Science for Monks

Exploratorium Brings
Playful Invention and Exploration in Science
To Tibetan Monks in India
January 20-31, 2009

Ever since the Dalai Lama was a kid, he has been interested in technology and science. As a
child, he took clocks apart and liked fixing things. For many years, he has been holding
meetings with scientists in fields that relate to Buddhism — cosmology, neuroscience, etc. as
suggested by the many books based on these conversations.

Inspired by the Dalai Lama, a team of his monks are now ambitiously attempting to share not
only in the traditions of Buddhism, but to share also in Western scientific inquiry and evidence
on the physical plane. The goal is to shape these already highly educated monks into science
leaders. But at Sarnath, the Buddhist monastery in India where, fittingly, the Buddha gave his
first lesson 2500 years ago, the physical tools for learning are only the pillows on the floor.

Enter the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

An Exploratorium team consisting of neuroscientist Luigi Anzivino, and artist-educators Mike
Petrich and Karen Wilkinson, will be filling up their classroom in Sarnath with mylar, light
sources and simple mechanics. Using playful invention and exploration, an actual Exploratorium institute that integrates science, art and technology — the Exploratorium team will be using activities and curriculum based on light, sound and motion to transform the
participating monks into hands-on science explorers. The monks will eventually head up science study groups using similar materials and methods in their own monasteries. There are hundreds of monasteries scattered throughout the Tibetan communities in India, and potentially thousands of monks interested in studying science. The hope is that the monks will eventually visit the Exploratorium in San Francisco and that the relationship of science inquiry will continue over the next five years.

It is both the science and the hands-on, pro-active learning that is the goal of this new aspect of the Dalai Lama’s Science for Monks program. The Buddhist tradition of learning makes for great listeners and great debaters, but it lacks the kind of active engagement that is the center of hands-on science learning.

Bringing hands-on science to Sarnath was initiated by Mark St. John, head of Inverness
Research, an educational research group located in Inverness, CA, who works regularly with
the Exploratorium. Says Mark St. John, “Science and Buddhism are both about inquiry. The
Exploratorium’s way is pro-active and rich in physical engagement. I think that his holiness the Dalai Lama wants his monks to have another view on the world, where inquiry into science is active, where gadgets are made by hand, where there is an element of risk-taking. Both science and Buddhism are paths to first-hand learning.”

Through St. John’s connections to the Buddhist community stretching from Bryce Johnson, who heads up Science for Monks, to Lhakdor, Director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, St. John is taking these Exploratorium staff scientists, artists and educators to the Sarnath Buddhist Monastery in India on January 20 for ten days, one week after the Dalai Lama and his monks gather there for an annual convocation.