Time in Buddhism and Science: A Meeting Beyond Illusion

Time in Buddhism and Science: A Meeting Beyond Illusion

In recent years, modern science—particularly physics and neuroscience—has begun to question the very nature of time. Concepts such as "time as a mental construct," "non-linear time," and "time as a physical dimension" are gaining ground. Interestingly, these insights echo perspectives that have existed in Buddhist philosophy for over two millennia.

According to the Amitābha Sūtra (《佛說阿彌陀經》), time in the Pure Land is experienced differently than in our world. The descriptions of six daily moments (晝夜六時) in which flowers rain and music resounds suggest a cyclical or multidimensional experience of time, rather than linear progression. The notion that beings can instantly travel to other worlds to offer flowers and return "in time for a meal" challenges our ordinary perception of time and space.

In Buddhism, especially within the Mahāyāna tradition, time is considered conceptual (假有)—a mental imputation dependent on causes and conditions. The doctrine of emptiness (空性) teaches that all phenomena, including time, have no independent, fixed essence. In this view, time arises due to the interplay of karma, perception, and cognition.

Science, too, is catching up. Physicists such as Carlo Rovelli describe time not as a fundamental entity, but as something that emerges from thermodynamic or quantum processes. Neuroscience suggests that our brain constructs a sense of time to order experiences and maintain coherence.

Both traditions, then, invite us to transcend our conventional understanding of time. Buddhism points the way through meditation and wisdom—directly perceiving the moment as it is, free from past and future. Science offers theoretical models and experimental findings that suggest time is more pliable and subjective than we once believed.

In the end, Buddhism and modern science converge on a profound realization: time is not what it seems. It may not be a "one-way street" but a flexible dimension—or even an illusion—that can be shaped by mind, matter, and meaning.

The Heart Sutra (《般若波羅蜜多心經》) does not mention "time" (時間) explicitly. However, it implies a transcendence of time through its core teaching of emptiness (空性). In Buddhist philosophy, especially in the Prajñāpāramitā tradition to which the Heart Sutra belongs, time is considered a conditioned, conceptual construct—one of the many dharmas that are "empty of inherent existence."

Here is a brief addendum you can add to the article:

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Addendum: The Heart Sutra and the Emptiness of Time

Although the Heart Sutra does not directly reference "time," its declaration—“色不異空，空不異色” (“Form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form”)—encompasses all phenomena, including the perception of time. In the line “無眼耳鼻舌身意，無色聲香味觸法” (“no eye, no ear, no nose… no sights, sounds, smells…”), the sutra points to the non-existence of dualistic constructs, including sensory and mental categories through which time is perceived.

From the perspective of śūnyatā (emptiness), past, present, and future are not inherently existent. Time, like the self and external objects, is a convention dependent on causes and conditions. When the sutra says “無無明，亦無無明盡… 乃至無老死，亦無老死盡” (“no ignorance and also no ending of ignorance… no aging and death, and also no end to aging and death”), it negates not only linear time-bound suffering but also the time-based narrative of beginning and end.

Thus, the Heart Sutra encourages us to awaken from the illusion of time by realizing that ultimate reality is timeless—a domain beyond arising and ceasing, birth and death, past and future.

Guarding the Digital Gate: A Buddhist Teaching on Phishing, Malware, and Spam

Guarding the Digital Gate: A Buddhist Teaching on Phishing, Malware, and Spam

In this age of rapid digital expansion, just as there are highways of truth and virtue online, there are also shadowy alleys of deception. Many fall prey to scammers through phishing, malware, and spam. As a humble servant of the Dhamma, I wish to share how the wisdom of the Buddha can guide us through these illusions, using the lens of the Amitābha Sūtra(《佛說阿彌陀經》) and the timeless teachings of the Tathāgata.

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The Three Illusions of Cyberspace

1. Phishing – Māra’s Disguise as a Friend

In phishing, malicious actors create false websites that mimic the real ones, tricking people into surrendering personal data. This is no different from Māra—the embodiment of deception—who approached the Buddha in many forms to distract Him from the Path.

“舍利弗！其佛國土尚無三惡道之名，何況有實？”
“Śāriputra, in the Buddha Land, there is not even the name of the three evil realms, much less their reality.”
— Amitābha Sūtra

These fake websites are digital reflections of the three evil realms (三惡道)—they appear real, but only serve to entrap the mind. Just as the Pure Land is free of illusion, so must our minds be trained in right view to discern real from false.

2. Malware – The Toxin of Defilements

Malware secretly infects your devices, corrupting them from within—just as kilesas (煩惱) corrupt our minds if we are not mindful.

“不可以少善根福德因緣得生彼國。”
“One cannot be born into that land with few roots of virtue and merit.”
— Amitābha Sūtra

This reminds us that entering the Pure Land—or even staying safe in the digital world—requires constant cultivation of awareness and vigilance. Let sati (mindfulness) be your antivirus.

3. Spam – The Clutter of Unwholesome Thoughts

Spam distracts and redirects us toward meaningless consumption, much like the incessant chatter of a distracted mind.

“其音演暢五根、五力、七菩提分、八聖道分如是等法。”
“The birds in the Pure Land preach the Dharma: the Five Roots, Five Powers, Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and Eightfold Path.”
— Amitābha Sūtra

Unlike spam, which clouds our clarity, the Pure Land fills the mind with Dhamma. Spam is the voice of craving (taṇhā); the Dharma is the voice of awakening.

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The Digital Path to Liberation

In a time where even a click may lead to bondage, we must turn to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha for refuge. Develop mindfulness before every interaction, just as the faithful recite:

“若有善男子善女人，聞說阿彌陀佛，執持名號...一心不亂。”
“If good men or women hear of Amitābha Buddha and hold to His Name with one-pointedness...”
— Amitābha Sūtra

Let every login be like chanting the Name—done with clarity and presence.

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Conclusion

As the Tathāgata taught in the five turbidities of this degenerate age, danger does not always wear the face of a demon. Today, it wears pixels and pop-ups. Guard your sense doors as you would your mind. Let us be born into the realm of right view, free from malware, phishing, and spam—not just digitally, but spiritually.

May all beings be free from delusion.