GUWAHATI, Sept 25 - Absorbing discussions on ontological reality in quantum theory and the Buddhist theory of emptiness; contributions of ancient Buddhist philosophy and modern science towards evolution of universal ethics for contemporary India and globalised world; brain in neuroscience and taxonomy of mind in Buddhist psychology; theory of dependent origination in Buddhism vis-�-vis the theory of relativity in physics and social harmony, among other things, occupied the centrestage at a two-day conference on ancient Buddhist philosophy and contemporary Indian society that ended here today.
Delhi-based Tibet House, which is the cultural centre of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the Guwahati-based LBS Foundation held the conference jointly at the Assam Administrative Staff College here. The conference was organised in association with Ngarik Gatsal Ling, a Guwahati-based Dharma Centre and the Centre for Sustainable Development Goals.
Altogether 15 participants spoke at the conference. They included Prof Ranjit Kumar Dev Goswami; former Gauhati University vice chancellor Prof Amarjyoti Choudhury; former Dibrugarh University VC Prof Alak Kumar Buragohain; Venerable Geshe Dorji Damdul; Prof Sisir Roy; Prof Dilip Kumar Choudhury; Dr Pranshu Samdarshi; Prof G Ravindran; Dr RM Dubey; Venerable Tenzin Paldron; Yeshe Dorji Thongchi; Prof Indranee Phookan Boroaah; Dr Shakuntala Bora; Dr Anweshak Das and Dr Jagadish Patgiri.
Speaking to this correspondent, Director of the Tibet House Venerable Geshe Dorji Damdul said the outcome of the conference was very encouraging. The conference is a very good beginning point on the relevance of Buddhism in today�s world, particularly in this part of the globe. This has enabled the organisers of this event to go for more such programmes in this region in the days to come.
The conference affirmed that universal ethics can be promoted for the good of humanity. Many students also took part in the deliberations of the conference, besides the learned experts in the fields of physics, neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, philosophy and biology, among others. The students requested the organisers to hold more such events in the future, said Geshe Dorji Damdul.
Bhaskar Dutta Baruah of the LBS Foundation said the conference threw light on the connection of Buddhist philosophy with psychology, quantum mechanics, among others. It also discussed the ways for applying Buddhist philosophy for the betterment of mankind.
