Darwin formed his ideas on compassion from Buddhism - scholar
Walter JAYAWARDHANA
A leading scholar of human emotions was quoted in London's
Independent newspaper as telling Charles Darwin's views on human
compassion and morality were strikingly similar to those held by
Buddhists.
The scholar Professor Paul Ekman said the words Darwin used are
identical to those used by Tibetan Buddhists to describe compassion and
morality. The article said, Darwin could have learned about Tibetan
Buddhism from letters written to him by his friend Joseph Hooker, who
spent time in Tibet studying the local flora.
The following excerpts are from the article: "Charles Darwin has been
accused of many things - but never before of being a closet Tibetan
Buddhist.
A leading scholar of human emotions and facial expressions has
suggested Darwin's views on human compassion and morality were
strikingly similar to those held by Buddhists.
Professor Ekman said that his studies of Darwin's texts had revealed
that the great Victorian scientist had identical views to those
expressed by the Dalai Lama, a personal friend of the Professor.
"Darwin wrote at length on human emotions and compassion, and
strongly believed in the unity of humanity as well as the commonality of
emotions shared between humans and the animals we eat, Professor Ekman
said.
It is an amazing coincidence, if it is a coincidence, that his views
on compassion and morality are identical to the Tibetan view. When I
read to the Dalai Lama some of Darwin's passages he said, 'I will now
call myself a Darwinian.' How did this coincidence occur? If it was
contemporary, the issue of plagiarism would arise because the words are
virtually the same, or exactly the same.
I'm by no means accusing Darwin of plagiarism," Professor Ekman told
the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago.
The Dalai Lama was surprised to find how similar Darwin's writings on
compassion and morality were to his views, said Professor Ekman, who
added: "When I see you suffer, it makes me suffer and that motivates me
to reduce your suffering, so I can reduce my suffering. That's identical
to the Tibetan Buddhist view." |