The past few months we have been ‘treated’ to dozens of books and articles purporting to point out some significant aspect of Darwin’s life. Now, along comes a ‘theory’ that Darwin had Buddhist ideas or leanings. The article manages to draw a tenacious connection to Buddhism through Darwin’s friend, Joseph Hooker, who spent time in Tibet studying plants!
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The origins of Darwin’s theory: it may have evolved in Tibet
The Independent (United Kingdom), p. 14.
February 16, 2009
CHARLES DARWIN has been accused of many things – but never before of being a closet Tibetan Buddhist.
A leading scholar of human emotions and facial expressions has suggested Darwin’s views on human compassion and morality were strikingly similar to those held by Buddhists.
Professor Paul Ekman said that his studies of Darwin’s texts had revealed that the great Victorian scientist had identical views to those expressed by the Dalai Lama, a personal friend of Professor Ekman.
Darwin wrote at length on human emotions and compassion, and strongly believed in the unity of humanity as well as the commonality of emotions shared between humans and the animals we eat, Professor Ekman said.
