Only Buddhism Can Answer All the Questions of the Universe | Mind Podcast (Buddhism)

Only Buddhism can answer all the questions of the universe? Buddhism and science are two concepts that may seem unrelated or even contradictory. However, in reality, they share a close, undeniable relationship. The deeper I delve into Buddhism, the more I realize how small and insignificant I am, to the point where I see myself as nothing but emptiness. As modern science continues to advance, we now have the tools to reach beyond the edges of the This is also when humanity realizes that we are much smaller than we ever imagined. At that moment, we also realize that only Buddhism can provide answers to all the questions of the universe. I believe that, in the future, the teachings of the Buddha will be the ultimate destination for all scientific research. More than 2,000 years ago, while Western philosophy was heavily influenced by gods and deities, in the East, specifically in India, a brilliant civilization was flourishing. To this day, archaeologists and scientists have yet to fully uncover the depths and breadth of this civilization's knowledge, particularly its insights into the universe and the world, which remain astonishingly accurate. In the Buddhist scriptures, a religion considered atheistic, we find answers. Indeed, Buddhism emerged around the 6th century BCE in a society marked by extreme social division in India, where Brahmanism reigned supreme. Shakyamuni Buddha and his disciples, within just a few hundred years, developed an entirely new system of thought. They left behind a vast collection of scriptures, filled with immense knowledge, from which countless insights into the world and the universe can be drawn, knowledge that still holds great value today. When we think of religion, we often cannot avoid being influenced by images of gods or supernatural forces, things that seem distant or even superstitious. Setting aside religious debates for now, when we examine and consult Buddhist scriptures, we can derive many valuable perspectives on the world and humanity, as well as scientific methods of analysis that have been used. Although the scriptures primarily focus on teaching methods for escaping suffering, we can still find plenty of Buddhist arguments and perspectives regarding the physical nature of the world and the universe. One of the oldest and most difficult questions in both physics and philosophy is, how did the universe come to be, and how does it evolve? To this day, there are numerous answers steeped in divine power and theories based on belief in a creator, claiming that an omnipotent force created the universe. Yet Buddhism, a religion over 2,500 years old, breaks away from rigid doctrines and establishes an entirely atheistic system of thought regarding the nature of existence. According to Buddhist scriptures, all things, whether living beings or material objects, are subject to impersonal laws and influences that act impartially upon them. Humans have made new scientific discoveries, and when these new discoveries cannot be explained by existing scientific theories, new hypotheses are proposed to address the issues uncovered. Some scientific hypotheses, once widely accepted, must meet three conditions. 1. Consistency. The theoretical system must be self-explanatory and free of contradictions. 2. Accuracy. It must be able to accurately describe known findings, meaning the hypothesis can be refined and aligned with scientific experiments. 3. Predictive Power. From this hypothesis, certain inferences and predictions can be drawn, and these predictions can be verified by future experiences and observations. As more inferences and predictions are made, these hypotheses are increasingly accepted by the scientific community, and such hypotheses are then called scientific theories. If the theory explains and guides a wide range of impactful phenomena, it is considered a grand scientific theory. For example, Newtonian mechanics and Einstein's theory of relativity. Newtonian mechanics applies to all macroscopic objects, and follows its laws as long as we are not approaching the speed of light. The theory of relativity can describe the low-speed motion of all macroscopic objects, as well as the laws governing motion when approaching the speed of light. When these two theories were proposed, they provided explanations for problems that had previously been unsolvable. Older scientific theories could no longer address these issues, and predictions made based on these theories were later confirmed by numerous scientific observations. The theory of relativity is a generalization of Newtonian mechanics, and Newtonian mechanics is a special case of relativity at low speeds. Since the scope of these two theories is vast, Newton and Einstein are recognized as some of the greatest scientists in history, and their theories are considered grand scientific theories. Launching satellites into space, running submarines underwater, competing in sports, and observing astronomy all must adhere to the constraints of the laws described by these two theories. Similarly, Buddhism also contains the essential characteristics of a scientific theory. First, Buddhist theory is self-consistent and harmonious. The Four Noble Truths summarize the many phenomena of suffering in human life, identify the causes of suffering, and provide a theoretical basis along with practical methods to transform the body and mind. Second, after the Buddha attained enlightenment, he laid down the basic principles of the universe and human existence. There are many social and human phenomena, and more importantly, many people listen to the Buddha's teachings for their practice. Many have experienced different realms as described in Buddhist teachings. Therefore, Buddhism has gained widespread support and has had a profound influence. If I were to emphasize the experiential nature of Buddhism, I would say that those who follow the Buddha's guidance and practice according to the precepts can, to varying degrees, affirm and verify that the Buddha's words are true. Buddhism is not merely a theoretical philosophy, but a practical, experiential science with great applicability, although it also encompasses profound philosophical ideas. Practicing Buddhism according to its teachings is what we call studying Buddhism. Thirdly, certain natural phenomena described in Buddhism are direct observations made by those with corresponding spiritual abilities. However, for ordinary people, these observations can only be explored through the lens of modern natural science. These are the scientific predictions made by great minds. The Buddha said, over 2,500 years ago, that there are 84,000 microbes in a bowl of water, and that there are 3,000 great thousand worlds in the structure of the universe. Today, microbiologists and cosmologists have confirmed that these statements are scientifically grounded. Some people now, due to their lack of understanding of Buddhism, accuse it of being superstitious and unscientific. In reality, some of these individuals do not fully understand science either. They hold a superstitious attitude toward science and lack the genuine spirit of scientific inquiry. The six realms of samsara and the law of karma in Buddhism are often criticized as being superstitious. These critics argue that if someone commits evil, yet no bad karma seems to manifest, or if someone does good deeds but does not receive positive karma, then karma must be false. However, these people fail to understand that karma only ripens when the conditions are right, and only then does one experience the effects of their past actions. Secondly, why can no one see the karmic cycle of rebirth? The truth is that since Buddhism emerged over 2,500 years ago, its history and scriptures have been recorded by many practitioners who have attained spiritual abilities and can see the workings of karma and reincarnation. In our daily lives, there are many invisible things that the naked eye cannot perceive. Just because we cannot see them does not mean they do not exist. Our eyes cannot detect infrared or ultraviolet rays. We cannot hear ultrasonic or supersonic waves. Our eyes cannot see bacteria or microscopic particles like atoms. We cannot see or hear many signals that are constantly around us, such as radio waves, television signals, and mobile phone signals, along with many other things that science has yet to discover, but that still exist in the vast universe. We can see sunlight, but we may not realize that this light has both wave and particle properties. Nonetheless, we deeply believe in these scientific truths without doubt because modern natural science has been widely accepted and proven. The spirit of scientific inquiry lies in the fact that science does not dismiss something simply because it has not been proven, nor does it disregard verification. Just because you have not observed or tested something, does not mean it does not exist or that it should be considered superstitious. If we wish to understand the scientific laws and phenomena that our senses cannot detect, we must earnestly study and research under the guidance of knowledgeable experts in the field of science. From elementary school to the completion of a Ph.D., you gradually learn about scientific theories, conduct and observe many scientific experiments, and simultaneously use scientific research tools to gain a clearer understanding of various scientific phenomena. If a person has never studied scientific research, or does not understand natural phenomena and the laws governing them, yet goes on to criticize and accuse such scientific phenomena and laws of being superstitious, this would indeed be quite laughable. Similarly, the truths introduced by Buddhism should not be criticized as superstition simply because you have not studied the Dharma or experienced spiritual practice. Buddhism is about true faith, not blind faith, and it is the belief of wise individuals. Historical figures from India and China, across many generations, have demonstrated this. Science is the application of human intelligence, and Buddhism helps people eliminate delusion in order to fully manifest the wisdom of sentient beings. Therefore, there is no conflict between science and Buddhism, not even in the slightest. The scientific nature of Buddhism, and a proper understanding of Buddhism, start here. There are many Buddhist scriptures whose arguments align astonishingly well with modern science. On a grand scale, they talk about the formation of the universe, the structure of the solar system, and the Milky Way galaxy. On a smaller scale, they describe the life of parasites and microorganisms. Even advanced scientific theories, such as relativity and quantum mechanics, confirm the truth of Buddhism. Here are some examples that demonstrate how the Buddha accurately described the state of our universe in the Yajna Sutta, Genesis Sutta. The small thousand world system is described as being like a woven net or a round tray with a spiral shape inside. This is precisely the shape of the Milky Way galaxy. Additionally, it points out that the Milky Way contains many stars, some of which are inhabited by beings. The three-dimensional space corresponds to the three-thousand great-thousand world system, which is the entire starry sky of the universe that we observe today. In this system of three-thousand great-thousand worlds, there are countless worlds, what we now call the universe, that humans have observed. So far, scientific observations have not surpassed what the Buddhist scriptures refer to as the three-thousand great-thousand worlds. The Yajna also mentions that in our small thousand world system, that is, the Milky Way, there are four large continents, Jambudvipa, Purvavideha, Aparajnaya, and Uttarakuru. Our Earth belongs to one of these large continents, Jambudvipa. The other three large continents may refer to alien worlds or planets with other forms of life within the Milky Way. The Buddha described them in detail, including their facial features, lifespan, and living conditions. Beyond the four large continents, there are also eighty-thousand smaller continents, planets that have not yet evolved to the level of higher planets. According to the Sharanama Sutra, one of the Buddha's disciples, Aniruddha, who was blind, attained the state of arhat. After opening his divine eye, he was able to see Jambudvipa, the Earth, as if it were an amla fruit in the palm of his hand, a type of oval-shaped fruit found in India. If one had not truly practiced and attained enlightenment, how could it have been known over 2,500 years ago that the Earth was round? The Abhidharmakosha describes the circle of Earth based on the circle of water. The circle of water is based on the circle of wind, and the circle of wind is on the circle of space. This shows that the Earth is round, with most of its surface covered by water. Beyond the water is the atmosphere, and beyond the atmosphere is space. It also precisely explains the causes of the moon's waxing and waning phases. In the Aganya Sutta, the Buddha accurately pointed out the reason for the moon's phases, when it is full, waxing, or waning. Specifically, on the 30th day of the lunar calendar, the moon is darkest and closest to the sun, covered by sunlight, which is why it does not appear. Additionally, Shakyamuni Buddha once pointed to a cup of water and said, in this cup of water there are 84,000 living beings. The number 84,000 is symbolic, meaning a very large number. Without the use of a microscope, the Buddha was able to observe the countless living organisms in water. For this reason, he instructed his disciples to filter water before drinking it, in order to minimize harm to these microorganisms. Shakyamuni Buddha also once said that the human body is full of microorganisms, and even identified their locations and how they function. Today, thanks to scientific advancements, we have discovered various parasites in the human body, including over 10 types of worms, such as roundworms, pinworms, hookworms, filarial worms, tapeworms, lung flukes, and liver flukes. Some may ask, more than 2,500 years ago, without any modern scientific tools, how could one have such deep knowledge about the macrocosm, like the universe, and the microcosm, such as parasites? In fact, all of this understanding is within the mind's awareness. Through deep meditation and enlightenment, one can come to know everything about the universe. We have every reason to believe that from now until 5 billion years of scientific research, our understanding of the nature of the universe will still not compare to the knowledge of the Buddha. The Sarangama Sutra states that all causes and effects in the universe arise from the mind. Another significant and long-standing question in the field of physics is about the composition of matter. It wasn't until the late 20th century that people finally had a clearer answer, based on Einstein's equation E equals mc scored. The philosophical implication of this equation is the affirmation that matter is simply a form of concentrated energy. In Buddhist teachings, matter is initially categorized into four elements. 1. Earth, representing solid matter. 2. Water, representing liquid matter. 3. Wind, representing gaseous matter. 4. Fire, representing pure transformative energy. These forms of matter are not eternal and can be transformed according to the law of impermanence. According to the Buddhist concept of non-duality, these forms are essentially empty, sunyata, and this emptiness is universal to all things. In Buddhist meditation, this means that all things have Buddha nature, meaning that everything inherently contains the nature of truth. To help you better understand, we can compare this explanation with modern physics, which suggests that all matter, regardless of form, can be described as energy. Even more noteworthy is the description of the state of the universe in the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra, which states, Form is emptiness and emptiness is form. Emptiness is not different from form. Form is not different from emptiness. This means that all phenomena are essentially empty. They do not come into being, do not cease, are neither pure nor impure, neither increase nor decrease. So what do you think about this idea, if we relate it to the law of conservation of energy in the universe that physicists have been advocating? Thousands of years ago, Buddhism introduced the concept related to denying the existence of human perceptions of matter, known as emptiness, sunyata. According to this notion, all perceptions of matter are inaccurate. For example, consider the two most important concepts, form and appearance. Form refers to the physical attributes or colors of matter that we perceive, while appearance refers to the shape of matter. Why then would Buddhism deny these two attributes? Today, we know that color is simply a perception of the eyes responding to various wavelengths of light, and it is largely a psychological attribute. For instance, two different species can perceive color differently depending on their biological makeup and experiences. Similarly, the spatial structure of matter is composed of countless fundamental particles. Depending on an individual's perception abilities, how one sees and understands that matter will also differ. If we observe a strand of hair under an electron microscope, our perception of its shape would be entirely different. It might appear far less pleasant than our initial observation. Thus, we cannot rely on the attributes of form and appearance to claim the absolute truth of matter as we perceive it. The same principle applies to sound, sensation, and cognition. Furthermore, in Buddhism, the denial of everything is meant to educate and teach that all perceptions, interpretations, opinions, understanding, or actions are derived from one's own mind. These arise from one's instincts, experiences, and the environmental conditions that influence them. The Buddha referred to this as all phenomena are created by the mind. With this in mind, I hope you now have a deeper understanding of the essence of Buddhism. Always keep an open mind and a beautiful spirit as you follow our future videos. See you in the next one.