In this podcast Professor Thurman discusses the historical Buddha as an Inner Scientist applying the scientific method of inquiry in his exploration of inner & outer realities of the self and the world. Includes a guided selflessness meditation, an explanation of the concept of voidness and an in depth introduction to the Buddhist Inner Sciences.

“It is not merely an impersonal biological process of atoms and molecules and cells. He saw that living beings do evolve— progress and regress— in a more than strictly physical sense . He taught that we are not merely passive inheritors of genetic codes. We also personally and intentionally evolve ourselves toward higher states of awareness and happiness, or deteriorate ourselves toward lesser awareness and more wretched embodiments. We do so not just in this life, or in a few lives, but over the course of billions of lives, just as it takes billions of lives for a paramecium to become a butterfly.”

Robert A.F. Thurman

Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash

This podcast was recorded at the 2016 Science and Nonduality (SAND) Conference. To watch more recordings by Robert AF Thurman from past Science and Nonduality Events please visit their website: www.scienceandnonduality.com.

Science and Nonduality (SAND) is a not-for-profit organization which presents annual conferences which aims at fostering a new relationship to spirituality, free from religious dogma, based on timeless wisdom traditions, informed by cutting-edge science, and grounded in direct experience.

At Science and Nonduality, preeminent scientists, philosophers, mystics and artists gather to explore and advance the new paradigm emerging in spirituality that is both grounded in cutting-edge science and consistent with the ancient wisdom of nonduality–the deep understanding of the interconnectedness of life.

To learn more about the work of Science and Nonduality (SAND) please visit their website: https://www.scienceandnonduality.com or attend one of their annual conferences in person or online via their community live-stream broadcasts.

This podcast is apart of the Buddhist Inner Sciences 101 Podcast Series taken from the Bob Thurman & Tibet House US archives which are intended to provide an introduction to the yogic, meditative & theoretical practices of the tradition. These recordings are intended to be general overviews & one should be studying with a qualified teacher before attempting or engaging in the practices.