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The Mind and Life Institute is a US-registered, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to exploring the interface between science and Buddhism as two different methodologies with a common basic focus, understanding the nature of reality and improving lives. Activities include convening international dialogues, conferences and symposia between notable scientists and contemplatives, publishing the outcomes, and setting up scientific research programmes on relevant subjects. ==Origins: dialogues and publications== Mind and Life Dialogues, forerunners of the Institute, were initiated by American entrepreneur R. Adam Engle in 1983.〔Begley 2007, pp.19-22〕 He heard of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama’s interest in modern science and offered to arrange a dialogue for him with selected scientists. The Dalai Lama accepted and authorised Engle to set one up.〔Begley 2007, pp.19-20〕 In 1984 Chilean neuroscientist Francisco Varela heard about this. Having participated in a conference on consciousness attended by the Dalai Lama in 1983,〔Begley 2007, pp.18-19〕 and like Engle a Buddhist practitioner since 1974, he was interested in further exploration of the interface between science and Buddhism and contacted Engle, offering to assist.〔Barinaga M. Buddhism and neuroscience. Studying the well-trained mind. Science. 2003 Oct 3;302(5642):44-6. PMID 14526055〕 Engle, Varela, and the Dalai Lama saw Buddhism and science as different methodologies with a similar aim: to investigate nature and reality, using knowledge gained to improve the quality of life and the planet. They concurred that science uses technology and the scientific method as its means while Buddhism uses the human nervous system refined by meditation and rigorous mental and emotional training.〔 Until this, there had been no mechanism for scientists and Buddhist masters to meet and share their findings in dialogue. The concept pioneered a new interdisciplinary, cross-cultural engagement.〔〔Watson 2008, (p.169 )〕 Engle organised the original Mind and Life Dialogue in October 1987 at the Dalai Lama’s residence in Dharamsala, India as a week-long event.〔Hayward, Varela 1992, Preface〕 Six scientists including Varela, two interpreters and the Dalai Lama spent 5 hours daily sharing views and discussing the sciences of the mind.〔 At the end, Engle asked the Dalai Lama if he wanted to do it again; he said ‘yes’, and the series of dialogues was born. The second dialogue was a two day event in October 1989 in Newport Beach, California.〔 At the third, held in Dharamsala in 1990, it was decided that in order to organize and fund further dialogues and potential research programmes Mind and Life Institute () should be incorporated as a non-profit organisation in the USA.〔Begley 2007, p.258〕〔Watson 2008, (p.170 )〕 Engle was elected Chair and CEO, a post he held for 22 years until his retirement in 2012 having guided its development into "a worldwide and influential organisation bringing together the highest standards of modern science and contemplative practice". Engle was then succeeded by the physicist and author Arthur Zajonc. By 1998 MLI had hosted seven dialogues between numerous world renowned scientists, philosophers and the Dalai Lama on cognitive neuroscience and physics, and published six books relating the dialogues to the general public. By 2013 a total of 27 dialogues with the Dalai Lama had been hosted, eleven books had been published relating the first thirteen dialogues to the public (see publications) and DVDs or videos published on most of the others.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mind and Life Institute」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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