WAS THE BUDDHA THE FIRST PROPONENT OF THE SUPERSTRING THEORY?

1. Thomas Maher February 4, 2012 English Tao Class Kuang Ming Saint To Temple WAS THE BUDDHA THE FIRST PROPONENT OF THE SUPERSTRING THEORY?

2. Synopsis • This lecture is intended for those who struggle with questions like: Who am I? What am I made of? If I have to die, why was I born? If that’s all there is, why not just break out the booze and keep on dancing? What’s it all about, anyway? In other words, this lecture is intended for EVERYBODY!

3. Synopsis (cont.) • In this lecture, we will address the most recent attempt to answer these questions: the Superstring Theory. Some scientists think it might be the Unified Theory that Einstein sought but failed to achieve, despite his efforts of thirty years. • By the way, his Unified Theory is sometimes called the Theory of Everything in that it attempts to express in a single mathematical equation the essence of the universe.

4. Synopsis (cont.) • The Superstring theory depends on additional dimensions - about a dozen or more. • No one has seen them, yet. We see only length, breadth and width, plus space/time. • Some scientists believe that the giant CERN hadron collider in Geneva, Switzerland will reveal these dimensions if, under ideal conditions, it succeeds in smashing two particles head-on traveling at the speed of light.

5. Synopsis (cont.) • But was the Buddha the first to propose the Superstring Theory? • Is a quark (smallest particle in the quantum theory) comparable to a kalapa (the smallest particle in Buddhism - thousands of times smaller than a speck of dust). • Are quarks and kalapas essentially the same thing? If so, what significance does this have? • Stay tuned!

6. What is the Superstring Theory? • The raindrop and the child’s mind • Born to die. Why? • What’s it all about? The perennial, unanswered question • ThichNaht Hahn’s September, 2011 live presentation in the Pasadena Auditorium Breathing in and out The sixteen meditation stages There can be no happiness without unhappiness: the lotus blossom You will never die “I am a A Thousand Winds that Blow”

7. The Four Forces of The Universe • The Gravity Force • The Electromagnetic Force • The Weak Nuclear force • The Strong Nuclear force

8. The Four Modern Theories • The General theory of relativity • The Quantum Theory (Quantum Mechanics) • The Chaos Theory • The Superstring theory

9. The Theory of Relativity accounts only for the gravity force (things in their large dimension) The Quantum Theory accounts for only things in their smallest dimensions. “A theory is only a theory…” (Einstein) • The small universe (sub-atomic) is totally unlike the world we experience - it is bedlam. The large universe is mostly orderly because we ignore small differences: Lorenzo”s Butterfly Effect).

10. The Search for a Unified Theory • A Theory of Everything, expressed in a single equation, accounting for all four of the above theories. • The Superstring Theory is the latest theory attempting to realize this objective.

11. The Superstring theory • The ultimate reality consists of tiny strings, so small that they almost don’t exist (10 to the minus 33rd power). • They vibrate constantly and their differences in vibration, amplitude, wave length, etc. and interaction with each other, produce the world as we know it.

12. These tiny strings depend on extra dimensions to exist • Eleven to be exact. • There might be as many as 22 dimensions. • We experience only three dimensions in ordinary life • Length, breadth, width. • No one has yet observed these extra dimensions in the “real world.” • They are only the product of pure mathematics at the present time.

13. “If that’s all there is, then let’s keep on dancing…” • “Om Mani Padme Hum” • “Om” is the basic sound of the universe, i.e., the universe in vibration • It is the mantra of the Avalokitesvara (the Indian male bodhisattva of loving kindness • Corresponds in China with the female bodhisattva of loving kindness, Guan Yin

14. Kalapas: the Buddhist term for “particles,” the tiniest “Quantum” • All Dharma are illusory (because they are just vibrating strings?) • The Diamond Sutra • Dharma are illusory because the are empty • The Heart Sutra • What is emptiness? • Sabi • Wabi • Aware • Yugen

15. All Dharma are interdependent: Dependent Origination • Buddhist Philosophers, e,g, Nagarjuna, interpreting the Buddha’s teachings: the universe is vibration • Opening the door of the Present Moment and entering the realm of the Eternal Now • What is it all about? Nothing? In a sense, Yes. It is beyond the conceptual world.

16. “No-mind” is a state of ultimate bliss, according to those who have experienced it. They all say the same thing. Symbolically, it is the Western Pure Land of the Amitahba Buddha. In reality, it is the Tao. • Buddhism is not about God, heaven and hell, sin and punishment, blame games and guilt trips, doctrine and dogma. It is about YOU and why you choose to suffer when you do not have to.

17. To realize this, your goal should never be perfection because perfection is a denial of change, one of the three indisputable marks of existence. Your goal should be improvement. Improvement is consistent with change. In fact, it implies change. • Scientific experiments have proven that the neuronal structure of the brain can be changed by experience. In many ways, we have the power to choose our experience and thereby change our neuronal structure.

18. Reaching the Tao. An example. Alan Watt’s dedication of his book: Nature, Man and Woman. (Tao, Yin and Yang)

19. Discussion Questions • Of what significance would it be to find that a "string" and a "kalapa" are one and the same? Explain in detail. • Explain in detail how the Superstring Theory could evolve into loving kindness for all creatures.

20. Discussion Questions • Of what significance would it be to say that quarks and kalapas are one and the same thing? Explain. • Why should we never make “perfection” our behavioral goal? Explain.