The Philosopher And The Challenge To Science

This is the story of Albert Einstein using pure wisdom to see the universe, and the remarkable discovery by Mr. Anan that Buddhism does not need to change to keep up with science—rather, science must chase after Buddhism.

In an old library, the afternoon sunlight slanted through the window panes, falling upon pages of ancient books. People often speak of Albert Einstein not only because he was brilliant, but because of the way he "saw" the world. Modern astrophysicists must use enormous telescopes, measure faint light from distant stars, and calculate the orbits of galaxies with complex formulas. They look at the universe with their eyes and their instruments.

But Einstein was different. He would sit there with nothing but a pencil and a blank sheet of paper. In his mind, the universe turned, the stars moved, time stretched and contracted. He did not need to see with his eyes; he saw with wisdom. When his theories first appeared, only thirteen people in the entire world could understand them, and many even opposed them. It took many years afterward, when technology advanced and instruments became precise enough to measure, for people to realize with astonishment: Einstein was right. Right from the start, right step by step, right in an overwhelming way. He had gone ahead of his time, without any tools to assist him.

With such an extraordinary mind, Einstein did not stop at science. He turned his gaze to religion. And here is the crucial point. Most religions arose in eras when human society was still undeveloped, before science existed. People back then could only guess and speculate roughly, then demand that everyone believe them. When they did not know where rain came from, did not understand the rising and falling of the tides—could teachings built upon such ignorance contain eternal truth?

Einstein observed that as science advanced, many religions were forced to revise their doctrines and trim their scriptures to fit new knowledge. This shows they "know how to yield," but it also admits that what their founders said a thousand years ago was "way off," not aligned with objective reality.

But then, a stunning discovery was raised by Mr. Anan, a Western scholar and intellectual, drawing the attention of the whole world. Mr. Anan said: "Buddhism is not like that. Buddhism does not need to change. Buddhism simply stands still, and science must run after it."

This statement was like a punch to conventional thinking. However far science advances, however great its discoveries, in the end it is only following behind, or confirming, what the Buddha taught more than two thousand five hundred years ago. Buddhism does not need to change to adapt to science; on the contrary, science must keep advancing before it can fully grasp the depth of Buddhism.

Because of that statement, many Western intellectuals began to explore Buddhism for themselves. They labored to learn from the most basic concepts, like children learning the alphabet, A, B, C. Meanwhile, we Vietnamese, fortunate to be born in a country with thousands of years of Buddhist history, can receive it with ease. We already possess a precious treasure that the whole world is longing to find, yet sometimes we forget its value.

The Meaning of the Story

This story affirms the scientific nature and universal truth of Buddhism. Unlike many belief systems that must change to adapt to new knowledge, Buddhism contains profound truths about the universe and human life that modern science is gradually discovering and confirming. That Einstein and Western intellectuals praised Buddhism is proof that this is a civilized and progressive foundation, worthy of our cherishing and diligent practice. Let us not be ungrateful for the beautiful conditions (dependent origination) of being born in a country with the Buddha's teachings (Dharma).

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang