The Convergence of Science and Spirituality - The Universe in a Single Atom

H.H. the Dalai Lama presents a worldview of science, ethics, and spirituality. As he explores science, his knowledge is tempered by ethical concerns. He insists that science is an integral knowledge to the understanding the world, however, it must converge with spirituality and ethics. He rejects an aspect of Darwinian evolution, natural selection. A bird, for example, who feeds its nest, is viewed as simply a selfish act for preservation as well as the evolution of the species. This leaves no room for compassion and selflessness. Yet the bird remains sentient.
Ruminating on consciousness, meditation itself is an exploration of consciousness. Exploring modern genetics, cloning and organ tissue, H.H. the Dalai Lama was appalled by certain experiments viewed as inhumane.
Similarities to science and Buddhist philosophy follow. Matter and mind are codependent - as in the new physics – however, matter cannot be objectively perceived and described apart from the observer. In Buddhism, the reality of the world is acknowledged, however it is understood to be relative.
Buddhists lack a creation theory. Both the creator and the Big Bang are rejected because of the law of causality – nothing exists without cause.
In conclusion, he makes a plea that science and spirituality collaborate, tempered by compassion. This is essential that our human race continue, as we struggle with genetics, splitting atoms, and the possibility of nuclear warfare. H.H. the Dalai Lama raises concerns in the Universe in a Single Atom which all should consider, if we continue to live in an altruistic society. It is an excellent book, and speaks greatly of humankind’s future.

For those trained in science, a book about science that publishers have classified as “Mind-Body-Spirit” can cause an inward groan, however distinguished the author. The numbers of ill-informed renderings of science by well meaning New Age authors are legion. This book is different and could have been classified equally well as philosophy of science. It is a beautifully written and thought provoking account of His Holiness’ interest in science. It begins with his early encounters with Western science, through discovering in Potala the fruits of its technology in the form of telescopes, cars, watches, movie projectors and generators; many of which he relished dismantling, reassembling and repairing. We are also treated to glimpses into the world of the teenage Dalai Lama; including the vision of him driving a 1927 Baby Austin around the streets of Lhasa and breaking a headlight. These practical encounters were followed in Tibet and later in India and Europe with meetings with some of the most famous of contemporary scientific minds, including Karl Popper, David Böhm and Francisco Varela.
From his reading, discussions and interactions with the scientific community, which span mechanics and quantum physics to neurobiology, His Holiness draws on Buddhist teachings to show how two very different systems of thought have come to similar conclusions about the nature of reality and of consciousness. In the case of science, its conclusions are derived from experiments on matter and intellectual analysis; in the case of Buddhism through long centuries of spiritual practice and meditative and speculative thought. By making a bridge between the two, His Holiness argues a persuasive case for a stance that allows for accepting and taking seriously the validity of science’s empirical findings, while not denying the richness of human nature and he validity of other modes of knowing. In doing so, he reminds us of the Buddhist analogy of the finger and the moon. Scientific method is a means, the finger, it is not the moon – the ultimate reality it seeks to understand.
The lucidity of the writing is a joy and conveys with simple elegance profound truths from both traditions. For those wishing to understand the nature of reality, this is an excellent work.

If nothing else, this book proves that people like the Dalai Lama are open minded and realistic about what scientific discovery means in a world that has been historically dominated by religion. Instead of fighting scientific insight (like, say, explaining that dinosaur bones were planted by God to test our faith, which I've heard some people say), he simply shows how new discoveries in science actually coincide nicely with many Buddhist beliefs rather than contradicting them. While he is obviously not a scientist, he does have a reasonably good grasp (impressive, even) of some reasonably advanced scientific topics and has clearly done some real learning there. Science and Buddhism wind up fitting together rather nicely since, as he does mention in the book, Buddhism is in many ways something of an agnostic religion, not bothering so much with the big questions of where we came from or where we're going and instead focusing on the here and now.

Because of the Dalai Lama's non-scientific background, this book is not likely to be particularly insightful to readers who have a background in science or even who, like me, have done a decent amount of reading about physics, quantum mechanics, etc. Nevertheless, he is an engaging author and it's still nice to hear the parallels from a very respectable, knowledgeable and open-minded source such as himself and not from a new age enthusiast who is willing to bend the facts to fit their agenda.

If the synopsis of The Universe in a Single Atom intrigues you, this may be worth a bit of your time, but it doesn't need to shoot to the top of your reading list.

His Holiness The Dalai Lama, in his usual, understated style presents an amazing summary of how the topics of scientific inquiry and the techniques of highly disciplined subjective inquiry (as developed via the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist traditions) both examine, from differing angles, the nature of reality. Never before have I read a text that is able to walk the line, as it were, between "science" and "spirituality" while being so beautifully complimentary to both sides. His Holiness does a service to humanity via this work and I feel a profound sense of gratitude that he has written it.

His tone, while extremely well informed on both sides of the issue, is humble, compassionate, and penetrating. He really does bring to the table the highest points of both methods of inquiry and is able to connect them to the reader's living experience while constantly reminding one of the overarching question "What is reality?" and how the methods of science and spirituality, beliefs and dogmas aside, are meant to address it. I particularly enjoyed the suggestions he made for scientists to take seriously the potential for subjective development/mental stabilization available via meditation in order to really deepen the results of their inquiries. This notion alone makes the book worth reading. He also expresses a genuine curiosity into how scientific observations correlate with classical Buddhist thinking in a way I found to be extremely refreshing.

He also does a fine job of being clearly secular in his observations without ever delving into weird, off-topic tangents, as some authors take the liberty of doing. His observations are well-thought out, centered, and grounded in a highly developed sense of perspective. Throughout the book, his main concern seems to be how what is basically the pinnacle of external method (science) can meld with what is basically the pinnacle of internal method (meditation and its attendant tenets) thereby reinforcing both.

This book will prove invaluable both to the student of Buddhism and to the student of science interested in not just how external phenomena behave but in what it is to perceive them and what, more or less, it is to be.

Beautiful. Get it. Read it. You will be more than glad you did.

The Universe in a Single Atom: How science and spirituality can serve our world, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Random House (Doubleday) 2005, New York; Little, Brown, London, 2006.

It's now more than thirty years since the publication of Fritjof Capra's Tao of Physics (1975). Since then, an increasing number of both mystics and scientists have pointed out the connection between science and spirituality, even as the gulf between science and dogmatic religion has widened. The incessant cosmic dance of fundamental particles and energies is a scientific expression of the fundamental Buddhist belief `that all conditioned things and events are in constant flux.'

Here is another book on the same unifying theme and it could hardly have been written by a more eminent spiritual authority. As well as possessing a depth of spiritual vision, the Dalai Lama has the intellect to be able to discuss scientific concepts meaningfully with eminent physicists, though he always acknowledges his lack of formal scientific training with humility. These facets of his personality come through in this treatment of the subject.

The preliminary pages set the tone of the book with a quote from Buddhist scripture: `In each atom of the realms of the universe, / There exist vast oceans of world systems'. This is a spiritual expression of the scientific world view of physicist David Bohm, who became a friend and scientific mentor of the Dalai Lama. Bohm's concept is expressed by his notion of `implicate order': just as each molecule of DNA contains the biological blueprint for the whole organism, so each atom has within it a representation of the whole object of which it is a part, each molecule the germ of every system.

This Buddhist world-view demands an infinitely existing universe: `the origination of the universe must be understood in terms of the principle of an infinite chain of causation with no transcendence or preceding intelligence.' This idea differs from the Hindu principle of creation which has found support in recent years from another scientific model - that of the primacy of mind. Both agree in their rejection of `the reducibility of mind to matter', a core principle of many present-day biologists.

The science and spirituality inter-relation is expressed in this book within an autobiographical framework as the author recounts various experiences in his life that have given rise to his present state of enlightenment.

This is a book for those who are open-minded enough to see the world from a Buddhist point of view, if only temporarily. The scientific concepts are all explained in non-technical language.

The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism by Fritjof Capra
Eastern Religions: Hinduism, Buddism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto
The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav

Howard Jones is the author of The World as Spirit

I was very pleased with this book, somewhat suprisingly so. The Dalai Lama has a very elogent style of writing that kept me interested throughout the book, which I finished in about 1 week. The book does a very good job of comparing the current scientific understanding of our world with not only Buddhism, but with the author himself, and from a very intelligently illustrated account. It is the type of book that will keep all interested in the subject matter, not only thosed who subscribe to Eastern philosophies. It tackles one of my favorite subjects, the hard problem of consciousness. I would highly recommend the book.

I am generally not impressed by theologians who discuss science (or conversely scientists who discuss theology), because usually these written discussions contain a major propaganda component. On one hand you have those would discredit science and replace it with a biased system full of pious presuppositions, and on the other hand those who would dismiss religion as not supported by the "facts" and thus irrelevant (and perhaps caused by a defective "god gene" that worked to make Pleistocene tribes more cohesive, but has little relation to the modern world.)

I have to say in this context that I am most definitely impressed with the Dalai Lama's new book "The Universe in a Single Atom." This was written by a "simple monk" who has more understanding (despite his admitted failings in mathematics) of the basic questions than many theologians or scientists. I may disagree with him in some parts of his arguments (especially in regard to some of his doubts about evolution), but I can not deny his basic openness and willingness to adapt his views as our understanding of the universe and life expands. I only wish there were more like him! Science and religion probably should function as separate Magisteria (as argued by Stephan J. Gould), but they can have points of contact as long as one does not try to consume the other. The Dalai Lama states that some claims of religion (he speaks for Buddhism specifically) may have to be abandoned because of some modern findings of empirical science. At the same time he feels that science should not dismiss religion as irreverent to human endeavor. Science has little to tell us about how to live and religion has little to tell us about the exact details of the structure and development of the universe.

This is simply speaking one of those rarities, a good book written by a "personality." But what a remarkable personality! His understanding of the basic structure of philosophical and scientific arguments is astounding for a person who lived the early years of their life mostly in the remote mountain country of Tibet. He articulates difficult concepts of space, time, physical law and biological science very well, while always prefacing his remarks with a humble phrase such as "As I understand it". After a big dose of arid pronouncements by arrogant "personalities" in both Magisteria this is like a refreshing rain shower!

I recommend that anyone interested in the intersection between religion and science read this book. It is a major positive antidote for the "Conflict between Religion and Science" that seems to be the main media event of the day. Not everyone is an unreasoning self-seeker.

I picked up this book hoping to see another perspective on the merging of science and spirituality. While I enjoyed the book, I don't think he really got to his point until about halfway through the book. Up until that point, you get an accurate science lesson, but one that is very difficult to understand. I read another book earlier in the year called Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness Are the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe by Robert Lanza that I feel presented the same or similar ideas, but in a more approachable way.

Two important concepts in Buddhism are: (1) to know the way things really are and (2) a quote from Buddha, " All I have done is to discover the laws of nature". Buddhists strongly believe in an analytical approach to find the truth. The Dalai Lama has since 1960 studied Western science meeting many of the most prominent Western scientists in the USA and Europe. The Dalai Lama became extremely impressed by the progress made in science in the last 400 years, and the contribution science had made to make a high standard of living in the West and Japan and by the contribution it can make to solve the poverty problem. The Dalai Lama studied all types of disciplines, especially physics. Physicists hold different views of the future of the science of the mind. The "two-world physicists" believe that physics cannot develop theories that explain how the mind works and explain concepts like responsibility, happiness and decency. The "Mathematics- Physicists" believe that everything including the processes of the mind can be expressed in mathematics. The "Universe Physicists" view is that physics can make great progress in understanding how the mind works but that it requires additional methods of analysis and is not limited to mathematics.

Buddhists have for more than 2500 years investigated how the mind works, not by brain scans but by intensive training of the mind to enable people to observe the processes in their minds. Their theories are based on logic and on those investigations.

Buddhists like scientists believe in cause and effect as a universal principle. This in Buddhism referred to as "dependent origination ". The world is constituted of dependently originating processes that give rise to dependently originated consequences according to the laws of causality. That also applies to each of us, what we do and think in our own lives affects everything we're connected to. A consequence of this view is that nothing exists on its own, that is independent of causes and conditions. That is why this concept is also referred to in Buddhism as "emptiness" (empty of inherent existence). Many people think or would like to think that they are independent. That according to Buddhism is a dangerous illusion that leads to ego-centeredness.

The meaning of the title of this book, "The universe in a single atom" refers to this connectedness. The thoughts and physical conditions of all of us are influenced by and influences external processes and we are therefore an integral part of the universe.

Chester Barnard, the author of "The Functions of the Executive" wrote in 1939 that people in an organisation function as iron particles in a magnetic field. Even though you cannot see anything the purpose and values of the organisation influence all members of the organisation. The values and traditions of the company are reflected in the minds of each of its members. By studying the processes in the mind of one member of an organisation you can get a picture of the mind of the organisation as a whole. The universe and the atom are in a similar relationship. A bridge between "dependent origination" and physics on this point is quantum theory. In quantum theory the observer does not play a purely passive role. Whether an electron behaves as a particle or a wave depends on the experiment being done. It is the observer who decides on what sort of experiment to do.

The Dalai Lama and the "Universe Physicists" believe that very important progress will be made in this century in knowledge of how the mind works and that collaboration between Buddhist and Western theories will be very productive. Several of the "universe physicists" have published relevant books- David Bohm, was Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of London and worked with Albert Einstein And Niels Bohr, Piet Hut, professor of astro-physics and interdisciplinary studies at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Princeton, Arthur Zajonc, professor physics from Amherst College and B. Alan Wallace.

The Dalai Lama is very concerned that scientific knowledge is developing much more rapidly than the moral standards that should direct its use. He refers specifically to genetic engineering of foodstuffs, gene therapy, and genetic manipulation at the level of human embryos, cloning and therapeutic cloning, The Dalai Lame believes that a "moral compass" should be developed, not in isolation by government departments, business, scientists or spiritual leaders, but that it is of such importance that it should involve active participation by all of these groups and by the pubic at large. Who will take up this challenge?

As a Western Buddhist follower I've been overcome with a strong fascination in the discipline of science particularly physics. Through a deep introspective of my consciousness and intense meditation I attained deep insight and wisdom answering many questions that arise of my personal being however many questions were unfulfilled until I discovered this book. First and foremost Buddhism in my opinion should focus it's attention on the present moment without getting caught up in metaphysical questions of reality, needless to say we're human beings and as human beings we're entitled to seek the questions pertaining to the principles of reality to a certain extent without getting caught up in philosophical quarrels with existentialists.

The Dalai Lama did an excellent job attempting to open a dialogue between science and religion. He presents the reader with an introduction of basic scientific discoveries ranging from "The Big Bang Theory", evolution, neuroscience, biology, and concludes it with the role ethics play in science. The Dalai Lama in an open-minded fashion analyzes these scientific discoveries and provides his insight yet at the same time draws parallels to Buddhist philosophies. For instance he gives the reader a summation of the concept of evolution and identifies "random mutations" as being a deciding factor for the survival and sustainability of a particular species. Nonetheless he points out the idea of mutations being purely random events as inconclusive in being a theory attempting to explain the origin of life. Rather than list numerous other illuminating examples of his different perspective of scientific findings I welcome you to read this book. After reading this book I without a doubt will take a much more closer look at scientific topics of discussion in the world today. I attest to the Dalai Lama's rhetoric and insofar will say it's futile for humanity to shift their awareness level onto the scientific community due to the awesome power (positive or negative) science could impact on our beautiful universe.

Peace and Love

With my interest in what happened before the Big Bang, Buddhism, and ethics, I figured this short book might prove a welcome counterpart to my current listening to the enormous audiobook of Brian Greene's examination of the laws of the universe, "The Fabric of the Cosmos." The Dalai Lama manages, through I assume the diligent help of his translators and editors, to convey succinctly his lifelong interest in science and space, and this reads smoothly. As with many of his musings rendered into English, this feels more like a transcript than a text, and it has an oral quality of thoughtful conversation with an attentive listener.

My favorite sections were on the beginningless universe of Buddhism and how the concept of tiny "space particles" might align with the quantum vacuum idea of astrophysics now proposed: the universe never came out of nothing, but was a residue from what astronomers (if not the DL) call the Big Splat, and so the universe came out of the collapse of a preceding universe before whatever preceded the Big Bang.

His reminder how Buddhism favors first experiential empirical testing of a concept, then reason, and only third scriptural testimony meshes nicely with his emphasis about the scientific worldview's compatibility, or dominance, over what even dharma may claim if the teachings do not hold up under modern evaluation. This sensible approach provides a welcome alternative to the difficulties that literal or fundamental interpretations of religious traditions, or political or ideological ones for that matter, may represent for many apologists. His openness to the wonders and revelations of the natural world, seen and unseen, enliven his recollections.

I also liked his recollections of conversations with such as David Bohm, about the danger of seeing as racists, Marxists, and extreme nationalists do nature and the world as "inherently divided and disconnected," and how the DL relates this to Nagarjuna's warning about believing in the "independent, intrinsic nature of things" (51) as leading us into attachment, karmic entanglements, and afflictions of suffering. Still, as with much here, the insights may rapidly fade as the author moves on to another, loosely related topic within each chapter. For instance, a few pages on (63), he goes into the Prasangika Tibetan school of neither idealism nor materialism, but instead "relative" reality of the external world, but then this is left behind quickly. A suggested list of where to find more about many subjects raised in this short book would have enriched its utility.

However, many chapters seem erratically organized, as if His Holiness is talking to you about one topic before veering off on a tangent or suddenly switching to another sub-topic. Therefore, the nature of this collection of chapters appears more as if talks transcribed than their actual written form, and the looser nature of this volume may have its own advantages or drawbacks for an audience curious about "the convergence of science and spirituality." I wanted more about where to read more--say, about David Bohm's ideas--for while an index is provided, no reading list or annotated bibliography was appended. (Compare French biologist turned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard and Vietnamese astrophysicist's Thinh Xuan Truan's complementary dialogue "The Quantum and the Lotus" (2001; reviewed by me 9-2011.)

A lot of ideas in this book gain some elucidation, even if many remain as mysterious to Buddhists as they do to today's physicists. The DL asserts logically that a primary cause shaping the universe must be outside the laws of causality, but I wondered naively why the First Mover if such could not simply (if so omnipotent) will causation into existence with creation; but, perhaps this betrays too traditional a theistic or scientific stimulus? All the same, in this book, the nature of much of the cosmological content must remain ultimately speculative.

Similarly, the Darwinian aspects are hit and miss; I was never quite sure why Buddhism does not analyze the imprint of sentience into matter, rather than follow the progression from inanimate matter to animate organisms. Maybe due to tradition, the DL glosses over this shift, likely as Buddhism did not divide as Western science has the division between human and animate beings, but between instead animate and inanimate material as itself existing in a world not so much evolved over time as already existing and shifting between karma-driven states of existence for sentient beings? This aspect is developed in this discussion, and it does move the reader to consider how Eastern models stress compassion and altruism over competition and aggression as the Western expectations for why evolution favors certain mutations over others.

In turn, this prepares for an elegant chapter on ethics and genetics. After a long discussion of consciousness and karma, parts of which eluded me, the thoughts the Dalai Lama shares about moral considerations about genetic breakthroughs and applications reminded me of how his insights remain valuable for all of us. He closes with a reflection upon how valid non-scientific models of understanding remain within a world set on a materialistic, reductive explanation for the facts and mysteries around us can be. The spiritual side reminds us of the Buddhist goals of wisdom and compassion when so much of science leaves us forgetful of the need for the ultimate aim of progress that betters humanity.

It’s always great to learn from the Dali Llama. I listened to the audiobook which was read perfectly by Richard Gene, since as I understand it, he is a friend of the His His Holiness and he is a learned of Tibetan Buddhist. It worked well for me.

Here the esteemed Dalai Lama discusses the possible connections between Tibetan Buddhism and modern science. By the way, this has been done before, especially in "The Tao of Physics" by Fritjof Capra, but the reader will be most fulfilled by getting it from the source, because obviously nobody can speak more knowledgably about Buddhism (and probably Eastern spirituality in general) than His Holiness. We learn here Eastern spiritual traditions have a great affinity for and comfort with science, as major advances in astrophysics, quantum mechanics, and even genetics can be absorbed into these belief systems without too much profound shock. Tibetan Buddhism, as explained by the Dalai Lama, is also refreshingly open-minded in that it has a tradition of basing beliefs on empirical evidence rather than dogmatic faith, making the religion very adaptable to new scientific theories and findings. Here the Dalai Lama introduces the ancient scriptural foundations (both Tibetan and Indian) of Buddhism, with a great amount of in-depth historical and religious knowledge being offered to the interested reader. He also discusses many modern advances in science, especially those - such as relativity and cloning - that have lead to real human educational or ethical quandaries.

One really great thing about the Dalai Lama's writing is his great humility, as (unlike most writers from the Western scientific tradition) he admits freely when he doesn't quite understand something, and he even injects humor in a few places, such as when he jokes about having no karmic connection with mathematics. This book boils down to a series of thought experiments in which His Holiness explores how spirituality and science can work together for the greater good of humanity, and to solve ethical dilemmas (coming from both sides) before they get out of hand. Especially valuable for the interested layperson are insights into the workings of Eastern spirituality and its real philosophical connection with science. Note that since this book is basically a series of thought exercises and explorations of abstract concepts without too much hard evidence or illustrative examples, the "convergence" of the subtitle doesn't quite come to fruition, resulting in a book that can be an enlightening read but doesn't offer too many true breakthroughs. But regardless, the Dalai Lama's wisdom, empathy, and understanding make all of his books eminently readable. [~doomsdayer520~]

Early in this book we follow the formation of the intellectual in the Dalai Lama. As a boy his educators poured into him all the traditions and philosophy of Tibetan buddhism in preparation for his future role as the leader of buddhist thought. At the same time his own curiosity about the physical world developed from an early career as a serial dismantler of pocketwatches to today's role as an incisive disputant ready to cut, dice and expose the leading thinkers in modern science.

But how does the appointed leader of a spiritual movement cope with the ever-shrinking domain of spirituality as science grounds more and more of human existence into the empirical frames of physics, chemistry and mathematics? Does he, in fear of coming irrelevance, deny science and exhort us to turn away from it? or argue shrilly against scientific thought? Not at all - in this book the Dalai Lama explains how science and spirituality can learn from each other and help each other. He willingly accepts that old buddhist ideas about cosmology need to be turfed out in the light of modern scientific observation, at the same time delineating where science stops and ethics start.

He was not able to convince this scientist that the cornerstones of the origin of sentience, and the 'law' of karma are immune from the march of science, but in this book the Lama makes a good case that in principle science and spirituality are not conflicted, and shows many ways forward for those with the inclination to use science to promote goodness.

Though so well-written and polished that it's impossible these are the words of H.H. himself, I have no reason to suspect the spirit and intention behind the words isn't truly his own. This is a great read, and I think that the Dalai Lama had only the best of intentions in producing this work.

It starts out very endearingly, relating his early life and introduction to science through Heinrich Harrer and eventually many eminent scientists, after he fled Tibet in 1959. These encounters are presented in a very charming and humorous way and the Dalai Lama's humility shines as he makes every effort to take his background in Buddhist philosophy and somehow use it to grasp genetics, cosmology, quantum physics, neuroscience and more. If only every non-scientist took such an active interest!

The problem though, for me, is that this lack of real scientific training becomes evident as the Dalai Lama begins to present his own arguments. There are frequent calls for rational inquiry, comparison of disparate claims mediated by valid evidence, etc., but when it comes down to it he seems incapable of following these principles. As an example, the thorny issue of human cloning comes up, and H.H. mentions his own profound disgust when first becoming aware of the implications - and then goes on to recommend our 'innate sense of disgust' as valid criteria for deciding what's right and wrong, as these extremely complex issues begin to pile up around us. This might even be a good criteria in this particular situation - but then, there are a lot of people who think they feel an 'innate disgust' at Islam, or Christianity, and that doesn't prove it's 'wrong.' Possibly the most irritating for me was when he went on to claim that if we use genetic engineering to enhance people (which will undoubtedly be a costly process, at least at first), then we risk turning an 'inequality of circumstance (relative wealth) into an inequality of nature' (relatively superior genomes). Definitely a legitimate concern - but has it not occurred to him that the system of reincarnate lamas (tulkus) in Tibet is probably the closest extant example of exactly such a system? That he himself has lived 95% of his life in egregious wealth and privilege (relative to the average Tibetan, anyway) precisely because most Tibetans believe that he (and other 'tulkus' - there are hundreds, if not thousands of reincarnate lama lineages) somehow has an inherently superior nature or karmic conditions (what could be considered the Tibetan Buddhist version of genetics). A lot of the other arguments, regarding karma, reincarnation, etc., basically hover around the idea, 'Science hasn't proved them wrong yet, so we're going to continue believing them.' His 'support' for reincarnation comes in the form of relying on the testimony of a 4-year-old girl in India who claims to remember her past lives. "Such phenomena cannot be easily ignored" he says - and yet the Tibetan Buddhists 'easily ignore' the many other facets of Indian religion that don't accord with their views - things like the supremacy of Shiva (not Buddha!), or Vishnu incarnating in the world, and so on. In another book (Consciousness at the Crossroads), an open-minded neuroscientist actually suggests a very simple experiment that could prove or disprove reincarnation - "Let's see how much science/neuroscience the 15th Dalai Lama can remember from this life, where you've been exposed to so much scientific training!" No one seems eager to take him up on any experiment so clear and reasonable.

None of this is to say H.H. is a bad guy - actually I think he is making an incredible contribution to the world. That doesn't change the fact that when he argues here against science or presents his views on issues such as genetic engineering, he rarely avoids hypocrisy or ostrichism.

The major exception to this is the research he has greatly helped to facilitate in beginning the scientific study of meditation and long-term meditators - this is the one area of Buddhism I know of that is being vindicated by true empirical/rational inquiry (as he recommends), and this contribution alone is very meaningful.

Recommended, but don't expect science to 'converge' with Tibetan Buddhism and support the reincarnation of high lamas any time soon.

As the title implies, this book is about coexistence of science and spirituality in today's modern world. First, the author tells the brief story of his childhood experiences and his first experiences with science. Then he talks about the differences and similarities Buddhism and science have and how both can benefit from working conjointly.

I read this book over a weekend and found it very well-written and gripping. The Universe in a Single Atom contains a wealth of material, especially about metaphysical questions, such as inner conscience, duality of the mind and body, and formation of the universe.

I think that virtually anyone would find this book worth reading. However, I would specifically recommend this book to students in the science field and those interested in philosophy.

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Here is a small quote:
"It is one thing to use the study of neurobiology, psychology, and even Buddhist theory of mind to try to become happier, to change our minds through deliberate cultivation of positive states of mind. But when we begin manipulating genetic codes, both of ourselves and of the natural world in which we live, ho much is too much? This is a question that must be considered by scientists as well as the public at large."

Few religious leaders have proactively tried to bring science and theology together like the Dalai Lama. As open minded as he is eloquent, its clear that the Dalai Lama is both self assured and accepting of the limitations of human understanding. On this basis he explains why he has spent a lifetime trying to merge an understanding of science and its progress together with the teachings of Buddhism.

The universe in a Single Atom explains the origins of the Dalai Lama's interest in science dating back to his teachings and curiosities as a child. He presents many of the key areas of science detailing his deep understanding of each area (including how he came to understand each area), finally concluding on why he thinks scientific thought enhances Buddhism. He also reasons that Buddhism has something to offer to science, particularly in areas of consciousness and its complexities that is thus far beyond the reach of science.

The Dalai Lama has been an incredible student of science his entire life thus his explanations in all areas covered are well informed and thought provoking. It is refreshing to listen to a religious leader with such an open mind who lacks any of the certainty about the unknown that is generally so evident. We should all be so lucky to have such an honest and unbiased approach to the most important questions life.

His Holiness makes a grand case for using the millennia old traditions of Buddhism (particularly The Middle Way school of thought) and their deeply subjective and esoteric processes in conjunction with the western style of third person objective science to study mind/consciousness. The Dalai Lama makes some exquisite arguments that imply a greater strength of reasoning with the symbiosis of the two desperate modalities. This book clearly demonstrates that each ideology (western science, eastern introspection) has their own distinct merits but that both methods are required if the aim of reducing or eliminating human suffering is to be attained. His Holiness treats the reader to some snippets of Buddhist thought, and I must admit, it is far more complex and rational than I ever suspected. Four stars from me!

That the Dalai Lama has won the Templeton Foundation award for science and religion comes somewhat as a surprise to me. His interest in the scientific study of meditators is not a concern - he can readily accept the scientific investigation of brain activity during various meditations since that has no more impact upon Buddhist claims about the nature of the world than would the scientific investigation of brain activity of an astronomer making observations or calculations or theorizing would have on the validity of the astronomer's claims. However, as evidenced in this book the Dalia Lama is prepared to let his Buddhist beliefs trump science. His beliefs are obviously different than the beliefs of fundamentalist Christians, but he is as ready to set limits on what science can do. This should be a concern for anyone who thinks science should be unfettered.

Of course, scientists do new ideas and ideas can come from anywhere including Buddhism, but central to scientific inquiry is letting the empirical findings lead where they may. The Dalai Lama, however, apparently already knows what scientists can find. For example, the strong belief in a causal order in Buddhism leads him to be convinced that there must be "hidden variables" in quantum physics producing a determinism. In effect, he is saying that the Buddhist claims about the mind based on meditation function as "control beliefs" on quantum physics -- i.e., beliefs constraining scientific research and theorizing based exclusively on nonscientific considerations (here, religion and philosophy) that dictate the outcome in advance of research.

The Dalai Lama does not want "to unite science and spirituality" but instead considers them "two complementary investigative approaches," and he wants "to explore two important human disciplines for the purpose of developing a more holistic and integrated way of understanding the world around us" (pp. 4, 208-209). He starts the book apparently approaching science with openness and humility, giving science a free hand and asserting that Buddhism must conform to its findings: "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" (p. 3). However, he seems as ready as some Christian conservatives to have religious beliefs function as "control beliefs" guiding the course of science. He can readily abandon the Indic folk cosmology since it does not affect any central Buddhist doctrines, but he is not ready to give up anything that would cause a radical reformulation of Buddhism -- e.g., treating consciousness as a product of matter that expires with the death of the body. Instead, he is ready to assert that, firstly, the Buddhist philosophical analysis of the experienced phenomena of the everyday world rules out physicists finding any bits of permanence in the subatomic realm or any other type of permanent objects, although the Dalai Lama does admit that early Buddhist Abhidharmists in fact did have a theory of indivisible, partless atoms of matter (pp. 52-55).

Secondly, in cosmology the Dalai Lama denies that the Big Bang is the origin of the universe rather than merely the beginning of a new cycle within an infinite universe (pp. 82-84). He favors any scientific account with a recurring universe on religious and philosophical grounds, not from scientific data or any study of the scientific issues. In his view, the entire process of the unfolding of the universe is a matter of the natural law of strict causality (p. 90). He also accepts that past beings' karmic residues survive the Big Crunches and Big Bangs into each new cycle (or into other worlds within a multiverse if this world expires) and thus that karma is one of the strictly causal factors shaping the material universe (pp. 90-92).

Thirdly, in biology the Dalai Lama's belief that consciousness has existed since the beginning of time requires him to deny that Neo-Darwinian theory is even a potentially complete explanation of the history of life on earth. The human body may be the result of evolution (p. 97), but natural selection acting on the random mutation of genes to increase the genes' chances of survival or any other material explanation is not the way consciousness came to appear in the natural universe. The Dalai Lama realizes that any materialist explanation of evolution leaves no room for karma since all effects would be entirely accounted for by their physical constituents. He accepts that Neo-Darwinian theory gives a "fairly coherent account of the evolution of human life on earth," but he insists that karma must have a central role in understanding the origin of human sentience (pp. 111, 115). Moreover, there must be a "hidden causality" behind the apparent randomness of mutations that biologists currently accept that assures the appearance of conscious beings--that mutations are purely random is "unsatisfying" (pp. 104, 112). In addition, under traditional Buddhism, human beings devolved from celestial beings through a karmic process (pp. 107-108) -- it was truly "the descent of man" -- and not evolved from less complex life forms.
For similar reasons, the Dalai Lama's beliefs affect the theoretical part of neuroscience. His religious and philosophical beliefs require him to deny that materialism can adequately account for the origin or existence of life and consciousness. Metaphysical beliefs may affect the course of neuroscientific research -- e.g., for materialists, seeing the mind as an epiphenomenon of matter eliminates the mind as a cause or the possibility of the mind influencing the body. But the Dalai Lama rejects any theory that would reduce human beings in toto to nothing more than "biological machines" or the product of pure chance in natural events. Buddhists "cannot accept" the idea that consciousness arises from a material cause. In fact, consciousness causes matter: the world of sentient beings arises from the mind, and the diverse habitats of different types of beings also arise from mind (p. 109). Treating the mind as a cause may radically affect the basic research program in neuroscience. As things stand today, the doctrine of karma and other ways that mind may affect matter conflicts with the way neuroscience is practiced. Indeed, he thinks that "pure luminous consciousness" has no neural correlates at all (pp. 87-88) -- and thus he would reject any findings from a materialist-based neuroscience as really disproving rebirth. At a minimum, this Buddhist control belief restricts what he could accept about what neuroscience can in principle reveal.

It is true that the Dalai Lama is "not subject to the professional or ideological constraints of a radically materialistic worldview" (p. 93), but he fails to see that Buddhist religious beliefs can also act as control beliefs. His religious control beliefs certainly differ from those of contemporary conservative Christians who favor "intelligent design," but his position is just as much an instance of wanting beliefs that are held solely on grounds unrelated to scientific findings to constrain the outcome of science. This limits the Dalai Lama's stated aim of incorporating "key insights" from evolution, relativity, and quantum physics within a Buddhist worldview (pp. 3-4) -- the insights must be modified and restricted by religious considerations.

For more concerns, see my "Piercing the Veil: Science and Mysticism as Ways of Knowing Reality."

Gere, though not my favorite actor, does an excellent job of narrating and his presentation was lively and articulate enough without going over-board. Well done.

HHDL does what he does, again, and as good as every. He gets to the meat and bones of the issues humbily and simply. He expressed many of the same thoughts and feelings I have had (and which I have been unable to articulate) when I examine current issues in Physics, Biology and Neuroscience with the added bonus of the insight of a highly trained Buddhist mind.

There is no fluff, no fuzzy bunnies to be had. Real spirituality working with real science to discover a real ethic and morality for the future.

The title "Dalai Lama" is sometimes translated into English to mean something like, "ocean of wisdom." The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, proves--yet again--that he is deserving of this title. I was curious to see how a religious leader would handle the vast topic of science. While he humbly concedes that some of the complexities of scientific thought are beyond the scope of his knowledge, he delivers a book on science that is inspirational, possibly a literary first.

I think the Dalai Lama would be the first person to admit that this is not the definitive book on scientific thought. Nor does it make a strong case for religion. He admits that his purpose to this book is to illustrate the importance of embracing both science and spirituality as a path to a complete and profound life, rather than just simply accepting as "truth" either the extrapolations of scientific theory or the speculations of religious dogma. I have seen him quoted several times as saying that when science disproves religious beliefs we must accept it as fact, even if our religious tenets would have us believe otherwise. However, to lead a life in accordance with the laws of science only is a hollow life and the Dalai Lama proves this in his wonderful book.

This is the kind of book that should be read slowly to really digest the wisdom within its pages. At the conclusion of each chapter the reader really should stop and think, or perhaps--as a Buddhist might do--meditate upon what he or she just read and really think about what it all means before moving ahead.

It is interesting how this book struck a chord with me, like the other Dalai Lama books that I have read, considering that my background is so different from his. Although I grew up as a Catholic in this age of technology, I find that sometimes what I feel in my heart is contradictory to what I was/am told to believe either in religious scripture or science books. I love reading the Dalai Lama's books because I often feel that what he believes is what I believe, although I could never articulate my beliefs as intelligently as he does. In this book he presents his perspective on such topics as evolution, the "big bang" theory, and cloning. In regards to the latter he concludes that while this highly controversial subject may prove to have a huge impact on the future of the human race, he points out that it must be carried out in a way that is both ethical and beneficial to humanity. And that is precisely why this book is so imporatant at this time. The key to a better future for all of us, despite our differences, is through a union of the discoveries of science with the morality and compassion of spiritual practice. This book should be accepted as a guidebook to building a better future.

There are many wonders to be explored in the parallels between Buddhism and scientific inquiry into the nature of reality, life and consciousness. As you read this book, your thoughts ride a rocket of insight into the contentious and often disappointing debate between scientific theory and spirituality that seems to be paralyzing our society today. And yet the text never flaunts a particular conceit or takes on the aggressive, often brutal nature of the debate. While the parallels explored are startling and inspiring, most wonderful of all is the critical mind, engaging personality and boundless curiousity of the Dalai Lama himself, as these qualities radiate from the text.

Reflecting on his theme, the Dalai Lama illuminates at least a view if not a way through the contention and confusion. He writes: "There is more to human existence and to reality itself than current science can ever give us access to.... By the same token, spirituality must be tempered by the insights and discoveries of science. If as spiritual practitioners we ignore the discoveries of science, our practice is also impoverished, as this mind-set can lead to fundamentalism."

It is truly revealing that a man at the heart of a very traditional spiritual philosophy and practice can shed the burden of dogmatic thought for an open dialogue and the exciting and affirming human capacity to seek truth. Between science and spirituality, between the knowable and the unknowable, the critical thinking and spiritual insight of the Dalai Lama inspires the belief that open minds and open dialogue are not beyond either our scientific thought or our spiritual belief. This book is one of the most spiritual testaments while coincidentally being a highly accessible exploration of great scientific advances and current research. It is a book I will return to again and again.

The convergence of science with spirituality is the enlightened path for finding the truth behind human existence. Delai Lama points out some very important issues to scientists and gives the Buddhist perspective towards their answers which weaves spirituality, altruism , ethics and morality. He points out on some of the limitations of science in understanding the truth of our existence.

The main ideas discussed in this book are:

1) The beginning of the universe: The scientific hypothesis of the big bang can also be viewed as a metaphysical assumption. How can something happen by itself out of nothingness without any external spiritual intervention?

2) The Darwin theory of evolution: How can life be created by itself from non living matter without any external intervention? Delai Lama is some ways support the theory in part which has scientific reasoning, however, he does not support the assumption that our present existence is an effect of randomness (natural selection) and "survival of the fittest". This assumption gives support to the materialistic and selfishness nature of the world at present. He discusses altruism in nature which contradicts selfishness in natural selection.

3) The mind and its representation of consciousness: Is consciousness only a result of the physical electrochemical brain? Does consciousness die with the death of the body? These questions are common in areas of "Near death Experience" and "Out of Body experience", Remote Viewing, Extra sensory perception, and in cases of individuals recalling previous lives.

This book is recommended for scientists of all disciplines and for those minds that out of curiosity ponder the truth behind human existence. This book may also intrigue atheists who have given up on spirituality. Spirituality is the core of our being which constituents altruism, ethics, morality and consciousness. Although the politics of religion has caused wars and suffering, the spirit is still is a part of the human body. It should also not be assumed that animals do not have the spirit and consciousness. Animals also feel hunger and pain and have consciousness. No justification can be made by non-vegetarians about the killings of animals for meat when protein is abundantly available in vegetarian diets. This is just selfishness.

This book is a must read.

Rohitash Chandra
Author of " A Hot Pot of Roasted Poems"
Editor of The Blue Fog Journal

The Dalai Lama's genuine and insightful look at the parallels between the Buddhist faith and Science are quite refreshing. He does a good job demonstrating the limits of scientific observation, while also demonstrating a great appreciation for what Science has to offer Humankind. His comparison of the Buddhist concept of emptiness to the mysteries of quantum physics was fascinating. If you have not delved into the absurdly mysterious workings of quantum physics, I emphatically suggest you do so. I feel many scientists think that they can necessarily explain everything, while the Universe keeps suggesting otherwise.

This was my first exposure to Buddhism, and I found it much more reasonable and open-minded than mainstream Christianity. I am agnostic, but I have not felt that there was a God in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic sense (a tinkerer) since high school. While I am not planning on converting, I find Buddhism a much more palatable religious philosophy (but I digress). I sought this book as a different perspective from the all too often materialistic view point of Scientific Academia (I am a graduate student in biochemistry). In this sense the book was quite successful. I would have given 4 & 1/2 stars if that were an option.

The Dalai Lama's avowed purpose in writing THE UNIVERSE IN A SINGLE ATOM is to make a "heartfelt plea" for a collaboration between science and spirituality. Given the extreme challenges of the present time, many of which are a consequence of the advances in science and technology, he deems this collaboration necessary for human survival. The split between science and spirituality has resulted from the material-reductionist view that "all mental processes are necessarily physical processes." This is a metaphysical assumption, not a scientific fact. Just in case there is any confusion, a "metaphysical assumption" is not one associated with the occult; it is an assumption that cannot be proven but is assumed to be self-evidently true. For many people, "God exists" is a metaphysical assumption). The Dalai Lama's metaphysical assumption is that "at the most fundamental level, no absolute division can be made between mind and matter." So a world comes into being as a consequence of the interplay of consciousness and prana, the subtlest form of matter which is inseparable from consciousness. Matter and consciousness contribute to the origination of each other but neither is the substantial cause of the other.

The problem with the materialist assumption that life arose by chance is that "morality" degenerates into whatever behavior aids in one's survival. Social Darwinism is a self-fulfilling prophecy. From the spiritual viewpoint, morality is an inherent quality of consciousness. Of course, peoples' dogmatic insistence that their morality is the only one that is truly objective has caused, or at least been used to justify, as much evil as the conviction that morality is merely subjective). The Dalai Lama feels "we need a moral compass we can use collectively without getting bogged down in doctrinal differences. . . Some might object that this is unrealistic. But what other option do we have?" The Dalai Lama hopes that science, if it once gets over its materialist dogma, might develop a methodological study of consciousness that could unify the various spiritual doctrines. Science needs to undergo a paradigm shift, from its present third person study to a first person study of consciousness that allows access to the subjective dimension of experience. This seems a forlorn hope, but if a collaboration between science and spirituality cannot accomplish this, then it is almost certainly true that nothing can.

There is far greater diversity in Buddhist belief than I had been aware of, ranging from Buddhist "realists" who believe the world is composed of atoms with objective existence independent of the mind to "idealists" reject the objective existence of the world. Although Buddhism as it is actually practiced throughout the world strikes me as just as dogmatic and superstitious as other religions, the Buddha himself advised not to believe anything, even his own teaching, until "after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." This teaching permit's a great deal of diversity, though I suspect that all of these diverse schools are convinced that their's is the one that has captured the true essence of the Buddha.

According to the Dalai Lama, Buddhism is much like an empirical science, except that it studies subjective mental states, and that Buddhist epistemology deals with the analysis of true and false perceptions. One such false cognition, which certainly puts the Dalai Lama at odds with Western religions, is the belief in an autonomous self that exists permanently. "No phenomenon exists with an independent or intrinsic identity." When the Dalai Lama asked his quantum physicist friend, David Bohm, what is wrong with the belief in the independent existence of things, Bohm explained that the ideologies dividing humanity, racism, extreme nationalism or religion, and so on, "one of the key factors in their origin is the tendency to perceive things as inherently divided and disconnected," and hence "the misconception that these divisions are independent and self-existent." So this false cognition results in what the Dalai Lama calls "afflictive mental processes." Afflicted mental states cause a loss of self control, and a loss of freedom as we are caught in distorted mind-sets. It is interesting that Buddhism, that analyzes subjective mental states, and quantum physics, that studies subatomic physical events, reached the same conclusion.

Personal reflections:

Perhaps I misunderstand the notion of the autonomous self being a delusion, but it seems to conflict with the belief in reincarnation. If the soul reincarnates, then it presumably has permanent autonomous existence. I have read that the Dalai Lama, and even the Buddha, do not endorse reincarnation. On the other hand, the Dalai Lama cites examples which provide anecdotal evidence for reincarnation (and the overwhelming majority of Buddhists in the world certainly believe in reincarnation). If God exists, then He has permanent intrinsic existence. Though it is impossible for me to belief in an impregnably perfect God, (who strikes me as simply stagnant), He obviously enjoys "real" subjective existence for most people in the world, so one can argue that disbelief in Him is more than bias for an alternative metaphysical assumption . On the other hand, the discoveries of quantum physics does provide evidence for the view that everything that exists is in a state of flux. Nothing physical, not even electrons, photons, or superstrings (if they exist) exists immutably. The notion of evil as a consequence of afflicted mental states hindering free will is much more plausible than evil as a consequence of unfettered free will. Moreover, it is, at least potentially, correctable.

Typically, religious leaders have some doctrine that they insist is absolute truth, despite how silly, or even repulsive, it is to those of us who have not been suckled on it. The Dalai Lama makes an honest, analytical comparison of his own beliefs and those of science. "Unrealistic" is not the correct description of the Dalai Lama's goal of finding a moral compass independent of doctrinal differences. This goal, though wildly improbable, is the only realistic one. "Realists" always dismiss people who have the best grasp of reality as idealistic dreamers. We cannot afford Medicare, but we can afford to go to war against Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. Wars are justified because they are necessary for the nation`s defense and have nothing to do with Corporate greed. Since all people are only interested in getting the most they can for themselves, then the only sensible economic system is one which allows greed a free reign, and the "invisible hand" of free markets will magically make everything turn out the best for everybody. The world is in a horrible mess because of "realists`" wildly unrealistic assessment of their own worth. It is worth noting that both the Dalai Lama and David Bohm were exiled from their homelands by realists.

If the Dalai Lama's assumption that the existence of physical and mental processes are mutually dependent, then the current theory of evolution needs a complete overhaul, or a "paradigm shift." The majority of the scientific community, especially the most prominent ones, dismiss people who suggest this as too stupid to understand straightforward facts. When someone as widely respected as the Dalai Lama suggests this, they will be kind enough to dismiss him less bluntly, but the underlying assumption will be the same.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book as it related science to religion. It took 30 years and he spoke with hundreds of scientists, engineers, doctors, astronomers, and others in the science field then related what they had to say with his understanding of the subjects. We are learning today that metaphysics and science are coming closer than ever than ever before and in doing so support each other.

Amazing book! It would probably be best if you knew something about quantum mechanics and physics..also buddhism before you read this book. I didnt and it made this book hard work at times but I still enjoyed it and learned a whole heck of a lot!!

... to the blisfull "don't worry be happy attitude"... but explained in scientific and religious way. The meaning of life? be happy and make other people happy, how? have an open and positive mind and the universe will unfold and deliver opportunities.

This book is well worth the read. It illuminates one way of relating science and mysticism. But this qualification: while he suggests that he wants to conform his Buddhism to whatever science finds (p. 3), his Buddhist beliefs limit what he will accept. For instance, the Buddhist belief in causation dictates that he rejects randomness in evolutionary theory as "unsatisfying" (p. 112) and insists that there must be "hidden variables" at work in quantum mechanics preventing randomness(pp. 47-48) -- two keys to contemporary science.

Finally, a spiritual leader who isn't afraid of the facts. The Dalai Lama brings science and spirituality together with compassion and an open-mind. He wasn't afraid to say that he didn't know something, and he was concise in the areas that he knew very well. Namely Buddhism. He showed that there are a lot of similarities between modern science and ancient and contemporary mysticism. Plus he made a comment that I think needs to be understood by all people of faith everywhere, '...to defy the authority of emperical evidence is to disqualify oneself as someone worthy of critical engagement in a dialogue.'

Enjoyable. Draws some interesting parallels between Buddhist philosophy and the emerging theories of Quantum Physics. Mind bending in place. Essentially reading for anyone who wants is trying to understand how spirituality and science can peacefully coexist and ever overlap.

This book represents a platform for a true integration of religious and scientific thoughts. The Dalai Lama shows his true spiritual leadership in accepting science as a way to understand the true teachings of the Buddha. His openness to sciences brings forth the true capacity in Buddhism in dealing with all human affairs.

A reader can gain extraordinary insights into both modern sciences and Buddism in a balanced delivery of truth and pitfalls. A great book to read by all.

The Dalai Lama wrote a great book about the parallels of science and spirituality. He holds nothing back as he walks you through many scientific disciplines. Many theories are explained in great detail. The disciplines and theories are then discussed with the idea of spirituality and how they complement each other in many ways...now I will not reveal too much about this great book. But man, what a great read. ENjoy

The book assumes one has a basic knowledge of buddhism; if not, you can plod along and figure out the concepts as you go. It is read by Richard Gear, and he does a nice job of it. If you like the DL's writing, you will want to read this. I am glad I bought it and downloaded it to my ipod to listen to on the plane flight from NYC to Melbourne, AU. The audio version is a good companion to the text.

This is a fascinating review of modern physics in its own right. More importantly, the dalai lama connects these findings with Buddhist philosophy, which enables at least some understanding of these enigmatic, etherial concepts. Feynman said that no one really understands quantum physics, but the dalai lama gives it a good spin!

This is a compelling discussion of Buddhism and Science by the Dalai Lama, with some cogent insights on quantum mechanics, cosmology, and evolution. Although under suspicion of being a PR front for stealth Lamaism and its hidden agendas, making it problematical whether he says what he means, or means what he says, the Dalai Lama presents an engaging appreciation of modern science, and his encounters with figures like David Bohm, and Karl Popper.

But Buddhism has always been far more intelligent in its discourses than the monotheistic religions, and its reserve toward metaphysical speculation strongly resembles and anticipates closely the thinking of Kant. But it's been said philosophy destroyed Buddhism, although the charge is unfair to the great legacy of Buddhist thought, as philosophy without apology, but it can be a distraction from its exploration of consciousness. And yet the tendency to find a connection between doctrines of the Void and modern physics wishes to collate entirely different discourses of reason. Perhaps there is something to it, but the notion of the Void is as much the gateway to a shadowy realm where all is not well in the great decline and sprawl of the Sangha. It is in any case quite pointless to fully judge Buddhism on the basis of what it says, when what it does can be done without words, or philosophies. A good example is the great dialectic over `anatta' and `atman' and the attempts by some to see this as a kind of Humean anticipation, or a means to collate the reductionist view of self in science with the teachings of Gautama. In fact, beyond the words, the Kantian antinomy on self stands out here in a classic instance, and the deeper unity of Upanishadism and Buddhism is closer to the truth.

The Dalai Lama worries in the introduction about science being the `killer' of religion. That's mostly a fantasy in the minds of scientists themselves. But the current popularity of Buddhism should not blind us to the misleading character of populist dharma, and this is the generation that has exposed the dark side of the force, occult crime, voodoo fascism, and the hidden assault on modernity and freedom. Buddhism has been its own worst enemy. Minds trained in reductionist science betray a psychology totally impoverished, that leaves its adherents sitting ducks in the guru wars, and theosophical shenanigans, of the current Old Age movement masquerading as a New Age movement. If science wishes to inaugurate the real `new age', it needs to do better than it is doing currently.

The science gang just doesn't get it. Thus, despite this more than ample appreciation here of science, it is still short of bowing and scraping, and already the groupie science gang is after the Lama, as M. Shermer of the Skeptics, licks his chops over one quote, "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," he writes. It won't work. Shall Buddhists abandon insights into reincarnation, however confused and too often decayed, because monistic reductionists play pope on the issue? No, they won't.

Next we have George Johnson from the Times, "Though he professes to accept evolutionary theory, he recoils at one of its most basic tenets: that the mutations that provide the raw material for natural selection occur at random. Look deeply enough, he suggests, and the randomness will turn out to be complexity in disguise - "hidden causality," the Buddha's smile. There you have it, Eastern religion's version of intelligent design. He also opposes physical explanations for consciousness, invoking instead the existence of some kind of irreducible mind stuff, an idea rejected long ago by mainstream science."

In fact, as noted in the book, the Dalai Lama describes befriending Francisco Varela, at the fount of Postdarwinian complexity theory, as he moves to found an institute in India for dialogue on issues of religion and science. It seems the Dalai Lama is better informed than the brainwashed victims of current Darwin propaganda. Mr. Johnson, associated with S. Kauffman's At Home in the Universe, if not the ghostwriter, must have done more than play human spellchecker, and surely be aware of precisely the type of criticism the Dalai Lama quite justifiably brings from the scientific critics of Darwinism. So, after his handshaking with science, he finds Darwinian natural selection to be lacking as Science. Scientists, it seems, will be the last to know, a severe failing in those proclaiming themselves the arbiters of all knowledge.

Although theories of consciousness, let alone its evolution, produced by New Age thinkers tend to excess, inviting the scorn of those committed to hard science, the fact remains that the current scientific obsession with the most reductionist version of brain-mind issues is an equal and opposite extreme, the eternal Cartesian muddle of the human mind. Science has not liberated us from our subjection to that enigma. And it is remarkable also that despite the depth of its psychological explorations, the legacy of enlightened Buddhas has shown no decided insight into the nature of evolution, even as the New Age versions of spiritual evolution confuse the usage of the term. The reason is perhaps visible in the data of the Axial Age, where Buddhism and monotheism, and indeed science, emerge in parallel. That should tell us there is a something deeper than the forms of religion, about which we should hope to enquire in some new science of the future.