The World of Buddhism and Spirituality: 02/28/26

The Illusion of Reality

Imagine that everything you see, touch, and experience is not exactly as it appears. This idea—that all our perceptions might be illusions—has captured the attention of scientists, philosophers, and spiritual traditions alike. One fascinating voice in this conversation is Donald Hoffman, who proposes the theory of the perception interface. According to Hoffman, our brains don’t show us the world as it truly is. Instead, they create a user-friendly interface designed for survival, a kind of “desktop” that lets us navigate life efficiently, not accurately.

Our brains receive limited sensory information—just two-dimensional light signals from our eyes. Yet, they manage to build rich, colorful, three-dimensional worlds in our minds. Remarkably, about 90% of what we “see” comes from the brain’s predictions and memories rather than raw data. This means our experience of reality is mostly a mental construction, optimized for quick decisions and survival rather than truth.

This idea aligns intriguingly with insights from quantum physics and Buddhism, despite their very different origins. Quantum physics reveals that what feels solid and real—tables, chairs, even our own bodies—is mostly empty space. Atoms are largely void, and their solidity comes from electromagnetic forces, not true contact. Moreover, particles don’t have fixed properties until they are observed, existing instead as waves of probability. This “observer effect” echoes the Buddhist teaching that reality is impermanent and dependent on perception.

Buddhism speaks of Maya, the illusion of a permanent, separate world. It teaches that everything is interconnected and constantly changing—a concept called anicca, or impermanence. The Buddhist view suggests that our sense of a solid, separate self is a misconception that leads to suffering. Similarly, quantum entanglement shows that particles can be instantaneously connected across vast distances, highlighting the deep interdependence of all things.

Both Buddhism and quantum physics challenge the idea of an objective, unchanging reality. While quantum physics studies matter through math and experiments, Buddhism explores the mind and suffering through meditation and philosophy. Yet both reach a strikingly similar conclusion: what we experience as reality is a constructed, fluid, and interconnected web rather than a fixed, independent world.

Understanding this can be both humbling and liberating. It reminds us that our brains act as prediction engines, crafting a useful but subjective reality that supports survival. Our perceptions are not perfect mirrors but creative interpretations shaped by memory, context, and expectation. This doesn’t mean the world doesn’t exist—our actions still have consequences—but it does mean we live inside a kind of mental simulation.

In the end, this perspective invites us to rethink what we consider real. It bridges science and spirituality, offering a shared glimpse into the mysterious nature of existence. Whether through the lens of neuroscience, quantum physics, or ancient wisdom, the story is the same: reality is less about solid facts and more about dynamic relationships, unfolding in the interplay between observer and observed.

This is a first draft by Geshe Gedun Tharchin

ROME: February 28, 2026

The World of Buddhism and Spirituality

Saturday, 28 February 2026

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The Illusion of Reality