Digital Dharma – A thoughtful post
I’d encourage all of you connected folks to head over to the Precious Metal blog where Nate has posted about his thoughts on technology and Buddhism.
I often feel like my ready, willing and able acceptance of digital dharma and online communities sometimes gets me further away from the meat of my practice and study, as it can be much more interesting to read first person accounts of their challenges of being a bodhisattva in a mosh pit as opposed to rubber to the road / ass to cushion sessions and reading the materials recommended by my particular tradition.
Don’t get me wrong, I see a great value in online Buddhism, but can see it’s various pitfalls but like a mirror reflecting my nature, it allows me to see those habitual tendencies of laziness, jealousy and idle chatter. *shakes fist at monitor*
I grew up online. I have a great respect for what can be done when communities assemble in the online space. I also have been hurt online and have seen many people get hurt in the space. This happens in ‘meat-space’ too but perhaps the anonymity of being behind a computer can make us more likely to be arseholes. Studies suggest maybe.
A quote I particularly like from Dzogen Ponlop Rinpoche is
“The Buddhadharma is like genuine water, which has no color or shape. It is pure and natural. This is genuine wisdom. All the world’s different languages and cultures are like the container for this water. Without the container, the water cannot be preserved. Without water, there’s not much use for the container. The container may change from language to language and from culture to culture, but the essence of the water is always the same — something we share universally. That essence is the words of wisdom, the words of the Buddha. The container is only a support to allow us to receive and enjoy the contents, the authentic Buddhadharma.”
I think that blogs, forums and online communities are in essence, new containers for this wisdom but it’s worth using discriminating wisdom to ensure that you are drinking or pouring from the right cup.
Buddha tea bowl - found on etsy
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“Ponlop for President!”
But seriously, thanks for this. It’s so interesting to see the reactions when something modular by design modulates again! Just as this mutlitiudinous practice over time took a clean form in Japan, a golden sheen in Thailand, an all-inclusive prism in China, etc, etc, so does this tradition develop a digital charge as it becomes more Western and modern.
I’m thankful for the connections–whatever they may be, however they may manifest–that these social media sanghas have brought into my life. I don’t want to mince on the validity and depth of these interactions.. if it’s “real” or not… because if they are adding positively to our collective lives/paths, who cares? As with all dukka, I must absorb the responsibility of filtering it out, digital or otherwise, and not cry if the ElectroSamsara was not built to do it for me.
From my perspective, this just just gives us another memory for us to giggle about billions of years from now as we Nirvanically sit and I whisper into your collective consciousnesses: “Twitter.”
You just made my day with your comment!
I really appreciate you mentioning the aspect of personal responsibility to filter. You really need to trademark the “ElectroSamsara” before someone gets to that first! (just kidding)
I’ll make it a BuddhaBadge! “Unplug from the ElectroSamsara!”
…a