When asked why in the midst of all of the work that we do around the world having to do with conflict and dire situations are we so interested in the connection between science and Tibetan monks, consider this analogy: The exotic plants of the rainforest may hold the cure to some terrible disease, and maybe there is something in Tibetan Buddhism that could also profoundly impact the future of humankind; but, like the exotic plants that have their habitat destroyed, the Tibetans must perpetuate a religion and a people while their environment is similarly under siege. Teaching Western science to Tibetan monks makes the wisdom of Tibetans more accessible to the rest of the world.
