The Buddha as Scientist
Posted on August 12th, 2013
Prof. Suwanda H J Sugunasiri (writing from Canada)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ To call the Buddha a ScientistƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ may come as a surprise to many, including well-intentioned Buddhists.
WebsterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s defines a Scientist as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-a specialist in science, especially as natural scienceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. To be ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”scientificƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to be ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-systematic and exactƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and be ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-trained in following or observing the principles and methods of scienceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Part of this method is thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ conclusions are arrived at after the fact, i.e., objectively.
So how does the Buddha pan out?
What natural science is he a specialist of? Of course, the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”sentient beingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” one with senses. This is the BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s term for both humans and animals. How much more ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”naturalƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ can you get?
Anagarika Dharmapala visiting his class at Harvard, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it wasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the American Historian of Religions, William James, who said in the 1890ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s that Buddhism was the Psychology of the future. While Aristotle allows only five senses, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Buddha, two centuries his senior, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ gives us a sixth, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the mind. While Western medicine treats the body, the Buddha treats the mindbody. His point is simple. There is no matter without mind, and no mind without matter, no matter which way you lookƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ at it, mind you! ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Thus he calls a sentient being a Psychophysique, i.e., Mindbody (namarupa).
It is in this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”fathom-long body, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with perception and mindƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ that he posits the world. That is to say that what ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has not been experienced through one or more of the six senses is not part of that individualƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s universe. That is not to say that Canada, e.g.,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t exist. While it exists for me now, from sea to open sea, in fact, it didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t, for me, before I set foot on it nearly five decades ago. It wasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ not part of my universe! Toronto, our present home, was not in my eyes to see.
This means that any and every thing relating to a sentient being can be totally explained in terms of this mutual mind-body ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ relationship. A scientist would pitch in to say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Oh, like, in the DNA, the life of the party of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ every cell, proteins and amino acid feeding upon each otherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. There is nothing outside of the mindbody, no puppeteer, i.e., ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”soulƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, that would be required.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Thus he teaches ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”asoulityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ (anatta), i.e., no soul. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Everything changes (anicca).
Extending the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”no puppeteerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ model to the universe naturally suggests no need for ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a Creator God either. With no God and no Soul, it should hardly be surprising that the Secularist ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Dawkins keeps Buddhism out of the pages of his vitriolic work, The God Delusion.
As for exactness, for all the pages of texts, 15 times the size of the Bible making up the Tipitaka ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Three BasketsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Buddha says that he teaches only two things: suffering and the way out of suffering. And each is captured by a single word: dukkha ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”sufferingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, magga ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”pathƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Precise,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and short and simple, exactly as in Science.
His training relates to the mind. For over six years.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ How rigorous? Having come from a life of indulgence of a Prince, heƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ goes to the other extreme,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ depriving himself of even a morselƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of food. Trying to shut out breathing itself,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ nearly dying, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ he swiftly snaps out to return to normalcy, arriving at his ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ famous Middle Path. Training further, he arrives at a total objectivity, reaching ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Cessation of PerceptionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, erasing ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ all received learning ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and thought. Mind now a carte blanche ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”empty slateƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ letƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ reality roll in!
As forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ objectivity, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ detachment is the very essence of being the Buddha. He is the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Worthy OneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, i.e., Arahant, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ precisely because he has jettisoned attachment, along with anger and ignorance of reality.
The Buddha also speaks the language of Science. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Do not accept anything because of hearsay, it is in the tradition or inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ texts, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦. nor even in the thought, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”This is my TeacherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but only when youƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢re convinced for yourselfƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (Kalama Discourse).ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Did you say a Charter of Free Enquiry?
While the Buddha thus canƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ be said to be a Scientist in every sense of the word, he can also be said to surpass a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Scientist. While classical Physics gives way to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ quantum Physics and bodyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ medicine gives way to mindbody medicine, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ his discoveries have stood the test of time forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a full 2500 years.
While Science pays no attention to an ethical dimension, the BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s raison dƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢etre ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is to provideƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a base for ethical living (sila).
We have drawn ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ attention to the BuddhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s scientificity firstly to educate ourselves out of some myths aboutƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the historical Buddha as an exclusive Religious Teacher.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ While he ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ indeed is that, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ his Teachings are based in a sound analysis of reality,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ not in any speculation or philosophizing.
This also explains why ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ his Teachings have stood the test of time with a perfect score.
Thirdly, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it is to understand whyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ more than his ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ devotees,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ includingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the secular, both ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ScientistƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ non-Scientist, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ continue to be attracted to his Teachings and Discoveries.
EinsteinƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s take on ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Buddhism asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Religion of the futureƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ speaks volumes:
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this descriptionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (This piece was written in appreciation ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a ProclamationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ byƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Mayor of Toronto, recognizing May 24th,, 2013, as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Wesak DayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, a first in Canada. It is now being published in commemoration of an initiative of the Buddhist Council of CanadaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ – Windows to Buddhism in the Academy, a Display of Books on Buddhism from the perspectives such as Science, Psychology, Psychotherapy and WomenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Studies, among others, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ at the Robarts Library, University of Toronto, running through July and August.)
(Fulbright scholar, and formerly of the Faculty of Divinity, Trinity College, University of Toronto, Prof. Sugunasiri is the author of YourƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢re What You Sense: Buddha on Mindbody, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is currently the President, Buddhist Council of Canada.)
August 12th, 2013 at 4:06 pm
A small bit of advice to Prof. Suwanda H J Sugunasiri, the writer of this article that it would be much appreciated if Professor Sugunasiri shares his knowledge with Wikipedia. Too many people believe that the orb above the head of the Buddha is a “top knot”. As Professor Sugunasiri knows more than I it is not. Prince Siddhartha cut the royal knot when he departed Lumbini and that “orb” is called the “Usnia” or a divine protuberance that exemplifies Siddhartha reaching Buddha hood.
When I Googled the Wikipedia on this issue it had hardly any information and requested those who knew of this aspect of the Buddha to contribute. Being the oldest Buddhist nation outside of India I believe it is the duty of Professor Sugunasiri or the Buddhist scholars of Sri Lanka to edit the Wikipedia on all aspects of Buddhism.
August 13th, 2013 at 5:32 am
Dear Prof. Sugunasiri: Thank you for your scholarly presentation. An urgent request to you:
Could you please tell all the “Scholars” who excel in teaching and training Buddha Dhamma to do their best to give birth to more of “Buddhas” than the “Buddhists”. The Buddhists we find now a days are “plastic”. This world urgently needs “Buddhas” who have followed and practiced the “WAY” (PATH) in their day to day living to make this planet Earth a peaceful and beautiful place to live. The trouble is “Buddhists” have amazingly out-numbered the “Buddhas”.
Thank you.
August 13th, 2013 at 8:51 am
SUWANDA! OBA GANDA , SUWANDA DANNA AYEK
EINSTIEN KNEW IT BUT NEVER PRACTISED IT. SAME WITH RUSSEL. THEY JUST SHOWED THAT THEY ARE PUNDITS’
VEN.. AJAN BRAHMAWANSO WAS BETTER THAN THEM. HE HAD THE COURAGE TO BE A BUDDHIST MONK .
“”vinayak nethi naweena batahira vidyawa samaga budu dahama sasadanna kohethma behe> bata hira naveena vidyava vidyavak nowe. eyata vidyava keemada vidya naamayata nigavaki””””
August 14th, 2013 at 8:40 pm
Imagination, projection, hallucination and illusion are all parts of the mind. Mind is the world — and going beyond the mind is the beginning of God.
If a Catholic, a Hindu and a Muslim get too drunk, will there be any distinction, differentiation between their drunkenness The Catholic will behave as foolishly as the Hindu; and the Hindu will behave as stupidly as the Muslim. Once they are drunk, they are drunk. Whether the pillow is blue or pink or white or red does not matter. Once you fall asleep, you fall asleep; the pillow becomes immaterial.
Theology begins with a belief, with faith. And Buddhism begins with logic and reason. Buddhism is thinking; theology is believing without thinking. No religion allows thinking, so no religion has a philosophy: they all have theologies.
Christianity says “believe” — believe in the savior, believe in Jesus Christ, believe that he is the only begotten son of God, believe in God, believe in the trinity. But it is always “believe,” and believing makes a man a hypocrite, because deep down you know that belief cannot become a truth. Deep down you know that this is only a belief; you have not experienced it. There is no base for it, it is baseless: a single doubt and the whole edifice will be shattered on the ground.
Now, a Christian believes that Jesus is born of a virgin mother. Can you think about it? If you think, doubt will be needed. You can only believe, and in believing… you know perfectly well that it is unnatural, it cannot happen.
Christianity says that Jesus was resurrected after his death. You have to believe it because there is no proof, no evidence. In the contemporary literature of Jesus Christ’s life, even the name of Jesus is not mentioned. Do you think a phenomenon like a man getting crucified, getting resurrected, would go unnoticed? that a man who brings dead people to life would not be reported anywhere? that a man who walks on water…?
Do you think this man would have been crucified? He would have been hailed as the messiah by the Jews themselves, because what more do you want? — none of your other prophets have done anything of this kind. But there is not even a mention that there was such a person as Jesus Christ. And he did not have a big following.
If you think, you cannot believe in these things. If you think about God, you cannot believe. So Christianity has no philosophy. No religion can afford to be philosophical; it can only remain theological.
All the organized religions care basically depriving humanity of religion because they are misdirecting you. They are always directing you outwards — their God is far away in the sky. And when you pray, folding your hands towards the sky, you don’t realize that there is nobody to hear you.
In fact, the one who is praying, the one who is alive in you, the one who is breathing in you, is the God.
You have just to discover it.