Buddhism and Science - a response

Tuan Riza RASSOOL

ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE: I would like to add a few words to Nimal Rajapakse’s article (CDN April 10, 2007). He was responding to Ven. Ajahn Brahamavanso’s article that Buddhism and scientists do not always agree. Buddhism has much to offer instead of their followers wrangling over semantics and opinions.

As President of the Alberta Buddhist Vihara Association, Edmonton, and as a Scientist, we expected Nimal Rajapakse to explain much more about the Agganna Sutta and the Big Bang Theory than a mere mention of the connection.

It is a disservice to Buddhists and others alike that such an opportunity is wasted. However, I did some research on the subject of Big Bang Theory and hope it enlightens all of us.

Astrophysicists explain that the creation of the universe is a widely accepted phenomenon, popularly known as the ‘Big Bang’. According to the ‘Big Bang’ theory, the whole universe was initially one big mass (Primary Nebula) and a mighty secondary separation (Big Bang) resulted in the formation of galaxies.

These then divided to form stars, planets, the sun and the moon. The origin and the complexities of the universe are so unique that the probability of it occurring by ‘chance’ is zero. Agganna Sutta (“On Knowledge of Beginnings” Digha 27) explains the basis of Buddhist Cosmology. Gautama Buddha, speaking to the monk Vasettha, a former Brahmin, states the following:

“There comes a time, Vasettha, when, after the lapse of a long, long period, this world died.

And when this happens, beings have mostly been reborn into the Realm of Radiance; and there they dwell, made of mind, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, traversing the air, continuing in glory; and thus they remain for a long, long period of time.

There comes also a time, Vasettha, when sooner or later this world begins to re-evolve. When this happens, beings who had deceased from the World of Radiance usually come to life as humans...now at that time, all had become one world of water, dark, and of darkness that maketh blind.

No moon nor sun appeared, no stars were seen, nor constellations, neither was night manifest nor day, neither months nor half-months, neither years nor seasons, neither female nor male. Beings were reckoned just as beings only.

And to those beings, Vasettha, sooner or later after a long time, earth with its savours was spread out in the waters, even as a scum forms on the surface of boiled milky rice that is cooling, so did the earth appear.”

This sutta seems to present a model of cosmology where the universe expands, stabilises, and reverts its motion back towards a central point resulting in its destruction. This process is repeated infinitely.

Some scholars and practitioners believe that the Gautama Buddha is speaking metaphorically about the nature of attachment, and is thus giving a teaching about how the mind forms attachments to material things and objects of awareness, thus causing suffering.

But, other Scholars say that the Gautama Buddha relates this story primarily to refute the false claims of the Brahmin caste that they are a special creation “born of the mouth of Brahma.”

Whatever the scholars’ interpretations were, from a layman’s point of view the sutta contains some elements of the Big Bang Theory.

The significance is not the theory itself, but the time period it was revealed. How did Gautama Buddha knew about the Big Bang Theory more than 2000 years ago when telescope were not even invented?

It may be a surprise to many that the Holy Quran gives a similar view of the Big Bang Theory in a very concise but precise explanation:

“Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before We (We is a Royal plural) clove them asunder?” [Holy Quran 21:30] “The heaven, We (We is a Royal plural) have built it with power. Verily, We are expanding it.” [Holy Quran 51:47]

The striking congruence between the Agganna Sutta, Quranic verses and the ‘Big Bang’ is inescapable! How could the revelations, which first appeared thousand of years ago, contain this profound scientific truth of the 20th century?

What the Buddhist might call enlightenment; Muslims call it revelation from God Himself. This knowledge is far beyond human capability and comprehension.

2007.04.19 – daily news