work Cited:
“Reincarnation is a mainstream teaching in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism. But fewer than half of Indians in each of these groups say they believe in reincarnation. For example, 40% of India's Hindus believe in reincarnation”(PEW RESEARCH CENTER 2021).
Sahgal, Neha, et al. “11. Religious Beliefs.” Pewresearch.com, Pew Research Center , 29 June 2021, www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/06/29/religious-beliefs-2/. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.
Every living being instinctively yearns to have younger generation(s) ! ?
The scope of this discussion strictly limited to later developments in Buddhism in India and Philosophical Investigations of the later Wittgenstein.
Treading this conceptual approach, we attempt to apply the later—Wittgensteinean philosophical techniques to Buddhism. But, then, why the later—Wittgensteinean’?
There are two central reasons. Firstly, it is now widely thought that Wittgenstein is the central philosopher of our century. Secondly, Wittgensteinean avoids commonplace comparative thinking. Various thinkers and scholars have attempted, during last a few decades, some comparative thinking involving Buddhism and Philosophy.
The attempt, therefore, is to present to the scholars the richness of the Dhamma(the Buddha’s discourse) by way of certain philosophical techniques developed in the later-Wittgenstein’s philosophy.
The density of space (medium) can change the speed of light. E.g., “A low density at the edge of a spherical universe would stretch the space (causing energy to be dense again.!).” But we can try to find an initial constant, which we can use to connect the ratios of the universe with the standard constants. E.g., A universal ratio in dimensional structures (fine-structure constant) and a Planck Constant.
The Fine-structure constant (α) = 1/137 or 0.007297351. The reduced Planck constant (ħ) =h/2π. h/ħ = 6.283185311. So, the 6.283185311 makes α = 0.007297351 × 6.283185311 = 1/22. Is it a particle? or 1:22:1==24?). Is it a unitless fundamental constant that bases on a fundamental structure of particles?
The Standard Model has 9 unique and fundamental particles (Higgs particle, 4 Fermions, 4 Bosons). But “experiments show 19 extra parameters that need to be applied for the theory by hand (E.g., adding masses, charges, etc.) *(19)”. Likely, there are around 19 particles hidden between the 9 elementary particles. E.g., 9+19=28. And that seems like the 28 or 24(+4) material forms mentioned in Buddhism.
I really want to explore sathipathana suta. Should I go for pali language texts or else commentry is enough? Does sathipathana vipassana associated to metacognition, spirituality and self-awareness?
Hi,
I am preparing an inventory of the archaeological monuments that meet with the following three criteria:
1. It should be a piece of sacred architecture, which is equipped with an inner shrine (naos, garbhagriha, sanctum sanctorum) that is square in shape.
2. Should be prior to c. 460 CE (based on primary evidence / other scientific factors)
3. Region: West Asia, South Asia
Please ignore the query if you are not too sure of the dating.
Thank you in advance!
Mysticism is often treated as the opposite of science. But is it? Please see
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) induced by meditation, psychedelic drugs, or impending death are quite a fascinating but challenging field of investigation. By exploring the mechanisms behind essential phenomena in ASC from a unique perspective, we find out that ASC are a story about perception in nature: The interaction between two sources of stimulation to perception, the shutting down of perception, the filtering mechanism of perception and the delusions of perception.
At the meantime, we discover the correlation between Buddhism and ASC: the essence of Buddhist Vipassana is enhanced awareness in ASC.
Thereupon we introduce time dimension and reveal the science behind Buddhism.
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) induced by meditation, psychedelic drugs, or impending death are quite a fascinating and important field of investigation. This paper argues that ASC essentially have nothing to do with consciousness, but a story about perception. Furthermore, by introducing time dimension, we reveal the science behind Buddhism from a psychological perspective.
Our study starts from summarizing four essential phenomena (hallucinations, paranormal phenomena, mystical experiences and enhanced awareness) in ASC on the basis of empirical materials of Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary and others.
Then we propose an original model for hallucinations as a breakthrough: When false internal stimulations and external objective stimulations affect perception together, the changes in their relative strength will result in the consistence, breakdown and re-consistence of the five senses, leading to three basic states of hallucinations (one can distinguish reality from fantasy, one cannot distinguish reality from fantasy, and reality and fantasy are totally reversed).
As an implication of this model, the third state of hallucinations suggests a novel hypothesis to interpret extrasensory perception (ESP): the essence of ESP is that false internal stimulations are mistaken as external objective stimulations which enter through sensory organs, while real external objective stimulations are mistaken as perceptions which do not result from sensory organs when one is in deep hallucinations. Moreover, in the second state of hallucinations, the inconsistence of the five senses can also explain various marvelous psychedelic phenomena in ASC in combination with the amplifying function of enhanced awareness discussed later and the mechanism of out-of-body experiences. Thus, we arrive at a conclusion that paranormal phenomena are simply illusions that happen along with deep hallucinations.
Mystical experiences occur in Samatha. Based on the experiential description, it can be inferred that the essence of Samatha is perception shutting down to activate a new mode of apperceiving, one totally different from the usual five sense mode of perception. Hallucinations also disappear because perception shuts down.
Enhanced awareness is highly significant in ASC and could be explained by a perception-filtering model in light of Henri Bergson’s innovative idea: In ordinary conditions, perception has a natural threshold for its sensitivity for the purpose of biological survival; but in ASC, awareness becomes more sensitive because the perception-filtering function gets weakened to allow the influx of more details, resulting in various unusual capabilities, one of which is Buddhist Vipassana.
Finally, we develop a universal framework comprising two dimensions (three mechanisms and three stages) to study ASC. By figuring out the complex relationship among them, we reveal the mystery between Buddhist tranquility and insight: Enhanced awareness after Samatha is the path to attain enlightenment.
Given the acknowledged prominence of the Prajñāpāramitā literature in Buddhism across many countries and sects, why are only a handful of us working on these texts? Why do we still have no reliable editions let alone translations and studies of most of them? I would be interested to hear from academics on this.
I don't. For example, the standard suggests taking into account buddhism, ubuntu and shinto traditions, but it happily, or maybe cruelly, leaves out abrahamic ethics, and outrageously enough, it leaves out Christian ethics. And it even recommends that "individuals", not collegiate organisms, have access to codifications for normative reasons.
What is the view on time as per buddhism
Some people argued that the development of secular knowledge leads to the decline of world major religions. For example, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution questioned the Christian teaching of God’s creation. Also, a well-known physicist Stephen Hawking has declared that he is an atheist:
“Before we understand science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe. But now science offers a more convincing explanation,” he said. “What I meant by ‘we would know the mind of God’ is, we would know everything that God would know, if there were a God, which there isn’t. I’m an atheist.”
The decline has happened mostly in Christian countries such as in Catholic and Protestant countries but other world major religions such as Islamism and Buddhism also might have experienced their declines in the last several decades.
The decline of religion can be divided into two categories: subjective (faith) and ritual (e.g., church affiliation, attendance, prayer, and confession of sin). Faith and ritual religiosity, however, may be closely interrelated. In other words, it is hard to say that people’s religious faith stays the same when their church affiliation and attendance have significantly declined.
Based on the discussion above, do you think that the development of secular knowledge will ultimately lead to a significant decline of world major religions so that world major religions will have a minimal influence on our society in the future?
A sacrament is typically understood as a channel or link to the divine or as a visible sign of an invisible grace.
Dualism and non-dualism have been discussed by humans from different cultures for millennia. Despite the growth of research into meditation and mindfulness there has been very little work in this particular field. There are extensive expositions of nondual awareness in a number of spiritual and philosophical traditions but little contemporary scientific enquiry (that I have found). I'd welcome signposts to work in the same or related fields to supplement the few papers so far discovered.
I'm interested in both Christian and Buddhist perspectives.
Hello everybody!
At present I'm studying the occurrences of a Cārvāka/Lokāyata stanza in Buddhist and Jain texts. The stanza corresponds to Haribhadrasūri's Ṣaḍdarśanasamuccaya 81:
etāvān eva loko'yaṃ yāvān indriyagocaraḥ |
bhadre vṛkapadaṃ paśya yad vadanti [a]bahuśrūtāḥ ||
It occurs in other texts according to different variants. Apparently the older Sanskrit version is preserved in Candrakītri's Madhyamakāvatārabhāṣya where we read:
etāvān eva puruṣo yāvān indriyagocaraḥ |
bhadre vṛkapadaṃ hy etad yad vadanti bahuśrūtāḥ ||
Of all the sources in which this stanza occurs, I unfortunately don't have at my disposal the following two:
- Jinabhadra's Svopajñavṛtti auto-commentary on his Viśeṣāvaśyakabhāṣya: Malvania, Dalsukh (ed. by). 1966-1968. Acārya [sic] Jinabhadra's Viśeṣāvaśyakabhāṣya with Auto-Commentary (3 Parts), Ahmedabad: Bharatiya Sanskrit Vidyamandira. The stanza occurs twice in Part/Vol. 2, pp. 344 and 439.
- Hemacandrasūri's Ṭīkā commentary on Jinabhadra's Gaṇadharavāda: Vijaya, Ratnaprabha and Dhirubhai P. Thakar (ed. by). 1950. Kṣamāśramaṇa Jinabhadra Gaṇi's Gaṇadharavāda: Along with Maladhārin Hemacandra Sūri's Commentary. Ahmedabad: Sri Jaina Siddhanta Society. The stanza occurs once, p. 10.
I therefore ask you if someone can help me by replying to this message with the three Sanskrit versions (if in transliteration, please with diacritical marks) of the stanza as they appear in each of these three occurrences.
Thanks in advance and have a lovely day!
kr
I am studying Religiosity and Suicide. Any good books on Buddhism. Also on those other categorised as Chinese Folk Religions? Regards.
There been many studies in the Western countries on the relationship between religion and suicide since Durkheim (1897). About 120 years now, there are still many studies using various perspective on this phenomenon, but many are Western countries based. Does Asia lack more insights into this relationship and phenomenon, more so from the various major religious perspective: (1) Non-Western Christianity; (2) Islam; (3) Buddhism & Chinese Folk Religions; and (4) Hinduism?
Any sort of relationship? Positive, Negative, Neutral? There's nothing we can do from this angle?
There have been studies on university students' reflection skills, however, there seemed to be much less on buddhist meditation, and particularly on the relationship between buddhist meditation and reflection.
Could any one provide details on empirical studies in the related areas?
thanks
sys
Many comparative religion authorities suggest it to be unproductive, if not impossible, due to the differences between western and eastern thought processes. Is a merger of the two like mixing oil and water? Will one's cultural roots always dominate?
I am looking for connections between phenomenology and Buddhism. At the moment I m open for all suggestions. However, one particular question I work with is the connexction between transcendental phenomenology as Husserl describes it and the Buddhist idea of meditation.
In spite of claims to the contrary, there's no credible evidence that Jesus ever traveled to India. There are, however, many reasons to suggest he was influenced by Buddhist missionaries traveling through Palestine during his formative years. Many stories and ideas in the gospels parallel similar stories and ideas attributed to Buddha. Is their proof that the Buddhist stories pre-date the gospels?
I wonder if you know any author on Buddhist economics besides E.F. Schumacher ?
I am conducting a research on "wheat and religions", and am interested in cereal offerings in the larger context of defining the nature and rationale of non bloody sacrifices in different religious settings.
I'm seeking additional examples to go along with those like (a) the Babylonian king Hammurabi receiving his ‘code’ from Shamash (the god of justice) or (b) the God of the Israelites presenting Moses with the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. What are some other historical myths of divinely bequeathed moral codes?
I am developing a palliative care model outside of the medical paradigm.
For example, many religious people meditate/pray about lovingkindness or good will toward others. What effect does this have on the person cultivating this intention? What mechanisms are affected, such as empathy, social belonging, etc? Do these practices result in increased well-being, compassion, etc?
Does anybody know to which kind of sect could the “austerity of the bird” (Tib. bya yi dka’ thub; *śakunitapas) refer to? And where can I find, if any, further references (both in primary and secondary sources)?
I've found this term in the Skhalitapramathanayuktihetusiddhi (allegedly composed by some Āryadeva between the fourth-fifth and the eighth centuries CE), where it is said that the "austerity of the bird" is supposed by its partisans to be the method for gaining any desired knowledge. The text also speaks of the “vow of the dog” (Tib. khyi yi brtul zhugs; kukkuravrata; already mentioned in the Pali Canon), that would lead - it is said - to the retinue of Kārttikeya.
