Vesak Reflections

| by Carlo Fonseka

( May 29, 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) To say that the Buddhist attitude of mind is indistinguishable from the modern scientific outlook is to provoke a question: "Pray, what is this so-called scientific outlook?" The aim of this article is to provide an answer to that question.

Existential Problem

Let us start from the fact that we find ourselves in the world not knowing from where we came nor why. After we were born our brain continued to work to keep us alive and kicking in this worrisome world, outside mother’s cosy womb. Surviving on earth as comfortably as we can is what daily life boils down to. Because life is mostly an endless struggle for most of us and — in an ultimate sense –an existential problem to all of us, escaping from suffering becomes in practice our major concern in life. The Buddhist attitude to life is one approach to overcome this suffering, call it dukkha if you will. So is the scientific approach to life, when based consciously on the scientific outlook.

Suffering, dukkha

To the question what is suffering, Buddhism provides a very comprehensive answer taking into consideration the physical, mental, social and ethical aspects of the human condition on earth. As Bihikkhu Bodhi has commented, what distinguishes the Buddha’s approach to the human condition is its "directness, thoroughness and uncompromising realism." In Buddha’s analysis, birth, old age, sickness, death, association with unpleasant persons and conditions, separation from beloved ones and pleasant conditions, not getting what one desires, grief, lamentation and distress are all intrinsic to the human condition. Escape from this load of suffering is the Buddhist quest. It is the thesis of this article that this quest is compatible with and in practice indisti guishable from the modern scientific outlook and approach to life.

Scientific methodology

There are some who contend that there is not, and there cannot be a single approach called "the scientific method" based on the scientific outlook which can deal satisfactorily with all aspects of the human condition referred to above. This is manifestly true as far as it goes. For example, what meaningful thing can science do to deal with the suffering that is associated with separation from beloved ones, or the suffering associated with inevitable death even when it comes at the end of a long life purposefully lived? I believe that it can be demonstrated that the Buddhist approach and the modern scientific approach are both based, finally, on careful observation, logical reasoning and empirical verification. In proportion to the degree that the approach to the problem of suffering deviates from the ideal specifications of careful observation, logical reasoning and rigorous empirical verification, the reliability of the approach as a guide to practical living will be compromised.

Science & Buddhism

In this view, science embodies judgments about the human condition based on perception and justified by verifiable experience i.e. controlled empirical testing. This is the approach which leads to the universally valid realization: "When this is, that is / This arising, that arises/ When this is not, that is not/ This ceasing, that ceases." This is the essence of the doctrine of paticca-samuppada as I understand it.

Conclusion

In the end, each one of us must verify things for oneself. In my understanding the Compassionate Buddha sanctioned such an approach when he told the Kalamas: "…when you know for yourselves that these things are wholesome, blameless and are praised by the wise and when practised leads to welfare and happiness, then you should engage in them…" This is the Buddhist attitude and the modern scientific outlook as I have understood them and practised them to a greater or lesser degree during my 80 years on earth.