Confluence of Science and Buddhism:The Sixth World Youth Buddhist Symposium

Confluence of Science and Buddhism L1 01 Guest Speaker Khenpo Sodargye, a Contemporary Buddhist Thinker, and Professor Poon Chung-kwong, Former President of Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Twice Hero of Science. In this "Wisdom Dialogue" session, Khenpo Sodargye Rinpoche, a renowned Buddhist scholar, and Professor Pan Poon-kwang, a distinguished scientist nominated twice for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, explore the intricate relationship between science and religion. Starting with Einstein's famous assertion that "science without religion is blind," the two speakers discuss how Buddhism functions as a scientific investigation into the laws of the universe, specifically cause and effect. Professor Pan argues that environmental protection is essentially returning to nature's laws, while Khenpo Sodargye emphasizes that religion must withstand scientific scrutiny to remain relevant, just as science requires the compassionate guidance of religion to avoid becoming a tool for destruction. The conversation delves into quantum mechanics, the nature of consciousness, and how the Heart Sutra points to a reality that transcends the sensory limits of current scientific observation.