Dalai Lama And Science: His Holiness’ Scientific Side, Now Streaming

The Dalai Lama has another side that you may not have known about. Passionate about science his entire life, the Dalai Lama describes himself: “My body, this person, half Buddhist monk, half scientist”. This is the topic of a documentary you can now stream on popular platforms like Amazon, Youtube, and Google Play: The Dalai Lama - Scientist.

You may be familiar with the Dalai Lama, dressed in his red monk’s robes, discussing peace, compassion, and Buddhist enlightenment. But the Dalai Lama has another side - one intensely interested in science. Ever since he was a child, he was captivated by the natural world. He would take apart his toys to see how they worked. He would gaze at the moon with his telescope.

The Dalai Lama - Scientist tells the story of the Dalai Lama and how his love of science - and influence in the scientific world - grew with time. Over the span of several decades, the Dalai Lama met with leading scientists, Nobel Prize winners, and philosophers of science in cosmology, neuroscience, quantum physics, and psychology. He would invite them to his palace, Dharamsala. They would explain the complex concepts of the most recent scientific research, while red-clad monks furiously scribbled notes in the background. The Dalai Lama himself, leaning forward and listening intently, would respond with a “Hrum”. Then he would ask a question to them that would blow them away with its insight. He even stumped a scientist or two.

Some scientists didn’t know what to expect when invited to Dharamsala.

Arthur Zajonc, a physicist, talks about his first visit in the documentary. “Now when I first sat down with the Dalai Lama, it was actually quite surprising. See, I had the stereotyped vision of an Asian spiritual master as kind of floating on a cloud. They’re going to be kind of transcendent… But here I’m sitting down across from him. I had this feeling I was across from a wrestler, intellectually. He was taking my ideas and he was grabbing them, testing them.”

Over time, some of these meetings developed into collaborations. Some even developed into deep friendships.

“I met His Holiness in ‘83 at an international conference. Immediately the charm, his keen intelligence and totally unassuming, just pure interest. I was very touched by that,” said Francisco Varela in the documentary, a neuroscientist, who would become a close personal friend of the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama’s comments proved to be insightful, delivered with a smile and his trademark laugh. On occasion, the scientists who met with him even changed the direction of their research.

These meetings continued over the course of several decades. Eventually, they evolved into collaborations, especially in the area of neuroscience. Buddhist monks, practicing meditation over the course of their lives, and some of them trained in the sciences themselves, worked closely with other neuroscientists to gain insights on the brain. The Dalai Lama himself spoke at several meetings and conferences for health and neuroscience. A program Science for Monks and Nuns even trains Tibetian monks and nuns in various areas of science to become future teachers and scientists themselves.

The Dalai Lama - Scientist offers viewers a chance to see the scientific side of the Dalai Lama, and to see snippets of his conversations with great minds throughout the years.