<p>The Buddha himself advocates the scientific method:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>the teaching realizable in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves <a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn35.70/en/sujato" rel="nofollow noreferrer">--SN35.70</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>The <em>practice of Buddhism</em> is essentially endless lab experiments with reproducible results. The results are subjective and difficult to measure externally. For example, what meter can one buy to measure "tranquility"? A heart rate monitor that measures tranquility as low BPM? Maybe not, since dead people are quite tranquil at 0 BPM.</p>

<p>Because science prefers instrumented measurements over self-reported assessments, a scientist interested in measuring the results of Buddhist practice objectively (i.e., vs. "are you tranquil?") must do so a bit indirectly. For example, there is interest in <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=MRI%20meditators&amp;rlz=1CAZZAF_enUS779US779&amp;oq=MRI%20meditators&amp;aqs=chrome..69i64j0.5328j0j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MRI scans of meditators</a>. </p>

<p>Although the reliance on instruments is fascinating, it's also a bit more than what is actually needed. If we experience a cessation of suffering, do we really need external instrument validation? And what would convince someone more to try the Noble Eight Fold Path: a scientific paper, or a friend with a clear heart?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-02T17:32:37.413Z
I have yet to know a Fair-Seeing God as such. Some experiments are...difficult.
OyaMist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-24T22:18:18.323Z
2018-12-24T22:18:18.323Z
OyaMist
<p>We know there are already hundreds of studies with promising results. State of enlightenment is already documented and can be measured.</p>

<p>So I am asking whether exists some resources or even a curriculum of best practices that lead enlightenment and are supported by scientific research.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-24T02:44:36.857Z
There are scientifically validated practices, not for Buddhists, but for patients looking to prevent recurrence of depression and anxiety, as well as those with chronic pain. If you are interested, please see [this answer](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/22229/471).
ruben2020
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-08T15:11:24.343Z
Why these are the wrong tool for the job? What would be a better tool?
Filip Zajac
<meditation-practicalities><meditation-insight><science>
Are there any scientifically validated practices for Buddhists?
# Are there any scientifically validated practices for Buddhists?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-12-23)

We know there are already hundreds of studies with promising results. State of enlightenment is already documented and can be measured.

So I am asking whether exists some resources or even a curriculum of best practices that lead enlightenment and are supported by scientific research.

**Tags:** meditation-practicalities, meditation-insight, science

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: There are scientifically validated practices, not for Buddhists, but for patients looking to prevent recurrence of depression and anxiety, as well as those with chronic pain. If you are interested, please see [this answer](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/22229/471).  
> **username_0**: Why these are the wrong tool for the job? What would be a better tool?  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-12-24. Score: 1

The Buddha himself advocates the scientific method:

> the teaching realizable in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves [--SN35.70](https://suttacentral.net/sn35.70/en/sujato)

The *practice of Buddhism* is essentially endless lab experiments with reproducible results. The results are subjective and difficult to measure externally. For example, what meter can one buy to measure "tranquility"? A heart rate monitor that measures tranquility as low BPM? Maybe not, since dead people are quite tranquil at 0 BPM.

Because science prefers instrumented measurements over self-reported assessments, a scientist interested in measuring the results of Buddhist practice objectively (i.e., vs. "are you tranquil?") must do so a bit indirectly. For example, there is interest in [MRI scans of meditators](https://www.google.com/search?q=MRI%20meditators&rlz=1CAZZAF_enUS779US779&oq=MRI%20meditators&aqs=chrome..69i64j0.5328j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8).

Although the reliance on instruments is fascinating, it's also a bit more than what is actually needed. If we experience a cessation of suffering, do we really need external instrument validation? And what would convince someone more to try the Noble Eight Fold Path: a scientific paper, or a friend with a clear heart?

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I have yet to know a Fair-Seeing God as such. Some experiments are...difficult.  

---

