Your Holiness,
Most Venerables, Venerables,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
First of all, please let me express my deepest thanks to the organisers of the 2m World
Buddhist Forum especially the Most Ven. Yi Cheng President of the
Buddhist Association of China, the Most Ven. Hsing Yun President of the
Buddha's Life International Association, the Most Ven. Kok Kwong
President of the Hong Kong Buddhist Association, H.E.Mr.Ye Xiaowen
Chairman of the China Religious Culture Communication Association, who
have allowed me to participate in this prestigious conference.
Buddhism
started when Siddhartha Gautama achieved his spiritual goal and began
teaching. The path he taught consisted of a code of conduct, a variety
of meditation techniques, and doctrines about the nature of the world
and humanity. Buddhism is a varied tradition and aspects include
fundamentalism, devotional traditions. Nevertheless, many common points
have been raised between scientific investigation and Buddhist thought.
Some
of notable scientists have a respectful views on Buddhism. Many
scientists like Einstein and Albert North Whitehead strongly think there
is a close link between our religion and science. Allow me to share
with you some words from these famous scientists: Albert North Whitehead
said "Buddhism is the most colossal example in the history of applied
metaphysics." and Bertrand Russell, another Nobel Prize winner, wrote
Buddhism is a combination of both speculative and scientific philosophy.
As you can see, Science is a little theological threat to a Buddhist worldview because Buddhism had unique advantages such :
1.Buddhism did not assert or depend upon the existence of a God
2.Buddhism was a morai ideal in conformity of the scientific view
of an ordered universe ruled by law (Dhamma)
3.Buddhism does not belief in gods but trust in natural law
4.Buddhism was a religion of self-help with all depending on the
individual working out his/her own salvation.
Your Holiness,
MostVenerables, Venerables,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Buddhism
and Science have increasingly been discussed as compatible and Buddhism
has increasingly entered into the ongoing science and religion dialog.
The case is made that the philosophic and psychological teachings within
Buddhism share commonalities with modern scientific and philosophic
thought, or at least, are less at odds with them. For example, Buddhism
encourages the impartial investigation of Nature (an activity referred
to as Dhamma-Vicaya in the Pali Canon) - the principal object of study being oneself.
With a special focus on the nature of mind and its implications for
the concept of reality, Buddhism offers explanations for metaphysical
issues within psychology and studies of consciousness. Some popular
conceptions of Buddhism connect it to discourse regarding evolution,
quantum theory, and cosmology, even though most scientists see a
separation between the religious and metaphysical statements of Buddhism
and the methodology of science. But, if we study very carefully the
Buddha's teachings, we
could find a lot of elements which may complete many part of science.
Buddhist
may give his own contribution on the well being of human kind in
addition of what science already discovered. Science and Buddhism can
work together by mutual synergy in order to limit all illegal human
actions.
In this connection, we suggest the following recommandations :
·The Buddhist monks and nuns must promote dissemination or teaching
the Dhamma to all people to keep in mind of the Culture of Peace and
remind the peaceful mission of science.
·All Buddhist stakeholders should control the negative effects
of the exponential progress of Information technology as you see in
Some negative website
·The Buddhist authorities can help people by educating them how to use
the technology newly discovered by science according to the Buddha's
teachings.
·All Buddhist must remind to their national leaders, as soon as possible,
the good use of all nuclear discovers in order to avoid military using.
·All Buddhist must work with scientist for promoting a humanist science
and technology that support the social well being and preservation of
the environment.
·And, finally, Buddhism and science can contribute together in order to
educate people to aware and respect the human rights.
May all the human beings live in Peace and Serenity!
Thank you for your attention.
H.H. Maha Sangharajah Bour Kry
Great Supreme Patriarch of Dhammayutta Order Kingdom of Cambodia