The Integration of Quantum Science and Buddhism

Professor Zhu Qingshi talks about quantum science and Buddhism.

Consciousness is a quantum physical phenomenon.

Consciousness is probably a quantum mechanical phenomenon. Why do you say that? For example, there is a flower in front of you, and there are two possible states:

A person without any bad intentions, "not interested in the environment", is not a flower when he sees it. At this point, his consciousness is in a free state. He doesn't look at whether the bonus is red or not, and doesn't think about it at all. This state is what teacher nan huaijin said in "The Beginning and End of Life", that is, "bright spirit, no delusions and no distractions", that is, no matter what you see, there are no distractions. This is a state.

This realm was written in Zhang Zhuo's poem in the Tang Dynasty: "Six thoughts are covered by clouds before they are exhausted." In the theory of Mahayana belief: "You can't feel the three details of thinking, and the boundary is six thick."

The state of being born without thinking is to see an object, without any thoughts, and not interested in the environment. Therefore, seeing flowers is not flowers. At this time, consciousness is in a very free state. How can this free state be compared with the strange phenomenon of quantum mechanics just mentioned? These things are electrons. When you don't measure them, they are everywhere and everywhere. Once you measure them, the electrons will have a fixed state.

So is consciousness. If you see this flower, you suddenly have an idea, which is essentially a measurement. You measured it with your nose and found it smells good. Your eyes measure it red and beautiful. You measured it carefully and felt very happy. So the results of these measurements, that is, the results of thinking, suddenly make you have a further idea: this is a rose, you recognize it. The process of people's consciousness is actually to measure through kinesthetic thinking, and then produce ideas. At this time, the idea came out, and the essence was several concepts we made through measurement. At this time, consciousness is no longer free, and suddenly collapses into a concept of "rising". Therefore, what produces "objectivity" is thought, thought is measurement, and the objective world is caused by a series of complicated thoughts.

So we say that people's thoughts are very similar to the measurement of quantum mechanics. When they are not measured, their consciousness is ethereal and clear, without any delusions and distractions, and they are careless about the environment. Look at flowers, not flowers. But once you have an idea and measure it, the flower is fixed in a form, and when you jump out, you recognize it as a flower. This is human consciousness. This is the similarity between consciousness and quantum mechanical measurement.

Furthermore, what does the Shurangama Sutra mean by saying that "sexual awareness must be clear, and if you do something wrong, you will be clear"? This explanation is based on the annotation given by teacher Nan: the ontology of the universe is pure and natural, and the element is bright. Because it was too bright, I suddenly had an illusion. I want to see what I am, so I moved my mind and had the effect of lighting up my feelings. This has gained a reckless sense of illumination and formed something that can be used. This reckless change has formed the material world. In other words, the production of the whole material world, in fact, at the beginning of the formation of consciousness, the universe itself is pure and natural. Once I moved my mind to look at it. This idea is a kind of measurement, which suddenly turned this "pure nature" into a certain state, thus producing the material world. The Shurangama Sutra first clearly states the relationship between consciousness and measurement.

Let's compare the explanations of Buddhism and quantum mechanics on the relationship between matter and consciousness measurement.

Strict experiments in quantum physics prove that elementary particles have no definite state without being observed.

Consciousness in Buddhism is: the noumenon of consciousness is the realm of "one heart is not born". People in this realm are indifferent to everything, and then consciousness is in an uncertain state. The Tathagata's dharma body is not in any specific space, does not live together, and exists anywhere; Not somewhere, but everywhere. People's minds are also indifferent and have no specific hue.

In quantum physics, as soon as this uncertain state is observed, that is, as soon as people's consciousness participates, the wave function of elementary particles begins to collapse, electrons will appear in a certain position, and some objective reality will appear, so the objective reality will be produced by the measurement of consciousness. In quantum mechanics, matter is produced by measurement, and the essence of mind can also be called a measurement. When you start thinking, consciousness itself is no longer free, and it suddenly collapses into a concrete concept.

This is the comparison between science and Buddhism. The main purpose of this comparison is to make everyone understand why we should begin to treat consciousness as a quantum mechanical phenomenon now. Taking consciousness as a quantum mechanical phenomenon, the consciousness at this time is quantum consciousness, which is a new frontier of scientific development now, and many people have been studying it.

2. Will Buddhism and natural science finally meet at the top of the mountain?

? Many people are used to saying that Buddhism is superstition, but we should say no. Buddhism is not superstition. Buddhism studies something different from natural science, which is another aspect of the universe, namely consciousness.

Studying Buddhism and natural science is like climbing the Himalayas. One climbs from the north slope and the other climbs from the south slope, and one day they will meet.

3. Methods of understanding truth in science and Buddhism.

Let's compare the explanations of Buddhism and quantum mechanics on the relationship between matter and consciousness measurement.

Strict experiments in quantum physics prove that elementary particles have no definite state without being observed.

Consciousness in Buddhism is: the noumenon of consciousness is the realm of "one heart is not born". People in this realm are indifferent to everything, and then consciousness is in an uncertain state. The Tathagata's dharma body is not in any specific space, does not live together, and exists anywhere; Not somewhere, but everywhere. People's minds are also indifferent and have no specific hue.

In quantum physics, as soon as this uncertain state is observed, that is, as soon as people's consciousness participates, the wave function of elementary particles begins to collapse, electrons will appear in a certain position, and some objective reality will appear, so the objective reality will be produced by the measurement of consciousness.

In quantum mechanics, matter is produced by measurement, and the essence of mind can also be called a measurement. When you start thinking, consciousness itself is no longer free, and it suddenly collapses into a concrete concept.

This is the comparison between science and Buddhism. The main purpose of this comparison is to make everyone understand why we should begin to treat consciousness as a quantum mechanical phenomenon now.

Taking consciousness as a quantum mechanical phenomenon, the consciousness at this time is quantum consciousness, which is a new frontier of scientific development now, and many people have been studying it.

? But there is no doubt that physics has taken a step towards the realm of Buddhism's "idealism exists, but knowledge is changing"