Exhibition Tour- Dehradun
(10 – 30 September, 2024)
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has repeatedly emphasized his long-term interest in quantum mechanics and deep belief in a strong connection to Buddhist epistemology. In 2000, His Holiness provided a vision and directive for the exiled Tibetan monastic community in India to engage in science and to initiate science training that would eventually support new learning at the frontiers of science and Buddhism.
Science for Monks and Nuns is a direct result of this vision; where leadership programs are structured around groups of cohorts that enroll in multiple programs and work on tasks like creating exhibits, publishing journals, and initiating new programs at their science centers.
One such initiative is the “Secrets of Particles” exhibition, created by the third leadership cohort after they finished their leadership training. The exhibition is about particles, which educates about particles from Buddhists and quantum perspectives.
It is the third exhibit series prepared by the Sager Science Leadership program, organized and sustained by the Science Department of the Library of Tibetan Works Archives, in collaboration with Science for Monks and Nuns, with funding from the Sager Family Foundation and the Templeton Foundation.
Dehradun, a notable center for academic and monastic institutions, ensured this exhibition tour to be a resounding success. Five science monk scholars from South India traveled to Dehradun for this exhibition. They were assisted by interpreters and panelists from the LTWA’s Science Department and Science for Monks and Nuns.
Our exhibition tour in Dehradun took us through a diverse array of institutions, each offering enthralling engagement. Within three weeks, the exhibit team toured seven different monastic and academic institutions and one Tibetan settlement.
On 10th September, a one-day exhibition, “Secrets of Particles” was exhibited at Drikung Kagyu Samtenling Nunnery. It was attended by over sixty nuns from different classes with great enthusiasm. It was followed by a Q&A session later in the evening, where the nuns posed insightful questions, creating an informative atmosphere.
On 11th September, “Secrets of Particles” was exhibited at Kagyu College, Dehradun. The attendees expressed keen interest in the study of science, especially the relation between Buddhism and modern science. Later in the evening, all the interpreters and the students assembled for an interactive question and answer session, where the students posed engaging questions.
After the Q&A session, the head of Kagyu College formally gave a vote of thanks to the exhibit team and remarked that it was the first-ever science exhibition that happened at Kagyu College, Dehradun. He furthermore expressed strong anticipation for the students to delve more into the study of science, and for more science engagements to happen in the future.
The team observed that reaching out to the general masses was as equally significant. Therefore, as part of the Dehradun Exhibition Tour, “Secrets of Particles” was on display for two days on the 13th and 14th of September at Potala Community Hall, Dekyiling Tibetan Settlement. The exhibition was attended by many residents, belonging to various age groups. Later in the afternoon, the CEO of Science for Monks and Nuns, Mr. Karma gave an interview to VOA Tibetan, highlighting the significance of the exhibition.
On 17th September, the “Secrets of Particles” was displayed at Sakya College. More than sixty students attended the exhibition with great enthusiasm and dedication. The students expressed the exhibition as informative and appreciated the team’s effort for such an instructive exhibit.
More than six hundred students attended the exhibition at Tibetan Homes School, Mussoorie on 20th September. The exhibit offered the students to explore different perspectives and moreover provided a tangible and interactive way to learn about quantum and Buddhism. The exhibits sparked much curiosity among the students and furthermore fostered a deeper understanding of concepts. The panelists observed that the students were ardent and inquisitive learners, with very compelling questions.
On 23rd September, the exhibition was displayed at Sambhota Tibetan School, Mussoorie for the students and staff members. The exhibit team was formally acknowledged by the school’s principal during the morning assembly, who expressed great anticipation toward the students’ comprehension of the relationship between Buddhism and modern science. The students posed engaging questions to the panelists, making the overall exhibition a resounding success.
The “Secrets of Particles” exhibition was displayed for two days at Mindrolling Monastery, Clement Town for the monks and Dhondup Ling Tibetan Colony residents. The attendees showed keen interest in the study of modern science and quantum perspectives.
The “Secrets of Particles” was exhibited at TCV School, Selakui for the students and staff members. Students from class eight and above attended the exhibition with much enthusiasm, posing insightful questions to the panelists.
