Donald S. Lopez, Jr., Buddhism and Science. A Guide for the Perplexed

Abstract

On the stage of the religion-and-science dialogue, Bud- dhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism, is a late arrival. However, thanks primarily to the long-standing personal interest of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan tradition he represents has come to engage deeply with various disciplines of modern science. This essay follows the active engagement that has occurred particularly in the form of the bian- nual Mind and Life dialogues between the Dalai Lama and scientists. From the perspective of an active participant, I present the careful deliberations that ensure constructive parameters for these dialogues so that no one side can exert a hegemonic voice. I explore the chal- lenges that are likely to confront the Buddhist side from its encoun- ter with science, particularly with respect to its worldview. I identify specific areas where the two sides can and do engage in concrete col- laboration, especially with respect to investigating healthy qualities of the mind and the effects of conscious mental training for attention and emotion regulation. Finally, I explore the question of the pos- sible impact of this dialogue on modern science.