my opinion is that evolution and buddhism are quite harmonious.I used to think that there was a link between evolution and the idea of re-birth, but now I'm not so sure. It seems that Indian religious thinking is open to the notion of evolution, due to the ancient idea that beings can be re-born in various realms, such as being re-born in the animal realm, so when I first started exploring Buddhism, I thought the idea that beings 'evolve towards higher forms of consciousness' was a natural fit with evolution. But I don't think that any more. The way evolution is envisaged by Western science, it is a purely material process, there is no sense of 'higher' or 'lower' - only some species which survive, and others which don't. It really is first and foremost a biological theory, and I now think to try and read a lot more than that into it is a mistake (and a mistake which is very widespread in the West where 'evolution' has become a substitute for 'God' - evolution 'doing' this and 'doing' that.)
we believe that to be reborn is a result of fundamental ignorance )))))))), evolution states that the fittest will have more offspring. OK, we agree ))))). ...but, the offspring will suffer. that is the crude harmony of these two theories: simply equate evolution's "fittest" with buddhism's "suffering".
in evolution beings survive because they are very good at taking care of their self-interest. in bhuddism, we have positive progress when have less self-interest. as a buddhist, i accept the workings of evolution, but i am not interested in promoting that kind of self-preservation. it has its role of course, e.g. good thing i was born as a human ))))). but also as a buddhist, i believe that being born in any realm is not the goal. i seek to not be (re) born. that is the ultimate expression of humanity and caring.
one more point about both of these theories, beings do not always beings "evolve towards higher forms of consciousness", sad and true. others?