May this site be a bridge for all who value diversity and practice inclusion.

"If there's any religion that would cope with scientific needs; it will be Buddhism.” Albert Einstein

“How can we make the wonderful developments of science into something that offers altruistic and compassionate service for the needs of humanity and the other sentient beings?”  The Dalai Lama

When cultures transact, new combinations, new ideas, new insights, new practices are created.  This site explores the combinations that arise when Western Religious and scientific cultures meet Buddhist cultures.  Those connections are like four bridges between religion, psychology, physics, and biology on the Western side and ethics, mind, karma, and life on the Buddhist side.  Just as a bridge allows two way traffic; so too the influences of Buddhism should spread to the west just as influences of the West spread to Buddhism.   Like the Wheel of Dharma that appears on our banner, this site is a mandala of 8 pathways.  It is a dance of adaptation, a blueprint for transformation, a kitchen for the mind.

The Psychology/Mind Bridge
To the extent that Buddhism is an inter-subjective science of mind, it offers a rigorous framework for understanding mental states and step-by-step processes to mental transformation.
To the extent that psychology is an objective science of the brain, it offers a rigorous framework for understanding brain states and physical processes for brain transformation.
A bridge is formed by the co-dependence between subjective mind and objective brain.   The transaction from the Buddhist Science of Mind to the Western Science of Brain is to re-view, re-organize, and re-evaluate the brain according to the deep understanding of mind.  The reverse transaction will re-view, re-organize, and re-evaluate the mind according to the deep understanding of the brain.  This process of honing can clarify the co-dependence of mind and brain.  By crossing this bridge, back and forth, many new combinations, new ideas, new insights, and new practices should arise. 

The Religion/Ethics Bridge
To the extent that Buddhism has the goal to free the mind of delusion, it offers  graduated ethical guidelines to personal liberation, then to altruistic intention, and finally to enlightened awareness.
To the extent that monotheistic religions have the goal of social perfection, it offers ideals, laws, and enforcements  of moral behavior.
A bridge is formed by the co-dependence of the altruistic intention with altruistic behavior.  A transaction from the Buddhist compassionate mind training to the monotheistic outreach behaviors is to support those behaviors with attitudes and motivations.  The reverse transaction will encourage outreach to uplift those in need.  This process of honing can clarify the co-dependence between the personal and social.  By crossing this bridge, back and forth, many new combinations, new ideas, new insights, and new practices should arise. 

The Physics/Karma Bridge
To the extent that Buddhism has explored Karma as the causality of nature, it offers an analysis of causal dependence and energy practices conducive to trans-form change.
To the extent that Physics has explored parts of nature once hidden, it offers Relativity and Wave (Quantum) Theories of nature.  A bridge is formed by the causality of dependent karma and causal physical theories.  A transaction from the Buddhist Theory of Inherent Emptiness to Einstein’s Relativity Theory as well as the Buddhist Theory of Dependent Arising to Schrodinger’s Wave Theory (Quantum Mechanics).  The reverse transaction  establishes precise foundations from inanimate to animate causality.  This process of honing will extend the ranges of causal analysis and energetic practice.  By crossing this bridge, back and forth, many new combinations, new ideas, new insights, and new practices should arise.

The Biology/Life Bridge
To the extent that Buddhism focuses on the sentience of life, it offers an understanding of intention and motivation that guides life’s activities.
To the extent that Biology analyzes the evolution as a co-dependency between a species and its environment, it offers adaptation strategies.
A bridge is formed by sentient adaptation.  A transaction from sentient to biologic life gives direction to evolution.  A transaction from biologic to sentient life opens Buddhist analysis to sub-sentience.  This process of honing can expand life to include sub-sentience of cells and trans-sentience of biological systems. By crossing this bridge, back and forth, many new combinations, new ideas, new insights, and new practices should arise.

New site, so stay tuned for more uploads.  

Unitarian Universalist Hands-on Religion

If you are not at the Unitarian Universalist exhibit; click here.

If you are at the UUFR Hands-on Religion exhibit; click here.