Assimilation And Conversation: A Study Of The Relationship Of Buddhism And Science In Modern And Contemporary Times

Religion and science are two important cultural phenomena of human society. The dialogue of religion and science is a necessary approach for the split human culture to accommodate itself. From the early days of 20th century, along with the great social fission of China, Chinese Buddhism has carried out a historical change from ancient Buddhism to modern Buddhism. To adjust itself to the dominance of modern science has become significant task for Chinese Buddhism to exist and evolve in modern China. A number of famous Buddhist scholars have studied the connection of Buddhism and science and have discussed the significance of Buddhism in scientific age, which promoted the modernization of Buddhism. In the process of the dialogue, the specific cultural meaning of Buddhism has been showed up and has been affirmed again under the new historical condition.In the process of the Buddhist assimilation of science, some scientists who believe in Buddhism such as Wang Jitong and You Zhibiao have actively participated in preaching Buddhism as scientific scholars. They have believed that modern culture is unsteady and has big malpractice because of its undependable foundation and this culture can not help to the cognition of the world nature but obscured the cognition. They believe only Buddhism can bear the important task of releasing modern culture from degeneration. So they compared Buddhism and science theory with the thinking manner and reasoning thoughtway that pertain to scientist. They hope more people can realize and understand the precious deposits of human being and the whole world can benefits from Buddhist culture. In the study of Buddhism, they have also infused rational idea of modern science in theirexplanation. They also demonstrated that science can not eliminate the ground of the existence of Buddhism and Buddhism has permanent meaning for science and for human society as well.The Buddhist thinker Taixu is a representative person in the Buddhist assimilation of science who mainly bent himself to assimilating science by vijnapti-matrata. Taixu put forward two propositions which underlies the connection of Buddhism and science essentially. His first proposition is that scientific knowledge can be considered as the corroboration and hypothesis of Buddhism but one can not understand the reality of Buddhism by scientific knowledge itself, and the second is that scientific method can be viewed as usher and complementarity for Buddhism but can not become the backbone of Buddhism. Taixu's discussions on the relationship of Buddhism and science have deeply touched their cultural nature and shown lots of cultural value though he has been influenced by religious idea distinctly. Taixu also has studied western psychology and analyzed and commented its origin and method; besides, Taixu has brought forward a thinking system of Buddhist psychology. These contribution have initiatory value for the successors to study the Buddhist culture in the viewpoint of psychology. But the specific period character of Taixu's Buddhist thought and scientific idea has deeply affected his opinion and theoretic style eventually.Based on Taixu's thought, Yinshun, the contemporary Buddhist master, has established a broad theory system in Buddhist study. Yinshun's Buddhist theory contains important discussions about the social function, the character of science, the relationship of science and Buddhism. Comparatively, Yinshun has paid more attention to earthly life and derived the objective and rational spirit of modern science and gone through with them in his whole Buddhist studies. Yinshun discussed the social influence and the essence of science by way of Buddhist teaching twi-satyas in principle. He believes that though science theory is the processing of secular knowledge and not paramartha-satya, it is not incompatible to the Buddhist paramartha-satya. The basic standpoint of Buddhism is to realize the truth in everyday life, so it is supported to study and handle scientific knowledge with the realism and merciful spirit of Bodhisattva. To...