SCIENCE

AND
TRIPITAKA
(BUDHHA DHAMMA)

The Buddha Dhamma may be defined in brief as the teaching of

Gautama Buddha on the basis of the discoveries He made when He
attained Supramundane knowledge by introspective meditation. To be a
Buddhist scholar it is essential to study all His discoveries, discourses and
commentaries, which are comprehensive, but the learned teachers advise
us that the first step for the layman is to thoroughly comprehend the
physical and psychical processes and their causal relations. Bearing this
in mind let us first of all study the phenomena of physical process.
The Buddha discovered with scientific exactitude the composite
nature of wave and matter as the basic phenomenon of physical particles.
He taught us that the smallest particles are in a dynamic process of arising
and vanishing with a frequency of about fifty thousand million cycles
during the period of a finger-snap. He mentioned that about 46,656 atoms
are required to form the minutest particle of fine dust raised by the wheel
of a chariot in summer. Devout Buddhist scholars have actually seen this
process in the course of Vipassana ± meditation, but I am not quite sure
whether they are able to count and compute the frequency accurately as
shown by the Buddha. At any rate we can realize that the static structure,
which we find through our sense organs, is a delusion and we shall find
that this delusion is the main cause of our life-long troubles and miseries.
It is a misconception inherent in us since childhood, and it will remain till
death, unless we dispel it by developing the faculty of understanding. The
Buddha scientifically expounded these phenomena as Four Noble Truths
and formulated the Eightfold Noble Path for the solution of all the
problems of life.
 Let us now find out how far modern science can help us to
understand the phenomena of physical process. It can help us to a great
extent to understand at least theoretically. Its findings are almost identical
with the discovery of the Buddha. The scientists have re-discovered the
composite nature of wave and matter by the use of their precision
instruments, mathematical equations, and logical thinking in the light of
experiments and observations. They describe it briefly stating that there
are two kinds of waves—bottled-up waves, which we call matter and
unbottled waves which we call light, heat, electro-magnetic radiations, X-
rays, etc. They can resolve the whole material universe into waves—
nothing but waves. Their discoveries of natural radio activity, cosmic
radiations and the natural formation of discrete quantities or packets of
radiated energy as propounded by quantum theory are in total agreement
with the discovery of the Buddha. They can tell us precisely that one
gram of radium emits 3. 70 x 1010 alpha particles with a velocity of 1.
699 x 109 centimeters per second. They are also able to generate artificial
eletronic radiations with super high frequencies ranging beyond Ten
Thousand million cycles per second. When they produce them with the
help of electronic devices, they distinctly find the process of arising and
vanishing. The 52 process of arising and vanishing means motion. Motion
means time. Using time as factor for the theory of relativity, Einstein
propounded that the physical phenomenon is a four-dimensional
continuum formed by the union of space and time. All these go to show
that the scientists have also fully realised the dynamic nature of physical
particles. The atom is no more a static structure to them. So far so good.
Modern science is the chief witness that can give reliable evidence in
support of the Buddha- Dhamma. I cannot find such strong evidence in
the speculative philosophies, some of which, in fact, try to justify the
existence of immortal soul and Almighty God, which are conspicuous by
their absence in the discoveries of the Buddha.
Let us go ahead and study His other discoveries relating to physical
phenomena. He taught us that there are four generating forces that give
rise to the appearance of material existence. They are
(1) Resultant mental forces,
(2) Mental activities,
(3) Temperature or weather and
(4) Nutriment.
The mental phenomena and the causal relations between physical
and psychical processes as discovered by the Buddha can never be re-
discovered and realized with the help of scientific instruments,
mathematical formulae, experiments, observations, analysis and logical
thinking. The mental phenomena can be discovered completely only in
the light of Supramundane knowledge far transcending the mundane
intellect and faculties. It is beyond the realms of physical science and it
will be interesting to study the limitations of modern science in contrast
to the wide vista presented by the Supramundane knowledge.
If we study the methods used for the development of scientific
knowledge, we shall find that all sciences have been built upon two main
foundations only. They are
(1) The sensations received by the scientists as the subjective and
(2) the external physical phenomena or stimulus as the objective.
The subjective sensations are formed through five sense organs i.e.
eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body. The objective physical phenomena are
the manifestations of material properties in a perpetual state of flux. The
scientists receive a series of sensations by observing the results of
experiments when they try to understand the phenomena of a particular
subject. After the formation of sensations as a result of experiments and
analysis, the mind organ begins to function by reasoning and deducing
logical inferences from the observed facts. They then formulate scientific
laws with the support of mathematical equations. This is the process upon
which modern science is founded. But the scientists cannot go beyond
approximations since the external world of objects which they find
through their sense organs are not absolute or direct or real. The
sensations are mere images of the objects. The late Albert Einstein
himself admitted that sense perception only gives information of the
external world indirectly and we can only grasp the latter by speculative
means. This is the dead end of modern science.
Let us now study the immense field of the Supramundane
knowledge of the 53 Buddhas and Arahats. We shall find with amazement
that Gautama Buddha discovered with mathematical precision the mental
phenomena and causal relations, the foundations of the Buddha-
Dhamma. But in this short talk I can mention only a few essential facts in
brief just to give an idea. The Buddha taught us that the mental process
with quanta of thought moments is 17 times faster than the physical
frequency. These rapidly fleeting thought moments have 52 types of
mental properties, which in combination with passive mind generate 121
classes of consciousness ramifying as 31 planes of existence. The most
important discovery is the causal relations between mental and physical
phenomena in 24 systems of correlation. Another important system of
causation is Dependent Origination of 12 mental and physical factors that
give rise to the appearance of life continuum in cyclic order. He taught us
that inherent delusion or ignorance is the main cause that creates the
living beings. The predominance of mental process in the phenomenal
existence will be realised if we study the nature of those living beings in
the higher celestial world. They have no material qualities at all. Their
existence is only mental. Their life tern is very long but they cannot
escape the life process. After death they are liable to be reborn as human
or celestial beings with both mental and physical properties.
As a last word, I would like to mention that if we study the
scientific expositions of the Buddha-Dhamma rationally, we shall be able
to develop our faculty of understanding, leading to our realization that the
so-called life is nothing more than an endless psycho-physical process
like a pendulum between likes and dislikes or joy and sorrow with
resultant miseries in series. But when we fully realize the miserable
nature of life, we can stop the psycho-physical process by a systematic
course of Vipassana ± meditation. We can then dispel all the delusions
and resist the temptations of worldly sensual desires or cravings. Our
feelings of like and dislike are strong when the faculty of understanding is
low. Their strength diminishes in the same ratio as the increase in the
faculty of understanding. They will go down to zero point as the
knowledge reaches the highest stage. It may be formulated that the
feelings, of likes and dislikes or joy and sorrow vary inversely as the
faculty of understanding. It is the law of diminishing craving. The
Buddha dispelled craving completely as soon as He attained the
Supramundane knowledge. He therefore taught us that the development
of the faculty of understanding is the first step in the Eightfold Noble
Path, that leads to perfect peace of mind by attaining complete
emancipation from the conditioned life-continuum.
In conclusion, I am not trying to belittle the scientists by showing
the limitations of modern science. On the contrary, their highly developed
scientific knowledge will help them to understand the Buddha-Dhamma
thoroughly and to take up a course of Vipassan± meditation successfully.
For these reasons the scientists are requested to study the Buddha-
Dhamma and interpret it in their scientific language as and when they are
satisfied and convinced that it will be really conducive to the welfare of
mankind.
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