Dalai Lama Wins Templeton Prize For Work On Science, Religion

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama speaks during the last day of the Kalachakra Festival in Bodhgaya on January 10, 2012. Kalachakra 2012, a festival of teachings and meditations will take place from January 1, 2012 for ten days in the northern Indian state of Bihar and will be attended by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. AFP PHOTO/Diptendu DUTTA

By Chris Herlinger
Religion News Service

NEW YORK (RNS) The Dalai Lama is best known for his commitment to Tibetan autonomy from China and his message of spirituality, nonviolence and peace that has made him a best-selling author and a speaker who can pack entire arenas.

But somewhat under the radar screen, the Tibetan Buddhist leader and Nobel Prize laureate has also had an abiding interest in the intersection of science and religion.

That interest won Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, the 2012 Templeton Prize on Thursday (March 29), a $1.7 million award that is often described as the most prestigious award in religion.

The Dalai Lama is the highest-profile winner of an award that in recent years had been given to physicists and theologians not well known to the general public, but earlier had been given to the likes of evangelist Billy Graham and the late Mother Teresa.

"With an increasing reliance on technological advances to solve the world's problems, humanity also seeks the reassurance that only a spiritual quest can answer," said John M. Templeton, Jr., the president and chairman of the Pennsylvania-based John Templeton Foundation and the son of Sir John Templeton, who founded the prize in 1972.

"The Dalai Lama offers a universal voice of compassion underpinned by a love and respect for spiritually relevant scientific research that centers on every single human being."

For his part, the Dalai Lama, in a video statement released during a live webcast announcing the prize, struck a modest note. He said he was nothing more than "a simple Buddhist monk," despite the 2012 Templeton or his 1989 Nobel Peace Prize.

The Templeton honor, he said, was "another sign of recognition about my little service to humanity, mainly, nonviolence and unity around different religious traditions."

The Templeton Foundation noted that the Dalai Lama has long had an interest in a variety of scientific subjects, including astrophysics, behavioral science, neurobiology and quantum mechanics.

As one example, the Dalai Lama helped initiate a "Science for Monks" program, based at Buddhist monasteries in India. The program hosts Indian and Western scientists who wish to explore possible connections and overlaps between science and Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

In turn, the program also provides education in scientific inquiry to monks interested in biology, chemistry, cosmology, mathematics, physics and quantum mechanics.

In its announcement, the foundation noted "the rigorous commitment of Buddhists to meditative investment and reflection similarly follows the strict rules of investigation, proof and evidence required of science."

But the Dalai Lama also has been involved in many academic conferences on science and religion. Some of these have resulted in best-selling books like "The Art of Happiness," "The Universe in a Single Atom," and "The Dalai Lama at MIT."

Aside from the "Science for Monks" program, the foundation noted that the Dalai Lama co-founded the Colorado-based Mind & Life Institute in 1987, dedicated to "collaborative research" between science and Buddhism.

Among other things, the institute hosts conferences focusing on contemplative science, consciousness and death, and destructive and healing emotions.

Another institution formed with the Dalai Lama's collaboration is Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education.

In his recommendation to the awards committee, Richard Davidson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wrote: "More than any other living human being, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has served humanity to catalyze the advancement of 'spiritual progress' and to help us all to cultivate a better understanding of the spiritual dimensions of human experience."

The Templeton Prize -- the world's largest annual monetary award given to a single individual -- will be presented to the Dalai Lama at a May 14 ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

The Dalai Lama becomes the second Templeton Prize laureate who has also won the Nobel Peace Prize. Mother Teresa won the first Templeton, in 1973. Six years later, she received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Comments

[TrueWine]

04:06 PM on 04/10/2012

"Bon, however, did not become an organized religion until after the eleventh century C.E., at which time it shared many features in common with Buddhism. Before that, the pre-Buddhist native tradition of Tibet, sometimes confusingly also called “Bon,” consisted primarily of rituals for supporting an imperial cult, such as elaborate sacrifices for imperial funerals and for the signing of treaties."
"Prior to the late eleventh century C.E., Bon was not an organized religion. According to some scholars, the Tibetan word bon was not even used yet, at that time, for the pre-Buddhist indigenous system of beliefs and rituals..."

http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/study/history_buddhism/buddhism_tibet/details_tibetan_history/history_early_period_buddhism_tibet/Part_1.html

The Berzin Archives is the most well-researched, detailed website...no quickie Wiki nor Master's degree paper from a student with a gripe as Kmon3 quotes from below, this is from a preeminent Professor in the field.

Here we have a website search where one can research any topic in DEPTH and know: http://www.berzinarchives.com , unlike tibetanresearch.org which main person relates her Christianity to Buddhism without having studied about Buddhism. She talks about the "Dharmakaya" as "megaMind" and has no idea of the Buddhist concept of Emptiness.

Please research Tibetan Buddhism from Berzin's site instead, Kmon3, and you might learn something instead of making simplistic criticisms.

[TrueWine]

01:12 AM on 04/06/2012

The Dalai Lama is an amazingly astute teacher of the Gelugpa branch of Tibetan Buddhism. I have heard him build layer upon layer of philosophical argument on the Buddhist concept of "Emptiness" and interdependence, with such clarity that I felt transported into that freedom of mind.
He has had enormous difficulty for the past 60 years trying to negotiate with the Communist Chinese to give Tibet some relief in order to save Tibetan culture and people and the special kind of Buddhist path called the Vajrayana (or Diamond Path, which only exists in a very few places on earth, and holds vast methods of quickly realizing Buddhahood). Tibet is becoming only a tourist Disneyland rather than a place of living Vajrayana Buddhist practice.
He has fostered the scientific study of connections between meditative states and healing of body and negative emotion, making meditation a viable aid in healing chronic disease and addictions as well as depression and anxiety...The mindfulness approach to psychotherapy has grown out of his collaborations.
He deserves this award because he is at the same time extraordinary and a humble monk; his example lights the world with a rare display of compassion and wisdom.

[GaryNOVA]

04:16 PM on 04/04/2012

Do you know who won the Templeton prize? The Dalai Lama, himself. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-lagunga.

So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

[Doug Sandlin]

10:37 AM on 04/02/2012

So ... can so called "spiritual practices" really help with scientific understanding of reality?

Before you answer .... check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/user/scienceandnonduality?feature=watch

"PS" - The video is from the Science & Non-Duality Channel on YouTube. "SAND" (Science and Non-Duality) is another group doing some very interesting things with respect to the potential convergence between objective science (aka science) and subjective science (aka non-duality).

http://www.scienceandnonduality.com/

[Hillbilly49]

07:18 PM on 04/01/2012

The Univeristy of Arkansas loves the Dalai Lama; he presents a positive way to live through peace and world harmony.

[kooldalai]

11:51 PM on 04/02/2012

I was at the University of Arkansas last year to see the Dalai Lama speak.

[Doug Sandlin]

10:21 AM on 04/01/2012

Quite a few commenters have negative things to say about the Dalai Lama.

I've found that the easiest and clearest way to form an accurate opinion about any person, is to read (or watch or listen to) what the person has to say, as opposed to going by what people who don't like them have to say about them.

Then, we can form our own opinions, rather than being influenced in advance by someone else's opinion of someone else's opinion about the original person in question (the Dalai Lama, in this case).

And so, to form an opinion of the Dalai Lama, I would suggest reviewing what he has to say directly -- he has quite a few books out, and/or, for the more immediate-gratification-oriented among us, he has plenty of videos on YouTube.

Personally, I find nearly everything that the Dalai Lama says personally to be positive, or at worst, neutral.

I've read some of the negative overviews about the Dalai Lama, including one set from a person whose views I respect greatly -- which caused me to pay a bit more attention to them, per the source of those views (yogic philosopher Peter Wilberg in his PDF ebook "Rudra's Red Banner").

However, per the inherently positive nature of the Dalai Lama's direct statements, which I accept at face value, I consider the Dalai Lama's direct public statements in his books and talks to be generally beneficial, independent of any other information about him.

[FreedToChoose]

08:55 PM on 04/01/2012

It is easy to criticize anyone who dedicates their life to something they see as essential. You are right about having a direct experience with the person and their work. For me, the acid test is the extent to which their efforts were beneficial to others. He passes by a wide margin in my view.

[Doug Sandlin]

08:35 AM on 04/01/2012

Good basic talk by the Dalai Lama on the nature of mind, and specifically how religion relates to the nature of mind, and vice versa.

His actual talk starts at about 17:30 in the video (prior to that it's just introduction, "happy to be here", etc. etc.).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO7RQi55asY

Notes:

*Fairly early in the video, it sounds like he's saying "fate" ... he's saying "faith".

*He also clarifies around 20:00 in the video that Buddhism is a non-theistic tradition. In Buddhism no posited god or gods "out there"; so-called Buddhism is more a set of psychological teachings and techniques than it is a religion, in the way that many people under that term, today.

*His "translator" cracks me up ... the Dalai Lama's talk is in English, but the translator still tries to do his job ... the Dalai Lama says "University", and the translator helpfully adds "University ... campus". The Dalai Lama misspeaks, and says "noise" instead of "voice" (a word he obviously knows), and the translator chimes in with "voice". I wonder if that guy has "translated for the Dalai Lama" on his resume .....". It gets even better .... if you watch/listen, just note the "translator's" helpful assistance ... almost all of it is pretty amusing.

[Doug Sandlin]

08:49 AM on 04/01/2012

"PS":

Okay, I spoke too soon about the translator; at 35:00 or so in the video, the Dalai Lama spends a minute or two speaking in Tibetan, which the translator then translates very well into English.

This then begins to happen fairly regularly, from that point on, in the video.

Presuming that most of us don't speak Tibetan any better than I do (i.e. "not"), my apologies for dissing the obvious value of the aforementioned translator-dude.

And ..... the first part of the video, with its helpful "English-to-English" translation is still pretty funny.

To me, anyway.

[Doug Sandlin]

08:14 AM on 04/01/2012

For more on work done by the Dalai Lama and others, in clarifying the potential synergy available between science and scientific-minded religion, please see:

http://www.mindandlife.org/

[GCL 1]

08:11 AM on 04/01/2012

LOL! The Atheists squat on EVERY article! :-)

[Doug Sandlin]

08:44 AM on 04/01/2012

I'm an atheist, too - and you'll note that my comments here are all positive.

Just as not all Jews, Christians, Muslims, etc. are not closed-minded fundamentalists, not all atheists are closed-minded anti-theists.

A-theists, in general, per the actual definition of that term, are just those of us who don't have attachment to conceptual ideas (aka "beliefs") about any god or gods or (of course) goddesses.

Atheism is to religion as not-playing-football is to sports.

Anti-theists are that sub-group of atheists who feel a sense of wanting to get you not to like or play sports, either, by convincing you that "sports are poison".

And, ironically, as the Dalai Lama has pointed out on more than one occasion:

Buddhism is a non-theistic tradition.

(And so, what are the antitheists commenting in this thread squatting on, and/or what is it, exactly, they are doing while "so squatting"?)

[King72]

02:24 PM on 04/01/2012

I tried to reply to your comment on another thread but they wouldn't allow a long enough thread to post it so I'll reply to this one. I agree with most of your comment and football analogy. However, I was replying to another person who accused an atheist of not knowing who the major world religious leaders are. So I queried her as to if she knew who the major atheist leaders are, (without going through your detailed analogy and for lack of another short term to qualify it) by that I simply meant renowned atheists, those in the public eye. She didn't respond, so I assume she couldn't name one. If it's good for the goose, it's good for the gander.

Neither left nor right, simply a neutral social observer.

[rich3324]

04:07 AM on 04/01/2012

The PLA is here in full force.

[Doug Sandlin]

08:49 AM on 04/01/2012

PLA?

[kooldalai]

12:47 AM on 04/01/2012

I fell sorry for you.......why is it important for you to link the Dalai Lama with such nonsense..

[GCL 1]

08:08 AM on 04/01/2012

Probably someone from Mainland China who seeks to discredit the Dalai Lama.

[Dr Korey]

05:56 PM on 03/31/2012

If Tibet were free the Dalai Llama wouldn't be able to raise money. And peddling it off as "... respect for spiritually relevant scientific research ..." is just babbling nonsense to appeal to people who don't understand what science is. It's religion through and through. Just like the Discovery Institute.

[Rex Hungus]

01:27 PM on 03/31/2012

I think the Llama is best known for touring the world taking handouts and making money off of the suffering of his people. Chinese invasion of Tibet was the best thing that could happen to him. Interesting that after all his campaigning his people are no where closer to being free then when they were first invaded.

[kooldalai]

12:51 AM on 04/01/2012

You would do well to read a book about Tibet or Buddhism or the Dalai Lama...with one "L".

[Rex Hungus]

11:58 AM on 04/01/2012

I don't care enough about them to want to invest more of my time. Although I thought Penn & Teller did a good job to give us a glimpse into the corporate life of the Lama, as well as the oppressive nature of the monks.

[bob riversmith]

11:58 AM on 03/31/2012

The Templeton Prize: A dubious award.
In "science", laughable.

[Rex Hungus]

01:29 PM on 03/31/2012

I have a feeling that people who praise the Llama's science really don't understand science. I knew someone who tried to get me into Buddhism with that angle. He knew I supported science and tried to convince me that Buddhism was the science of the mind. I told him that I thought psychology was. He dropped it after I laughed at him about reincarnation and the inner Chi.

[researcher]

01:29 AM on 04/01/2012

He was smart and a good buddhist to drop it. ie lost cause due to materialistic beliefs overwhelm any logic or reasoning abilities.

[wutrup]

09:26 AM on 04/01/2012

What is interesting about reincarnation, is the child savant. These children come in here with a loaded agenda. They are off the charts in science, music, art, and math.
Their abilities are not attributed to cellular memory. So, where do these abilities come from?

[SoldAmerican]

09:08 PM on 03/30/2012

The Iefties are steaIing others wealth than be here helping Tibetens'

There is hardly an interest on this topic from the Ieft Iiberals.

[rich3324]

04:05 AM on 04/01/2012

Please come back and post when you grow up.