Einstein and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings

By Thomas J. McFarlane

Book Overview

Provocative, stimulating, and insightful, Einstein and Buddha points to the far-reaching and profound parallels between Western scientific thought and Eastern religion. These remarkably similar disciplines touch on the essential nature of energy and matter, the relationship between subject and object, and the limits of language in understanding and describing reality. The shared understandings communicate a deep common ground on both the nature of the universe and our place in it.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1569753377
• ISBN13: 9781569753378
• Release Date: December 2002
• Publisher: Ulysses Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

Good book

Has a nice theme of comparing eastern and western thoughts or one can also say comparing eastern philosophical thoughts with western scientific utterances. Liked reading it, would like to share this book or recommend this book to those select few who are curious about eastern philosophy but have not ventured into reading it yet, for the want of western scientific approval :)

Quantum soup for the soul

I finished this delightful book this morning and went for a walk. My mind played over the objects in my life and my perceptions of them--shoe on sidewalk, air on skin, and even the sound waves bringing the blaring rap music to my ears from a teenager driving by. All these objects have qualities and values that my western mind assigns to them: the warm comfort when the heat of the sidewalk rises through the sole of my shoe to my foot, the pleasant coolness of the air on my skin, and the obnoxious assault on my ears from 110 decibels of mobile audio. But, at the quantum level, all is the same and indistinguishable, just as proclaimed by Buddha. By juxtaposing quotations from quantum physicists and Buddhist scholars, Thomas McFarlane shows us how prescient the eastern religions were, and how relevant they are for our quantum world. This is a truly wonderful, thought-provoking little book.

Such a significant book

If Hafiz incarnated and started throwing parties in New York and LA, and if the impossible were to happen at one of his wild bashes -- if one were to start to feel bored -- he might start reading from this wonderful book. Who knows... maybe Einstein and the Buddha will slip into a few dreams of those squatting in the White House and boost their IQ's substantially -- which could then well result in making this book (and maybe a few Hafiz poems) mandatory reading before military service or even a mere drivers license was bestowed. And maybe everyone would be required to carry this book in their golf carts -- and if one forgot it (for even one hole) helicopters might swoop in and administer breath tests that were so sensitive that alarms would go off if you were a religious bigot, that is if you were anti-Einstein.I better quit this review; the FBI might hound me, and water-torture me into a Republican.Daniel LadinskyBest-selling Penguin author of The Gift: Poems by Hafiz

Brilliant collection! Mr. McFarlane, just one suggestion:

In your book, would it be better to use "spiritual leaders", "religious figures", or even "eastern philosophers" rather than "mystics"? Nonetheless, what a wonderful work to remove the superstitious impression on eastern religions of people who narrow-mindedly believe in science. Thank you so much!

Some additional information about the book, by its Editor

Over 120 statements by Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg, Schrodinger, and other founders of modern physics are paired with remarkably similar statements by Buddha, Shankara, Chuang Tzu, and other Eastern contemplatives. The purpose of these parallels between Western physicists and Eastern contemplatives is not so much to answer questions as to ask them. These surprising parallel statements of the physicists and contemplatives, grouped into a variety of themes, let you ponder their significance for yourself. What do they suggest to you about the relationship between the scientific and spiritual approaches to understanding reality? Do these parallels hint at a deeper connection between science and religion? If so, what might that be? If not, what is the explanation for so many parallels? Regardless of whether or not you think the parallels indicate a profound unity behind physical and spiritual aspects of reality, these sayings should raise important questions and stimulate deeper insight into the relationship between science and religion. Endorsements: "Many have explored the remarkable convergence between the mystical traditions of the world and modern science. However, none of them has done this in a more succinct and convincing way than Einstein and Buddha; this remarkable collection of quotes by famous Eastern mystics and modern physicists is a fascinating contribution to the emerging paradigm." -Stanislav Grof, author of The Cosmic Game and Psychology of the Future "This anthology provocatively illustrates the points of convergence between the quantitative investigation of the objects of consciousness and the qualitative exploration of consciousness itself." -B. Alan Wallace, author of The Taboo of Subjectivity: Toward a New Science of Consciousness "Einstein and Buddha provides deep, simple and quotable insights that should help mend the rift between science and spirituality. If you put your thumbs over the quotation sources, you won't be able to tell who said what, when." -Fred Alan Wolf, Ph.D., physicist and author of Mind into Matter, The Spiritual Universe "Einstein and Buddha is an inspired effort to meet the 21st-century challenge of developing a synthetic world view. McFarlane juxtaposes quotations from Eastern contemplatives and Western scientists with insight, clarity and intellectual integrity." -Dr. Ron Leonard, Dept. of Philosophy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas