What is Buddhism? - Introduction

 Buddhism often appears as an enigmatic Eastern religion, its true purpose and ideas shrouded in mystery. The complexity arises partly from the diversity of Buddhist sects and their varied practices, making it challenging to grasp the underlying essence that unites them all.

However, the difficulty in comprehending Buddhism extends beyond sectarian differences. Even fundamental Buddhist doctrines—such as the Middle Way, the Twelve Dependent Originations, and the concept of suffering—have been expounded in numerous commentaries, yet they remain elusive to many.

Why does Buddhist thinking prove so elusive? The answer lies in the stark contrast between the Buddhist worldview and our everyday perspective. Typically, we adhere to naive realism, assuming that everyone perceives the same external world. Buddhism, however, asserts that the physical world is intertwined with our mental realm.

Consider the Twelve Dependent Originations, which describe causal links leading to suffering. Most of these events occur within the mind, while the visible physical world represents only a fraction of reality. By limiting our understanding to the tangible, we overlook the significance of these invisible mental processes.

This divergence in worldview has hindered a proper grasp of Buddhist thought.

Remarkably, advances in quantum mechanics since the first half of the 20th century have shed light on the role of human consciousness in determining the state of subatomic particles. This discovery challenged the traditional view of the material world as fixed and independent of human existence.

Naive realism, which assumes that everyone perceives the same world, is already becoming a thing of the past, especially in cutting-edge quantum physics and cosmology.

It is now understood that the real world is not predetermined, but is selected from a myriad of potential states. And it is believed that human consciousness may actively influence this selection process.

Strikingly, such a scientific worldview aligns closely with Buddhism's original perspective.

The conventional explanation of Buddhism based on naive realism has obscured the true depth and scientific relevance of Buddhism, just as the outdated celestial motion theory explains the motion of the planets. To address this problem, this series first delves into the Buddhist worldview. It then elucidates Buddhist thought and makes complex ideas easier to understand.

Ultimately, I emphasize that Buddhist thinking is profoundly scientific and universally beneficial. Regardless of ideology or belief, it offers insights for a better life, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries. My goal is to unravel the wisdom of Buddhist thought, allowing you to discover answers to life's myriad questions firsthand.

#Buddhism #MiddleWay #TwelveDependentOriginations #QuantumMechanics