Buddhism & Science

"It is true that there are not enough masters or centres for such an amount to meet the needs of those people who like to practice Buddhism. Still, those who have an interest do read a significant number of books & articles on Buddhist philosophy. The most important thing is that the texts inscribed in Pali, Sanskrit & Tibetan are directly translated into French. "
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(December, 31,Paris, France, Sri Lanka Guardian) Today I purposely chose a Buddhist teaching & a scientific teaching which are really parallel.

Before moving into the topic I would like to share that in this hemisphere there is a growing interest in Buddhism observed among the general population.

Some years ago two prestigious magazines Le Nouvel Observateur & La Psychologie conducted an opinion poll on Buddhism in France.
The conclusion is astounding!

5 million French people say:

“We prefer to consider ourselves Buddhist!”

It is true that there are not enough masters or centres for such an amount to meet the needs of those people who like to practice Buddhism. Still, those who have an interest do read a significant number of books & articles on Buddhist philosophy. The most important thing is that the texts inscribed in Pali, Sanskrit & Tibetan are directly translated into French.

Some of the sociologists forecast:
Il y aura un bouddhisme à la française!
(There will be a French style Buddhism)

The role played by His Holiness Dalai Lama relative to Buddhism in the West is comparable only with that of the Great Emperor Ashoka.

(unfortunately most of our monks do not like to consider this great personality as a Buddhist monk! When talking of himself he says: “I am a simple Buddhist monk”)

Nevertheless, the present article will not focus on this Great Tibetan Spiritual Leader.

In the Great Mahayana teaching found in the Prajnaparamita Sutra we can read the following saying:
“Shariputra, all dharma are of the nature of SUNYATA or Emptiness, they are neither created nor destroyed”

In this context dharma are the things. All dharma are all things, psychophysical things. They are of the nature of EMPTINESS. It means that all dharma are interrelated & they do not have their own intrinsic existence. EMPTINESS is the approximate translation of the Sanskrit word SUNYATA. It is important to draw your attention to the word ZERO, which is derived from Sanskrit SUNYA! (SUNYA-ZERO) Zero does not mean empty. When you add 1 before zero it becomes 10!

According to SUNYATA philosophy of Buddhism nothing has its own separate, intrinsic existence. Every thing is empty of a separate existence. Every thing is interrelated. If we pose the question: “Empty of what?” then it makes easier for our comprehension. It is empty of a separate existence. In order to denote this deep teaching of the Buddha the Great contemporary Buddhist master based in France Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh coins a new Verb:

“TO INTER-BE.”

We can say “Mr Bush & Mr Sadam Hussein INTER-ARE!” Mr Bush can not be separated from Mr Sadam Hussein & vice-versa. Man & nature inter-are! Etc.

The 18th century French chemist Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier made the following declaration:

“RIEN NE SE CREE & RIEN NE SE PERD”

Nothing is created & nothing is destroyed!

He has repeated exactly what Buddha taught us 2500 years ago!

“THEY ARE NEITHER CREATED NOR DESTROYED”

Our Readers are acquainted with the theory of energy. It can manifest in different forms but it can not be destroyed. When some one attains the bliss of Nirvana he does not go to nihilism.

(Bhikkhu Mandawala Pannawansa Thero is well known Buddhist monk born in Sri Lanka, currently lives in France. Contact Email- pannawansa@aol.com)