Scientific aspects of Buddhism

Buddhism and science both emphasize observation and empirical verification as the way of deriving knowledge

As a non-theistic religion, Buddhism does not believe in a supernatural God and denies any efficacy of prayers for relief but depends on nothing but one’s efforts for salvation and deliverance from suffering. Buddha’s primary concern was to enlighten people on the most important question of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path leading to its cessation

• More than any other religion Buddhism lends itself to critical investigation 
• Buddhism mainly deals with the subjective and spiritual world while science is mainly concerned with the external and material world 

We live in a scientific age, in which science has influenced practically every aspect of our lives.Science has had a profound impact, both positive and negative on society, Although, both buddhism and science follow two paths many Buddhist scholars believe they have a great deal in common.They believe that science and buddhism are not incompatible as they have more similarities than contradictions and core aspects of buddhism align well with modern science.
Buddhism mainly deals with the subjective and spiritual world while science is mainly concerned with the external and material world. Nevertheless, science and Buddhism ceaselessly attempt to solve the existential problems of mankind in their different ways.  Their concerted objective is knowledge of the world we find ourselves in. Scientists and Buddhist philosophers ceaselessly look for why we came to this world, from where we came, and where we shall go.

More than any other religion Buddhism lends itself to critical investigation. Buddhism and science both emphasize observation and empirical verification as the way of deriving knowledge. Buddhism is essentially practical and pragmatic in its orientation as it stresses the importance of practice over theory. Buddha’s teachings emphasize learning based on one’s observations and perceptions and believe that knowledge is not complete unless it is backed by experience. 
Buddha did not ask adherents to accept his dhamma blindly but rather to test them for themselves and see if they were true. Science adopts experimentation, while Buddhists seek deliverance and truth through meditation and mindfulness. It teaches us to lead a virtuous ethical life while undergoing our lives’ inevitable ups and downs. His teachings propose practical solutions to human problems. Therefore, Buddha can be described as an essentially a pragmatic empiricist.
The agreement between Buddhism and science is proved by several canonical teachings, of which the Kalama sutra takes precedence over all others. Buddha admonished his followers thus:“Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing: nor upon tradition: nor rumour: nor upon what is  in a scripture: nor upon surmise: nor axiom: nor specious reasoning: nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over: nor upon others seeming ability: nor upon consideration, the monk is our teacher: Rather, when you know that these things are good: these things are not blamable: undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness, then and only then into and abide in them.” This particular teaching is widely accepted as supporting free inquiry and the absence of rigid dogma an attitude entirely open to empirical verification and consistent with science.
Buddha also used many parables during his discourses that reinforced the scientific and empirical nature of his dhamma. Buddha admonishes his disciples thus. “Just as a goldsmith would test his gold by burning, cutting, and rubbing it, so must you examine my words and accept them, not merely out of reverence for me”. In other words, Buddhism expects its adherents to be skeptics and accept a proposition only after being convinced of its validity.
Both Buddhism and science converge on the issue of the non existence of a creator God. According to Buddhism, our existence is not contingent on the creator God. As a non-theistic religion, Buddhism does not believe in a supernatural God and denies any efficacy of prayers for relief but depends on nothing but one’s efforts for salvation and deliverance from suffering. Buddha’s primary concern was to enlighten people on the most important question of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path leading to its cessation. Moreover, Buddha delved deeply into the intricacies of the human mind. His therapeutic methods helped millions of people who go through immense mental and physical suffering.

Huston Smith, a pioneering teacher of world religions has identified some features that all major religions share. He says that buddhism as a religion can be considered unique because it does not share typical characteristics of the major religions of the world, they are “authority” “ritual” “speculation” “ tradition” “ concept of divine saving” and mystery. He has spoken of Buddhism which was devoid of authority, ritual, speculation, tradition, and mystery that was based on intense self-effort. 
The theory of biological evolution presented by Charles  Darwin hundreds of years ago is akin to the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence Annica (Impermance) Dukka (suffering), and Anatta (soullessness), which are common across everything in life. These three characteristics are incontrovertible and exist in the world whether Buddhas arise or not.
This Buddhist notion that all life whether animate or inanimate is impermanent and everything is in a state of flux and subject to change depicted in the three marks of existence is consonant with the evolutionary theory propounded by Charles Darwin. According to Darwin evolution has progressed from one-celled organisms to the highest state, namely, the human being, as a result of biological changes taking place over millions of years, in the face of what is around us. Darwin showed how life began as a unicellular and evolved by gradual process they slowly evolved from lower forms and even now are evolving into still different forms. This epoch and far-reaching discovery shattered the foundation of many religions in the Western world and has also debunked many hidebound views held by religionists who believed in creation. (Amarasiri Weeraratne).The theory of evolution has been buttressed by many subsequent scientific findings and today scientific world accepts Darwin’s theory and treats it with respect. Although Darwin’s theory has shaken the foundations of many Western religions debunking creation, it has not affected the fundamental teachings of Buddhism. Therefore, many Buddhists see no inherent conflict between their religious teachings and evolutionary theory.

Nobel Prize-winning philosopher Bertrand Russell has described Buddhism thus “Buddhism is a combination of both speculative and scientific philosophy. It advocated the scientific method and pursues that to a finality that may be called rationalistic. In it are to be found answers to such questions of interest as: what is mind and matter. Is the universe moving towards a goal what is man’s position, is there living that is noble? It takes up where science cannot lead because of the limitations of the latter’s instruments. Its conquests are those of the mind”.
German-born physicist Einstein declared if there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism.  Einstein has made occasional and passing references to the Buddha in conversation. He believed that science without religion was lame, and religion without science was blind.
Buddhist scriptures contain ideas about the nature of the world and the universe. Buddhism also cautions against certain speculative questions about the universe. Buddha rejected the many questions about the origin of the world its eternity and infinity saying it is unfathomable, inconceivable, and unexplainable. He says one cannot trace the ultimate origin of anything and it is useless and meaningless to look for a beginning. In culamalukya sutta, Buddha uses the analogy of the man pierced with a poisoned arrow to illustrate the futility of speculating on metaphysical questions. 
Instead of speculative questions relating first cause and origin of the universe Buddhism speaks of conditionality in pathichcha sammuppada sutta According to this sutta, the whole world is subject to the law of cause and effect, action, and reaction. Interconnectedness is a central tenet underlying all Buddhist teachings and nothing can have an independent and autonomous existence. It is expressed in Buddhism thus: “When there is this, that comes to be. With the arising of this, that arises when there is not this, that does not come to be, with the cessation of this, that ceases”. (Nanamoli and Bodhi). It delineates the interdependent nature of all phenomena in the world implying that the arising of all matters is conditioned on the arising of one another. This is borne out by pathichcha sammuppada sutta which aligns with the scientific concept of action and reaction.

Moreover, in recent years, there has been a growing body of scientific research on the benefits of Buddhist meditation that is integral to the Buddhist path. Many types of meditation found in Buddhism have been proven scientifically therapeutic and enhance the mental health and well-being of people in numerous ways. All these matters enable one to conclude that the whole of Buddha’s teachings is open to scientific analysis and thinking. Despite the different paths science and Buddhism follow both can adopt a complementary and integrative approach to solving human suffering.