Scientific approach to understand Buddhism

Reviewed by R. S. Karunaratne

"Quantum Theory and Buddhism - Essential Guide to Inner Peace and Happiness"
Author: Madawala Hemananda
Buddhist Cultural Centre, Nedimala, Dehiwala
Price Rs. 600

"Quantum Theory and Buddhism - Essential Guide to Inner Peace and Happiness" is a timely and refreshing book. It is an invaluable addition to the growing number of English books on Buddhism.

The book is pregnant with incisive lateral thinking and it sheds new light into many doctrinal areas of Buddhism. The author has taken care to include new ideas and concepts with elegance and style. He has discussed the latest scientific research backed by relevant examples.

The title of the book "Quantum Theory and Buddhism" does not require the reader to have a comprehensive understanding of the concept. If you have a general understanding of science that will suffice to read and understand the book.

In the modern world everybody is expected to have at least a nodding acquaintance of science. The author has made the reader's task easy by relying on the readily understandable aspects of the quantum theory.

Using many theories found in Buddhism and science, the author has tackled some of the age-old questions for which we have been trying to find answers. Some of the questions are: Where did we come from? Is there a purpose of our life on earth? Who or what are we in reality? Where do we go from here?" Can Buddhism and quantum theory supply the answers to these questions?

The most intriguing new concept that recurs throughout the book is that human beings and everything else, material and immaterial, are only "temporary dancing (oscillating) patterns of visible energy', devoid of a fixed entity at the core.

This energy comes from the only source in the cosmos, the 'quantum vacuum', the vast empty space, packed with unexcited microscopic particles, which is constantly creating energy by converting unexcited particles into excited particles.

Reluctantly though, it says that the scientific community has now acknowledged the possibility that even the 'big bang' could be a fluctuation of the quantum vacuum. This energy, of course, is responsible for all forms of life on earth including humans.

The author identifies this energy component from the quantum vacuum that resides within each one of us as, 'the quantum body consciousness vibrating in its own unique frequency'.

The 'quantum body consciousness' is described, among its other attributes, as the embodiment of 'true love' and in its original state of purity unsullied by karma, it is the ultimate repository of universal compassion.

'Unique frequency' is central to the discussion that living matter, from the smallest microbe, the paramecium to the most sophisticated human being, operates in a frequency unique to that living being.

Both empirical, and scientific evidence are adduced to substantiate the existence of this unique frequency, which in turn is utilised to explain the operation of karma (intentional actions), the energy that takes life from one birth to condition the next.

A convincing argument is presented to drive home the point that within each one of us there are two bodies, a quantum body and a physical body.

However, they are not inextricably intertwined and therefore capable of being separated, especially the energy that the quantum vacuum, contributed, which alone converted the living physical body evolved from the genes, into an operational unit of a human being possessing both mobility and life.

In an effort to isolate the purpose of our presence on earth, it says that the human body being a creation of the genes, our primary allegiance must be to the genes, to exercise their prerogative of the 'genetic imperative' of procreation and to pass on the genes.

Other than this narrow duty, the author sees no other purpose from an evolutionary perspective. Instead of doing gene's dirty work, the Buddha has advised us to seek our own salvation, by freeing ourselves from the clutches of the genes, as demonstrated by Him in his battle with the imaginary but formidable adversary 'Mara'. The author is convinced that 'Mara' must be the personification of the powerful and irresistible forces of the mighty gene.

The cosmic energy component of the 'quantum body consciousness', is the main theme of the book. Pre-eminence of consciousness is based on the fact that consciousness alone encapsulates the human personality in its entirety.

Based on this, the author makes a bold statement that we come from the 'emptiness' of the quantum vacuum and to it we eventually return, when the operational energy, karma, finally runs out.

The operational energy is karma, the driving force of each individual 'dancing' pattern. The 'emptiness' of the quantum vacuum is assumed to be a completely unconditioned state, similar in character to the sublime state of Nirvana that the Buddha mentioned should be our final goal.

Cleverly articulated is also the idea that the Buddha gained the ability to access his own 'quantum body consciousness', on the day he attained Enlightenment. That gave him the ability to view his past karma recorded in his unique frequency, including his past births, with his divine eye, an integral part of the quantum body, like the mind's eye which is an integral part of the physical body.

It is the mind's eye that becomes the divine eye. These are ingenious ideas worth thinking about and likely to be useful in the 21st century, which continues to be dominated more and more by science and technology.

The 'emptiness' taught by the Buddha is the ultimate reality. It lies beyond, 'neither perception nor non-perception', the 8th jhana, and strangely enough, the author notes that it resonates with the 'emptiness' of the quantum vacuum and more importantly with the mundane reality of the atom, which is 99.9 per cent empty.

As every conceivable thing in the universe is made up of atoms and if there is nothing but emptiness in an atom, is it not true that the only reality there is, emptiness? Buddhist scriptures state that only after hearing the Buddha's second sermon on the doctrine of 'not-self' that his five ascetic friends, became Arahants. The author takes great care to highlight the importance of this doctrine and explores its relationship with 'Not-self.'

The suggested answers as to where we come from and where we are going are that we came from 'emptiness' of the quantum vacuum and to it we eventually return. In reality we are only time-limited dancing (oscillating) patterns of visible energy.

The reason for our presence here, other than what the Buddha taught us to seek our own salvation, free from the clutches of the genes, is only to perform the genetic imperative of procreation.

The only route to fully comprehend the unsatisfactory nature of the human condition is meditation. The author has devoted two chapters to the practice of tranquillity and insight meditation.

As Buddhism is predicated on the incontrovertible universal law of 'cause and effect,' the practice of Buddhist meditation is no exception. What is required in Buddhist meditative practices is to obey this law, and accordingly a meditator is required only to provide the 'cause' i.e., the conditions for the 'effect', that is concentration, tranquillity and insight to arise, which only nature can provide.

In the practice of insight meditation discovered by the Buddha, as the direct route to the realisation of Nirvana, a meditator has to exercise only 'bare observation' on the body, feelings, mind and thoughts, to comprehend, beyond doubt, the misery of the human condition.

To be alone, still, silent, free from extraneous thoughts, exercising diligence and being fully aware of the only abiding characteristic of nature, that everything appears, disappears and reappears are some of the conditions to be provided by the meditator. There is absolutely nothing else that a meditator can do.

The last chapter is an interesting one. While giving current examples of extreme hatred, greed and delusion, it sets out the minimum number (32) ways the human mind should be trained to gain inner peace and happiness. In formulating them, the salient features of Buddhism and the reality of 'emptiness' of the quantum vacuum which overarches the three worlds, physical, mental and ethical, are utilised.

The author introduces a new concept of an 'ethical world,' saying that all human transactions are essentially confined to this world.

There are seven annotated illustrations, one of which is the "Wilson Cloud Chamber" showing the fundamental characteristics of nature where energised microscopic particles keep on appearing, disappearing and re-appearing, the scientific proof of the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

I would strongly recommend the book for Buddhists and non-Buddhists, as well.

It is my belief that you will have great difficulty in disproving any of the new ideas presented. If you wish to train your mind to comply with at least the easy ones out of the 32, you will be able to lead a much happier life here and now.

A handy health booklet for parents

Reviewed by: K.K. Arunainayagam
Sukavalkai - Part 3 (Healthy Life)
Title: Sukavalkai - Part 3
Author: Kaitheeswaran

Sukavalkai - Part 3 (Healthy Life) was launched in December 2009 at Colombo Thamil Sangam. The author K. Vaitheeswaran is a retired Health Education Officer, who is conducting psychological counselling now.

The book expresses his experience in the field of health, which no doubt will help the readers to lead a healthy life.

Ten chapters have been included in this book and in the opening chapter the author emphasises the importance of parents to improve themselves for the betterment of their children. In the next chapter, advice is given to parents on how to rear their children healthily and morally, advised not to keep scolding and nagging their children, but to bring them up with loving words and deeds.

The role of mothers in family life, child care, addiction to alcohol, obesity, water treatment, sex abuse and suicide were discussed in other chapters.

The sixth chapter was on obesity. Unhealthy lifestyle is one of the reasons for obesity pointed out by the author. Intake of aerated water, salt drinks, oil based sweetened food items and lack of physical exercise were also quoted as reasons for obesity.

How to prevent heart ailments was described in chapter seven. It is very useful to all people irrespective of age. Stressful life, smoking, change of lifestyle and many other factors contribute to heart diseases, according to the author.

The importance of drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water per day is expressed in the 8th chapter.

The final chapter is on suicide which is the last chapter in life also. Nine case studies were included and the author incorporated nineteen factors that influence suicide, which he has derived from the case studies.

Inclusion of sixteen case studies and ten couplets of "Thirukkural" enhance the beauty of this book. It is really a valuable book as it advises us to lead a healthy life.

Those Delhi Days (1950-54):

Nostalgic memories of an undergrad

Reviewed by Professor M. T. M. Jiffry, Vice Chairman, UGC

Ms. Trixie Marthenesz, who obtained her Bachelor's Degree on Nursing from the College of Nursing of the University of Delhi in 1954, is in her eighties at present.

In August, 2009 her book on 'Those Delhi Days' was launched through the Sri Lanka Federation of University Women. It is revealed that Deshabandu Dr. Wimala de Silva had inspired her to write this text.

I had the opportunity to glance through this publication when she handed over to me a complimentary copy. I was fascinated and quite attracted to read it in full, purely on its most reader-friendly and the anecdotal form of presentation.

The way she had skilfully manipulated the language made me read it at a stretch. While reading the book I was naturally carried away to the scenarios she referred. The chapters were chronologically arranged and the meticulous care that she has adopted in presenting in minute detail, the events related to the episodes that were described therein is another attractive feature of the book.

The descriptions and episodes addressed in the chapters varied from history (Chapter 10 on Growth and Development of Delhi) to humour (Chapter 24 on A Policeman Sees Ghost), sciences (Chapter 12 on First Semester Blues) to sports (Chapter 15 on Another First - India vs West Indies), professionalism (Chapter 23 on My First Cap) to patriotism (Chapter 20 on Ceylon Independence Celebrations in New Delhi - 1951), Travelling (Chapter 11 on Around Delhi) to Treatment (Chapter 32 on Tuberculosis Care in Kasauli), and Exploration (Chapter 28 on A Lesson, An Adventure and An Escapade) to Experience (Chapter 28 on In the Public Health Field). The preceding examples amply portray the wide variety of issues that were highlighted in the whole text along with the richness of the contents.

Skilful presentation

It is amazing to note after almost six decades how the author has remembered all the episodes that were so meticulously described and the efforts made in preserving the relevant documents connected with the cited events. The language used was very much reader-friendly and in simple short sentences. It sometimes portrayed a form of a novel, embodied with true life episodes.

The narrative style of presentation of an event in a mixed approach of combining description and thoughts related to the event being presented simultaneously made the reading more pleasant and sometimes stimulated curiosity.

The whole publication portrayed a true description of various aspects and experience that the author had gained that were worth recording even after five decades, to be passed on to the next generation of not only nursing students but to all undergraduates.

The text addressed issues related to the efforts taken by her to enrol on a course of study leading to a Bachelor's degree in nursing to become a truly professional nurse. It amply demonstrated the courage and self-confidence she had developed to face a competitive interview with dedication and determination. She also elaborately displayed her multiple interests in history, literature, culture in addition to her chosen profession of healthcare.

Ms. Marthenesz amply demonstrated her abilities in self-expression as a novelist as well as a professional author. In many instances she was honest and humble enough to simply express her inner feelings unhindered.

The book also tried to inculcate such desirable qualities as, to be engaged in many outdoor and extracurricular activities as an undergraduate to become a full blown mature person in the future. The crux of the presentation gives an important and timely message to all allied health science professionals in this country.

Although at present we are in a dilemma to accept the duration of the degree programs in allied health sciences, even in the early fifties, India had a four-year degree program conducted for allied health science personnel.

The forty-two chapters devoted in this book highlighted varied aspects that are essentially encountered by an undergraduate especially in a foreign land.This is a book which describes the ideal characteristics of an undergraduate.

It embodies, maturity, intellectual capacity, ability to adapt to new environment, competency to understand different cultures, responsibility to undertake self learning, the capacity to face challenges and to be compassionate in all the activities to be performed. In addition, the book vividly describes the combination of political and socio-cultural events that had occurred during her period of stay in New Delhi with such accuracy and affection.

Conclusion

Even at her present age, the author is very alert and demonstrated her capabilities as a lively author with a distinct style of writing. Her details of expression and descriptions were accurate and conveyed a deeper message to all stakeholders involved in higher education.

Certainly there is ample valuable information enriched with concepts embedded within the text which needs to be read with intense concentration and care. Definitely I gained a wealth of new knowledge on the circumstances under which the students in those days proceeded on scholarships and survived the elements and the environment.

In summary, it is a book worth reading by all grades of academics as well as any undergraduate to learn about the difficulties faced five decades ago in pursuing higher education.

I wish Ms. Marthenesz longer and healthier life to be able to continue to contribute to the nursing education in Sri Lanka in particular as well as to higher education in general.

Autobiography of a multifaceted person

Reviewed by Dr. Leel Gunasekara

`Viya Siduren Ahasa Dutimi' is an interesting autobiography written by Dr. Sudath Gunasekara, a senior member of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service who retired in 1997, having served the country in various assignments, namely: school principal, Divisional Revenue Officer, Government Agent, Director Small Industries and Rural Development, Commissioner Agrarian Services, Executive Director Corporations, Secretary of Ministry of Health, Education and Culture, and finally as Secretary to Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike's Ministry. He also has been the President of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service Association.

A graduate of the University of Peradeniya, Sudath Gunasekara has academic achievements such as a PhD from the same university and also post-graduate qualifications from the University of Cambridge. He has also served as a visiting lecturer at Peradeniya and Wisconsin Universities.

Giving a geographical interpretation to the importance of the central hill country as the heartland of Sri Lanka from which the main rivers flow through Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa provinces, Sudath with much initiative introduced the Hada Bima concept and pioneered the establishment of the Hada Bima Authority which is a foresighted strategy to enhance the development of specially the neglected peasantry of the Kandyan areas and generally the hill country in relation to its rich bio-diversity.

In that context, the author's achievements in his autobiography `Viya Siduren Ahasa Dutimi' could be described as a fascinating life story set in the background of his village, remote Meemure and the outside world covering national and international vistas. The name of his book as well as his natural environment that is Meemure his Nijabhoomi are of immense interest and the story is most interesting as a love story woven round his school day girlfriend who becomes his life partner justifying the often quoted saying behind every successful man there is a woman.

The story starts with Sudath, a small boy noticed that the only officer who visited his village Meemure was called the DRO (Divisional Revenue Officer) and highly respected by the villagers calling him "DRO Unnanse" and addressing him as "Hamuduruvo", an honorific title used to express respect and veneration only to the Buddha and Bhikkus. His curiosity was aroused and he questioned his parents as to why the DRO Mahattaya who is an outsider not donning a yellow robe was thus addressed. His mother explained this situation and subconsciously Sugath wonders if he could become a DRO one fine day.

This is the beginning of this story which develops into an interesting story where the main character, Sudath faces many a challenge and emerges victorious with much effort, patience and determination culminating in his life dream realised to be a DRO in the first instance, having completed his primary, secondary and university education.

With the high professional and academic achievements the author has a number of 'firsts' as victories of a village boy who is from the remote Meemure described as an under-developed village.

For instance, Sudath is the first graduate from Ududumbara Division and the first person to enter the Administrative Service, the first to receive post-graduate qualifications from Cambridge and the oldest candidate to qualify for the Ph.D.

The name given to this book, `Viya Siduren Ahasa Ditimi' itself is meaningful and true to its contents keeping the reader guessing depending on the reader's awareness of its classical reference in `Loweda Sangarawa', the famous didactic poem written by Vidagama Maithri Thera during the Kotte period with a view to weaning the people away from evil.

Verse 18 of the `Loweda Sanagarawa' referring to the most remote possibility of `kana kesbeva viya siduren ahasa dakinnase' that is the one eyed turtle who appears from the bottom of the sea and gets the rare chance of seeing the sky through the hole of a cart yoke floating on the surface of the turbulent sea. Hence, the possibilities are very remote as so many factors have to come together to satisfy these conditions to achieve what one needs and Sudath has done it.Meemure, the beautiful village is not easily accessible though 31 miles from Kandy situated in the eastern slope of the Knuckles group adjoining, the Matale district.

Meemure is supposed to have got its name due to `Mee' trees and is famous as one of the most picturesque areas inaccessible with unfavourable terrain covered with vegetation and also providing much for the concern of Sociologists and environmentalists with traditional cultural milieu and bio-diversity.

The main theme is how Sudath Gunasekara with firm determination overcomes so many obstacles and realize his dream of becoming a DRO Unnanse primarily and then goes up in his career to the highest positions of becoming the Prime Minister's Ministry Secretary and also qualifying himself in his post-graduate study program.

The narration also signifies the history of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service as a successor to the Ceylon Civil Service.Sudath adopts a very readable style quite lucid interspersed with wit and humour enriched with his own inimitable expression with the knowledge of history and literature. The essence of his literary creation is that one can achieve success with determination with the support of one's dear and near ones and in the concluding page, he laments the absence of his own mother to enjoy the fruits of her own labour by nurturing a worthy son who could serve the country and its own people, especially, those from Meemure. Sudath Gunasekara deserve our appreciation and congratulations for this literary contribution. If rendered to English and Tamil.

Book launch:

Kalamanakaranaya Saha Sanvidhana Sanskruthiya

Prof. W.P. Gamini de Alwis' latest book "Kalamanakaranaya Saha Sanvidhana Sanskruthiya" will be launched at Dayawansa Jayakody Book Exhibition Hall, Ven. S. Mahinda Mawatha, Colombo 10 on February 2 at 10 a.m.

The book published by Dayawansa Jayakody Publishers, is useful for management students and businessmen.