Jim Hilgendorf, Author of "Life & Death: A Buddhist Perspective"
When quantum physics emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, scientists were forced to reassess many of their old ways of thinking. One of these was the concept of the separateness of human beings and their environment.
To account for the results of their experiments with sub-atomic particles, such as electrons, scientists were forced to conclude that the universe was much different than they had heretofore imagined.
It was a participatory universe, where everyone and everything was somehow bound up and connected to everyone and everything else.
In his newly-revised book, "Life & Death: A Buddhist Perspective"
In Buddhism, there is a concept called esho funi, which means two but not two; and this refers to the idea that a person and their environment, although seeming to be two separate things, are, in actuality, interconnected and inseparable.
This applies to all of life. It explains, for instance, that what we do to the environment, we do to ourselves. And this has great significance when it comes to such problems as the destruction of the environment for humankind's use. One way or another, we will suffer the consequences of our destructive behavior because, in reality, at the deepest level, we are interconnected to, and at one with, the environment.
The book carries this concept into human relations also.
Men and women have difficulties in their marriage. Often, they tend to blame their spouse for the difficulty. If only my husband/wife would change..... Often, also, they end their relationship in divorce.
Then the man or woman goes out and meets aother person who seems very wonderful, and gets married, only to find out that he or she has married a different face who creates the same identical relationship problem once again.
Our environment mirrors our inner self. This is a truth of Buddhism, and this truth is reflected in the findings of quantum physics.
If we want to change relationships, we have to change ourselves first. There is no other way. Then the change will be automatically reflected in our environment - in this case, in our relationships with those around us.
Buddhism provides the keys to making these internal changes; and this is what "Life & Death: A Buddhist Perspective"
Michael E. Tymn, of the Journal of Religion & Psychical Research, has written:
"If I were qualified to teach a basic college-level course in religion, philosophy, or metaphysics - call it 'Spirituality 101' - this book would be required reading. In fact, it would be the first week's assignment. Having read all or parts of nearly a thousand books dealing with spiritual matters, I cannot recall another book that so simply and effectively blends the fundamentals of religion and science."
The author, Jim Hilgendorf, has been practicing Buddhism with the SGI, or Soka Gakkai International, for 37 years. He is the author of two other books - "The Great New Emerging Civilization"
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