Meditation: the beginning

• Originates from the Hindu tradition

• Fundamental facet of Buddhism

• Self-cultivation

• Two principal schools of meditation: shamatha and vipassana

•Chán (禪 ) or Zen Buddhism

• Adopted by many other religions

Science and religion: a general perspective

• Long history of interaction

• The Enlightenment: “science of religion” – Max Mueller, Max Weber, Freud and Jung

• This continues to the present day

• Ethical issues

• Science from a preconceived mindset

Conflict and ambivalence

• Skepticism in Tibet: both theoretical and practical

• Useless and irrelevant to Buddhism

• Threatening or necessary?

• Lack of scientific interest

• Interest vitalised since 1980s

Compatibility/Identity• Lack of emphasis of Buddhism’s distinciveness • “An agreement between Buddhism and science as to the root idea”.

Relation of “law” of karma and “law of motion”. Olcott• Similarities between Buddhism and science

Research on meditation• Dr. Herbert Benson at Harvard University discovered

distinct psychological changes within a group of Tibetan transcendantal monks

• Jon Kabat-Zinn: research into mindfulness meditation

• Dr. James Austin: MRI imaging

• The Dalai Lama

• First systematic research: Mind and Life Institute in Tibet

• Cross-cultural research in neuropsychology

• Assessment of the monks mental abilities relevant to meditation

• Problems with the process

• Only concerned with stress and from a Western perspective?