Universe in a Single Atom

From his earliest days, the Dalai Lama has been curious about the world and fascinated by science. Indeed, the story of how he was "discovered" involves his identifying, as a young child, the telescopes and other objects that belonged to the previous Dalai Lama. "These are mine," he said. There are many stories about his interest in the mechanical devices of the modern age, and he has even agreed to be hooked up to machines that can record scientifically, for example, just what happens to the body during meditation. In THE UNIVERSE IN A SINGLE ATOM, His Holiness addresses the topic of science and religion--not science versus religion--and discourses on where, according to Buddhist teachings, they seem to run parallel. He explains Buddhist concepts such as karma and consciousness, and explores the Big Bang theory, the origin of the species, and genetic engineering. He believes science provides essential knowledge about the world we live in, while religion gives us insight into reality--and should never turn away from the benefits offered by inquiry and research. In THE UNIVERSE IN A SINGLE ATOM, the Dalai Lama writes engagingly and with an open mind, offering, as he often does, an ethical and reasoned path toward reconciliation.