“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?”

Buddhism has always had a congenial relationship with science.  The Dalai Lama‘s collaborations with scientists at the Mind Life Institute are inspiring new discoveries in neuroscience, quantum physics, psychology, biology, game theory, and other fields.  Scientists are beginning to benefit from the study of Buddhist thought and practice in the study of  altruism, cooperation, consciousness, and positive cognitive states.  Psychology and other sciences (which have primarily focused on disease and mental illness) are now focusing on positive emotions and optimal cognitive performance.

“If ever there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.”     -Albert Einstein

“My confidence in venturing into science lies in my basic belief that as in science, so in Buddhism, understanding the nature of reality is pursued by means of critical investigation.  …Since the emergence of modern science, humanity has lived through an engagement between spirituality and science as two important sources of knowledge and well-being.  Sometimes the relationship has been a close one- a kind of friendship- while at other times it has been frosty, with many finding it incompatible.  Today, in the first decade of the twenty-first century, science and spirituality have the potential to be closer than ever, and to embark upon a collaborative endeavor that has far reaching potential to help humanity meet the challenges before us.“  Dalai Lama from The Universe In a Single Atom 2005.