“The Scientific Basis and Application of Meditation“002《冥想的科学基础与应用》连载002

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在《冥想的科学基础与应用》中，除了第一部分冥想的基础理论之外，崔东红等教授还重点提到了冥想的实际操作方法，介绍了几大流派的冥想技术，如基督教、伊斯兰教、印度教、佛教、禅宗、藏传佛教等冥想的传承、理论及作用。

著名心理学家蒋春雷先生称冥想为“脱去宗教外衣的科学健身良方”，他在本书的结语中就说：“简言之，冥想不是宗教，更非迷信，而是益于身心健康的‘技术’，也是心性修炼的境界；内观冥想早于佛教，传承于佛教，去宗教化而利益于大众；正念冥想源于佛教，兴于西方，反哺东方。”他的这一观点，也说明了宗教与科学相互依存的关系。

那么，当宗教遭遇科学时，我们要明白，科学和宗教各有所长，各有其主宰层面。科学重物质，宗教重精神。科学重入世，宗教重超越。它们是人类智慧织锦的两个不同的侧面，皆有大用，也各有局限。宗教的大善无疑有益于人类，但其宗教裁判所和十字军东征则是人类的噩梦。科学虽然改善了人类生活，但也刺激了欲望的膨胀。

好多人认为科学和宗教是完全对立的，但事实不是这样。几乎任何一个真正伟大的科学家都不会完全排斥宗教，哪怕他们可以拒绝宗教名相，却几乎无不具有宗教精神。有些科学家，或是哲学家，仅仅是将宗教换成另一种名相而已，如黑格尔的“绝对精神”，其实是另一种意义上的“上帝”。洞悉了宇宙某些真理的牛顿，更是在生命的最后阶段扑进了宗教的怀抱——当然，你也可以说他“退步”了，但这一行为本身，难道不是一种对宗教的巨大的认可和包容吗？

无数伟大的科学家，都将宗教智慧当成了自己的心灵滋养。我们可以举出许多这样的例子：在自然科学中，爱因斯坦的相对论明显闪烁着《华严经》的智慧光芒，他也在许多著作中谈到佛教，那毫不掩饰的欣赏，表明他对佛教有着相当深入的了解。霍金的某些理论也跟传统佛教智慧有着非常相似的表述。

在社会科学上，叔本华的哲学明显地受到佛教智慧的启迪，即使他创造了自己的话语体系，但明眼人一眼便可以看出二者确实有过重要的相遇。叔本华指出：“在这个世界中，唯有痛苦才是唯一真实的东西，而幸福不过是痛苦暂时的缺乏，不过是欲望与无聊较为迅速的交替。”他在《作为意志与表象的世界》中开篇便点题：“世界是我的表象。”前者跟佛教的苦谛相若，后者跟“万法唯心造”相近。

心理学大师弗洛伊德的潜意识理论，同样也可以在佛教的唯识学中找到相似的种子，末那识和阿赖耶识的说法，显得比潜意识理论更为深刻。荣格的集体无意识，又何尝不是佛教所说的“共业”“习气”的另一种表述？

许多人并不知道，当代世界发现并让人类惊奇不已的东西，其实在两千五百多年前，就已进入佛教宝库了。同样，科学在许多方面也印证了佛教的伟大，如天文学的诞生，印证了佛教“三千大千世界”说法的正确；显微镜的发明，证明了佛陀所说的水中的“细菌”——他说是肉眼看不到的小虫——的存在；暗物质和暗能量的发现，为佛国或是其他空间、六道等的存在，提供了另外一种表述的可能。

现代基因学告诉我们，人类的许多烦恼其实也是生理的原因，藏传佛教称之为脉结，科学认为这跟基因和染色体有关。一个喜欢发怒的人，在他发怒时，血液中必然有一种让他发怒的激素或内分泌，而按传统的无上瑜伽修习，就可以修复基因缺陷，做到身心自在。因此，我们一定要面对科学，学习现代人认可的科学知识，提升我们的见识和眼界。

In the book “The Scientific Foundations and Applications of Meditation,” in addition to the foundational theories of meditation covered in the first part, Professor Cui Donghong and others also focus on the practical methods of meditation. They introduce various meditation techniques from different traditions, such as those from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhism, discussing their heritage, theories, and effects.

Renowned psychologist Mr. Jiang Chunlei refers to meditation as a “scientific fitness prescription stripped of religious garb.” In the conclusion of the book, he states: “In short, meditation is not a religion, nor is it superstition; it is a ‘technology’ beneficial to both physical and mental health, and a realm of mental cultivation. Vipassana meditation predates Buddhism, was inherited by Buddhism, and when secularized, benefits the public; mindfulness meditation originated from Buddhism, gained prominence in the West, and has since returned to influence the East.” His viewpoint illustrates the interdependent relationship between religion and science.

Therefore, when religion encounters science, we must understand that science and religion each have their strengths and domains of influence. Science focuses on the material, while religion emphasizes the spiritual. Science is concerned with the worldly, and religion with the transcendental. They are two different sides of the tapestry of human wisdom, each with great utility but also their own limitations. The great benevolence of religion undoubtedly benefits humanity, but its institutions like the Inquisition and the Crusades have been humanity’s nightmares. Science has improved human life, yet it has also fueled the expansion of desire.

Many people believe that science and religion are completely opposed, but this is not the case. Almost every truly great scientist does not entirely reject religion, even if they refuse religious terms, they often possess a religious spirit. Some scientists or philosophers simply replace religion with another term, such as Hegel’s “Absolute Spirit,” which in another sense, is “God.” Newton, who glimpsed certain truths of the universe, embraced religion in the final stage of his life—of course, one might say he “regressed,” but isn’t this act itself a significant recognition and acceptance of religion?

Countless great scientists have drawn spiritual nourishment from religious wisdom. We can cite many such examples: In natural science, Einstein’s theory of relativity clearly reflects the wisdom of the Avatamsaka Sutra; he also discussed Buddhism in many of his works, his undisguised admiration indicating a deep understanding of Buddhism. Some of Hawking’s theories also bear striking similarities to traditional Buddhist wisdom.

In social science, Schopenhauer’s philosophy was evidently inspired by Buddhist wisdom. Even though he created his own system of discourse, it is apparent to the discerning eye that there was a significant encounter between the two. Schopenhauer pointed out: “In this world, only suffering is real, while happiness is merely the temporary absence of suffering, merely the swift alternation between desire and boredom.” He begins his book “The World as Will and Representation” with the theme: “The world is my representation.” The former resembles Buddhism’s truth of suffering, while the latter is akin to the idea that “all phenomena are created by the mind.”

Similarly, Freud’s theory of the unconscious can be found to have seeds in Buddhist Yogacara philosophy; the concepts of the alaya-vijnana and manas consciousness appear deeper than the theory of the unconscious. Jung’s collective unconscious, too, is another expression of what Buddhism calls “shared karma” and “habit energy.”

Many people are unaware that many of the things discovered by the modern world, which astonish humanity, had already entered the Buddhist treasury over 2,500 years ago. Similarly, science has, in many ways, corroborated the greatness of Buddhism, such as the birth of astronomy, which confirmed the Buddhist concept of the “Three Thousand Worlds.” The invention of the microscope proved the existence of “germs” in water, which the Buddha had described as tiny organisms invisible to the naked eye. The discovery of dark matter and dark energy has provided an alternative expression for the existence of Buddha realms, other dimensions, and the six realms of existence.

Modern genetics tells us that many of human troubles also have physiological causes; Tibetan Buddhism refers to these as energy knots, while science links them to genes and chromosomes. For someone prone to anger, a hormone or endocrine substance that induces anger is inevitably present in their blood when they are angry. Traditional supreme yoga practice can repair genetic defects, achieving physical and mental freedom. Therefore, we must face science, learn the scientific knowledge recognized by modern people, and broaden our knowledge and vision.