Physics and Vedanta: So Much in Common

[Sankhadip Das]

Physics and Vedanta: So Much in Common

by Dr. Mani Bhaumik, Teacher Training Guest Lecturer

The ancient Vedantic concepts that we all cut our spiritual teeth on are a part of the grand reconciliation now going on between science and religion. We find these concepts embodied in the extensive literature starting with the four Vedas and their subsequent elaborations in the Upanishads. The recurring theme of these perceptions is that, underlying all physical reality, there is one abstract entity, Brahman, with the quality of consciousness. Having created the universe, Brahman remains present everywhere today, administering basic aspects of everything in our cosmos.

Recent scientific discoveries seem to validate the concept of Brahman. Physicists and cosmologists are close to proving that there is one source behind the physical universe, and they call this source the unified field. In a profound sense, Brahman, the Vedantic concept and the unified field of physics appear to be synonymous.

All the physical objects and phenomena around us are not illusory or maya, but are quite real. However, what we see is only the tip of the iceberg. Underneath it is the interplay of an abstract substance called energy, which in turn is controlled by something even more abstract: The fields that underlie all physical reality.

The puzzle that Albert Einstein attempted to solve and which contemporary physicists are coming close to explaining is: Why, if everything is eventually made up of one single substance, energy, does nature provide different types of fields for energy to work its magic? Physicists now realize that these divisions of fields are nothing but different aspects of a single entity, the unified field.

The biography of the universe, as related by cosmologists and physicists, account for everything in its nearly 14-billion-year history except for an extremely small fraction of a second after the onset of time itself. We find that very close to the big-bang beginning, the unified field was present in an infinitesimal nugget, and the various fields were unified at incredibly high temperatures. As the universe cooled by expansion, the fields sequentially unfolded, creating everything.

There are manifest and unmanifest fields. For example, the earth's gravitational field is a manfiest field, whose operation we see in our everyday life. So are the other fields manifest in the contents of the earth, providing various functions. But if we took the earth away from its orbit, all the manifest fields will go away with it. However, the very significant feature of the universe is that the unmanifest fields, the essence of having the blueprint, will still be there, even in empty space. Because the unmanifest quantum fields fill all space and time. Understanding this inherent primary reality of our cosmos is an essential element in grasping the concept of Brahman.

The unmanifest unified field, possessing the blueprint of everything, pervades all space being encoded in space itself. How can that be? Space appears to us to be nothing more than a stage where events are played out. However, Einstein showed that space, time and fields cannot exist separately, but are always magnificently intertwined in their operation.

It seems inevitable at this point that we should wonder whether the unified field possesses the quality of consciousness which is an integral part of the total picture of the universe. At first glance, the phenomenon of consciousness looks utterly incompatible with our general scientific view of the world. However, when examined in light of the bizarre revelations of quantum physics, consciousness is not unlike the primary reality of the quantum fields.

Some prominent contemporary physicists indeed believe that the mysteries of consciousness and quantum physics are linked. Most quantum systems have properties that are complementary and inseparable. From this perspective, the primary realities of unified field and consciousness may be viewed as inseparable aspects of the same underlying process, permeating all space and time.

Today, science and religion seem to be saying the same thing: A single entity created the universe and is still present everywhere, maintaining and governing the fundamental machinery of everything in this universe.

(The author is an elected fellow of the American Physical Society as well as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)

[Soorya]

Is Dr.Mani Bhaumik concluding that Brahman is some kind of unified field underlying all physical phenomena ? It sounds more like something like  Electro Magnetic phenomena....

How can the all encompassing That which is the primary intelligence and the form of bliss, which includes all waves and phenomena be another "field"?

Morever he is speaking of an objective field, whereas Vedanta concerns the subject(the consciousness which is aware of the phenomena called the "world"), this is the primary reason which is why Physicists seem to be all the more confused the more they try to solve the mystery....

--
SWADHYAYA PRAVACHANABHYAM NA PRAMADITAVYAM
{Be not negligent about the study and exposition of scriptures. - Taittriya Upanishad}
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"Travel only with thy equals or thy betters, if there are none travel alone."

~ The Buddha

[Sankhadip Das]

Respected Soorya Ji

Physicists are trying to reach a common origin by studying external nature. But our Sages inferred after studying the inner being. They still do not accept consciousness though Heisenberg accepted it as prime observer. 

All the study till date is devoid of the role of Jnata or Knower.It is true that all objects are in the realm of Jneya or object of knowledge can be known, but when one know Brahman / Pure consciousness (s)he will be merged in Jnata, like the examples of salt doll. 

But Physicists have understood that all forces are generating from a common field, so it resembles with Vedanta, there is only one, nothing else. But what beyond the field or which holds the field, they are till in dark. As often said, before big bang, there was only condensed pin headed dead matter, but East knows that before bang there was only pure consciousness. Slowly that will also be achieved. 

Regard

Das

[Soorya]

Dear Sankhadip ji,

 

Yes, as you said Physicists are trying to study external nature to find the unifying element whereas Vedanta says the "cause" lies within. As per the core of Vedanta , "there is no seen apart from the seer".Perhaps you have come across this site :
http://blog.hasslberger.com/2007/04/science_and_spirituality_heise.html

There is a reference to Werner Heisenberg, his initial concepts of an independent external world, and his change in  understanding after experiencing Samadhi himself.

 

From the site :

In 1929 Heisenberg visited India to give some conferences about quantum mechanics. Probably that magic and mysterious country left a deep impression on the soul of this german scientist, which some time later guided him to experience samadhi. Heisenberg died in 1976 in his house in Munich, victim of cancer f the kidney and bladder. Paul Brunton informed that

“When he was dying, Heisenberg said to von Weizsäcker, ‘It is is very easy, I did not know this before’. At another moment he said, ‘I see now that Physics is of not importance, that the world is an illusion’. He passed away in peace”.

W. Heisenberg and the Kevala Samadhi

The scientist Werner Heisenberg was one of the founders of quantum Physics, that is, of the study of dynamical laws that govern the microcosmos. This great discovery represented a strong shock for Heisenberg with respect to the ‘reality’ of the physical world. Heisenberg had to accept that things are up to us measuring them, in other words, it is necessary that an observer interacts with a system in order for the system to acquire reality.

What is stated above is totally compatible with the teachings of Emptyness (in Buddhism) and Maya (in Hinduism), in which the world of phenomena lacks its own integrity because it is just a mental construction; so, if there is no mind then there is no world. Albert Einstein disagreed with this interpretation. He always insisted on the idea that Nature has its own reality, independent of any observer. In 1939 Rabindranath Tagore talked to Einstein in New York and tried to explain to him that the world depends on the human factor, that the beauty and the truth are not independent of the human being; but Einstein never changed his concept about the reality of the Universe.

We would like to mention Heisenberg’s second shock:

In the Yoga International magazine (Vol. 3, No. 6, 1994) it was published that Prof. Heisenberg had a spontaneous experience of kevala samadhi, which was also confimed by Paul Brunton and Paul Cash. It is not surprising that Prof. C.F. von Weizsäcker (we may remember that this important german scientist had, in the 1950’s, a deep inner experience during his visit to Ramanasramam at Tiruvannamalai).

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As a footnote, hasnt realized sages like Sri Ramakrishna said that "all is Brahman"? So it is incorrect on the face of it to say there is a physical world out there, and Brahman is something mysterious which underlies everything like air or space. Infact everything is consciousness. Sri Ramakrishna used similies like same clay appearing in the form of images of elephant, lion etc when actually it is all clay. It is the ego , the illusory "I " which is the creator of names and forms.

I shall share a few of what I read on these lines in another email. Even the concept of Big bang is part of this illusion, however this may not strike a chord with most fans of Physics :-)

--

SWADHYAYA PRAVACHANABHYAM NA PRAMADITAVYAM
{Be not negligent about the study and exposition of scriptures. - Taittriya Upanishad}
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[Sankhadip Das]

Soorya Ji

Very nice information. Thanks for your reference. It is confirmed that the world is mere projection of mind. We do not know what is outside, our sense organs are working on the firing of neurons. So, what exist we do not know. 

In Yogavashistha, it is wonderfully explained. Shri Ram was asking question after question to Sage Vashistha to determine the nature of world. Sage Vashistha said there is nothing, only Brahman. He even denied the projection, used imagination. 

I find the similarity in dream. What is the power of mind !! It is creating entire world in sleep, alls are real. I did not see any b/w dream till date. So, this world is only imagination or projection of mind, is very sure. All researches, studies, meditation just to know this state that we are dreaming alertly. We have to believe and act accordingly. That is Sadhana. 

Even if is everything real then also it is nothing but Brahman, so in both way nothing exist except Brahman. 

[Soorya]

Dear Sankhadip ji,

 

Very true.

I myself used to be a fan of Quantum Physics until a few months back, and then one day everything toppled down :-)

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SWADHYAYA PRAVACHANABHYAM NA PRAMADITAVYAM
{Be not negligent about the study and exposition of scriptures. - Taittriya Upanishad}
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[Sankhadip Das]

Now the question is how to attain the state? Can't leave job, salary, family. What is the way out? 

[Soorya]

Strictly speaking one is always That , but we are not aware of it because there are numerous thoughts causing havoc and this we call the mind.

Sadhana is aimed at decreasing the number of thoughts, until there is no thought...even when there are few thoughts about, one can directly perceive the Self as awareness.

About our concerns of job, salary, family - Bhagavan says these worries of family and renunciation arise only for the ego , the sense of individuality which has grown very strong over several imaginary lifetimes...Sadhana makes this entity called ego very feeble until no trace of it remains and one knows oneself to be That.

 

We say one to the dozen how our families and lives are taken care of by the Lord, but still we worry and plan for them and ourselves, this hypocrisy is due to the play of the ego which thinks it is doing things :-)

 

As Bhagavan Ramana says, as the hold of the ego lessens, one realizes that it is not he/she that works but only Him, the Supreme. This is a matter of direct experience and maynot be accepted by people without first hand experience. In Sri Ramakrishna's words - all is the Mother, Chit-Para Shakti who is the Cosmic mind. When love for the Mother increases, the ego learns to trust Her and leave everything to Her. The result is peace of mind and progress on the path.

On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 4:56 PM, Sankhadip Das <das...@gmail.com> wrote:

Now the question is how to attain the state? Can't leave job, salary, family. What is the way out? 

--
SWADHYAYA PRAVACHANABHYAM NA PRAMADITAVYAM
{Be not negligent about the study and exposition of scriptures. - Taittriya Upanishad}
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[JOY]

Dear Sooryaji,

 

the mindfullness and  budhist technique of breathing (anapanasati)  or recent spritualist Ekhart Tolle's technique of awareness of body does any help in this regard.

 

pls find attached one of the very nice book of Ekhart Tolle in this regard.

[Soorya]

Thank you :-) 

[Arnab Lahiri]

Dear Soorya Ji,

I admire your writings. They are very profound.

God bless

Arnab

Dear Shankadip Ji and Joy

Thanks for initiating the discussion and sharing the articles by Mani Bhowmick and Eckhart Tolle.

Regards,

Arnab

Nature evolves a world full of woe and desolation to raise the soul from its slumber

[Gomu]

Dear Sankhadipji,

Samsara is nothing but the shat-ripu - desire, anger, greed, infatuation, arrogance, jealousy. Drop these and do the duty that is appropriate for your position in life. It is the Lord who has become everyone and everything in this world. Serve the Lord through the world. Depend on none except the Lord. Strive to please none except the Lord. Remember the Lord as much as possible. The world will not touch you.

With regards,
Gomu.

On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 4:56 PM, Sankhadip Das <das...@gmail.com> wrote:

Now the question is how to attain the state? Can't leave job, salary, family. What is the way out? 

--
SWADHYAYA PRAVACHANABHYAM NA PRAMADITAVYAM
{Be not negligent about the study and exposition of scriptures. - Taittriya Upanishad}
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