科學=Science and Religion; 佛教=Buddhism; 宗教對話=Religious Dialogue; 禪修=Meditation; 腦科學=Neuroscience; 心智=Mind and Life; 意識=Consciousness
摘要
本文希望透過介紹The Mind and Life Institute近二十年來所努力推展的一系列會議，來評述佛教與科學對話的成果與展望。其對話由達賴喇嘛為佛教方面的代表人物，科學方面則有心理學、腦科學、精神科學、醫學、生物學、物理學、認知科學等等傑出學者參與。本文將簡要的回顧這些會議的重要歷程，以及從這些歷程中所產生的重要研究成果。經過相當的激盪，引發了科學家們對某些主題的興趣，設計了新穎的研究與實驗。這方面最令人矚目之一者為與禪修經驗相關的科學研究，因為它涉及了心智或意識學的深層探討、碰觸了腦神經科學的尖端技術、展現了宗教經驗豐富的心理現象，以及提供心理健康與醫學治療上突破性的應用途徑等等。簡言之，佛教與科學的這場相遇，透過禪修經驗作為研究核心而展現了兩者跨領域卻又相輔與相成的範例。
This paper introduces the series of Mind and Life Conferences for the discussion of Science and Buddhism in the past twenty years, and reviews the fruitful results of the dialogue. One of the most significant results is the interaction between Buddhist meditation and cognitive science, neuroscience and psychology. We examine the implications of some interesting studies and experiments done by scientists and advanced Buddhist meditators, and discuss the difficulties they have come across. On the whole, the encounter between Science and Buddhism organized by the Mind and Life Institute has offered successful outcomes on the issues of mind/consciousness, contemplative science, psycho-spiritual experiences and their effects, as well as many clinical applications. The coordination of Science and Buddhist meditation has been an exemplary achievement in the light of the dialogue between Science and Religion.
