Response:
I must admit, I was more interested in
the daily routine of Dr. Hwang — who is described in some of this week's
articles as a Buddhist workaholic — than his recent accomplishment along
with Dr. Moon in cloning a human embryo.
Supposedly, Hwang gets up at 4 a.m., hits the public baths, then
practices a style of Korean yoga before arriving at work at 6 a.m. After
a jam-packed day of office and field research, he returns home at
midnight for a few hours of rest before starting again in the early a.m.
He proudly announces his office is open seven days a week with no time
off. I found myself asking such philosophical questions as: Does he have
a wife or family? How long can he go on? And, how is morale at his
workplace? |
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In all seriousness, the revolutionary
contribution of Zen is to look for "breakthroughs" where "no man has
gone before," that is, right under our very noses. I don't mean to
undervalue the fantastic contributions scientists have made in both
explaining some of the great mysteries of how life and the universe are
constructed, and also relieving some of the great suffering caused by
disease.
But I will hold my excitement for the time when all children receive
equal education and healthcare, when people stop killing one another in
war, on the streets and in prisons and women can finally live without
fear of rape or domestic violence.- The Rev.
Carol Aguilar |