OUR PHILOSOPHY

Buddha said “check my teachings before accepting them just as a goldsmith buying gold first makes sure it is pure”. This discourages the imposition of dogma and the practice of blind belief, putting the onus on us to take responsibility and use our own wisdom. 

“Jamyang”embodies ultimate wisdom, combining experience with mental faculties such as reason, feeling and intuition to examine teachings. Exercise of wisdom is our basis, rather than blind belief in dogma. Our practice of compassion and devotion is therefore to be examined through this lens, utilising all our experience and faculties.

His Holiness The Dalai Lama advises all Buddhists: “If a scientifically proven view contradicts any Buddhist tenet or precept, adopt the scientific view.” For example, the 3rd century Buddhist text Abidharma-Kosa ('Treasury of Metaphysics') ) by Vasabandhu asserts that the sun and the moon are the same size and the same distance from  earth. Obviously, this assertion has been long disproven by science and can thus be put aside as incorrect.”

So it is more of a philosophy to be studied than a religion to be unconditionally believed. This still permits 'grey area concepts' inbetween science and religion, scientifically unexplainable concepts not yet proven or disproven; views which, on balance and after careful consideration we do accept as true. Buddhist examples: karma, reincarnation and the paranormal powers of realised beings such as clairvoyance.

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