Science and Shakyamuni
Today I was able to speak on White Way KZOO AM Radio 1210.
This is what I spoke on...
To begin I'm a psychologist who happens to be a Buddhist. I'm not a Buddhist scholar, so I'm looking at Buddhism with a scientific eye. On the other hand, as I practiced clinical psychology, I realized that Buddhism and modern science share some basic beliefs. For every basic Buddhist principle, there's a parallel modern scientific principle.
Scientific & Buddhist Thought
1. Cognitive Behavioral Modification
Currently the only therapy that is data based and successful. What you think affects your thoughts, feelings and actions.
a. Thoughts, Feelings and Actions are interactive. Change one and the other two change. Psychologists help clients change thinking leading to changing behavior and feelings.
b. The 8-fold Path: Pure Thoughts lead to pure actions: right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.
2. 4 Noble Truths
a. Look at things the way they really are: importance of truth
b. There is cause and effect: the underlying principle of understanding life, and finding solutions.
3. The Kalama Sutra: Rev. Kevin Kuniyuki of BSC;
Sutras=records of Socratic teachings of B.
a. The importance of truth and knowledge; rule out lies, bias, fanaticism, inconsistency.
b. Academic freedom
c. The U.S. Constitution
d. Scientific Method--dedicated to ruling out sources of bias. Proves b was caused by a.
4. Cause and Effect
a. Everything you do or don't do has a consequence. (Every action has a reaction)
b. If you like the consequence or if you don't
c. If you understand what causes something you have the power to predict the future.
d. Automatically confers responsibility on the individual.
5. The Shakyamuni's original journey for the answers to the problems of poverty, disease, old age, death, change and living w/other people was really similar to modern scientific inquiry. He was using modern scientific methodology to look at things the way they were; as he found answers to poverty, disease, old age, death and living w/other people.
a. Objective data collection: (leaving his palatial home to see what life was really like)
b. Data analysis: saw poverty, disease, old age, death, people interacting, and change
c. Hypothesis building: how to solve for the above given everything always changes
d. Hypothesis testing: (trying different solutions: starvation, etc.)
e. Conclusion: (meditating under the bodhi tree)
f. Replication: (roaming India and teaching and testing his theory)
6. Summary: Appositive methods of Buddhism and Science.
a. When you decide things based on scientific method you're using Buddhist principles and vice versa.
b. When you decide things based on Buddhist ideas, you're probably using scientific methods.
c. Use Buddhist and Scientific principles of looking at the truth and predicting the future by understanding cause and effect as you make your life decisions.
