The First International Emory-Tibet Symposium: Bridging Buddhism and Science for Mutual Enrichment was organized at the congregation hall of Drepung Monastery in Mundgod, Karnataka, South India. Drepung Monastic University is widely known as the second Nalanda for its excellence in Buddhist studies over the centuries. It is also one of the most prestigious, largest and leading Buddhist learning centers existing in as well as outside Tibet, which has been the home for thousand of Tibetans and non-Tibetans studying Tibetan Buddhism.

This conference was co-sponsored by the Dalai Lama Trust and Emory University in collaboration with Drepung Monastery and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. It had brought a number of internationally renowned scientists with different academic backgrounds and emerging Buddhist scholars trained in science together for three days to engage in dialogue and discuss different interesting topics with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The audience consisting of several thousand people from different walks of life including monks and nuns, lay people and international visitors.

This unique conference on bridging Buddhism and Science for mutual enrichment showcased a long range of topics, commonly shared by Buddhist scholars from the East and modern scientist from the West. Therefore, an east meets west and vice versa dialogue unfolded where the exchanging of new ideas took place after co-examining, co-investigating and engaging with similar questions from deferent perspectives. This conference also coincided with a significant event of celebrating the 600th anniversary of Drepung Monastic University to commemorate its commitment and efforts towards the achievement of academic excellence for the past 6 centuries.

The presenters of the conference covered various aspects of Buddhism and Science including physics, neuroscience, philosophy, Biology, Secular ethics, etc. through power point presentations in English and Tibetan which made it easy for the thousands of observers from different parts of India and abroad to understand and explore the concepts of all the topics and sub-topics from the 18th to the 20th of December 2016.

Large slideshows and HD quality TVs had been installed at all the angles in the conference hall for the observers to have full access to all the slideshows presented by every scientist and Buddhist scholar throughout the day. A simultaneous translation in Tibetan and English via radio transmission was also made available for those who preferred it. The Audio and Video section of our office broadcasted the three days conference live to the worldwide audiences. A large screen was specifically placed at the debating courtyard of Drepung Monastery for five to six hundred of audiences who didn’t have entry pass to the main venue.

For the convenience of all the attendees, three separate dining locations were prepared for respective category of participants; presenters, special guests, and general observers to enjoy their meals without having to face long queues. Catering agents were hired to serve multiple-course meals of different cuisines. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner was provided for all the participants throughout the days of the whole conference at no cost. Free accommodation along with reimbursement of travel expenses and other expenses were also provided to all the invited participants and guests from different parts of India including monks, nuns, students and Indians.

After the arrival of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who walked to the conference venue from Drepung Lachi, Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi started the morning session with a brief welcome and introduction about the aims and objectives of organising such a unique conference, as well as the evolution of the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative project in the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lamas and Abbots of various monasteries, heads and members of the Central Tibetan Administration, speakers and other guests as well as participants. This was followed by a message from His Eminence Gaden Tri Rinpoche, a speech from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and a video message from Dr. Gary Hauk of Emory University respectively.

In the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the main session of the very first day commenced with a video presentation by Dr. Robert A. Paul suggesting the 21st Century as a new Axial Age by reasoning and referring to various accounts of historical facts and figures. This was followed by a presentation from Dr. Michel Bitbol emphasizing the need for philosophical evaluation in the dialogue between Science and Buddhism which he thought of as a bridge between the two disciplines. Then Dr. Carol Worthman who is a biological anthropologist, talked on learning from difference: a dialogue of Buddhism and science in the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative. She specifically stressed on the enormous benefit this can offer not only to both parties but also to humanity in general through a constructive exchange between Buddhism and western science.

The second session started with philosophy, which mainly focused on ‘what is science?’ by Dr. John Durant. He criticised three misunderstandings about the nature of science by reasoning that science cannot be understood as the work of single individuals. Rather it is best seen as the product of a global culture devoted to the creation of reliable knowledge about the natural world.

The second topic was on knowledge or valid cognition in Buddhism by Ven. Sonam Choephel who explained that it is necessary for both Buddhist scholars and western scientists to learn about each other’s fundamental concepts to build a meaningful and mutually beneficial bridge between the two parties. The session continued with a question and answer session with presenters, panelists and general observers in the evening hours. This was followed by monastic science demonstrations by science students at Drepung Loseling Meditation and Science Centre. The program for the first day concluded with a contemplative research panel at Drepung Loseling debate courtyard in the presence of panelists like Corina Aguilar-Raab, Gaelle Desbordes, Timothy Harrison, Joseph Loizzo.

The second day of the conference started with presentations relating to physics whereby Dr. Christopher Impey talked about the fundamental constituents of the universe and how it originated. He mentioned that the universe and its material constituents came into being 13.8 billion years ago in a singular and dramatic event called the big bang.

Ven. Thabkhe then began his presentation on the causal factors for the origins of the universe from the Buddhist perspective in which he reasoned that Buddhists do not accept a creator being as the point of origin of the Universe. Instead, they postulate two principal causal factors that brought forth our Universe: a material cause and a conditional factor.

The afternoon session began with a presentation by Prof. Scott Gilbert on developmental biology as a science of dependent co-origination. He said developmental biology is the science that studies how the different organs; the heart and brain, for instance, are generated from one original cell, the Zygote (fertilised egg). He also explained how organs come into being through dependent co-origination at the levels of fertilisation. Ven. Ngawang Norbu presented Buddhist perspective on the origination of life on earth by explaining that Buddhism places much emphasis on the development of inner life or mind rather than the physical body. This presentation also talked about the Buddhist concept of life, the essential features of life, and various forms of life, etc. Sessions like Q&A with presenters and panelists, monastic science demonstration and translating science into Tibetan were also held respectively in the evening.

The morning session of the third day focused on the mind and its relationship to the body, brain and subjective experience from the neuroscientific and Buddhist perspectives. This session began with a presentation by Dr. Christof Koch, emphasizing what biology and neuroscience have learned about the mind-body problem, in particular about the organ of the mind, the central nervous system or brain as well as the relationship between the architecture of the neocortex and conscious experience by using behavioural techniques from perpetual psychology. He also put forth theories explaining which types of physical systems are capable of having conscious experience and why.

Contradictory to above the understandings put forth by neuroscientists and biologist on the mind and body and their relationship, Ven. Lodoe Sangpo critically introduced his presentation on the nature of consciousness and its relationship with the body from the perspective of Buddhist knowledge. Unlike neuroscience’s understanding of consciousness as an emerging property of certain physical substrates, Buddhism views consciousness as an immaterial, purely subjective entity that has an innate quality to cognise its objects.

The afternoon session was on secular ethics in education and why education needs an ethical component. This session was divided into two parts, first part focused on educating the heart through recent science on social and emotional learning and ethical education by Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, in which she mentioned the growing consensus among psychologists, educators, and educational scholars regarding the need for a comprehensive vision of education. She also mentioned an approach for enhancing children’s success in school and in life through educational practices designed to promote student’s social and emotional learning (SEL) and ethical education.

In the second part, Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi presented a framework for social, emotional and ethical development in K-12 and university education. This presentation conveyed Emory University’s framework for the inclusion of compassion-based ethics in K-12 and university education, which has been developing at the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in order to implement his far-reaching vision for educational curricula based upon secular ethics.

At the end of the day, Gael Daesborde summarised all the notable points of the symposium proceedings and eventually invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to make his final remarks. His Holiness thanked all the presenters and panelists as well as other parties for their participation in the Initiative. He also mentioned two goals of the conference; the first is to improve our knowledge and understanding and the second is the happiness of all 7 billion human beings alive today.

SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE

DAY ONE:

Session 1–
The 21st Century: A new Axial Age? By Robert A. Paul. Philosophy as a Bridge Between Science and Buddhism by Michel Bitbol. Learning from difference: Dialogues of Buddhism and Science in the ETSI by Carol Worthman.

Session 2-
Philosophy: How is knowledge Established, and What Constitutes Valid Reasoning? What is Science by John Durant? Knowledge or Valid Cognition in Buddhism by Sonam Choephel. Q & A with Presenters and Panelists. Monastic Science Demonstrations. Contemplative Research Panel.

 

DAY TWO:

Session 3-
Physics: What are the Fundamental Constituents of the Universe and How Did it Originate? by Christopher Impey. Causal Factors for the Origins of the Universe by Thabkhe.

Session 4-
Biology: What is Life and what are its Origins (developmentally as well as evolutionarily)?
Developmental Biology As a Science of Dependent Co-origination by Scott Gilbert. Buddhist Perspective on the Origination of Life on Earth by Ngawang Norbu. Q&A with presenters and panelists. Monastic Science Demonstrations. Translating Science into Tibetan.

 

DAY THREE:

Session 5-
Neuroscience: What is mind, and its relationship to the body, brain and subjective experience?
Science and the Mind-Body Problem by Christof Koch. Buddhist Science of Consciousness by Lodoe Sangpo.

Session 6-
Secular Ethics in Education: Why does education need an ethical component?
Educating the Hearts: Recent Science on Social and Emotional Learning and Ethical Education by Kimberly Schonert-Reichl. A Framework for Social, Emotional and Ethical Development in K-12 and University Education by Lobsang Tenzin Negi.Summary of the conference by Gaelle Desbordes. His Holiness’s final remarks. Q&A with presenters and panelists. Monastic Science Demonstrations. Science Research Conducted by Monastic Panel.

PRESENTERS AND PANELISTS :

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan people

His Eminence the 103rd Gaden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche

Dr. Michel Bitbol, Researcher at CNRS, Paris, France

Dr. Erin Wells Bonning, Ph. D in physics.

Geshe Sonam Choephel, Science education coordinator at Drepung Loseling

Gaelle Desbordes, Instructor at the Massachusetts General Hospital- Harvard-MIT Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.

Geshe Yungdrung Kunchok, Science teacher at Menri Bon Monastery

Brian Dias, Ph. D

Dr. John Durant, The Mark R. Epstein (Class of 1963) Director of the MIT Museum, and Adjunct Professor in the STS Program at MIT

Dr. Arri Eisen, One of the founders of the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative and leader of the ETSI Life Science group

Prof. Scott Gilbert. Professor Emeritus of biology at Swarthmore College and the University of Helsinki, Finland

Ven. Lobsang Gonpo, Drepung Gomang

Ven. Gelek Gyaltsen , Drepung Loseling

Prof. Julia Haas, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Rhodes College

Mr. Timothy Harrison, Assistant Director at the Emory-Tibetan Partnership

Dr. Christopher Impey, University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy and Associate Dean of the College of Science at the University of Arizona

Ven, Jampa Khechok, Sera Jey Monastery

Dr. Christof Koch, President and Chief Scientific Officer at Allen Institute of Brain Science, Seattle

Geshe Lhakdor, Director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives

Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi Ph.D., Professor of Practice in Emory University’s Department of Religion and founder and spiritual director of Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta, Co-founder, and director of the Emory-Tibet Partnership

Geshe Ngawang Norbu, Science education coordinator at Sera Jey Monastery

Dr. Robert Paul, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Anthropology and Interdisciplinary professor in Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Emory University

Dr. Mark Risjord, Professor of Philosophy at Emory University

Ven. Tsondue Samphel, Translator -cum-research assistant at ETSI

Ven. Professor Ngawang Samten, Vice-chancellor of the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, Varanasi

Ven. Lodoe Sangpo, Science coordinator at Gaden Jangtse Monastery

Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, Applied Developmental Psychologist and Professor in the Human Development, Learning, and Culture area in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, and Special Education at the University of British Columbia

Ven. Thabkhe, Sera Jey Monastery

Ven. Thupten Tsering, Drepung Loseling Monastery

Ven. Sonam Wangchuk, Sera Jey Monastery

Dr. Carol Worthman, Samuel Candler Dobbs Chair in Anthropology, Emory University

Dr. Joel Zivot, MD, FRCP(C), Associate professor of Anesthesiology and Surgery in the Emory University School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Law in the Emory School of Law.