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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 41

particularly in an era of such technological advancement come to our rescue, to push the course of science in the
and innovations, would be silly and suicidal at all levels desirable direction, or else it has the potential to plunge
-- individual, societal, and global. humanity into more chaos and irreparable misery at the
cost of everyone.
There should be a spiritual revolution leading to better
and deeper appreciation of our inner positive potential, Yancy: In what ways has science supported the beliefs
far greater than we have ever collectively explored, of Buddhism?
understood, and experienced. Let us be serious in this
and let our resources be geared or aligned toward this. Namgyal: I may point out a few:
Particularly, let our scientific endeavors be directed The first is the still unanswered question on the nature
towards this at least equally if not more than they are of consciousness and the challenges science faces in
presently used in areas of destruction, and let everyone pinpointing it and bringing closure to it, despite all the
be a witness and a partner to this mission of inner efforts and theories propounded. This, at least, does not
exploration. Let us become clear and convinced that contradict the Buddhist belief in life before and life after
everyone will be better off by this, and that all of our this one.
problems and disputes will meet with better solutions
through this. The next is the advent of quantum mechanics, pointing
to the weird phenomenon (at least in the eyes of
This will be the role of love or rather the role of the classical physics and general scientific objectivism)
practice and concept of love. It can no longer afford to of the role of the observer in deciding the nature and
remain locked up in texts and thoughts but must be property of phenomena, at least at their micro level
brought out to actual experience and to its rightful place existence for now. This seems to confirm the Buddhist
in peoples’ hearts, not only minds and brains. concept of dependent origination, in all its levels – the
obvious, subtler, and subtlest forms, including the most
Yancy: Without some form of spirituality, can science radical one implying the absence of any inherently
save our planet? objective existence for any phenomenon.

Namgyal: It is quite unimaginable for anything to The final one is the growing research findings on
save something else or someone else without the the benefits of mindfulness, compassion, empathy,
foundation or basis of at least some form of spirituality, meditation, and the like on the overall well-being and
meaning some sense of other-care or other-concern, health of a person. This provides evidence that inner
primarily for the sake of the other. The same principle focus and inner cultivation is valuable and beneficial, as
applies to science, I think. In the end, a kind-hearted Buddhism and other religions emphasize. EH
or compassionate scientific community is needed to