Much has been said and written about how buddhism appeals to westerners because of its basic compatibility with modern science. But are basic buddhist beliefs really able to fit smoothly into what science tells us to be true?

I often grapple with the path of human evolution and the human presence on Earth. Our world, and certainly the Universe, have existed for an extremely long period of time (really beyond our ability to comprehend). During this vast period of time, humans have only been on the scene for a tiny fraction.

Now, were any beings in existence before humans that had sufficient ability for self-reflection to achieve enlightenment? Could there be an enlightened being in our world before there were humans? Is enlightenment a concept that makes sense only in the context of the assumption that humans exist? Is there buddhism without enlightened beings?

Certainly the core buddhist beliefs center upon the trials of human existence, our suffering, the concept of karma placing us higher or lower in the order of living beings. Can buddhism explain the Universe in the absence of humans? Maybe you have to return to something I read somewhere: even all dharmas are impermanent.