Current World Affairs

Mahapanaya VidayalaiAn Affiliated Institute of MCU

Semester I2011

Part X

Buddhism and Modern ScienceMeaning of Science•The word science comes from the Latin "scientia," meaning knowledge.•Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena.

Branches of Science•Pure vs Applied•Natural vs Social- Natural sciences, the study of the natural world, and - Social sciences, the systematic study of human behavior and society.

History of ScienceAncient periodIn prehistoric times, advice and knowledge was passed from generation to generation in an oral tradition.Observation technique was used.Pythagoras law was recorded 18the century BC. Ancient Egypt made significant advances in astronomy, mathematics and medicine.Archimedes principle was discovered.Mathematical knowledge was used in Indus valley civilization ( 4000 BC)Brick structure 4:2:1 was used for stability.Stainless steel was discovered in India.From the earliest the Chinese used a positional decimal system on counting boards in order to calculate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EastHanSeismograph.JPG

Medieval PeriodNicolaus Copernicus presented the concept of solar system.Galileo Galilei invented telescope.Newton Formulated the theory of gravity (Newton’s law of gravit and laws of motion)

Modern Period

17the Century development was age of reason.Darwin’s theory of evolution.The behavior of electricity and mangnetism was studied by Faraday.Development of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.Albert Einstein the concept of theory of relativity.Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Bohr and other developed quantum theories.Development Radar, Laser and Atomic Bomb.

History of Science

3rd century BC: Eratosthenes calculated the size of the earth and its distance to the sun and the moon.2nd century BC: Ptolemy produced the geocentric model of the solar system.1543 Copernicus produced heliocentric model1609 Johannes Kepler produced two laws of planetary motion1610 Galileo Galilei used telescope to observe the universe.1676 Ole Romer first measurement of the speed of light1687 Newton: Laws of motion, law of universal gravitation1751 Benjamin Franklin: Lightning is electrical1778 Antoine Lavoisier and Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen1831 Michael Faraday discovers electromagnetic induction1859 Charles Darwin: Theory of evolution by natural selection1865 Mendal’s laws of inheritance

1873 James Clerk Maxwell: Theory of electromagnetism1896 Wihelm Conrad Rontgen discovers X-rays1905 Albert Einstein : Theroy of relativity1913 Niels Bohr: Model of the atom1915 Karl Schwarzxchild discovery of black holes1927 Georges Lemaitre: Theroy of the Big Bang1928 Paul Dirac: Quantum Mechanics1943 Oswald Avery proves that DNA is the genetic material of the Chromosome1997 Roslin Institute: Dolly the sheep was cloned2001: The first draft of human genome is completed2010: J. Craig Venter Institute creates the first synthetic bacterial cell.

Age of the UniverseAge of the universe could be easily understood according to Buddhist scripture fromthe following description. The first Buddha 'Vipassi' appeared in this world before 91 kalpa, and lived 80,000.years. The second Buddha 'Siqee' appeared before 61 kalpa and lived 70,000 years. Thethird Buddha 'Vessabu' appared before 31 Kalpa and lived 60,000 years. In this kalpafour Buddhas have appaered, 'Kakusanda', lived 40,000 years, 'Konagama', lived30,000 years, 'Kasyapa', lived 20,000 years and the last to appear was 'Gautama‘ will not have a long life span as people in the present epoch do not live more than 100years. (Mahapadana Sutta-Deega Nikaya) 'The wonder that wasIndia' indicates in Chapter 7 that one kalpa is equal to 4.32 billion years. Accordinglythe first Buddha 'Vipassi' has appeard in this world 91 X 4.32 = 393.12 billion yearsago, the second Buddha 'Siqee' 61 X 4.32 = 263.52 billion years ago and the thirdBuddha 'Vessabu' 31 X 4.32 = 133.92 billion years ago.

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The main achievement of the success of the twentieth century scientists in transcending the three dimensional barrier is acquiring a more realistic understanding of nature and natural phenomena. Twentieth century transcended science enables us to scientifically confirm that such concepts as impermanence, rebirth, telepathy and selflessness taught by the Buddha are true phenomena of nature which are beyond three spatial dimentions and therefore beyond classical science.

1) Buddhism did not assert or depend upon the existence of a God2) Buddhism was a superstition-free moral ideal; it conformed to the scientific view of an ordered universe ruled by law (Dharma)—a system both moral and physical where everything seemed to work itself out inexorably over vast periods of time without divine intervention (karma)3) Buddhism posited no belief in gods who could alter the workings of this natural law4) Buddhism was a religion of self-help with all depending on the individual working out his/her own salvation5) Buddhism presented an attractive personal founder who led life of great self-sacrifice;

Quantum PhysicsWave and Particle DualityTheory of UncertaintyQuantum state are discreteComplementaryMereological Nihilism(Form is Emptiness, dependency theory, illusion, nothing is permanent