WAS THE BUDDHA THE
FIRST PROPONENT OF
THE SUPERSTRING
THEORY?
Thomas Maher
February 4, 2012
English Tao Class
Kuang Ming Saint To Temple
Synopsis

This lecture is intended for those who struggle with
questions like: Who am I? What am I made of? If I
have to die, why was I born? If that’s all there is, why
not just break out the booze and keep on dancing?
What’s it all about, anyway? In other words, this
lecture is intended for EVERYBODY!
Synopsis (cont.)


In this lecture, we will address the most recent attempt
to answer these questions: the Superstring Theory.
Some scientists think it might be the Unified Theory
that Einstein sought but failed to achieve, despite his
efforts of thirty years.
By the way, his Unified Theory is sometimes called the
Theory of Everything in that it attempts to express in
a single mathematical equation the essence of the
universe.
Synopsis (cont.)



The Superstring theory depends on additional
dimensions - about a dozen or more.
No one has seen them, yet. We see only length,
breadth and width, plus space/time.
Some scientists believe that the giant CERN hadron
collider in Geneva, Switzerland will reveal these
dimensions if, under ideal conditions, it succeeds in
smashing two particles head-on traveling at the
speed of light.
Synopsis (cont.)




But was the Buddha the first to propose the
Superstring Theory?
Is a quark (smallest particle in the quantum theory)
comparable to a kalapa (the smallest particle in
Buddhism - thousands of times smaller than a speck of
dust).
Are quarks and kalapas essentially the same thing?
If so, what significance does this have?
Stay tuned!
What is the Superstring Theory?

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
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The raindrop and the child’s mind
Born to die. Why?
What’s it all about? The perennial, unanswered
question
Thich Naht Hahn’s September, 2011 live presentation
in the Pasadena Auditorium
Breathing in and out
The sixteen meditation stages
There can be no happiness without unhappiness:
the lotus blossom
You will never die
“I am a A Thousand Winds that Blow”
The Four Forces of The Universe




The Gravity Force
The Electromagnetic Force
The Weak Nuclear force
The Strong Nuclear force
The Four Modern Theories

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
The General theory of relativity
The Quantum Theory (Quantum Mechanics)
The Chaos Theory
The Superstring theory


The Theory of Relativity accounts only
for the gravity force (things in their
large dimension) The Quantum Theory
accounts for only things in their smallest
dimensions. “A theory is only a
theory…” (Einstein)
The small universe (sub-atomic) is totally
unlike the world we experience - it is
bedlam. The large universe is mostly
orderly because we ignore small
differences: Lorenzo”s Butterfly Effect).

The Search for a Unified Theory
A Theory of Everything, expressed in a single equation,
accounting for all four of the above theories.
 The Superstring Theory is the latest theory attempting to
realize this objective.


The Superstring theory
The ultimate reality consists of tiny strings, so small that
they almost don’t exist (10 to the minus 33rd power).
 They vibrate constantly and their differences in vibration,
amplitude, wave length, etc. and interaction with each
other, produce the world as we know it.


These tiny strings depend on
extra dimensions to exist


Eleven to be exact.
There might be as many as 22
dimensions.

We experience only three
dimensions in ordinary life



Length, breadth, width.
No one has yet observed these
extra dimensions in the “real
world.”
They are only the product of pure
mathematics at the present time.


“If that’s all there is, then let’s keep on dancing…”
“Om Mani Padme Hum”
“Om” is the basic sound of the universe, i.e., the universe in
vibration
 It is the mantra of the Avalokitesvara (the Indian male
bodhisattva of loving kindness
 Corresponds in China with the female bodhisattva of loving
kindness, Guan Yin


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Kalapas: the Buddhist term for “particles,” the tiniest
“Quantum”
All Dharma are illusory (because they are just
vibrating strings?)


The Diamond Sutra
Dharma are illusory because the are empty
The Heart Sutra
 What is emptiness?


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Sabi
Wabi
Aware
Yugen

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All Dharma are interdependent: Dependent
Origination
Buddhist Philosophers, e,g, Nagarjuna, interpreting
the Buddha’s teachings: the universe is vibration
Opening the door of the Present Moment and
entering the realm of the Eternal Now
What is it all about? Nothing? In a sense, Yes. It is
beyond the conceptual world.


“No-mind” is a state of ultimate bliss, according to
those who have experienced it. They all say the same
thing. Symbolically, it is the Western Pure Land of the
Amitahba Buddha. In reality, it is the Tao.
Buddhism is not about God, heaven and hell, sin and
punishment, blame games and guilt trips, doctrine and
dogma. It is about YOU and why you choose to suffer
when you do not have to.

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To realize this, your goal should never be perfection
because perfection is a denial of change, one of the
three indisputable marks of existence. Your goal
should be improvement. Improvement is consistent with
change. In fact, it implies change.
Scientific experiments have proven that the neuronal
structure of the brain can be changed by experience.
In many ways, we have the power to choose our
experience and thereby change our neuronal
structure.

Reaching the Tao. An example. Alan Watt’s
dedication of his book: Nature, Man and Woman.
(Tao, Yin and Yang)
Discussion Questions
1.
2.
Of what significance would it be to find that a
"string" and a "kalapa" are one and the same?
Explain in detail.
Explain in detail how the Superstring Theory could
evolve into loving kindness for all creatures.
Discussion Questions
1.
2.
Of what significance would it be to say that quarks
and kalapas are one and the same thing? Explain.
Why should we never make “perfection” our
behavioral goal? Explain.