Product Description

Matthieu Ricard trained as a molecular biologist, working in the lab of a Nobel prize—winning scientist, but when he read some Buddhist philosophy, he became drawn to Buddhism. Eventually he left his life in science to study with Tibetan teachers, and he is now a Buddhist monk and translator for the Dalai Lama, living in the Shechen monastery near Kathmandu in Nepal. Trinh Thuan was born into a Buddhist family in Vietnam but became intrigued by the explosion of discoveries in astronomy during the 1960s. He made his way to the prestigious California Institute of Technology to study with some of the biggest names in the field and is now an acclaimed astrophysicist and specialist on how the galaxies formed.

When Matthieu Ricard and Trinh Thuan met at an academic conference in the summer of 1997, they began discussing the many remarkable connections between the teachings of Buddhism and the findings of recent science. That conversation grew into an astonishing correspondence exploring a series of fascinating questions. Did the universe have a beginning? Or is our universe one in a series of infinite universes with no end and no beginning? Is the concept of a beginning of time fundamentally flawed? Might our perception of time in fact be an illusion, a phenomenon created in our brains that has no ultimate reality? Is the stunning fine-tuning of the universe, which has produced just the right conditions for life to evolve, a sign that a “principle of creation” is at work in our world? If such a principle of creation undergirds the workings of the universe, what does that tell us about whether or not there is a divine Creator? How does the radical interpretation of reality offered by quantum physics conform to and yet differ from the Buddhist conception of reality? What is consciousness and how did it evolve? Can consciousness exist apart from a brain generating it?

The stimulating journey of discovery the authors traveled in their discussions is re-created beautifully in The Quantum and the Lotus, written in the style of a lively dialogue between friends. Both the fundamental teachings of Buddhism and the discoveries of contemporary science are introduced with great clarity, and the reader will be profoundly impressed by the many correspondences between the two streams of thought and revelation. Through the course of their dialogue, the authors reach a remarkable meeting of minds, ultimately offering a vital new understanding of the many ways in which science and Buddhism confirm and complement each other and of the ways in which, as Matthieu Ricard writes, “knowledge of our spirits and knowledge of the world are mutually enlightening and empowering.”

“The Quantum and the Lotus is a mind-expanding, eye-opening exploration of the exciting parallels between cutting-edge thinking in physics and Buddhism–a scintillating conversation any thinking person would delight in overhearing.” —Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

“The Quantum and the Lotus is the rich and inspiring result of a deeply interesting dialogue between Western science and Buddhist philosophy. This remarkable book will contribute greatly to a better understanding of the true nature of our world and the way we live our lives.” —His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74640 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-26
• Released on: 2004-10-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781400080793
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Amazon.com Review
How did the universe come into being? What is the meaning of human life against the blackness of infinity? Religion and science have many answers to these and like questions, answers that sometimes meet but more often diverge.

In this book-length conversation, French Buddhist monk Ricard and Vietnamese-born astrophysicist Trinh explore how Buddhism and modern science address life's big questions. Among the matters they touch on, sometimes fleetingly and sometimes in depth, are the illusory nature of phenomena, the guiding intelligence of nature, and the search for the mechanisms that drive planets and humans alike. Both authors, each conversant in the other's medium, argue against reductionist views of nature. And both provide plenty of data that support Albert Einstein's declaration that "if there is any religion that could correspond to the needs of modern science, it would be Buddhism."

Hard-nosed skeptics will perhaps find Ricard and Trinh's reconciliation arguable. Still, the record of their conversation makes fascinating reading and provides a useful overview of scientific reasoning and spiritual inquiry. --Gregory McNamee

From Publishers Weekly
This transcribed and expanded dialogue between Buddhist monk Ricard and astrophysicist Thuan claims few original insights but provides a good general introduction to science-and-religion issues representing two notably different Buddhist perspectives. At its best, the book is animated by contrasts. Thuan, a Vietnamese-American trained at CalTech, identifies with Buddhist ethics and spirituality, but his worldview often reflects Western science and philosophy. Ricard, a French biologist who emigrated in the 1970s to become a disciple of Khyents‚ Rinpoche, speaks from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Although Thuan and Ricard find common ground on many ethical matters and agree in a general way about the "interconnectedness of phenomena," they also run into genuine disagreements about cosmic origins, the nature of consciousness and the orderliness of the universe all areas where traditional Buddhist beliefs are in tension with scientific theories or their implications as commonly understood in the West. To the authors' credit, they avoid superficial reconciliation of these differences, although Ricard, who renounces "dogmatism" but consistently defends orthodoxy, sometimes claims to "refute" opposing viewpoints a little too neatly. The conversational format also limits the precision and depth of the authors' positions and at times becomes unnecessarily repetitive. Philosophical dialogue is an ancient but exquisitely difficult art, and even the most engaging verbal exchange may occasionally appear banal or rambling in print, especially when the same points of debate arise time and again.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Tibetan Buddhist monk and author of another recent dialog, The Monk and the Philosopher, engages astrophysicist and popular author Thuan (The Secret Melody) in a discussion about the nature of reality. Each chapter focuses on a theme, e.g., the origin of the universe, time, multiple/parallel universes, and interdependence. Some themes seem outside the boundaries of physics (e.g., creation), and Ricard often has the final say at the end of each chapter. In addition, the content of the book can be challenging at times. But Ricard and Thuan excel at bringing the fundamental elements of each perspective to the lay level, and even when minds do not meet, the reader is enriched with a better understanding of Buddhist and scientific explanations of reality. Those put off by the dialog format should not dismiss this book, as the content successfully carries the reader. This volume will appeal to those who enjoyed works such as Fritjof Capra's The Tao of Physics (Shambhala, 2000) and B. Alan Wallace's Choosing Reality (Snow Lion, 1996). Extensive end notes provide myriad avenues for further exploration. Recommended for public librar-ies. Andy Wickens, King Cty. Lib. Syst., Seattle
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

The science of enlightenment.
"If there is any religion that could respond to the needs of modern science," Einstein said, "it would be Buddhism" (p. 282). Drawn from their extraordinary dialogues, Matthieu Ricard and Trinh Thuan explore Buddhist teachings and modern science in THE QUANTUM AND THE LOTUS. "Buddhism is basically a science of enlightenment," Ricard writes in the Introduction to this book. Before becoming a Buddhist monk and translator for the Dalai Lama, Ricard trained as a moleculor biologist and worked with a Nobel prize-winning scientist. Thuan, a Vietnamese Buddhist, became an acclaimed astrophysicist after studying at the California Institute of Technology. "Buddhism contends that if we want to grasp the true nature of reality, we must engage much more fully with the philosophical conundrums that quatum physics has revealed" (p. 113). This is the basic premise of THE QUANTUM AND THE LOTUS.

The Buddha discouraged blind faith. In fact, he said, "Investigate the validity of my teachings as you would examine the purity of gold, rubbing it against a stone, hammering it, melting it. Do not accept my words simply out of respect for me. Accept them when you see that they are true" (p. 10). In their compelling dialogues, Ricard and Thuan explore life's big questions. Why are we alive? Why do we die? Why do we suffer? How did the universe begin? Is there an all-knowing Creator responsible for the remarkable harmony and precision of the universe? Is the phenomena of the universe interdependent and nonseparable? Why is the science of elementary particles important to everyday life? Why should the impermanence of phenomena incite us to live life differently? What is consciousness and where does it come from? Why does the human brain question the meaning of life and our place in the world? What are the limitations of analytical and contemplative thought, and can science ever reveal an "ultimate truth"? Are there any common grounds between Buddhist teachings and modern science? For Ricard, "the most fascinating part of this confrontation between the natural sciences and Buddhism is in the analysis of the ultimate nature of things" (p. 269). For Thuan, "these conversations form part of an ongoing dialogue between science and Buddhism. The most important thing that they taught me was that there is a definite convergence and resonance between the Buddhist and scientific visions of reality. Some of Buddhism's views on the world of phenomena are stikingly similar to the underlying notions of modern physics--in particular, its two main grand theories: quantum mechanics, which is the physics of the infinitely small; and relativity, the physics of the infinitely large" (p. 276).

Perhaps this is the book Fritjof Capra envisioned writing someday after his TAO OF PHYSICS, integrating Buddhism and modern science. Like Capra's 1975 classic, THE QUANTUM AND THE LOTUS reveals that, "made of stardust, we share the same cosmic history as the lions on the savannas and the lavendars in the fields. We are all connected through time and space, and thus interdependent" (p. 280). And like Capra, coauthors Ricard and Thuan reveal, in non-technical terms, "Science can operate without spirituality. Spirituality can exist without science. But man, to be complete, needs both" (p. 282).

G. Merritt

Buddhism and the Discussion between Science and Religion
The nature of the relationship, and the compatibility, between the scientific and religous outlook continues to fascinate scientists, religious people, and philosophers. Most of the many books on this subject deal with religion in general terms or concentrate on Western theistic religions (primarily Christianity and Judaism.)

This book is a fascinating discussion of Buddhism and science told through articulate and intelligent exchanges between Ricard and Thuan. Ricard earned a PhD in chemistry in France before leaving a promising career to become a Tibetan Buddhist monk. Thuan is a Vietnamese who became enamored of at an early age and is a world-renowned astrophysicist and writer.

The most important sections of this book are the introduction, which sets the problem, and the conclusion. Science does not satisfy the spiritual needs of man -- his need to end suffering, understand himself, and the nature of his world -- to find meaning. How is it possible to find religious meaning in a world where science seems to be the only source of knowledge?

In his introduction, Ricard argues that science and Buddhism approach reality in different ways. He finds Buddhism non-dogmatic, willing to accept scientific findings and based on an introspection into the human condition with Buddha as a guide. Thuan agrees that human beings need spirituality as well as science.

There are fifteen chapters discussing with impressing erudition specific scientific issues and how Buddhists might view them. We get discussions of the "big bang" theory of quantum mechanics, the nature of time, computers and thought, and the nature of consciousness, among other topics. For a book cast in the form of a discussion, the references are copious.

There is a great deal of discussion of Buddhism's focus on indeterminacy and change and its relation to science. Also, Ricard focuses of the deep and difficult Buddhist teaching of dependent arising. He tries to argue that this teaching shows the untenability of scientific (or metaphysical) realism -- the view that science describes an independently existing reality.

Ricard also takes issue with theism and here he gets something of a disagreement from Thuan who believes in a Spinozistic concept of God (which needs explaining) and is something of a scientific realist.

There is a wonderful summation by Thusn: "Made of stardust, we share the same cosmic history as the lions on the savannas and the lavenders in the fields. We are all connected through time and space, and thus interdependent.(page 280)

Some of this book is highly technical and Ricard, is spite of himself is over dogmatic in places. This is still a wonderful book. It teaches a "secular spirituality" in the words of Ricard and may be read with benefit by those with no particular commitment to Buddhism.

Contemporary Physics, Buddhism, and Metaphysics
I was a bit skeptical upon first seeing this book. I worried about another floofy book about New Age/Western Buddhism. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded. This book is a fairly dense "argument" between the present positions of astrophysics/quantum physics and the Buddhist metaphysics. I'm a philosopher by trade and I read a lot of popular science books (especially in physics) so I managed well with the text. However, I think it may frustrate some persons without any background. So, ultimately, unless you are somewhat familiar with contemporary physics, you might want, regrettably, to skip this one.

The Buddhist in the book is a very intelligent chap, more than capable of explaining/defending his position. And he successfully presents Buddhism in a very intellectual manner. I learned a lot about the Buddhist position with regard to cosmology - which is wonderful because that's what I hoped to get out of the book. I think this book should quiet some of the stereotypes of Buddhists... and it would be most enjoyed by persons who do not draw a hard absolute line between natural science and religious practice.