Berkley Center

The field of neuroscience has emerged as one of the most promising and potentially fruitful areas for engagement between Buddhism and modern science. Ongoing conversations between scientists and Buddhist scholars, many featuring the personal participation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, have moved from the realm of theoretical discussion into actual clinical research. Today, rigorous experiments involve Buddhist monks not simply as subjects to be investigated but as active participants in the design of experimental protocols. These collaborations expand the conceptual frameworks within which we examine and understand mental phenomena. 

During this talk, Geshe Thupten Jinpa reviewed the current state of the field, which some have dubbed "contemplative science," and raised critical questions pertaining to this enterprise. What is the status of the big questions like karma and rebirth in this dialogue? Can Buddhism and science ever agree on the understanding of the nature of consciousness? Can this dialogue expand the horizons of science, both in terms of its method and regulative principles, in the study of mental life?