Український 
English (UK) "If you want to study this or that area,
you must approach it with a great degree of objectivity."
Lama Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug school
Modern science has now come to a stage when further research should be carried out at the junction of its separate border areas, and the discoveries made by it begin to directly or indirectly confirm certain provisions of religion. An increasing number of modern scientists are coming to this understanding. It is no coincidence that new scientific fields such as quantum-relativistic physics, cybernetics and synergetics, bionics and astrophysics, physical chemistry and chemical physiology, biochemistry and neuropsychology, neurobiology and psychopharmacology, holistic medicine and medical valeology, transpersonal psychology, and others have emerged.
Discoveries in the field of quantum physics lead to the idea of using its principles and provisions in modern psychology and in relation to human consciousness. An example is research based on the theory of Hugh Everett as interpreted by Boris Mensky [1]. Werner Heisenberg's uncertainty principle directly links the result of an observation or scientific experiment with the attention of the observing subject, his consciousness. Medical valeology, created in Ukraine a quarter of a century ago, operates with such concepts as the use of the highest aspects of human consciousness.
For more than thirty years, there has been a dialogue between Western academic and Buddhist science, initiated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV and the famous Chilean neurobiologist Francisco Varela. Research in astrophysics (questions of the history and development of the Universe), physics of elementary particles (questions about the structure of atoms and matter) and neurophysiology (questions of the work of the human brain) are being carried out within the framework of the institute “Mind and Life” with the participation of Nobel laureates and high Buddhist lamas [2]. The last few years, a Russian - Buddhist scientific conference has arisen and is actively developing, which concentrated on the formation of a new scientific concept of human consciousness.
To date, modern science has failed to correlate human consciousness with the human brain or its specific part. It can be assumed that consciousness is more reminiscent of a space that is in the incessant process of its development, now narrowing, then expanding. The Buddhist metaphysics of Abhidharma Vasubandhu speaks of a complex-level stream of human consciousness. The possibilities for correcting such a flow of thought are in the gradual disclosure of the nature of the human mind through the use of the practice of meditation, primarily the Buddhist tradition.
Since man is a multifaceted being from the point of view of Theosophy, it follows from this that human consciousness is a multifaceted, introspective phenomenon. The process of its development occurs in parallel on each of the planes. The mutual influence of different plans for the development of human consciousness can be correlated with a complex multi-vector spiral, and only some part of this spiral hidden on the subtle planes is revealed on the physical plane. Buddhism considers it natural and, most importantly, attainable, the state of the human mind, which is in conscious unity with the consciousness of the Universe. A person in this case, or rather his consciousness, is the middle point of balancing external and internal plans.
Buddhist meditation is the natural practice of observing a person's thoughts, emotions and feelings, the voluntary return of a person's mind to its natural primordial state, when he does not run after his endless stream of thought and is somewhat detached from the direct action of the arising emotions and feelings, that is, he is calm, a harmonious state of unity with the whole world. Meditation in Tibetan is called "gom" and literally means "getting used to something." Therefore, the Buddhist practice of meditation is aimed at getting used to the nature of the human mind [3].
The discoveries of Western science at the present stage of development of society help to understand in more detail the nature of the human brain, the work of the entire human nervous system, the mechanism of transmission of neural signals of various levels, the formation of new human habits for the gradual replacement of outdated, obsolete ones. Modern practical psychology openly begins to use many methods and psychological exercises of the religious systems of the East.
Since the seventies of the twentieth century, the principle of bioelectric activity of the brain has been actively used to study the correlation of brain waves with mystical and altered states of consciousness. On the basis of this principle, even a scientific direction arose, which received the name "biofeedback" (literally - biological feedback). The biofeedback method uses electronic equipment to control the physiological activity of the human body: bioelectrical activity of the brain (EEG), electrical resistance of the skin (ESC), body temperature and muscle tension. Thanks to the principle of feedback, the functions of various organs of the body, as well as the mode of activity of the brain, are subordinate to the will of a person. This opens up tremendous opportunities for self-knowledge, disclosure of inner potential and mastering the technique of self-regulation [4].
For example, Dr. Joy Kamaya studied the connection of alpha waves with mystical states of consciousness, meditation and spiritual consciousness. Since 1958, Dr. Kamaya has conducted numerous biofeedback studies at various research centers. Experienced yogis and mystics capable of controlling states of consciousness have undergone rigorous scientific tests. Neville Drury called biofeedback a technological path to self-discovery [4].
Research into the connection between brain activity and the state of deep religious experience continues to this day. At present, we can say that during periods of deep religious experience (meditation, prayer), the activity of the brain undergoes specific changes - some areas of the brain decrease their activity, while others, on the contrary, are sharply activated. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia who has been studying the neuroscience of religion for more than a decade, found experiments to increase the activity of the attention-regulating regions of the brain, which required special focus during meditation. However, during meditation, the upper posterior part of the parietal lobe of the brain was much less active than when the subjects were simply sitting and resting [5].
Newberg concluded that it is this cerebral lobe that builds the mental boundary between the brain and the physical world. In other words, this area in the left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for the person's awareness of his own individuality and for the idea of the image of his own body. The right hemisphere is responsible for the sense of time and space in which the body resides. While enhancing the feeling of unity with the outside world during meditation, the subjects gradually blocked the communication channels between these two regions of the parietal lobe of the brain, thereby suppressing the idea of their own body image. As the sense of time and space disappears, the meditator develops a sense of boundlessness and infinity. We see that mystical (transpersonal) experiences require a certain reconfiguration of the brain, and even the "shutdown" of some of its zones [5].
Research of the laboratory of psychophysiology of the V.M.Bekhterev Psychoneurological Institute (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation) in the nineties of the last century under the guidance of Professor V.B.Slezin and Candidate of Medical Sciences I.Y.Rybina made it possible to establish a completely new fourth state of the human consciousness during prayer or meditation. Prior to that, three were known, namely wakefulness, dreamless deep sleep, and dreaming REM. With the help of modern equipment for recording an encephalogram of the brain, a decrease in alpha and beta rhythms with a frequency of 8-30 hertz (common for an adult) and, most importantly, the occurrence of slow delta rhythms with a frequency of only 3 hertz (typical for infants up to 2 - 3 months and completely disappearing in the future with the process of growing up) during complex studies of the states of prayer and meditation among representatives of various religions (monks of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Catholic priest, representatives of Hinduism, Islam and Zen Buddhism) [6].
Psychophysiologist V. Slezin assesses the state of prayer and its significance as follows: “It seems to me, although I cannot yet prove it, that in such a state consciousness begins to exist outside the body. Prayer vigilance, when the brain is in an "infantile" state, is necessary for us in the same way as other states. It is not for nothing that the Gospel says: be like children and you will be saved” [7].
During the prayer of one of the most fervently praying Orthodox monks, there was a complete absence of an electrical impulse indicating the work of the cerebral cortex, that is, there was a state of complete shutdown of the brain, as during slow wave sleep, but with clear consciousness. Encephalograms differed among representatives of different confessions. As the Japanese colleagues told Professor Slezin, if you reach the fourth level of meditation, the result will be the same as during the Orthodox prayer. The theses of Doctor of Biological and Candidate of Medical Sciences, President of the St. Petersburg Association of Psychopuncture, Head of the Laboratory of Psychophysiology at the V.M.Bekhterev Psychoneurological Institute, Professor V.B.Slezin, and Head of the Department of Functional Diagnostics, Candidate of Medical Sciences I.Y.Rybina were published on the World scientific conference "Recent advances in the science of consciousness", which was held at the University of Arizona in the United States at the end of 1999. The work of scientists in this direction continues [6].
Research by other scientists and laboratories deserves close attention. Research conducted at the Duke University in Durham (North Carolina, USA) and a local hospital showed the following. The scientists invited several monks, sisters and priests of various faiths to pray for 700 patients suffering from various heart ailments. For several days, the doctors took notes on the condition of these patients, and when the experiment was over, all the data was passed on to the experts. And soon Professor Mitchell Crushoff reported the results: in 500 patients, thanks to prayers, the rate of recovery increased by about 93 percent. British physiologists tried to rehabilitate heroin addicts with the help of prayer. Doctors taught patients to focus their attention on the heart while saying the Jesus Prayer. It turned out that prayer revives the thymus gland, which is located directly behind the sternum and outwardly resembles the heart that is usually depicted as pierced by Cupid's arrow. This gland ceases to function by the age of 6-7 years of the child. The iron revived by prayer began to produce significantly more endorphins in patients, which helped drug addicts overcome addiction [7].
Research in active collaboration with practicing masters of ancient Buddhist inner science is especially interesting. At the initiative of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama and the outstanding Chilean biologist and neurologist Francisco Varela, in the 1980s, work was carried out to organize dialogues between representatives of modern science and Buddhist monks and scientists. These dialogues resulted in regular, since 1987, conferences of the Institute of Mind and Life, which brought together experts in various fields of modern science and Buddhism to exchange ideas about the nature and mechanisms of the functioning of consciousness. At first, it all started with tentative conversations, and later developed into a joint research program. In order to document the impact of mental exercises on the human nervous system, experts of the Buddhist science of the mind, together with neurologists, developed an appropriate research format [3].
In 2002, medical studies of the effects of meditation were conducted at the Weisman Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Brain Functioning at the University of Wisconsin, where 8 Tibetan lamas participated, but the main subject was the world famous Buddhist lama and monk Yonge Mingyur Rinpoche, personally selected by His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV. The research was carried out by Dr. Antoine Lutz, a neurologist trained by Francisco Varela, and Dr. Richard Davidson, an internationally renowned neurophysiologist and member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the National Institute of Mental Health. The Weismann Laboratory used 128 electrodes to measure the smallest changes in electrical activity deep within the subjects' brains. At the end of the experiments, Time and National Geographic called Rinpoche "the happiest person on earth" [3].
Research in the field of cognitive neuroscience has found that regular meditation over the years can significantly increase the ability to make positive changes in brain activity. For example, during the meditation of Buddhist monk Mingyur Rinpoche on compassion, neural activity in the most important center of the brain responsible for experiencing happiness increased by 700 to 800 percent. For comparison, ordinary subjects who have only recently started meditating, the activity of the same area of the brain increased by only 10 - 15 percent. Buddhist meditators have honed their skills over many years of retreat, devoting a total of 10,000 to 55,000 hours of contemplation, similar to the training levels of an Olympic-class athlete [3].
Other studies are ongoing. At Princeton University, neuroscientist Dr. Jonathan Cohen is studying the effects of meditation on attention. At the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Dr. Margaret Kemeny is researching the effects of meditation on empathy in school teachers. Today, our knowledge of the structure of the human brain and body, at the genetic and cellular level, has reached a new level of complexity. His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV Tenzin Gyatso wrote in November 2005: “A more serious dialogue between neuroscience and society (as, indeed, all other scientific fields and society) could deepen our understanding of what it means to be human, as well as our responsibility to the natural world that we inhabit together with other living things” [8].
In November 2010, in New Delhi, the XXII conference was successfully held under the auspices of the Institute "Mind and Life" on the topic "The Science of Contemplation: Scientific Research on the Impact of the Results of Contemplative Practices on Biology and Human Behavior." The Conference was attended by scientists from India, USA, Germany, Switzerland and Russia, representatives of various specialties, practicing yoga and meditation, in particular, Buddhist monks from many countries of the world: from Tibet, Australia, Vietnam, India, Kalmykia, Buryatia and Mongolia. The main task of the conference was to clarify the points of view of its participants and create a platform for the development of approaches to the study of physiological states accompanying the intensive implementation of contemplative practices. At the conference, it was shown that regular meditation practice over the years leads to changes in the plasticity of the brain. Peter Brezhestovsky, Science Director of the National Institute for Medical Research (Marseille, France) wrote that during the reports it seemed that the materials presented at the conference were only a small part of a huge "iceberg" hiding the amazing secrets of the possibilities of the human mind [9].
In Buddhism, the mind is understood, first of all, the consciousness of a person. Buddhist tradition has created a multifaceted classification of the states of the human mind, as well as meditative techniques for "polishing" its specific properties. His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV not without reason suggests that the human mind has enormous potential for transformation. Developed over the centuries, a wide range of meditation practices are specifically focused on two fundamental goals: cultivating a compassionate heart and forming a deep insight into the nature of reality. They are seen as a union of compassion and wisdom. These practices are based on two key techniques. The first contributes to the development and improvement of attention, and the second - to the management of emotions and their transformation. Science and Buddhism can work together. [9].
The well-known scientist - religious scholar, Buddhist Yevgeny Torchinov rightly states: "At present, probably the most widespread model and scientific metaphor of the brain is a computer." Obviously, just as a computer cannot replace the person who controls it, so the brain does not express true consciousness. The evolved human consciousness will probably be able to perfectly tune this computer. To date, it has already been proven that long-term practice of various types of meditation leads to certain structural changes in the human brain. According to Dr. Lilly, in order to arrive at an achievement with the Absolute, both the "programmer" and the "program" must be dropped. Evgeny Torchinov speaks of the need for a clear distinction between "spiritual" and "ideal". In this case, a working hypothesis about the model of the brain as a computer can bring us many useful discoveries that can be applied in practice [5].
Carl Pribram, an eminent neurosurgeon and neurologist at Yale University, believes that the human brain is a lot like a hologram. Based on the numerous studies carried out, Karl Pribram in his article «The Holographic Hypothesis of the Functioning of the Brain» writes: «We owe to David Bohm the understanding that there is a certain hidden order in the Universe, which is extra-spatial and timeless in the sense that space and time are in it in collapsed. We can now argue that the brain also functions in the holonomic realm. However, this holonomic order is not emptiness; it is a filled and fluid space. The discovery of these properties of holonomic order in physics and in the field of brain research interested mystics and scientists familiar with the esoteric traditions of the East and West, and made them wonder: was this the content of all our experience?» [4].
In June 2020, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV took part in the Mind and Life Institute's regular video conference on Vitality, Compassion and Science for Healing. He said: “From a materialistic point of view, we are dominated by the gross consciousness associated with sensory perception. Until the end of the 20th century, scientists paid little attention to the mind itself, our mental consciousness. But towards the end of the 20th century, they began to recognize that there is something that can affect the brain. Meditation and breathing techniques affect our mental consciousness. With their help, we can focus on the mind itself: first for a few seconds, and then for a few minutes. I have friends who can meditate for several hours. These practices, coupled with logical analysis, allow us to comprehend the essence of phenomena ”[10].
The existing education system does not pay attention to the role of consciousness. In the ancient Indian tradition, it is said about the difference between our primary consciousness and 51 mental factors, that is, 51 types of secondary consciousness, which differ in their functions. All this can be studied. According to His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, there is evidence that the subtlest consciousness passes from life to life. He cited the example of children who clearly remember their previous births, and added that it can be difficult for scientists to accept this, but the issue is definitely worth investigating. [10].
All of the above shows that modern science is confidently moving towards the synthesis of both its branches of knowledge and many of the main provisions of religion and philosophy. We remember with gratitude our famous compatriot Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, who, in close co-creation with the Mahatmas of the East, wrote the grandiose work “The Secret Doctrine. Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy”. The third goal of the Theosophical Society is to investigate the inexplicable laws of nature and the forces hidden in man. In this regard, the activity of the scientific direction in Theosophy acquires great importance, which is designed to help the all-round convergence between the developing modern science and the original Divine Wisdom that is being revealed today. It is no coincidence that Helena Petrovna Blavatskaya and a number of other theosophists, especially of a scientific mindset, carrying out the task of synthesizing science, religion and philosophy, used a number of characteristic scientific methods in writing their works, for example, critical analysis, theoretical design, historical reconstruction and others.
The achievements of modern science act as one of the indicators of the acceleration of the flow of time. Observations of climate change on our planet, the change in the Earth's magnetic pole, evidence of a number of prophecies speaks of the approach of mankind to the beginning of a new cycle of its development, the actual entry into the New Era - the Age of Aquarius. Time itself simply forces humanity to expand its consciousness more and more, to feel a living connection with the Noosphere of V.I.Vernadsky and Teilhard de Chardin, to take confident inner steps on the path of realizing the unity of its nature and the Universe. The Modern World is on the verge of discovering and adopting a new worldview paradigm, which will completely renew Consciousness and the entire existence of Mankind, leading It to a New Culture and New Civilization.
By being aware of our true nature, we thereby help others to become aware of it. When we look at our mind, all the illusory differences between us and other beings disappear and the ancient prayer - the well-wishes of the "Four Immeasurables" becomes as natural as the beating of our heart:
“May all beings find happiness and causes of happiness.
May all beings free themselves from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May all beings find joy and causes of joy.
May all beings know the serenity of equanimity, free from attachment and aversion, and acquire the reasons for such equanimity” [3].
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Menskiy M.B. Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics. - Fryazino: Century 2, 2011;
2. Berzin A. Selected works on Buddhism and Tibetology. At 24 o'clock, Part III. - M .: Open World, 2008, p. 179;
3. Rinpoche Yonge Mingyur. Buddha, the brain and the neurophysiology of happiness. How to change your life for the better. A practical guide. - Moscow: Open World, 2009, p. 1-4, 15, 143;
4. Drury N. Transpersonal psychology. - Moscow / Lviv: Institute of General Humanitarian Research, Initiative, 2001, p. 6 - 9, 52 - 53;
5. Torchinov Y.A. The paths of the philosophy of East and West: cognition of the beyond. - St. Petersburg: Classical ABC, Petersburg Oriental Studies, 2007, p. 225 - 230, 239 - 241;
6. Slezin V.M. Prayer as a special state of a person. - Russian House, 1999, No. 7;
7. Turin Mikhail. Prayer as a connecting link between the spiritual and the physical in the human psyche (about the meeting and interaction of two natures in the psychological dominant), c. 5-7, 11. - http://scireprints.lu.lv/205/;
8. H.H.Dalai Lama XIV Tenzin Gyatso. Our faith in science. - Article in the New York Times, 12.11.2005, translated by Yulia Zhironkina. - http://savetibet.ru/2005/11/14/faith_in_science.html;
9. Brezhestovsky Petr. Four days that shook my soul. Brief impressions of the conference "Contemplative Science". - 05/22/2011, http://savetibet.ru/2011/05/22/buddhism_and_science.html;
10. The Dalai Lama took part in the Mind and Life Institute video conference: "Resilience, Compassion and Science for Healing." - 06/21/2020, translation: Inna Baltyreva. - http://savetibet.ru/2020/06/21/dalai-lama-news.html
