Life--Wisdom: The Quest for Ultimate Truth in the Perspective of Human Civilization and the Enlightenment of Traditional Buddhism

This paper proposes four criteria for identifying ultimate truth: logical consistency, practical verifiability, explanatory transcendence, and existential eternity. It argues that theistic belief, modern science, and philosophical speculation each have inherent limitations in this pursuit. The authors contend that the Dharma of traditional Buddhism, especially the Theravāda tradition's law of Dependent Origination, theory of Karma, and analysis of mind-matter phenomena, provides a cognitive framework to transcend these limitations by realizing Nirvana through the threefold training of morality, concentration, and wisdom, thereby cutting off ignorance and karmic action. The paper engages with quantum mechanics, complex systems theory, and consciousness studies to demonstrate Buddhism's contemporary relevance as a 'cognitive empirical science' and advocates a 'Second Enlightenment' that turns critical rationality inward.

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Abstract

Abstract This paper begins with humanity's universal quest for ultimate truth and proposes four core criteria for its identification: logical consistency, practical verifiability, explanatory transcendence, and existential eternity. Using these criteria, it systematically examines the contributions and inherent limitations of theistic belief, modern science, and philosophical speculation in this pursuit. The paper argues that the Dharma of traditional Buddhism—particularly as preserved in the Theravāda tradition, with its law of Dependent Origination ( Paṭiccasamuppāda ), theory of Karma, and analysis of Nāma-Rūpa (mind-matter phenomena)—provides a revolutionary cognitive framework to transcend these limitations. Rather than constructing another external model of truth, this framework facilitates the realization of Nirvana through deep purification of the cognitive mechanism itself via the threefold training of morality ( Sīla ), concentration ( Samādhi ), and wisdom ( Paññā ), thereby cutting off the cyclic drive of ignorance ( Avijjā ) and karmic action. Furthermore, the paper engages in an interdisciplinary dialogue between Buddhist concepts of time, collective karma, and modern scientific fields (e.g., quantum mechanics, complex systems theory, consciousness studies), demonstrating Buddhism's contemporary relevance as a rigorous "cognitive empirical science." Finally, it calls for a "Second Enlightenment: the Awakening of Cognition," advocating a turn of critical rationality and empirical rigor inward, toward the cognitive process itself, as a profound path to resolving individual existential dilemmas and collective civilizational crises.