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Buddhist Problem Solving Methods
Hello, I work as a research scientist. I have been working on a particularly thorny problem for the past 20 years. Hundreds of other scientists from around the world have also been looking at this for a number of years. There have been small breakthroughs but no major insight. The problem remains unsolved.
I would like to ask, how do the Buddhist approach problems to gain an insight, a breakthrough?
It occured to me, the buddha was perhaps the greatest research scientist of all. He worked on a problem, he contemplated it endlessly and then arrvied at a solution(enlightment).
I am looking for insight methods, the following two examples may help clarify.
1. We have all heard about Albert Einstein's Fundamental idea of Theory of Relativity. On his way to work each day, Einstein performed thought experiments. One of these was a revelation to him , and lead directly to his theory of relativity. " I realized that if I was riding on a beam of light , time for me would stop."
2. August Kekulé, the father of structural Chemistry. The famous German chemist who discovered the structuce of the Benzene molecule. He said that he had discovered the ring shape of the benzene molecule after having a reverie or day-dream of a snake seizing its own tail (this is a common symbol in many ancient cultures known as the Ouroboros). This vision, he said, came to him after years of studying the nature of carbon-carbon bonds.
Here is his facinating account.
During my stay in London I resided in Clapham Road....I frequently, however, spent my evenings with my friend Hugo Mueller....We talked of many things but most often of our beloved chemistry. One fine summer evening I was returning by the last bus, riding outside as usual, through the deserted streets of the city....I fell into a reverie, and lo, the atoms were gamboling before my eyes. Whenever, hitherto, these diminutive beings had appeared to me, they had always been in motion. Now, however, I saw how, frequently, two smaller atoms united to form a pair: how a larger one embraced the two smaller ones; how still larger ones kept hold of three or even four of the smaller: whilst the whole kept whirling in a giddy dance. I saw how the larger ones formed a chain, dragging the smaller ones after them but only at the ends of the chains....The cry of the conductor: "Clapham Road," awakened me from my dreaming; but I spent a part of the night in putting on paper at least sketches of these dream forms. This was the origin of the "Structural Theory.
I would like to ask, how do the Buddhist approach problems to gain an insight, a breakthrough?
It occured to me, the buddha was perhaps the greatest research scientist of all. He worked on a problem, he contemplated it endlessly and then arrvied at a solution(enlightment).
I am looking for insight methods, the following two examples may help clarify.
1. We have all heard about Albert Einstein's Fundamental idea of Theory of Relativity. On his way to work each day, Einstein performed thought experiments. One of these was a revelation to him , and lead directly to his theory of relativity. " I realized that if I was riding on a beam of light , time for me would stop."
2. August Kekulé, the father of structural Chemistry. The famous German chemist who discovered the structuce of the Benzene molecule. He said that he had discovered the ring shape of the benzene molecule after having a reverie or day-dream of a snake seizing its own tail (this is a common symbol in many ancient cultures known as the Ouroboros). This vision, he said, came to him after years of studying the nature of carbon-carbon bonds.
Here is his facinating account.
During my stay in London I resided in Clapham Road....I frequently, however, spent my evenings with my friend Hugo Mueller....We talked of many things but most often of our beloved chemistry. One fine summer evening I was returning by the last bus, riding outside as usual, through the deserted streets of the city....I fell into a reverie, and lo, the atoms were gamboling before my eyes. Whenever, hitherto, these diminutive beings had appeared to me, they had always been in motion. Now, however, I saw how, frequently, two smaller atoms united to form a pair: how a larger one embraced the two smaller ones; how still larger ones kept hold of three or even four of the smaller: whilst the whole kept whirling in a giddy dance. I saw how the larger ones formed a chain, dragging the smaller ones after them but only at the ends of the chains....The cry of the conductor: "Clapham Road," awakened me from my dreaming; but I spent a part of the night in putting on paper at least sketches of these dream forms. This was the origin of the "Structural Theory.
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Comments
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It may sound too facile by half but ... even though it is impossible, do it anyway. What you think or expect or hope is not so important. What you do is important.
Seeing reality with clarity, there are no longer any problems. So if there is an enlightened approach to problem solving, it is either through 1) observation or 2) being enlightened to see it with clarity.
Something as simple as breath is taken for granted day to day, but the Buddhist strives to know it at its' most basic level. How does it feel? What does it mean to my life? If I change the way I do it, how does it change? Even the simple breath teaches self-discipline, acceptance, mindfulness, determination, paying attention to detail, commitment, compassion, creativity and discernment. It also teaches us to know ourselves. Something so basic and straightforward has so many elements that are never considered.
Most of the things we do in life become complicated because of the way we look at them. Just knowing one thing that is simple such as breath and being committed to knowing that one thing opens all kinds of doors.
I once heard it described as "If you chase two rabbits, they will both escape".
In the scientific world there are countless examples. We all learned in third grade about Sir Isaac Newton: The Universal Law of Gravitation and the apple tree. About the Greek mathematician Archimedes and his Eureka moment in the bathtub....
The common thread appears to be this non grasping quality of mind.
Have you come across the Four Unconjecturables?
i noticed that my thoughts were checkmated by reality on a regular basis. meaning, let's say i thought things were a certain way, say i was trippin out about the world being a jail cell and it being a hell, i would still need to eat food to survive. i noticed after a while that my thoughts about what reality was didn't really matter. reality is just what it is and it's not in my control. as much as i was averse to work or school or whatever it still went on regardless of what i wanted.. so the only choice for me was to accept. if i didn't accept i suffered and took myself in the wrong direction.. i made selfish choices based on subjective views.. instead of being a good scientist and seeing things objectively.
my method was trial and error when going through my minor mental illness.. i eventually saw that my thoughts weren't aligned with reality and therefore i suffered.. i also noticed that i identified with my thoughts somehow.. which consequently didn't help in school because i thought i was dumb. let's say i was approaching a math problem. the thought would come up, i'm horrible in math i can't solve this problem, i'm not smart enough. not only would this hinder my concentration, but it made me lazy and i didn't try in the class because i thought i wasn't good enough.. for some reason i couldn't see thoughts as just thoughts.. and let the mind work. you may be interfering with the mind's work, trying to force a solution.
ultimately, i realized i tried to find myself in everything that happened in this world.. and whenever i did.. things didn't work out too well.. it seems that only when reality is seen as it is that one sees all phenomena are empty of self.. life is a lot more fun this way and so is research probably.
so my final suggestion would be to meditate... meditate on the problems you're trying to solve.. sit down for about 15-20 minutes and just chill..sometimes when we fully let go of everything we want to happen.. everything we ever wanted comes knocking on our door.
It seems to me that what these examples show is that our brains largely work without making use of conscious processes.
In order to make the best use of what is happening in our brain unconsciously, we must supply it with the best possible data. We must absorb information like sponges, not distorting anything with our prefixed ideas or preferences.
The brain can process that information, with great speed and precision, without conscious processes interfering. We just have to learn to listen to what our brain comes up with, and have an open mind to it.
I think that’s what you (@humbleone) describe as the non-grasping quality of mind.
It is the daoïst non-doing, applied to the process of solving intellectual problems. :om:
All of this in my humble opinion of course; can’t say that too often.
I'm not Einstein
Don't try to force your mind to think about this problem, just let go.
Best of luck on your Research !