Dalai Lama on Spirituality & Science ("What Think Ye?" volume 1)
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Religion and Philosophy

I want to thank all of you who have participated in my blog's Weekend Tao Te Ching series.  There are only about three installments left of that, and I've been contemplating where to go next.  My original plan was to post selections from the Dhammapada (sayings of the Buddha) after the Tao Te Ching was finished.  But since then, I've discovered a new friend, Buddha Space, who has already posted the Dhammapada on his blog.

So I've decided to instead begin a feature called 

"What Think Ye?"

Each week, I will post a short selection from a spiritual, philosophical, or political book I find interesting, provocative, or otherwise worthy of discussion.  I might eventually branch out to include other thought-provoking items (videos, poems, short stories, articles, and paintings are among the possibilities).  I will try to make it something different each week - but always something that has grabbed me in some way, and that I expect will grab many of you.

Then I invite you to share your thoughts.  Do you agree or disagree?  Can you add any insights or illumination?  Are you intrigued or uninterested?  There is no such thing as a bad comment or question, especially if it pertains in some way to the text or discussion at hand.

And now I am pleased to introduce this week's

"What Think Ye?"

[The following are excerpts from The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality by the Dalai Lama:]

"My confidence in venturing into science lies in my basic belief that as in science so in Buddhism, understanding the nature of reality is pursued by means of critical investigation: if scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain claims in Buddhism to be false, then we must accept the findings of science and abandon those claims....

"The great benefit of science is that it can contribute tremendously to the alleviation of suffering at the physical level, but it is only through the cultivation of the qualities of the human heart and the tranformation of our attitudes that we can begin to address and overcome our mental suffering.  In other words, the enhancement of fundamental human values is indispensible to our basic quest for happiness.  Therefore, from the perspective of human well-being, science and spirituality are not unrelated. We need both, since the alleviation of suffering must take place at both the physical and the psychological levels."

The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality was published by Morgan Road Books (New York).  The above excerpts are copyright 2006 by the Dalai Lama and are posted in compliance with Fair Use guidelines.

You may buy The Universe in a Single Atom (for less than I paid for it) HERE.

You'll find an excellent review of the book HERE.

Read more about the author HERE.

And visit the Dalai Lama's official website HERE.

Currently reading : The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality By Dalai Lama Release date: 12 September, 2006