Strengthening Our Connections
April 2006
Banner photo: ©MIMOTITO/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Astronauts--Looking at the World Anew
I was 17 years old as World War II was drawing to a close. Living in Tokyo, my family was forced to spend our nights in the air raid shelter more frequently than ever. Gazing at the silent heavens, I found there an embracing expanse of tranquility. The universe carried on with its eternal workings, transcending the absurdity taking place on Earth.
One night, a meteor shot across the sky, leaving in its wake the streaming blue light of its tail. I found myself deeply moved, and wondered how that shooting star viewed the ongoing fighting on this planet. During those days, peace seemed to exist only in the distant world of the stars. My memory of that bright messenger remains as vivid as ever.
I have often thought that the photographs that best represent the 20th century are those of the Earth taken by astronauts on their way to the moon. Dr. Robert Jastrow, a noted astronomer who was involved in the development of the Apollo Program, gave me a copy of one such picture during our meeting in September 1993. The image of the blue planet against the background of space inspires me to this day.
Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, once told me: "It's impossible to describe how exciting it was to be able to see the Earth from space. The planet was blue, and it was exceptionally beautiful among the other heavenly bodies. Each continent and ocean had its own beauty. . . . Once you see it from space, you feel a great sense of longing for the Earth, and realize how precious it is."
A New Perspective
I have met with other astronauts, and they all shared the same opinion. Deke Slayton told me: "I was part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first joint international manned space flight. It took us 90 minutes to complete one orbit around the Earth. That's all you need to see the entire planet. And the Earth has no visible boundaries. The universe makes Earth one."
Dr. Gerald P. Carr, captain of the third mission to the U.S. orbiting space station Skylab in 1973-4, observed, "It is people who have arbitrarily drawn national borders. The boundless universe makes it clear that we live on Earth as part of a global community."
The space age gives us a perfect opportunity to develop the global perspective that can secure world peace. It is time that humankind expanded its horizons and opened its mind to the vastness of the universe. Without this perspective, space exploration amounts to little more than an escape from the difficult realities of our life on Earth.
I hope that the exploration of the universe will inspire us human beings to explore our own inner lives as well, since Buddhism teaches that we are each a microcosm of the universe.
The Gaia hypothesis, which assumes that the Earth as a whole is a giant organism, has drawn attention in recent years. Buddhism likewise teaches that the entire universe is itself a living entity. Buddhism and science could well be considered to be as one in that they both pursue a universal law that penetrates all existence from galaxies, nebulas and planets to human beings and microorganisms. The difference is that science depends on deductive and analytical methodology while Buddhism prefers the inductive and intuitive approach. Nevertheless, I think the relationship between science and Buddhism is a complementary rather than a contradictory one.
Dr. Carr of the Skylab mission shared the following belief with me. "I used to think of God as someone who made things happen by simply pulling strings from heaven. But through my experience in space, I became aware that there was an undeniable harmony and order in the universe. I realized this order itself was what we call God. . . . I feel like I learned Buddhism in space."
I am glad that Japan, too, is now venturing into the field of space exploration. I hope this will provide an opportunity for the Japanese to grow out of their closed-minded, insular mentality.
I have been impressed by the fact that everyone I have encountered whose work focuses on space, whether from a scientific angle or through involvement in space exploration, continuously grapples with one fundamental problem: How can science satisfactorily answer the perennial philosophical and religious questions that have persisted since the dawn of civilization? These are exciting questions going right to the heart of human existence and the meaning of life: What was the origin of the universe, and will it come to an end? Is the universe finite or infinite? Why does the universe exist, and where do human beings stand in it?
What disappoints me is that there are, however, still people who tend to translate science in a narrow sense, as just something that brings about exciting discoveries, rather than grasping the broader perspective, the investigation of life itself.
Is there intelligent extraterrestrial life? An overwhelming majority of the space experts I have talked with believe there is. Buddhism also teaches that the universe is pervaded with intelligent life. In May 1983, I met with the renowned author of best-selling science books such as Cosmos, the late Carl Sagan, and his wife, Ann. Dr. Sagan had played a major role in the Pioneer 10 project. Pioneer 10 was an unmanned space probe carrying messages for chance encounters with extraterrestrial intelligence, one of which was a recording of the radio pulses of neutron stars (pulsars). And, Mrs. Sagan noted, "The pulses were strikingly similar to the recording of my heartbeat," as if to imply the oneness of the macrocosm and the microcosm.
The immensity of the universe is truly staggering. I sincerely hope that future generations will be open-minded global citizens, and lead their lives with the kind of attitude and generosity that allows them to enjoy dialogue with the stars and listen to their hearts harmonizing with the universe, as they gaze up at the panoramic magnificence of the heavens.
