Buddha Vs. Einstein
(A comparison of Eastern philosophy and Western science)
Some pundits are of the view that earth (third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbour life) has been divided by the Creator (or natural forces) in a way that it seem to be like two hemispheres of human brain.
Asia is similar to or looks like “Right Hemisphere” and Europe and Mediterranean resemble the “Left Hemisphere”
As the the left side is generally responsible for logic and language, the search for truth in West turned outward and led to a process of deconstructing and analyzing the (material or visible) world, mostly relying on the power of so-called reason. logic, date etc. On the other hand, in Asia, which is like the the right side/hemisphere of the brain (responsible for creativity or imagination), the sages and philosophers turned their attention inward seeking truth using the power of imagination, creativity, and intuition etc.
Moreover, it is also suggested by the neurologists, that the left and right sides of the brain connect via nerve fibres and in a healthy brain, the two sides communicate with one another.
And amazingly, like brain, the two side/hemispheres of the earth, in modern times, have also been connected by modern communication and travel systems. Einstein also kept journeying not only to European capitals but also to the Orient, to the Middle East, and to South America. Moreover, growth in emigration from and travel to the East, created a hunger for religious belief or faith that could be compatible with emerging scientific ideas (although it can be said that science itself is a faith as there is no way to venture into the unknown without a guiding light, and that light comes from a source that is not completely known. This is where science meets faith) in the age of post-Darwinism and rampant materialism. A task over which the old faiths, especially with numerous deities (as in Hinduism), seemed to be incomprehensible and thus unhelpful in the quest for spirituality. During this period Protestants too (in addition to Romantics like Wordsworht, Colridge, William Blake etc. who saw science as a destructive force spoiling and desecrating nature) were confronting a “crisis of faith” due to the rise of modern science which had become another dogma replacing religious dogma. Buddhism, however, being a religion without God or Divine revelation, was viewed — and constructed — by many Western thinkers as an alluring and exotic spiritual tradition or philosophy that could reunite the estranged worlds of matter and spirit.
However, in spite of left (brain) side’s ability to use logic and handle mathematical equations, the right brain plays a fundamental role in understanding context and non-literal language, such as metaphors and irony.
In this context, it will be interesting to compare Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) and Einstein (Albert) with regard to their level of knowledge and understanding of universal laws using two fundamentally different ways/approaches to seek/discover the truth as mentioned above.
The main difference between Einstein and Buddha is said to be that while former believed in modern scientific approach and was keen in finding answers to different problems by observing the phenomenon of outside (physical or material) world, Buddha used his own powers of imagination (as well as observation) within his mind (introspection), intellect and reasoning, grounded in reality, to guide humanity to truth and/or enlightenment. Moreover, even though Buddha didn’t preach about any God, but he also seems to be rejecting the materialism of atheists
It may also be mentioned that even though Buddha, born as prince (c. 6th–4th century bce), and later became a wandering ascetic, came into this world 24 centuries before the Einstein (March 14, 1879-April 18, 1955 (age 76 years), his views are believed to be very similar to those of Einstein. And this similarity seemed to have the potential to pave way for the unity of world by reducing conflicts and mistrust between the two main poles of the world.
Following are the two statements that very evidently show the similarity of their views:
Einstein
A human being is part of the whole, called by us ‘Universe’; a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely but striving for such achievement is, in itself, a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.”
Physical concepts are free creations of the human mind, and are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external world.”
Buddha
2500 years back, Buddha is also believed to have expressed almost the same view in different words:
“All such notions as causation, succession, atoms, primary elements…are all figments of the imagination and manifestations of the mind.”
What both are trying to convey is that reality is usually the construct of mind and thus we mostly create our own understanding of reality. Moreover, an important question is:
Is there a world out there when nobody is looking?
In short, reality is more often than not subjective rather than objective. Thus every living creature has its own subjective perception of reality. For more clear explanation, one can read “Gulliver’ s Travels” by Jonathan Swift. He first meets Lilliputians who are tiny creature and in awe of him because he looks to them a giant. Then he visits land of giants called Brobdingnag where inhabitants treat him as a little more than an animal, keeping him for amusement. He even dislikes the ladies who let him play on their naked bodies. But he is not attracted to them as their enormous skin pores and the sound of torrential urination displeases him. Thus even human beings do not perceive reality the same way as understanding and interpretation play a big role in how we interpret information from our senses.
Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207–73), known as the greatest Sufi mystic and poet in the Persian language (and popular in East as well as in West) also said that the entire universe is within you. As some philosophers point out, The ‘universe’ within us isn’t just a poetic metaphor but a pointer toward endless potential. In other words, there is no outer experience. Think about it. All the input that comes through your senses is internal experiences. And even if there is a reality outside, and hence outside of your inner experience, you cannot possibly be aware of it, so why would you bother about something that is impossible to know anything about?
Similarly, Albert Einstein posited that “everything is energy and it cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.” This view also aligns with the most ancient of spiritual and philosophical teachings, including those of Buddha.
And according to Buddha, the tiniest units of energy are called Kalapas (the smallest units of physical matter, said to be about 1/46,656th the size of a particle of dust from a wheel of chariot), and that the count of Kalapas is a spirit moment, a spirit millisecond. Modern Buddhists, reportedly define them as ‘subatomic particles’. However, others are of the view that its closest modern equivalent would be, not atoms or sub-atomic particles, but molecules. He further said that there are one trillion Kalapas that are born and die every second, every blink of an eye, in sequence, one trillion of them.
Centuries later, the nearly same views were expressed by some Nobel prize winners in “scientific jargon” as they measured traces of the smallest unit of energy, and it’s duration — it’s lifespan. And these scientists, it is believed, came out almost exactly to what Buddha said it was, that he had counted in his head. However, some also believe that Kalapas are not mentioned in the earliest Buddhists texts, such as the Tripitaka, but only in the Abhidhammattha-sangaha, an Abhidhamma commentary dated to the 11th or 12th century.
Going further, some sages are even of the view that if we want to explain creation according to scientific theories then we have to believe God as universal energy. In simple words, God is the Electromagnetic pulse of energy that gives life and lives within all. In Taoism, it is called Qi (in Hindu philosophy, it is prana, in Japanese it is ki) And this Qi is undetectable, and its existence is subjective, only comprehensible through sensational feeling and personal verification. This concept is also used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, philosophy, and martial arts to describe the vital life force or energy that flows through all living things. However, science is unable to explain it within the confines of the scientific realm.
Regardless, like Eastern sages Einstein also believed that we can’t know or understand the reality by (merely) using so called logic or rational mind. Following are his words retrieved from the internet:
“I didn’t arrive at my understanding of the fundamental laws of the universe through my rational mind.”
“Concerning matter, we’ve been all wrong. What we have called matter is energy, whose vibration has been so lowered as to be perceptible to the senses. Matter is spirit reduced to a point of visibility. There is no matter.”
In the same vein, as some pundits claim, Buddha and Einstein also agreed that “SELF” is also an illusion.
For Buddha, Self is an irrational concept as it is just an emotional feeling. Thus consciousness is also an illusion and the feeling of ‘Self” is only an activity of brain. People live unconsciously in dream like state or in virtual reality believing their existence. More simply as human have subjective experiences they see the conditioned phenomena that are unreal, that is, the way in which we perceive the world is from the conventional perspective (samvrti), and therefore unreal from the ultimate truth (paramartha). The latter points to the underlying or fundamental aspect of reality which is the unconditioned, the absolute that has names like Nirvana, dharmakaya, sunyata, tathagatha-garbha, and so on. Strictly speaking, the ultimate reality can neither be said to be real nor unreal, because it is beyond worldly dichotomies and even vocabulary or description.
And Einstein also seems to agree with him as he too says that consciousness or awareness is a sort of delusion as human mind can’t comprehend all the mysteries of the universe. Moreover, he said something similar in a letter to family members of his late friend, Michele Besso: “For us believing physicists, the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”
Same were the views of classical Greek philosopher Socrates (470 bc-399 bc) who famously said:
“all I know is that I know nothing.”
And it was not only Einstein, but most of the founders of Quantum Physics, were also inspired by the Eastern concepts of non-duality, mysticism and spirituality, including Werner Heisenberg (a German theoretical physicist of 20th century), who reportedly remarked as follows:
“After the conversations about Indian philosophy, some of the ideas of quantum physics that had seemed so crazy suddenly made much more sense.”
He said this because, according to some physicists, Quantum physics, like Vedic philosophy, suggests a holistic universe, that includes the psyche, or consciousness, as part of a unified vision.
It is also propounded that Laws of Thermodynamics be understood in the context of karma. The only difference is said to be that “Karma” has to do with the idea that all actions have consequences and that the individual reaps the consequences of their actions. Thermodynamics points to a more universal idea that all actions create Entropy which has consequences for the entire system, not the individual.
However, the concept of karma seems more compatible with Newton’s Third Law:
“For every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
Another saying “As you sow, so shall you reap” explains the “Law of Cause and Effect”.
- Whatever we put out in the Universe is what comes back to us.
In his 1975 book “The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism”, physicist Fritjof Capra says that the great physicist Werner Heisenberg said that he was in “complete agreement” with the main idea of the book that the “two basic themes” found in modern physics (“the fundamental interrelatedness and interdependence of all phenomena and the intrinsically dynamic nature of reality”) are also found in eastern thought.
In nutshell, it is claimed (or believed) that there are many interesting points of connection between early Buddhism and modern science, and these may become a fascinating basis for further exploration. And some even go further by claiming or propounding that Buddha’s wisdom and understanding of the universe is far ahead from that of modern science and that Buddha has disclosed only the basics or essential parts of his findings which help people liberate from suffering. On the other hand, modern science is still in the infant or earlier stage compared to Buddha’s comprehensive understanding about the universe.
It is another matter that, reportedly, Buddhism encompasses many types of beliefs, traditions and practices, so one can’t assert any single or absolute “Buddhism” in relation to science.
And above all, as the following dialogue that reportedly took place between Buddha and one of his disciples proves, science still has to go a long way in search of truth or more importantly, is it going anywhere in the first place?:
Disciple: How universe was created and how big is it? Is it finite or infinite?
Buddha: Will knowing the answer help reduce your suffering?
Buddha meant that the only questions worth asking are questions that, if answered, will help us end suffering in our lives. That is why science, in spite of all its lofty claims of wonderful inventions, has still been unable to reduce human suffering.
And, last but not the least, the human mind is more powerful than any telescope or other scientific instruments.
Kindly Support
I am unable to earn a penny in spite of being eligible (after a long time) for “Medium Partner Program” that looks more like a writers attracting gimmick than anything else. Therefor I need support from the generous readers like you who might find my writing sensible and thus useful. For this you have to simply click the link below and buy any of my e-books that may give you new insights into the current affairs/problems being faced by the humanity and their possible solutions. Thanks.
Footnotes:
i)https://www.google.com.pk/books/edition/Einstein_and_Buddha/HOl8YDwljWkC?hl=en&gbpv=1
ii) https://www.healthline.com/health/left-brain-vs-right-brain#left-brain-vs-right-brain-myth
v)https://www.lionsroar.com/consciousness-is-everywhere/
vi) Capra, Fritjof (1989). Howling with the Wolves. Werner Heisenberg, from “Uncommon wisdom: conversations with remarkable people”. Toronto ; New York : Bantam Books. http://www4.westminster.edu/staff/brennie/wisdoms/uncowisd.htm Archived September 9, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
