Letter: Buddhism's appeal to the West

From Mr David Evans

Sir: In your leading article "Suburbia turns to Buddha", you imply that a turning towards Buddhism may imply a turning away from science. In fact, the Suttas (the Buddha's discourses) are more analytical in character than any other major scripture. They stress the importance of observation, the interconnectedness of phenomena and the unreliability of tradition as a source of truth, and they recognise the immensity of space and time in a manner unparalleled in the ancient world. Most significantly, they link these proto-scientific ingredients to an environmentally benign ethos.

If I have one wish for the 21st century, it is that Buddhist values should play a part in rescuing science from the corrupting embrace of consumer capitalism. That way the planet might just be worth living on a century from now.

Sincerely,

DAVID EVANS

Leeds

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