Heng Swee Keat talks about parents and kids

 Let's examine what Heng Swee Keat talks about parents and kids.

Helping parents help their kids learn

by Heng Swee Keat

04:45 AM Sep 13, 2012

Parents are a child's first teachers. Parents are our most important partners. Teachers cannot be surrogate parents. I hope parents value teachers as their partners, too.

Teachers are often anxious about dealing with demanding parents. I understand because I have met some myself.

I recently had a father who came to see me for help. He began his comments with a string of expletives about the teachers in his son's school. With such an attitude in front of me, I could only imagine how he would be like in meeting our teachers. I told him quite firmly that if he wanted us to help him, he must help himself. There is absolutely no reason and no excuse for bad behaviour.

More recently, we had a mother who filed a police report and went to the media, aggrieved that her son's S$60 haircut was ruined by his teacher. The simple fact is that the son was reminded, over and over again, to trim his hair; and when that failed, the school sent a letter to the parent.

The mother's response was that her son was dyslexic and therefore forgetful. Dyslexic people are not forgetful. As one writer put it in a media commentary, by raising such a hullabaloo, "the mother ... did herself and her son no favours".

If parents do not show graciousness to others and respect for rules, our young will not do so, either. Soon, discipline will be eroded, the tone in our schools will deteriorate, and the tone in our society, too. Good people will be deterred from joining teaching.

Once the ethos in a school is lost, it is hard to recover. It is already happening in many schools around the world. Who suffers? Our students, and future generations of students, who just want a good education. We must take a firm stand against unreasonable demands.



LET KIDS FALL AND PICK THEMSELVES UP



Thankfully, the vast majority of our parents are supportive partners.

But among them there is a broad range of parenting styles and a wide range of needs. I have come across many who are well-meaning, who love their children, but do not know what to do.

On the other hand, there are those who are much too involved, and push their children too hard. Ms Tan Beng Luan, a pre-school principal in Singapore, made similar observations in an article in Lianhe Zaobao a few months back.

She has been a pre-school principal for over 15 years, and observed that many pre-schoolers were more clumsy and fragile than before. Many parents, afraid that their kids would fall, stopped them from crawling and roaming around and used baby walkers instead.

In primary schools, many parents are seen carrying their children's school bags, and dropping them off right at the doorstep of the school.

Ms Tan also shared the story of how a father let his three-year-old daughter pick a place for dinner each night. He wanted her to learn about freedom of choice.

But one night, he could not accommodate her choice as he had to work. And she threw a big tantrum. When teaching her, he forgot that freedom to choose must come with respect for others.

Ms Tan noted that if we want to nurture students to become resilient, responsible and perseverant adults, we must reflect on how, as parents, we must allow them to pick themselves up when they fall and not to cry; to settle disputes among their fellow students on their own; and to learn to do things for themselves.

Let me add - this is not a uniquely Singaporean problem. Ms Madeline Levine has written a book about how some American parents are doing too much, depriving their children of a chance to grow up.



PARTNERING PARENTS



I have a lot of empathy for parents. Parenting is very challenging - all of us who are parents know that. It is a big and complex subject. Our expectations have gone up, we have less time, and our children are exposed to many more sources of influence.

But, ultimately, parents and educators share the same goal - to bring out the best in our children. So let us work together in partnership. The Ministry of Education (MOE) will be doing three things.

Firstly, a new Parents in Education (PiE) website will be launched today. We want to help parents help their children, and make learning something that the whole family can be involved in.

This website will include resources such as parenting tips, educational news and learning resources for parents. We will continue to get feedback from parents to improve on this and provide additional resources that would best serve their needs.

Secondly, we provide resources to enhance parent-school partnerships. Earlier this year, MOE introduced the Parent Support Group (PSG) Fund. In addition, 15 primary schools received the PiE fund initiated by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

We will provide our schools with a Partnerships Resource Pack to guide them in this effort. I thank parents, school leaders, teachers, and Community and Parents in Support of Schools (COMPASS) members for giving their inputs on the making of this resource pack.

When I met Ngee Ann Secondary's PSG, they were extremely pleased with the PSG funds. They excitedly told me about how they had used the funds to organise a range of activities.

What I am most impressed by is that many PSG members continue to be active in the school PSG even after their children have graduated. It is a way for them to work with other parents to create a rich and supportive network in the school connecting parents, teachers and students.

Thirdly, we believe that this conversation of supporting each other and informing each other on parenting tips is best done among parents. We have thus been expanding our engagement sessions with parents so that they can have a conversation with each other on what are some of their best practices.

Over the past year, our Senior Parliamentary Secretaries and COMPASS have also been engaging parents. One of these parent engagement sessions was led by Senior Parliamentary Secretary Hawazi Daipi. Parents responded very positively, learnt from each other and contributed some great ideas.



MULTIPLE SOURCES OF STRESS



In the spirit of this partnership, let me now pull together the four inter-related attributes of a student-centric, values-driven education, to comment on the vexing issue of homework, examinations and stress.

One mother told me recently: "Mr Heng, there is not a mother in Singapore who is not stressed about her child's education." And indeed, some dads are, too.

I have spent the last year or so discussing this with educators, parents and students. It seems to me that the sources of stress are multiple. For some, it is excessive homework and CCAs. For others, it is extra assessment books, tuition and enrichment classes.

Just walk into any of our bookshops and you will see that one of the largest sections is that for assessment books. It is the same in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. For many, it is expectation and ambition to do one's best - especially at high-stakes examinations.

Comparison with others is also often a source of stress. One student told me that her parents first asked her why she had not gotten into a top school like her cousin. Then when she got 80 marks in a test, her parents asked her why her cousin in a better school got 85.

So she worked very hard and, when she got 85, her parents told her that her cousin had now gotten 90! She felt that she had done her best, but it was never good enough. Thankfully, she remained a very cheerful girl.

One father, who met me on a Saturday morning, told me that his daughter had to stay in school till 4pm on three days a week - two for extra lessons, one for CCA. As a result, he had little quality time with her. When I asked where his daughter was that Saturday morning, he said, rather apologetically, that he had sent her for an enrichment class.

Another complained to me that the school conducted extra lessons during the vacation. I checked and found that it was optional. But he replied: "So what? My son has to go otherwise he will lose out. It's best that MOE scraps the whole thing?"

So, while some parents know that extra lessons could take up too much time at the expense of time with the family, they still send their children for tuition and enrichment classes for fear that they may fall behind.



LESSONS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES



As we deliberate over this issue, it is also useful to learn from the experiences of other countries.

One country in East Asia cut curriculum, only to have to restore it a few years later and add more, when standards fell sharply.

Another expanded university places so that over 80 per cent of each cohort of students could go to universities. But it did not stop parents from sending children to cram schools so that they could cram well enough to enter one of the top three universities. Their education ministry now has inspectors to ensure tuition centres close by 10pm.

Another education system abolished their equivalent of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), yet concerned parents are now queuing up to have their three-year-olds do assessment tests for admission to high-end kindergartens.

I asked what they assessed, and they said they assessed language skills and motor skills. I heard of one child who could not perform because the test was held during his naptime, and his grandparents were distraught.

Any society which prizes achievements will run into issues like these. Our education system must have sufficient rigour and strength - it must not become soft. The key for us is not to reduce stress to zero, but to strike the right balance. There are no easy solutions, but we in MOE must reflect on what we can do, and do our best.



THAT HOMEWORK ISSUE



First, tackle the issue of homework. Last year, we asked schools to issue a homework guideline. We have considered if we should issue a standardised one, across all schools.

We decided that a one-size-fits-all guideline will not work. The demand of homework on each child is different. Given the same piece of homework, one child may take half-an-hour, and another child might take an hour or more.

However, schools can do better to coordinate the amount of homework given. Let me share the practice of Jing Shan Primary and Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary, and several other schools. They have a state-of-the-art supercomputer to help them to coordinate and schedule students' homework.

That way, teachers can coordinate when setting homework to make sure that students are not overloaded on a particular day or week. They also get students to update their individual student handbooks daily so parents know how much homework their children were given.

It also allows students to learn to schedule their homework over the week - an important life skill! These are good practices to manage and coordinate the overall amount of homework given to students, and schools should make this more visible to parents going forward.

I want to emphasise that schools should not be apologetic about giving homework. The studies on this are clear - homework reinforces learning and deepens understanding. But it does not follow that more homework is always better. As in many things in life, if we overdo this, it can be harmful. As a fraternity, let us aim to improve the quality of homework so that we can assess if students have learnt well, and the areas where we need to reinforce the learning. Homework serves as an important tool for learning and reinforcing learning.



TUITION USEFUL BUT ...



Second, parents will want the best for their children. We cannot stop this. Nor should we. Even for students who are doing well, some will choose to have tuition even if it is not necessary, just to "make doubly sure" as we love to say. Again, this is not uniquely Singapore.

In China, one tuition agency had a unique tagline: "You may not be a genius, but you can be a father to a genius!" Now, which father would not want this? In Singapore, we have the opposite advertising.

MOE can do our part not to contribute to the need for tuition. Our schools and our examinations must not be run on the basis that students will have tuition. Some parents complain that our teachers tell the students to seek answers from their tuition teachers. If this is true, we must put a stop to it.

This is not to say that tuition and extra support are not useful for some students. I know many of our teachers sacrifice much personal time to coach students or run remedial and supplementary classes. Students who are weak can benefit from help. However, teachers cannot do everything, and community tuition schemes, like those run by Self-Help Groups, have been useful.

Tertiary students have also volunteered their time to help weaker students. In class, there is much value in stronger students helping weaker students, in the spirit of collaborative learning.

But excessive tuition is harmful. If students over-learn, they become bored in class. It also comes at the expense of CCA, which is an indispensable part of holistic development, and time for other pursuits like reading which broadens the mind, and spending time with friends and family.

When students have "personal coaches" for learning, and look for ready answers rather than struggle to understand, it undermines the spirit of perseverance and independence. When they start work, they cannot be running to someone for answers to difficult or unfamiliar issues.



NEED FOR REALISTIC TEST STANDARDS



Third, we must not set unrealistic standards for tests and examinations. Anecdotally, some parents have told me that their schools seek to send a message to "wake up" their students who are under-performing, and thus set a harder test or exam. We should not do this.

Assessment standards must be appropriate. Studies show that setting tests that are too hard often does not benefit students. It can discourage them and they may lose their interest in learning.

MOE will be studying how the level of difficulty of the assessments in our education system can be pitched appropriately and how we can provide better support to schools in setting questions.

There have also been many other suggestions. For example, one MP suggests that MOE should regulate the tuition industry, or our teachers should teach more, or that parents should not do so much.

Each of these supposed "solutions" place added expectations on overworked teachers to do more, or on parents to do things that they do not believe in.

MOE must do our part, but it is important for us not to just tackle the symptoms, and MOE will study this in more depth. This is a complex subject tied very much to our values and expectations as a society.

But as a first step, I think that it is very important for us to take a step back, to go to the crux of the issue and consider what really matters. I would like to suggest that to start the discussion, we need to ask: What are the attributes that will enable our children to succeed in life? What are our values and ideals as a society? How can our education system help us get there?

Master Chin Kung gives lectures 4 hours a day

Venerable Master Chin Kung, whose formal name is Hsu Yae Hong, was born in Lujiang County, Anhui Province, China, in 1927. He spent thirteen years studying the classics, history, philosophy, and Buddhism under the guidance of Professor Fang Dongmei, a great philosopher of his time; Zhangjia Living Buddha, an eminent monk of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition; and Mr. Li Bing-nan, a lay practitioner and master of Buddhism. In addition to being well versed in the sutras and commentaries of the various Buddhist schools, Master Chin Kung has also read extensively the teachings of Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, and other religions. However, he has spent most of his time and effort in studying Pure Land Buddhism and it is here that he has attained his greatest achievements.

In 1959, Master Chin Kung became a monk at Linji Temple of Yuanshan, Taipei, and was given the Dharma name Jue Chin and an alternative name Chin Kung. Since receiving full ordination more than forty years ago, he has been propagating the Buddha’s teachings in Taiwan and throughout the world. He has given lectures on the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Surangama Sutra, the Complete Enlight-enment Sutra, and the five sutras of the Pure Land school, just to name a few. He advocates that we return to the original, correct meaning of Buddhism: an education by the Buddha. Although almost eighty, he still continues [teaching]. He has been traveling around the world, especially in the past few years, to share his ideas on how to resolve unrest and conflicts, and restoring the teachings of the ancient sages [to their rightful place in education.] Upon returning from his travels, despite being fa-tigued, he promptly resumes teaching [in the recording studio]. The Master’s spirit of compassionate teaching is truly admirable.

In 1998, Master Chin Kung started lecturing again on the Avatamsaka Sutra. To date, he still tirelessly maintains a schedule of lecturing four hours per day and has recorded more than 2,500 hours of lectures on this important sutra.

Master Chin Kung has held the following positions [in Taiwan]: instructor at the Tripitaka Institute at Shipu Temple in 1960; member of the Propagating Teachings Committee and the Records Committee of the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China in 1961; head instructor at the Bud-dhist Seminar for University Students at the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China in 1962; research fellow of Buddhism at the Chinese Academia Institute, and professor and editor of the As-sociation of Buddhist Sutras, Commentaries, and Translations of Taiwan in 1973; professor of the Philosophy Department at the Chinese Culture University, and professor of the Spiritual Living Course for East Asian Catholics [at Fu Jen Catholic University] in 1975; president of the Chinese Buddhist College in 1977; and president of the Chinese Pure Land Practice Research Institute in 1979.

He also founded the Hwa Dzan Dharma Giving Association, the Hwa Dzan Buddhist Audio-Visual Library, the Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, the Hwadzan Pure Land Learning Center, and many other Pure Land organizations all over the world.

Master Chin Kung’s several decades of teachings can be summed up by the following principles for practice: “true sincerity, purity of mind, equality, proper understanding, compassion, seeing through, letting go, attaining freedom, according with proper conditions, and being mindful of Amitabha Buddha.”

He pioneered the use of the Internet and satellite television in propagating Buddha’s teachings and the sages’ ideas twenty-four hours daily and over long distances. This broad and long-term view demonstrates his true wisdom. He works to resolve conflict and to bring about world peace. Fur-thermore, he has been promoting multicultural concepts of religious cooperation and racial harmony. These actions reveal the infinite compassion in his pure and nondiscriminatory mind.

Since 1977, Master Chin Kung has been accepting invitations to lecture abroad. On establishing organizations for propagating the Buddha's teachings, the Master advocates doing it in the form of learning centers or learning colleges to serve as practice centers for the public, where Dharma mate-rials can be circulated and where future Dharma lecturers can be trained. Today, there are more than one hundred such organizations around the world. Such organizations set up to propagate the proper Buddha’s teachings are formed by Chinese [practitioners] and acknowledge Master Chin Kung as their teacher or advisor. In 1995, he instructed the Singapore Buddhist Lodge and the Amitabha Buddhist Society of Singapore to jointly sponsor a training program for Dharma lecturers. In 2001, he established the Pure Land Learning College Association in Toowoomba, Australia.

Besides lecturing and teaching, Master Chin Kung also sponsors the printing of sutras and books and the production of tapes and DVDs on moral education and on the teachings of sages for free worldwide distribution. He also authorizes the public to reproduce his works. In recent years, he sponsored the printing of several thousand sets of the Buddhist Canon and purchased Siku Huiyao. The recipients have been libraries, universities, and Buddhist organizations throughout the world.

Master Chin Kung has taken on the mission of “Learning to be a teacher; acting as a role model.” Therefore, wherever he goes, he devotes himself to advancing his ideals of racial unity, so-cial harmony, and right moral conduct. After he immigrated to the United States in 1985, he was awarded Honorary Citizenship of both the city of Dallas and the state of Texas. In 2000, he immi-grated to Australia. Two years later, in 2002, he was awarded an honorary doctorate and appointed an honorary professor by Griffith University, Australia. That same year, the Mayor of Toowoomba made him an Honorary Citizen.

The following year, the University of Queensland also appointed him an honorary professor. In 2004, Master Chin Kung was conferred an honorary doctorate by both the University of Southern Queensland in Australia and the Syriaf Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Indonesia.

Master Chin Kung has sought neither fame nor fortune throughout his entire life. To him, all these worldly honors are impermanent, so he is not attached to them at all. That he has been conferred these honors indicates that many people share his view of the extremely urgent need for pro-moting multicultural education and restoring morality. Because of this affirmation and recognition, the Master has formed true friendships with many people in the political and religious circles in Australia, Indonesia, and other places.

In 1998, to put into practice the [multicultural] teachings of the Avatamsaka Sutra, Master Chin Kung proposed the concept that all religions are the compassionate and loving teachings of God and sages, and that all gods and sages are the manifestations of one true God. Taking the initiative, he visited the leaders of the nine major faiths in Singapore and also invited lecturers from all faiths to the Singapore Buddhist Lodge to introduce the teachings of their religions. These lectures proved to be very successful. The Master also spoke at the Multicultural Forum hosted by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs of Queensland in Australia.

In July 2003, the UPEACE Asia Pacific Program facilitated the Network of Universities and In-stitutions for Asia-Pacific Peace-Building and Conflict Prevention in Bangkok, Thailand. The topic was “Religion: Is it About Peace or Conflict?” Master Chin Kung represented Griffith University at the seminar and gave a speech. In August of the same year, he was invited by the Australia Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China (ACPPRC) to participate in “Ten Thousand K to a Brighter Tibet,” a charity event that raised funds for medical equipment and treatment for Tibetan cataract patients.

As disasters, terrorist [attacks], and many contagious diseases continue to ravage the world, the yearning for peace and stability increases every day. The concept of “a harmonious universe; a global family” has elicited a positive response from all directions.

In November 2003, Master Chin Kung, at the invitation of Vice President Hamzah Haz, visited Indonesia for the first time. He met the former president Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid, many ministers, and religious representatives. In a conversation with them, the Master emphasized repeatedly the im-portance of the propagation of religious education and made many constructive suggestions for racial harmony and for social stability and peace. Later, Mr. Wahid, the ministers, and the representatives all warmly invited the Master to make more frequent visits to Indonesia to give Dharma talks.

In April 2004, the Minister of Religious Affairs of Indonesia, Dr. Said Agil, invited the Master to visit Indonesia again. During his speech titled “Humanity, Love, and World Peace,” the Master earnestly explained that social stability and world peace must be founded on the restoration of the moral teachings of the sages.

In January 2004, at the invitation of UNESCO and Asia NGO Summit for International Contribution, Master Chin Kung attended the conference “Education for Sustainable Development” in Okayama, Japan. The Master gave a speech at the conference. The several days of discussions allowed him to discuss and exchange ideas with religious leaders and scholars from all over the world on how to resolve conflict. The Master presented the ancient sages’ concept of “Education is essential in building a country and in guiding its people.” He explained that all religions are a teaching of compassion and loving-kindness, and also that to resolve conflicts and avoid disasters one must start by first resolving one’s own internal conflicts and grievances. If everyone resolves his internal conflicts, his mind will be pure and benevolent. Then the world will have a bright future. The Master’s gracious and gentle bearing, sincere words, and easy-to-understand explanation of his profound views left a deep impression on the religious leaders and scholars of different races and cultural backgrounds. They expressed a sincere admiration for the Master.

During the past ten years, the Hwa Dzan and the Xiao Lian (Filial Piety-Honesty) Scholarships that Master Chin Kung established in China have helped numerous students complete their studies. In recent years, not only has he offered financial assistance to the projects of multiculturalism and peace at Griffith University and at the University of Queensland, but he also established a scholarship at the University of Southern Queensland. At the beginning of 2004, the Master contacted the Ministry of Religion of Indonesia in regard to the establishment of scholarships in Indonesian universities for students who have a religion and major in humanities, theology, or philosophy. As many as 3,500 students will get this financial assistance every year.

In recent years, Master Chin Kung has been actively advocating the teaching of compassion and loving-kindness as taught by ancient sages, religious harmony, multiculturalism, and racial equality. He hopes to cooperate more with people of vision and foresight to help resolve chaos and conflicts in this world and to promote world harmony and stability.

Modern science and Buddhism

Messages from New Discoveries in Space Physics

 
Maosen Zhong, B.A., M.B.A, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer
The University of Queensland
St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia
and
Student
The Pure Land Learning College
Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
First version: 24 April, 2003
Presented at the Pure Land Learning College
Revised version: 4 July, 2003
To be presented to the Australian Association for the Study of Religions
(AASR) annual meeting, Griffith University-Nathan Campus, Multi-Faith Center
July 5, 2003

* I am very grateful to Venerable Master Chin Kung, Venerable Wu Shin, Venerable Wu Ling, Venerable Wu Ping, Ms. Julia Lieu, Dr. Mei-Hui Ho, Mr. Gene Lamb, Dr. Yeong-Han Cheong, Ms. Jenny Wong, Ms. Vivian Fung, and Ms. Fei-lun Chen for their helpful comments and suggestions. All errors remain my own. Address correspondence to: Dr. Maosen Zhong, UQ Business School, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia, phone: (+61) 7 3365 6181, e-mail: m.zhong@uq.edu.au.

Messages from New Discoveries in Space Physics

Abstract

Traditional Buddhism is not a religion but an education about the truth of life and the universe. Modern science has gradually verified what Buddha Shakyamuni taught in the sutras (i.e., Buddhist texts). We contrast the new physics discoveries about the universe with statements in the sutras. These new scientific discoveries are very similar to what Buddha Shakyamuni taught 3000 years ago. Specifically, we relate three findings in space physics to the Buddha’s teachings: 1) Distance and time are “illusory”; 2) Things can be created from “nothing”; and 3) The origin of the universe. We hope this preliminary study can stimulate our thinking and discussion about the truth of our universe.

Introduction

Traditional Buddhism is not a religion but an education about the truth of life and the universe. Modern science has gradually verified what Buddha Shakyamuni taught in the sutras (i.e., Buddhist texts). It would be interesting to contrast the new physics discoveries about the universe with the statements in the sutras. In this paper, we summarize some key discoveries about the universe from America’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA)1 on-line cosmology literature.

The purpose of this preliminary study is to stimulate our thinking and discussion of the truth about our universe. We believe that each religion has insightful descriptions about the truth of life and the universe. It is important for religious followers to study their own scriptures and understand these truths.

Modern cosmology attempts to describe how the universe started and developed. The subject is built upon quantum mechanics and Albert Einstein’s Theories of Relativity. Most of the discoveries are derived from highly advanced mathematical principles and are quite difficult for a person without sufficient knowledge in physics and mathematics to comprehend. However, we do not intend to focus on the technical details of those mathematical formulas here. What is important are the messages that emerge from this scientific research. We will elaborate on some key discoveries of space physics research, which appear amazingly similar to what Buddha Shakyamuni had taught 3000 years ago.2

---

1 NASA, founded in 1958, is the world’s leading research agency in aerospace and physics.

2 The time frame of 3000 years is calculated from Chinese records which differs from those of other countries.. Most scholars hold that Buddha Shakyamuni lived about 2500 years ago.

---

In this paper, we present three key messages derived from modern cosmology and quantum physics, which are essentially the same as some of the Buddha’s profound teachings about the universe. Below we try to use easy-to-understand language to explain the ideas, avoiding complicated mathematical equations, because we expect our audience to be the general public, not physics professionals. These three key messages are:

1) Distance and time are “illusory”;
2) Things can be created from “nothing”;
3) The origin of the universe.

1. Distance and Time are “Illusory”

To prove this concept is not an easy task in physics. Although we do not emphasize the technical aspects of physics in this paper, the proof of this idea has to rely on Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. Relativity is an outgrowth of Einstein’s thoughts in the early 1900s about motion and gravity in a non-Newtonian framework. Newton’s physics—especially in the realm of mechanics—works well in the dynamics of three-dimensional space (especially for earth-sized and smaller bodies) and at velocities common to everyday experience.

Einstein’s relativity framework, however, is completely different. Instead of the Absolute view of fundamental parameters such as space and time envisioned in Newtonian physics, space, time, energy, and mass can all vary in their perceived nature in a Relative sense. This theory completely altered the direction of modern physics and provided a solid theoretical founding for cosmic research. Einstein is therefore regarded as the “Father of Modern Science.”

Both the history of Einstein’s discoveries and an excellent portrayal of how they affect cosmology are given in Amir Acezel’s book God’s Equation: Einstein, Relativity, and the Expanding Universe, published by Dell Publishing in 1999. Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1922 and was later selected by Time Magazine as the “Man of the 20th Century.” A splendid biography of him: Einstein: The Life and Times by Ronald W. Clark, published by Avon Books in 1971, describes Einstein’s contribution as a scientist and humanitarian.

There are two stages of Relativity theories: Special Relativity (SR) and General Relativity (GR). Special Relativity is applicable to objects that are traveling at uniform velocities. General Relativity is concerned with the effects of accelerating velocities. Einstein’s theory of Special Relativity (SR) was first published in Annalen de Physik in the summer of 1905. In the same issue of that Journal, he also had significant papers on Brownian motion and on the photoelectric effect, for which he later (in 1922) was awarded a Nobel Prize in physics.

Einstein, among other researchers, realized that physical properties should theoretically change greatly when their measurements are under conditions where the observer is traveling at high speeds relative to that of light. A simple relationship between the length and speed of an object can be described in the following equation:

(1)

where Lv is the object’s length when it is moving, L0 is the object’s length when it is standing still, v is the speed of the moving object, and c is the speed of light (approximately 300,000 kilometers per second). Figure 1 below shows the inverse relationship between an object’s length and its speed according to the equation (1). As an object moves increasingly faster (relative to the observer), its length becomes progressively smaller.

Figure 1. The relationship between an object’s length and speed

Equation (1) tells us that objects that are moving very fast (at significant fractions of light speed) would appear to “shrink” in length. If an object is moving at the speed of light, then the ratio v2/c2 =1, and we will observe that the object has no length or size.3 In other words, lengths (or sizes) will vanish at the speed of light. For instance, under certain conditions, you will not see any distance between a nearby object (say, the Queensland Performing Art Center in Brisbane, Australia) and a distant object (say, the White House in Washington, DC in the U.S.).4 Or put it differently, under some conditions, you may be able to appear on Earth and on Mars at the same time5 as the distance between Earth and Mars can vanish. Dr. Sten Odenwald, NASA’s space scientist, concludes that objects can be in many places at the same time.6 Therefore, distance is not real!

---

3 It is a belief in physics that nothing with mass can actually move at the speed of light as its mass would become infinite. Only massless particles like light itself can move at the speed of light

4 In physics, this would only be true to an observer traveling at the speed of light relative to the Earth.

5 Relative theory tells us that time, just as distance explained above, is relative. There is no absolute time or space. These vary depending on one’s point of reference.

6 Source: www.nasa.gov

---

This concept is consistent with Buddha Shakyamuni’s teaching in the Infinite Life Sutra7: “The Buddha does come but without coming from anywhere. He leaves but without going anywhere. He was neither born nor will he pass away.” (無量壽經： 彼佛如來，來無所來，去無所去，無生無滅).8 Another similar statement can be found in the Practices and Vows of Bodhisattva Universal Worthy of the Flower Adornment Sutra: “In each of the innumerable Buddhas’ lands, I manifested transformation bodies as numerous as the number of fine dusts in incalculable numbers of Buddha-lands.” (華嚴經普賢行願品：我以普賢行願力故，一一佛所，皆現不可說不可說佛剎極微塵數身。) Bodhisattva Universal Worthy has the ability to appear in infinite number of worlds at the same time. This ability can now be understood by modern physics.

---

7 In full title, The Buddha’s Teaching On The Sutra of Awakening To The Equanimity Pure Adornment of The Immeasurable Lifespan of the Great Vehicle (佛說大乘無量壽莊嚴清淨平等覺經).

8 The English quotes from Buddhist sutras in this presentation may need to be further polished. The Chinese original versions of the quotes are also presented for readers’ reference.

---

Regarding time, the theory of Relativity also provides an intriguing viewpoint. A cornerstone premise in Einstein’s physics is the constancy of the speed of light. That is, light travels at precisely 299,792 km/sec (or approximately 300,000 km/sec) and this is the highest speed an object can attain. Nothing (with mass) can accelerate beyond the speed of light.9
Let us first consider a simple example in our daily life. Suppose we are walking in a fast-moving train. While we might feel that we are walking slowly, an observer outside of the train would see that we were passing by very rapidly This is because our relative speed is very low with respect to the train but is very high with respect to the external observer.

---

9 The reason for this is that the object’s mass increases as the speed increases and would become infinite at the speed of light which is clearly an impossibility. It is hypothesized that particles called tachyons, go faster than the speed of light; but they, theoretically, do not accelerate beyond the speed of light but always move at a speed beyond that of light. They cannot decelerate to the speed of light for the same reasons.

---

Now suppose we occupy a spacecraft moving at extreme speeds (approaching the speed of light) away from Earth. From the spacecraft, we use a special clock device to send forth a light signal every second to an observer on Earth. In the spacecraft passengers’ eyes, the relative motion of ourselves within the spacecraft is that of standing still with respect to the spacecraft, but moving quite fast (close to the speed of light) with respect to external observers. For the rapidly moving spacecraft passengers, the clock on board seems to move normally (without any change in the length of time of a second). The external observers receive the light signal from the clock on the fast-moving spacecraft at a much longer time interval (interval between seconds increases). That is, for external observers on Earth, the clock on the spacecraft appears to tell time more slowly so that time “stretches out.”

In effect, for anyone moving at high relative speeds, time stretches out (called “time dilation”). There is no “absolute” time. Thus, time is just an “illusion.” Theoretically, you may be able to stretch time from very short intervals to extremely long intervals without making any change to yourselves and your objects. In fact, we believe that the Buddha has attained this ability. In the Infinite Life Sutra, it is said: “The Buddha possesses unfathomable wisdom. He has no obstacles. In one single instant, he can dwell in innumerable billions of kalpas (i.e., long eons), but his body and sense organs do not increase or decrease (i.e., do not age). Why is it? Because the Buddha’s concentration and wisdom are boundless and free of obstructions.” (佛說大乘無量壽莊嚴清淨平等覺經第三品：如來正覺，其智難量，能於念頃，住無量億劫，　身及諸根，無有增減，所以者何？如來定慧，究暢無極，於一切法而得最勝自在故。) Hence, when we attain the ultimate bliss of Buddhahood, this fantastic ability comes naturally from within us.

Another excellent example of the time dilation effect is best illustrated by Einstein’s “Twin Paradox.” If the above-mentioned spacecraft were to return Earth after 20 years (according to the Earth calendar) of high-speed travel, the passengers on board will prove to have aged less than 20 years of Earth’s time. Suppose two twin brothers born on the same day separate in the following manner. The ground twin remains on Earth while the space twin takes a journey such as described above. The ground twin now becomes 20 years older. The space twin, upon return, appears to have aged about 3 years because time has shortened from 20 years to 3 years for the space twin and his bodily functions in aging have proceeded more slowly relative to those on Earth. To himself and any other passengers on the spacecraft, he has aged in the normal manner—although he felt that he was traveling for only three years.

To take this a step further, theoretically, the space traveler sees his return as a step into the future (from 3 years old to 20 years old). On the other hand, if time can be shortened to a negative value, the traveler can somehow move backward in time from “now” to the past.10

---

10 This would be possible if he could accelerate beyond the speed of light which modern physics has yet to prove.

---

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are able to actually enter either the infinite past or the infinite future in a single moment. As Bodhisattva Universal Worthy says in the Flower Adornment Sutra: “I can clearly behold the state of the future and combine all coming kalpas (i.e., long eons) into one instantaneous thought. I can also penetrate all the eras of the past, present, and future in an instant.” (華嚴經普賢行願品：我能深入於未來，盡一切劫為一念，三世所有一切劫，為一念際我皆入。)

To further illustrate this point, we want to cite an example from Buddhist literature, which is analogous to the example of Einstein’s “Twin Brother Paradox” that we just discussed. There were three brothers who practiced hard in order to be reborn into heaven and follow Bodhisattva Maitreya’s teachings there. The three promised each other that whoever went to heaven first would come back to tell the other two what was happening in heaven.

One brother went to heaven first but never returned. Then a few years later, the second brother went to heaven and returned three years later to see the third brother who was still on Earth. The third brother asked, “What took you so long?” The second brother protested, “I have been in heaven for only a moment. As soon as I paid my respect to Bodhisattva Maitreya, I returned to see you. But when I came back, three years had passed on Earth!” “What about our other brother who never returned?” The second brother answered, “He was seduced by many beautiful girls in heaven and forgot about seeing Bodhisattva Maitreya.” Upon hearing this, the third brother felt that it was too risky to attain enlightenment in heaven. He decided to be reborn in the Western Pure Land and follow the teachings of Buddha Amitabha. From this example, we see that there is a time difference between Earth and “heaven” perhaps due to different relative speeds. Here, heaven can be regarded as place of different space-time dimensions.

In summary, space and time are varying and illusionary phenomena. Under some conditions, space and time can be changed completely. Indeed, the recent discovery of Black Holes demonstrates this concept. According to NASA space scientists, space and time can reverse themselves in a Black Hole. This means that space becomes time-like and time becomes space-like. What we call time does change to something with the mathematical properties we have normally associated with space, and vice versa.

2. Things can be created from nothing

Talking about this concept, let us first quote NASA astronomer Dr. Odenwald, “Nature has over the years presented us with many physical situations where our intuition about how things ‘ought’ to behave has been shown to be absolutely false: people age differently if they are moving; space can dilate; matter can be created out of pure energy; matter can be created spontaneously out of the vacuum…”

In this section, we present the idea that things can be created from nothing. Without spending too much time in explaining the mathematical formulas, we can cite Einstein’s conclusion of the Principle of Equivalence of mass and energy. That is, under certain conditions, energy can “condense” to mass and, conversely, mass is convertible to energy.

The famous conversion formula is

E = mc2 (2)

where c is the speed of light, E is energy, and m is mass. The energy is equal to mass times c2.

From this equation, one can deduce that as an object moves faster up to speeds approaching that of light, its energy will begin to increase notably. In principle then, the maximum energy a given amount of mass can release is determined by c2. This mass-energy equivalence forms the basis of recovering huge amounts of energy by “tapping” into the nuclei of atoms; the energy released from the explosion of an atomic bomb is derived from this theoretical relationship.

On the other hand, matter (mass) can be created if enough energy is applied to some volume of space. This can be seen by simply rearranging the formula:

m = E/c2 (3)

The above formula suggests that under certain conditions, we can convert energy into matter in empty space. This means that one can literally make up something out of “air.”11 In fact, in a micro world, we see things are created from nothing all the time. This reminds us of what is said in the Infinite Life Sutra: All the things that are needed by them (people in the Pure Land) will be in abundance. All the adorned things, such as the palaces, the beautifully decorated clothing, the fragrant flowers, the banners and umbrellas will come forth just as one wishes for or needs. If a man wishes to eat, the seven precious bowls and containers, which contain hundreds of different food and drinks of different tastes, will naturally appear in front of him and be filled to the brim… When eating is finished, the food, drinks, and containers will disappear and appear again in time for lunch.” (無量壽經第十九品：受用種種，一切豐足。宮殿、服飾、香花、幡蓋，莊嚴之具，隨意所須，悉皆如念。若欲食時，七寶砵器，自然在前，百味飲食，自然盈滿。 事已化去，時至復現。)

---

11 My use of 'air' here is not the best English expression since air is already something. Maybe I should say 'out of thin air' implying from nothing.

---

A physical justification of this behavior in the Pure Land is that people there possess highly advanced scientific power so that they can create things out of energy when they need them, and convert them back to energy after use.

3. The Origin of the Universe

In the quantum world, we see things “appearing” out of nothing. Here, a quantum is the smallest possible unit of energy. The universe may have done the same thing—appeared out of “nothing.” Dr. Odenwald said that when physicists say “nothing,” they are being playful with the English language, because we often think of a vacuum as being “empty” or “nothing.” In fact, physicists know full well that the vacuum is far from nothing. Before the formation of the universe, there was no time or space, not even vacuum. The primordial state of the pre-universe period was far from being the kind of “nothingness” we might have in mind.

As Dr. Odenwald acknowledges, “We don’t have a full mathematical theory for describing this state yet, but it was probably ‘multi-dimensional’…Nothingness [that gives rise to the present universe] was not nothing, but it was not anything like the kinds of ‘something’ we know about today. We have no words to describe it and the ones we find in the Oxford English Dictionary are based on the wrong physical insight.”

Buddha Shakyamuni taught that the original state of the universe, referred to as the “true self nature,” neither comes from somewhere nor goes anywhere, is neither continuous nor separate, is neither dirty nor clean, neither increases nor decreases. (不來不去，不常不斷，不垢不淨，不增不減。
)

This pre-universe state (or so called “nothingness”) seems obscure and incomprehensible to most of us. Let us put it aside for now and look at what happened at the moment of the formation of the universe. The widely accepted theory in physics about the formation of the universe is the so-called “Big Bang” theory. However, the theory is still being questioned both in its detail and its essential correctness. We can obtain some insights from this theory without necessarily accepting this theory in its entirety.

According to the Big Bang theory, our universe was created somewhere between 10-15 billion years ago from a cosmic explosion that threw matter in all directions. Before the explosion, there was no “space” or “time.” Such a state is far removed from anything we know. Even the laws that govern the universe become totally obscure to scientists.

The Buddha used the terms “unthinkable” and “inexpressible” to describe this state. In fact, this state is beyond our comprehension. Dr. Odenwald admits “What this means to us may never be fully understood.” But the Buddha did not imply that we should not attempt to “understand” or “observe” this state. The method we should use is “not to think,” that is, meditation or deep concentration without any wandering thought. In deep concentration, there are no obstacles. At this moment, the true nature of ourselves and the universe come forth. This level is called “the pure state of enlightenment.”

So how big was our universe when it was born? According to scientists’ calculation, the size of the universe at that moment was equal to 10-33 centimeters. That is, 0.000…0001 (33 zeros) centimeters! Such a number is so small that it is merely a mathematical concept and can never be grasped by our common thought.

Consider this analogy. Suppose the thinnest body hair has a diameter of 0.01 millimeters. If this pre-universe particle can somehow be stored in a thin hair, how many particles can you store across the hair’s diameter? You can store one million trillion trillions of particles across the diameter of your single hair! It is amazing that our infinite universe once contained the same information as that tiny particle did. This information includes everything in the universe in the past, present, and future, including you and me! It is more amazing that a hair can potentially accommodate that many universes! No wonder Buddha Shakyamuni told us: “There is no difference between the infinite and the infinitesimal. Incalculable number of universes can emerge from a single pore!”

Another amazing phenomenon relates to the speed of the expansion from this tiny particle to a huge universe. Space scientists told us that the particle expanded at an increditably high speed: 1059 times bigger in every second. That means, within less than one thousandth of a second, the particle had grown to a size bigger than our present solar system! The formation of our universe takes only an instant! This scientific finding verifies what the Buddha had stated in the sutra: the formation and extinction of universes takes only an instant (一彈指６０剎那，一剎那９００生滅。)

In short, according to modern cosmology, the genesis of our entire universe is as follows. In the beginning there was “nothing.”12 All of a sudden, a tiny particle appeared. This tiny particle took an unimaginably short instant to form our entire universe. Currently, scientists do not have a meaningful explanation of this tiny particle and only have a subtle mathematical description. Buddha Shakyamuni told us that this tiny particle is actually one’s smallest wandering thought rising from the pure mind. In an instant, this wandering thought forms the entire universe. (無明不覺生三細，境界為緣長六粗)

---

12 Here “nothing” differs from its ordinary meaning, since “nothing” still implies an absence of something (No Thing). But in fact, there was neither something nor nothing (incomprehensible).

---

Finally, when asked about other universes, Dr. Odenwald answered that according to General Relativity, our universe represents everything, including all space, time, and galaxies. Other universes are of totally different space and time completely outside our own. Those universes do not now, or ever will in the future, have any “physical” contact with our universe. From our perspective, these other universes are literally on the other side of eternity and infinity from our perspective. Buddha Shakyamuni also said that incalculable universes exist in numerous different dimensions but we human beings are unable to see them because our wandering thoughts, differentiation, and attachments block our vision. When we let go of our wandering thoughts, differentiation, and attachments, we will be able to clearly observe all the universes.

Summary

Let us summarize the points we have discussed here.
First, distance and time are illusions of human beings. Under some conditions, space and time can vanish. You can appear in many places at the same time and you can observe the past, present, and future at the same instant.

Second, things can be created from nothing. Objects can appear from vacuum. Pure energy can be converted to mass and vice versa.

Third, the origin of the universe is an extremely tiny particle. It takes an extremely short instant for this tiny particle to expand into the huge universe.

Despite the significant progress in modern cosmology research, the universe still remains extremely profound to human beings. The more phenomena that scientists discover the more they realize how little they know about the universe. Three thousand years ago, Buddha Shakyamuni not only explained the true phenomenon of this entire universe but also showed us ways to attain the ultimate wisdom that will enable us to see it all very clearly. It is unfortunate that our scientists have not studied Buddhism. Otherwise, modern science would have even more advanced achievements. We strongly believe that as science advances, more facts taught by Buddha Shakyamuni will be proven.

We conclude our paper with a quote made by Albert Einstein, the “Father of Modern Science.”

“The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a personal god and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual and a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description. If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism.”
--- Albert Einstein

References
Acezel, Amir, 1999, God’s Equation: Einstein, Relativity, and the Expanding Universe, Dell Publishing.
Buddha Shakyamuni, The Buddha’s Teaching On The Sutra of Awakening To The Equanimity Pure Adornment of The Immeasurable Lifespan of the Great Vehicle (佛說大乘無量壽莊嚴清淨平等覺經).

Buddha Shakyamuni, Flower Adornment Sutra (大方廣佛華嚴經).
Clark, Ronald W., 1971, Einstein: The Life and Times by, published, Avon Books.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration on-line literature: http://www.nasa.gov

Biography of the Author
Dr. Maosen Zhong is currently a Senior Lecturer in Finance at The University of Queensland Business School. Dr. Zhong obtained his bachelor’s degree in economics from Zhongshan University in 1995, China and Master of Business Administration and Doctoral degrees in Finance from Louisiana Tech University (U.S.A.) in 1999. Prior to joining UQ, he was the Assistant Professor of Finance at Kansas State University and The University of Texas-Brownsville in the United States. He teaches both graduate and undergraduate finance courses. He has published 12 articles in international academic journals and made 20 presentations at academic conferences world wide. Two of his papers were awarded “Best Paper” by professional associations in the U.S.A. He has studied Buddhism for many years under Venerable Master Chin Kung, President of the Pure Land Learning College and Honorary Professor of the University of Queensland.

The Dharma School

Europe’s only primary school based on Buddhist principles

As a small, community school and nursery with skilled and committed staff, children excel in a safe, secure and nurturing environment. We provide a conventional, quality academic education, informed by the National Curriculum, but with the flexibility and creativity to respond to the children’s needs, talents and interests. Children develop confidence, maturity and a love of learning enabling them to do well academically and to make a successful transition to local independent and state secondary schools.

Through our Buddhist based ethos and daily meditation and mindfulness practice, we encourage children to cultivate focus, self-reflection, wisdom and compassion. Buddhism is not taught as a ‘faith’, but as a set of principles and tools for living a productive and fulfilling life.

Ethos and Vision

We intend that our pupils leave our school with a good heart, sound ethical values and a sense of responsibility combined with the academic and social skills that enable them to make a successful transition into secondary education. We hope our pupils will then go on to act in ways that will help to create a more compassionate, intelligent and peaceful world.

Children are introduced to the joy of stillness through regular meditation practice enabling them to develop a reflective understanding of themselves, their life and the world around them. We discuss key Buddhist teachings to help children understand cause and effect, cooperation and change, known as karma, interdependence and impermanence.

Download Ethos & Curriculum Policy

“The biggest gift a teacher can give a child is the capacity to use their minds. The Dharma School embraces and embodies mindfulness in education” - Parent