The Science of Life

The Science of Life

Bruno De Benedetti, Italy

[From the SGI Quarterly]

Bruno De Benedetti was born into anItalian family of Holocaust survivors in 1946, a time when Europe was slowly recovering from the horrors of World War II. Considering the experiences ofhis family, it is not surprising that the young De Benedetti had no faith in religion. "I decided to trust only thepower of reason," he recalls. That is why, upon entering the University ofTurin, he chose to major in "engineering, the science of certainties, and coupled it with chemistry, the science of probabilities."

Mr. De Benedetti's college days were exciting. He participated in the wave of student unrest which swept campuses worldwide in 1968. As his university days neared an end, Mr. De Benedetti recalls that he considered teaching at his alma mater in order to "try to apply my vision of education." Things fell smoothly into place for him. In addition to his post as an instructor at the University of Turin, he secured a position as an industrial consultant. Mr. De Benedetti says "I was very pleased with myself" at that time; however, "there was something missing, something that could give my life more meaning."

In 1986, his wife was diagnosed as having cancer. The rational life Mr.De Benedetti had prized and worked so hard to construct was no longer working: "All the certainties of engineering collapsed," heexplains. "I was alone and scared, and I wanted to understand why this had happened to me and my family; I wanted to find a way to reverse the situation."

Around this time, Mr. De Benedetti's wife was introduced to the Buddhism ofNichiren Daishonin. "The idea of following a religion, one that calls itself 'true Buddhism,' upset me," headmits. But at the end of 1987, hiswife's condition took a turn for theworse. "I gave in and started chanting," says Professor De Benedetti, who officially joined SGI-Italy on October 22, 1988. His wifehas overcome cancer, and she enjoys good health today.

Mr. De Benedetti's faith began to deepen, spurred on by what he believedwere "lucky coincidences and the need to solve my daily problems." Then, in1991, he took part in a young men's division meeting in Tokyo. At that meeting, the full force of conviction dawned on him. Mr. De Benedettisays: "I began to understand that myyouthful dreams of non-violence andjustice had materialized in the great movement of the Soka Gakkai."

Following his return to Italy, one ofthe first moves he made was to give upsome of his professional activities inorder to concentrate on teaching inTurin University's engineeringdepartment. To his surprise, ProfessorDe Benedetti rediscovered the pleasure of teaching, the contact with youngpeople, and the possibility ofintroducing his students toBuddhism: "I wanted to establish amore human relationship with them, to strengthen ties to them." Professor DeBenedetti says that he makes it a rule sometimes to talk about Buddhism only after his students have finished their exams so that they do not feel obligated to listen to him.

Professor De Benedetti says that his study of chemistry has reinforced his belief that similar principles govern the workings of both the physical world and society. For example, metals, which consist of atoms held together by electrical bonds or forces known as electrons. These electrons are fundamentally equal in nature but can take on different energy levels. This is similar to society in which billions of people, all having essentially the same human nature,interact and are "bound" to each other while maintaining their own individuality. In the case of society,this energy transfer between individuals is driven by life force.To extend the analogy even further, energy transfer between electrons is more probable at higher energy levels. In the world of human affairs, energy transfer between indivdiuals is more probable when an individual has raised his or her life force.

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