science and spirituality

A DIALOGUE BETWEEN SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY IS A NECESSITY IN OUR TIMES WHERE BOTH, DIFFERENCES AND MUTUAL ENRICHMENT OF THE TWO GREAT FIELDS OF HUMAN APPROACH TO REALITY, ARE TAKING PLACE. THIS VOLUME ADDRESSES THIS NEED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF DIFFERENT AREAS OF SCIENCE AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS. THE STARTING POINT IS THE INTENTION OF THE FOUNDER OF THE IIAS, DR S. RADHAKRISHNAN, WHO SAW THAT “BOTH THE PRACTICE OF SCIENCE AND EXPERIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY ARE INTIMATELY RELATED TO BEING HUMAN”. ALTHOUGH MUCH THOUGHT HAS GONE INTO THEIR RELATIONSHIP, THE PRESENT VOLUME INTENDS TO BROADEN AND DEEPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF A HARMONIOUS INTEGRATION, NECESSARY TO OVERCOME THE PRESENT-DAY CRISIS OF HUMANITY.
FROM THE SIDE OF SCIENCE, THE CONTRIBUTORS COME FROM THE FIELDS OF PHYSICS, PLANT BIOLOGY, NEUROSCIENCE, PSYCHOLOGY, ECOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE; AND FROM THE SIDE OF SPIRITUALITY, FOLLOWING TRADITIONS AND SPIRITUAL MASTERS ARE REPRESENTED: PÀTAÐJALA YOGA, TRIKA ŒAIVISM OF KASHMIR, VEDÀNTA, BUDDHISM, CHRISTIANITY, THEOSOPHY, AND RABINDRANATH TAGORE, SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND J. KRISHNAMURTI. THE DELIBERATIONS INCLUDED TOPICS SUCH AS AWARENESS IN PLANTS, NEUROPLASTICITY AND HABIT, APPROPRIATE USE OF TERMS SUCH AS “CONSCIOUSNESS” AND “ENERGY” IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, CLARIFYING SEVERAL ISSUES CONCERNING THE ON-GOING DIALOGUE. THE CONTRIBUTING SCHOLARS HAVE BUILT “BRIDGES OF UNDERSTANDING”, THUS ENCOURAGING THE READER TO PROCEED FURTHER IN THIS QUEST.

A dialogue between science and spirituality is a necessity in our times where both, differences and mutual enrichment of the two great fields of human approach to reality, are taking place. This volume addresses this need from the perspective of different areas of science and spiritual traditions. The starting point is the intention of the founder of the IIAS, Dr S. Radhakrishnan, who saw that “both the practice of science and experience of spirituality are intimately related to being human”. Although much thought has gone into their relationship, the present volume intends to broaden and deepen the possibility of a harmonious integration, necessary to overcome the present-day crisis of humanity.
From the side of science, the contributors come from the fields of physics, plant biology, neuroscience, psychology, ecology and philosophy of science; and from the side of spirituality, following traditions and spiritual masters are represented: PÀtaðjala Yoga, Trika Œaivism of Kashmir, VedÀnta, Buddhism, Christianity, Theosophy, and Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and J. Krishnamurti. The deliberations included topics such as Awareness in plants, Neuroplasticity and Habit, appropriate use of terms such as “Consciousness” and “Energy” in different contexts, clarifying several issues concerning the on-going dialogue. The contributing scholars have built “bridges of understanding”, thus encouraging the reader to proceed further in this quest.

CONTENTS

“ Inaugural Address
— Chetan Singh
Introduction
— Bettina Sharada Bäumer
1. Science and Spirituality
— Partha Ghose
2. The Perilous Bridge of Vijñāna: A Perspective
from Pātañjala Yoga and Psychology
— Stephen A. Parker
3. Perception and Awareness in Plants
— Sudhir Kumar Sopory
4. Trika Śaivism of Kashmir and Its Insights
for a Dialogue with Science
— Bettina Sharada Bäumer
5. In Search of Rationality in Our Habit: Spirituality
in the Light of Neuroplasticity
— Gopal Chandra Bhar
6. Rabindranath Tagore’s Belief in Holistic Science
— Martin Kämpchen
7. Neuroscience and Freedom
— Günter Rager
8. Sacred Secularity as Synergy of Science
and Spirituality
— Varghese Manimala
9. A Non-dualistic Relational Model of Reality:
Science and Buddhist Insights
— Michael von Brück
10. Swami Vivekananda’s Concept of the
Harmony of Science and Religion
— Swami Atmapriyananda
11. Two complementary Quests for Truth: J. Krishnamurti’s Approach
— Padmanabhan Krishna
12. Science and Spirituality: Compatible Paradigms?
— Vijaya Shankar Varma
13. Thought: Its Genesis and Growth in the
Light of Theosophy and Neuroscience
— Atul Bhatnagar
14. Vedānta and the Possibility of a
Heart-centric Education
— Arpita Mitra
15. Ancient Indian and Modern Scientific
Perspectives on Ecology
— Kishor Dere
Contributors
Index

Bettina Sharada Bäumer is a scholar of non-dualist Kashmir Saivism and a disciple of Swami Lakshman Joo (1907-91). She has been teaching texts of Kashmir Saivism in intensive seminars for the last 20 years. She was National Fellow at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, from 2015-17. At present she is Director of ‘Samvidalaya, Abhinavagupta Research Library’ in Varanasi. Her recent publications include: Abhinavagupta’s Hermeneutics of the Absolute, Anuttaraprakriya, An Interpretation of His Paratriksika Vivarana (2011); Utpaladeva, Philosopher of Recognition, co-edited with Raffaele Torella (2016); Tantrapushpanjali: Tantric Traditions and Philosophy of Kashmir, Studies in Memory of Pandit H.N. Chakravarty, co-edited with Hamsa Stainton (2018). In 2015 she was awarded Padma Shri by the Government of India.