Abstract
This paper discusses the philosophical concepts of Reality, Śūnya, and Śūnyatā which are integral parts of many Hindu and Buddhist scriptures from the perspective of a physicist. Amazingly, these concepts find strong parallels in areas of modern physics such as quantum physics and cosmology. These concepts in modern physics will be explained, and it will be shown that they have strong resemblance to these concepts mentioned in Indian scriptures. Especially intriguing is the finding of the lack of objective reality, subjective role of observer, and nonrealistic interpretation of quantum phenomena. Some speculations, on how this close agreement between such completely diverse areas could come about, will be also presented.
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Notes
- 1.
For a comprehensive article describing Nāgārjuna’s philosophy and references to his works, see, for example, http://www.iep.utm.edu/nagarjun/
- 2.
Hinduonline.co/Scriptures/Purāṇas/VayuPurāṇa.html
- 3.
- 4.
The ṚṚgveda: ṚṚgveda I.164.39]. Several articles from Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa, give similar translation of these Vedic verses.
- 5.
Ishopanishad: sanskrit.org/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/IshaEnglish, text 5.
- 6.
- 7.
- 8.
S. Rammohan has pointed out that Yajurveda (one of the Vedas) (6.3.7) is in agreement with this theory. See New Delhi Conf. Proceedings.
- 9.
- 10.
- 11.
- 12.
Mandukya Upanishad 1.2 of the Atharva Veda.
- 13.
- 14.
BrhadaranyakaUpanishad 1.4.10 of the Yajur Veda.
- 15.
- 16.
Verse 10.39 and several other verses of the Bhagavad Gītā.
- 17.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Stapp
- 18.
RadheShyam Kaushal, New Delhi Conf. Proceedings.
- 19.
Amit Goswami; references on books and articles can be found on the website, www.amitgoswami.org
- 20.
See, for example, paper by E.C. George Sudarshan in “On Mind and Consciousness: Selected Papers from the Micon 2002 Conference,” Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, Amazon Books, 2003.
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Vasavada, K. (2019). Concepts of Reality and Śūnya from the Perspective of a Physicist. In: Bhatt, S.R. (eds) Quantum Reality and Theory of Śūnya. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1957-0_9
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