Evolving Mind: Buddhism, Biology and Consciousness

In the West, the conversation between evolutionary biologists and religionists has not always been friendly. One of the major obstacles to dialogue has been the issue of the evolution of human consciousness. As Buddhist teacher Robin Cooper demonstrates in his book, however, Buddhist religious thought is thoroughly compatible with the idea of a biological evolution of human consciousness. Cooper, who is a scientist as well as a revered Buddhist teacher, explores the process of evolutionary development from the lowest organism to the highest form of Enlightened Being (Buddha). Convinced that limiting the idea of evolution merely to a physical and biological understanding is a mistake, Cooper then proceeds to demonstrate that evolution, like the tenets of Buddhism, is rather a continual process of self-transcendence. The author draws upon sources as diverse as Darwin's Origin of Species and the Dhammapada to illustrate his thesis. In an age when science and religion seem to be closer than ever before, Cooper's sparkling prose will encourage ongoing dialogue between the two camps. (July)