Neurological science and buddhism
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:24 am
Consciousness arises dependent on the six senses and their respective sense objects. Consciousness is a series of momentary consciousnesses and it has no independent existence.
This the standard buddhist teaching. But it does not mean that buddhism has the same view as that of neurological science of perception. In Buddhism we have different extra sensory perceptions, that are not accepted by neurological science.
This means for example six abhijña and three vidya:
1.Divine vision
2.Divine hearing
3.Discerning the mind and thoughts of others
4.Seeing the previous lives (of oneself and others)
5.Miraculous powers
6.Knowledge of the destruction of mental defilements
Mahayana teaches that the fifth one includes 18 different miraculous abilities, (they are explained in Har Dayal's Bodhisattva Doctrine in Sanskrit Buddhist Literature).
Neurological science has no explantion for the extrasensory powers of mind. In buddhism there are some explanations of how they exist in the human body, mostly in the esoteric teachings. Often it is said that they are not important or essential for the Dharma, but they are essential and vital to distinguish Dharma from the materialistic view of existence.
The teaching of eighteen dhatus (eye, form, visual consciousness, etc...) is similar to the neurological view of perception. Knowing the neurological basis of perception is most helpful for meditation and for understaning the Dharma.
The existence of the six supernormal powers and the three knowledges in Sravakayana and the Mahayana teachings means that tantric or esoteric knowledge has existed from the start in Buddhism.
This the standard buddhist teaching. But it does not mean that buddhism has the same view as that of neurological science of perception. In Buddhism we have different extra sensory perceptions, that are not accepted by neurological science.
This means for example six abhijña and three vidya:
1.Divine vision
2.Divine hearing
3.Discerning the mind and thoughts of others
4.Seeing the previous lives (of oneself and others)
5.Miraculous powers
6.Knowledge of the destruction of mental defilements
Mahayana teaches that the fifth one includes 18 different miraculous abilities, (they are explained in Har Dayal's Bodhisattva Doctrine in Sanskrit Buddhist Literature).
Neurological science has no explantion for the extrasensory powers of mind. In buddhism there are some explanations of how they exist in the human body, mostly in the esoteric teachings. Often it is said that they are not important or essential for the Dharma, but they are essential and vital to distinguish Dharma from the materialistic view of existence.
The teaching of eighteen dhatus (eye, form, visual consciousness, etc...) is similar to the neurological view of perception. Knowing the neurological basis of perception is most helpful for meditation and for understaning the Dharma.
The existence of the six supernormal powers and the three knowledges in Sravakayana and the Mahayana teachings means that tantric or esoteric knowledge has existed from the start in Buddhism.