FREE ONLINE E-Nālanda Research and Practice UNIVERSITY thanking internet and free flow of
thoughts and ideas, where this era provides a similar - or even more -liberal cultural traditions inherent in the Gupta era

Kannada

ಧಮ್ಮ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರು ಆತ್ಮೀಯ

ಪೂಜ್ಯ
ಆಚಾರ್ಯ ಬುದ್ಧರಕಿತ ಮಹಾ ತೇರಾ 22-09-13 ರಂದು ಶಾಂತಿಯುತವಾಗಿ 3.48am ನಲ್ಲಿ ದೂರ
ಜಾರಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತು ತಮ್ಮ ಅಂತ್ಯಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ ಮಹಾಬೋಧಿ Dhammadutta ವಿಹಾರ Allura
(Nelamangala ಬಳಿ) ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ನಲ್ಲಿ 27-09-2013 ಶುಕ್ರವಾರ ಬೆಳಗ್ಗೆ ಆಗಿದೆ.
ಶಾಂತಿ ಮಾರ್ಚ್ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಲು ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು.

 ಮಹಾ ಭೋದಿ ಸಮಾಜ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು

Shabda Vidya (Science of sounds and words; otherwise called Grammar and Lexicography);
Shilpasthana Vidya (Arts and Crafts);

Chikitsa Vidya (Science of Medicine); Hetu Vidya (Logic), and Adhyatma Vidya (Philosophy).

Four doxographies (Tibetan:
grub-mtha’) -  a term used for the works of classical historians,
describing the points of view of past philosophers and scientists - were
taught here. Alexander Berzin specifies these as Sarvāstivāda
Vaibhāṣika, Sarvāstivāda Sautrāntika, Mādhyamaka, the Mahāyāna
philosophy of Nāgārjuna and Cittamatra, the Mahāyāna philosophy of
Asaṅga and Vasubandhu.

is here - through inter-disciplinary study, practice (of meditation)
and translation - that AOA Practice became a global religion.

Nālanda’s
aim was to create the most intellectually and spiritually mature
individuals who would become qualified to contribute to every aspect of
society for its overall being. To its custodians and teachers, ideal
education means a happy and harmonious blend of philosophy and religion.
The pervasive notion at Nālanda was that education was not merely the
conveyance of information but the transmission of spiritual, moral,
intellectual and aesthetic values combined with the opportunity for full
physical development.

What Nālanda ‘could be’

Nālanda
will be  back to its glory, by being ‘monumentally ahead’ of its time,
just like its predecessor. More importantly, it will have AOA Practice
teachings and ideals as its core identity to drive its sense of purpose
has the chance to explore an ancient teaching so radically ahead of its
time and create undreamed of synthesis using tools of modern science.

At
an age where information science and mind studies are flourishing, AOA
Practice is at the stage where its ideas, philosophy and tenets will
play a major influence in all spheres of scholarly development. Thanks
in part to the internet and free flow of thoughts and ideas, this era
provides a similar - or even more - liberal cultural traditions inherent
in the Gupta era.

Here are some ideas worth exploring.

Medicine and Pharmacology

The
original Nāland had medicine as one of its compulsory subject. The new 
E-Nālanda curriculum is considering accommodating the vast trove of
Asian traditional medical systems which encompasses synthesis of
indigenous Tibetan, Siddha, Ayurveda, Chinese, Persian (Unani), and
Greek. It will use the template as derived from the Tibetan medical
system, which embraces the traditional Buddhist belief that all illness
ultimately results from the three poisons of the mind: ignorance,
attachment and aversion. Tibetan medicine follows the Buddha’s Four
Noble Truths which apply medical diagnostic logic to suffering. By
synthesizing traditional medicine with modern medical research, this
faculty could become a cutting edge pharmaceutical and medical research
institute.

Neuroscience and neural networks

The scientific
study of the brain and the nervous system has increased significantly,
principally due to advances in molecular biology, electrophysiology, and
computational neuroscience. Neuroscience has grown in tandem with
Buddhist meditation, and many new research (collaborations between
scientists and meditators) have produced new evidence on how our brains
work, how thoughts arise, how consciousness works. And in the concept of
non-self (anatta), neuroscience is starting to publish theories and
evidence that there is no self to be had, no central driver to speak of,
no unchanging internal self that made all the decisions. Indeed, when
results become more accomplished, the field of neuroscience can be an
important allied health discipline, collaborating with other fields such
as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,
medicine, philosophy, physics, and psychology. Continued in-depth
research and studies in Buddhist meditation will see to the flourishing
of this field.

Quantum physics

The Madhyamika philosophers
developed a rigorous and  razor sharp method of philosophical analysis
which, together with meditation investigation, penetrated into the
ultimate nature of reality. Emptiness (sunyata), the core view which is
propounded by the Madhyamaka, is the insight that there is nothing in
the universe which exists as an independent entity in its own right. It
follows that nothing exists as a fully independent feature of reality as
was always thought by Western science up until the advent of quantum
physics. Indeed, an understanding of emptiness can throw new
perspectives onto problems of quantum interpretation. Both Buddhism and
quantum mechanics illustrate that the universe is not what he or she
perceives it to be with their five senses, and that everything is
connected in some way.  A serious and rigorous analysis of the “physics”
paradigm in Buddhist thought has been long in coming. The formulation
of discourses between modern quantum mechanics with certain aspects of
Indo-Tibetan Buddhist methodology, such as the elementary assertions of
“particle physics”, will spearhead new form of synthesis. Who knows,
apart form finding answers to big questions such as “what is the
universe” and “what is self”, students may stumble upon practical
by-products which may find useful applications, such as instantaneous
communication, quantum teleportation, quantum computers, energy
harvesters and quantum tunneling.

Informatics and Computer Science

The
Buddhist Tipitaka contains an immensely rich lexicon of mind training,
philosophical teachings and psychological discourses. Nevertheless, much
of it are inaccessible to common people due to the difficulty in
deciphering its meaning. The science of informatics is playing a role in
developing digital sources and tools using artificial intelligence and
smart algorithms, so that meaningful searches can be processed by users
according to their level of understanding. To be practical and useful
however, such a system needs to adhere to international standards for
information exchange and search results must be freely accessible to the
public. Apart from that, E-Nālanda is offering advanced courses in
computer modeling, with emphasis on researching nano technology. Tools
developed here can be used to aid research in neuroscience and quantum
mechanics. The innate classification of Buddhist knowledge fits nicely
into the algorithmic nature of computer science, and this combination
would make this to be an important department providing anchoring
services to all other faculties.

Food and Agriculture Science

Poverty
and endangered health due to lack of clean drinking water and
sanitation is a major problem in this world. If any courses were to be
moved by the teachings of loving-kindness and compassion, this area
would be it. Energy and attention should focus on areas of research in
organic protein production, cheap processing of nutritional vegetarian
meals, genetically modified foods (vegetarian variety) and membrane
technology for clean water filtering. Cross experiments in Asian
vegetarian cuisines, from Korean to Chinese, PRABUDDHA BHARATH,
Sinhalese and Thai foods may yield interesting fusion. What’s important
that such research will have to be made under the guidance of
‘non-violence, and to keep with the first precept of respecting and
non-harming of sentient life.

Law and Bioethics

As
research and practice goes into ground breaking areas, stake holders and
interest groups will be concerned on ethical lines that can potentially
be crossed. This is where a faculty for the study of bioethics could be
adjunct to other fields of research and practice. Keeping in line with
the principles of non-violence, loving-kindness (metta) and compassion
(karuna), its formulation could encompass a broader meaning such as
solidarity towards the biosphere, thus generating a “global ethics,” a
discipline representing a link between biology, ecology, medicine and
human values in order to attain the survival of both human beings and
other animal species.

E-Nālanda and the new world order

Bold
visions and creative pursuits combined with Buddhist philosophy, ideas
and meditational practices can remake E-Nālanda University into a beacon
of human invention and high civilization. Like its predecessor, having
radical thinkers, innovative teachers deeply schooled in Buddhist
thoughts will enable it to take on the mantle of cutting edge research
in mind studies. It can be an unparalleled institution in this field.

At
this moment, it is reported that the current setup has only attracted a
commitment of about US$ 100 million, which is far from its targeted sum
of US$ 1 billion.

Governors must be open minded enough and seek
the participation of great living Buddhist minds such as the Dalai
Lama, Goenka, Thich Nhat Hahn, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Ajahn Brahm, Thanissaro
Bhikkhu, Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, Robert Thurman, Ven Cheng
Yen, and the promise of FREE ONLINE  eNālanda Research and Practice
UNIVERSITY as a global learning and research and practice center could
well be realized by making the best use of it by all the above great
living Buddhist minds.

Its glorious name can become an awakening
with awareness guide for humanity in tune with current needs. And for
that to happen, Buddhism will be at the center of its core, and the
driver of its spiritual existence. JC