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The comparison between Buddhism and science is not just an academic matter. Western culture is deeply divided because its traditional religion is incompatible with science. For over four hundred yeas, Christianity has waged war on science and lost every engagement. Today science lies at the heart of our culture and has become an irresistible force, while Christianity has been pushed into a corner.

Even with the omnipotence of science and almost complete disappearance of religion. it seems that this division will not end, as many people had thought it would. Atheism has proved to be inadequate. Science without a transcendent aspect seems cold, heartless and mundane, and it is becoming clear that transcendence is a basic human need. So it is that some twentieth century men and women are rejecting science and are searching for the meaning of life in religion, dogmatic Marxism, the occult and in "alternative" ways of life.

It is a genuine search, bit for the most part; it is wrongly directed because by seeking an alternative to science, these people are only deepening that fatal division between religion and science, which is the root of the problem. What is required is a bringing together of religion and science so that.

Religion becomes scientific and science becomes transcendent. Christianity is completely unsuitable for this task. I believe that we have the answer to the problem on Buddhism.

In Buddhism, science and the search for transcendence are brought together. Buddhism can heal our culture of its painful rift; at the same time it can also bring together East and West. Buddhism and science united could form the foundation of a unified world culture.

This is not just an academic matter. The bringing together of Buddhist and scientific theory can change psychotherapy into a way of liberation, while the Mahayana Philosophy can make the whole weighty edifice of science light and airy and transcendent. In two by the incompatibility between our religion and our science, Buddhism can bring unity and peace.

During this century, a great deal of work has been done for uniting the religions of the world, with the praiseworthy object of discovering what they have in common, and for promoting tolerance among them. However, this has not led to a revival of religion, because what most religions have in common is faith, dogma, divine scriptures and the deities, all of which make them incompatible with science. Buddhism (along with Taoism) is the great exception to this, for it is not a faith, has no dogma or divine authority of its own and does not accept the validity of anyone else's.

So as to produce a religion of science for our modern world, Scientific Buddhism will dispel confusion by clarifying and unifying Buddhist practice and theory and making it an effective stepping-stone to enlightenment for all.

Source: The Light of Majjhimadesa - Volume (1) published by U Chandramani Foundation. 2001