buddhists and science (Earth, mystic, Buddhism, beliefs, choices)

[longshanks]

I would like to ask you what the buddhist take/perceptions on science are.
There is a lot about the christian and muslim and atheist view points on here and i would like to get your side.
I am an atheist but must say i am looking closely at buddhism.
Thanks for any input.

[Aupmanyav]

Before the Buddhists wake up to the enquiry, would you allow a Hindu to answer your query?

Science and religion are both the same, Knowledge (Gnana, Vid - Vidya, Veda, Education, Knowing). There is no discord. One eggs the other forward.

Hinduism does not kill disenters or burn them on stakes. It invites them to intelligent discussions. While most Hindus are theists, atheism also has always been part of hindu philosophy. Two orthodox systems (Samkhya and Vaisesika - Atomic theory) were atheists, while a third 'Advaita Vedanta' could be theist as well as atheist. Many unorthodox systems also were atheistic (Jainism, Buddhism, Charvak, Lokayat, Ajivikas).

You can see the stirrings of atheism in the Rig-Vedic verse known as the 'Nasadeeya Sukta' which says:

'Who really knows? Who will here proclaim it?
Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation?
The gods came afterwards, with the creation of this universe.
Who then knows whence it has arisen?

Whence this creation has arisen
– perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not –
the One who looks down on it, in the highest heaven, only He knows
or perhaps He does not know.'

[Engyo]

Buddhism has no direct conflict with science. Buddha would respond to questions like "where did we come from?" with the observation that the answer isn't really important, and that one should focus on this life and one's own actions/choices in this lifetime.

Science has been continuing to confirm basic Buddhist principles and teachings - meditation really does create measurable changes in the mind of the person who practices it diligently. The interconnectedness of all life is now understood, etc.

[MysticSang'ha]

Buddhism cares less about questions that pertain to our beginnings and endings and cares more about questions that pertain to the here and now. Where we came from provides fodder for some lively debates, but in the end does little to provide universal answers to better our lives at this moment.

What Buddhism appreciates about science is that it aims to strip away superstition and seeks to understand what is observable and empirical.




Peace,
Mystic

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Although I don´t consider myself a Buddhist, being against religious denominations and believing in Christ, Hinduism, and others... I have researched plenty of it, and in the "Belief-o-matic" the religion which come closer to my beliefs is "Mahayana Buddhism".

Anyway, I belevieve religions are subjective science of the subtle. Science could never stand against Buddhism and viceversa, because Buddhism deals with the inner aspect of ourselves, something science cannot prove, but it can be experienced.

The difference is, once a scientific discovery takes place, nobody needs to re-discover it. For example, if science states that the Earth is round, or flat, it makes no difference to Buddhism whatsoever. Buddha could well said that the Earth is flat, but it makes no difference to him, althought he would never be wrong about issues regarding God or the true nature of ourselves.

[Autodidact]

"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" (H. H. the Dalai Lama, The Universe in a Single Atom).

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Originally Posted by Autodidact

"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" (H. H. the Dalai Lama, The Universe in a Single Atom).

That is true, I totally agree; although I seriously think that won´t happen.

[MysticSang'ha]

Originally Posted by Wisdom_Seeker

That is true, I totally agree; although I seriously think that won´t happen.

Just curious. Why not?




Peace,
Mystic

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Originally Posted by MysticSang'ha

Just curious. Why not?

Peace,
Mystic

I think is more feasible that science discover new things that Buddhists have been saying for thousands of years.
The thing about this is, Buddhism deals with the illusion of reality (corroborated by current quantum physics) and the understanding of the temporaryness of things (corroborated by science). As well as self-knowledge Vs. self-identification (corroborated by current psychoanalysts).