Science of Consciousness

<p>The synthesis between Vedānta and Buddhist philosophy has been attempted in this study on the ground that the former is the philosophy of “being” whereas the latter happens to be the philosophy of becoming. The being and becoming both are important for proper understanding of the Absolute Reality and its manifestation. In synthesizing it has concentrated on consciousness because of two reasons: (i) in consciousness both being and becoming are involved and (ii) pure consciousness happens to be the essence of human nature.<br />In Buddhist philosophy the concepts like citta-nirvāṇa bhavaṅga-citta and ālaya-vijñāna having a bearing on pure-consciousness which happens to be the Upaniṣadic ātman and the Vedāntic Brahman. Since these concepts represent the essence of human beings the similarities among the Upaniṣads Vedānta and Buddhism have been established. However the differences between Vedānta and Buddhist philosophy (Yogācāra Vijñānavāda) on several issues like momentariness changing reality will continue because these are merely modes of manifestations or appearances.<br />It has also been shown that the concepts like One and Many Time and Space of Buddhist philosophy and Vedānta have scientific support. Time and Space have no independent existence in Buddhist philosophy and Vedānta. In fact both being the manifestations of consciousness become the objects of consciousness. It means that Buddhist philosophy and Vedānta have treated Time and Space in relative framework. So is the case with science.</p>