Mind and Life Institute

The Mind and Life Institute is a non-profit organization based in Louisville, Colorado (USA). The Institute grew out of a series of inter-cultural dialogues between the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatsho and scientists of various research fields and nationalities. The aim of the organization is to promote a dialogue between modern science and Buddhism to explore the possibilities and insights that may arise from such a dialogue. The motto " Mind and Life " ( " spirit and life " ) describes the topic of the dialogue.

Beginning

The first of the Mind and Life dialogues took place at the initiative of Adam Engle, Michael Sautman, Francisco Varela and Tenzin Choegyal - the younger brother of the 14th Dalai Lama - 1987 in Dharamsala instead. The scientists involved keep this in their own language a presentation on their respective areas of expertise, which - is translated by two translators present in the Tibetan language - if needed. Then there is a discussion. The dialogues are recorded on video and audio tape, transcribed and published. Due to the success and mutual interest, which turned out to be at the first of these dialogues, officially the Mind and Life Institute founded in 1990 to organize more such meetings at regular intervals and to publish the dialogues.

Topics and scientists of the first dialogue

  • For philosophical perspectives of Tibetan Vajrayana and altruism - Tenzin Gyatsho
  • For physics and philosophy of science - Jeremy Hayward
  • For neuroscience and medicine - Robert Livingston
  • For Cognitive Science - Eleanor Rosch
  • For computer science - Newcomb Greenleaf.

The first release was by Jeremy Hayward and Francisco Varela, under the title edited Conversations with the Dalai Lama in 1992: Gentle Bridges. This book was translated into French, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese; a German version was published under the title: Daring ways of thinking: Scientists in Dialogue with the Dalai Lama.

Topics and scientists of the dialogues since 1987 can be found on the websites of the Mind & Life Institute.

Committee of Directors

Publications

  • Mind and Life I: JW Hayward and Francisco Varela: Daring ways of thinking: Scientists in Dialogue with the Dalai Lama. 2nd edition. Piper Verlag, Munich and Zurich 1998, ISBN 3492221157,
  • Mind and Life II: Z. Houshmand, RB Livingston and BA Wallace: Consciousness at the crossroads: Conversations with the Dalai Lama on Brain Science and Buddhism. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca 1999, ISBN 1-55939-127-8,
  • Mind and Life III: Daniel Goleman: The Healing Power of Emotions: Conversations with the Dalai Lama on Mindfulness, Emotions and Health. dtv, Munich 1998, ISBN 3-423-36178-6,
  • Mind and Life IV: Francisco Varela: sleep, dreams and death. Diederichs, Munich 1998, ISBN 3-492-23014-8,
  • Mind and Life V: RJ Davidson and A. Harrington: Visions of Compassion: Western Scientists and Tibetan Buddhists Examine Human Nature. Oxford University Press, New York 2001, ISBN 019513043X,
  • Mind and Life VI: A. Zajonc: The New Physiks and Cosmology. Oxford University Press, New York 2003, ISBN 0-19-515994-2, : October, 1997
  • Mind and Life VIII: Daniel Goleman: Dialogue with the Dalai Lama - How can we overcome destructive emotions. dtv, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-423-34207-2,
  • Mind and Life XII: Sharon Begley: Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves. Ballantine, January 2007, ISBN 978-1-4000-6390-1
  • Mind and Life XIII: Jon Kabat -Zinn, Richard J. Davidson and Zara Houshmand: The Healing Power of Meditation How our mind can heal itself: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama. Arbor, Freiburg 2012, ISBN 978-3-86781-071-5

Book Reviews

  • Publication Mind and Life VIII A book with two sides - meeting the new work by Daniel Goleman: Dialogue with the Dalai Lama, Hanser Verlag, Munich 2003 meeting of Hans Gruber in Psychology Today, February 2004

Credentials

Louisville (Colorado) Phonetic transcription Indian philosophy Eugen Diederichs
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