How to use the Internet to gain space for the development of Buddhism

How to use the Internet to gain space for the development of Buddhism

1. The inevitability of Internet propagation

In today’s era of economic globalization and cultural diversification, different teachings at home and abroad Religious sects are actively infiltrating cultural beliefs into the public through various media means. As for the 1.3 billion people in the country, to use business terms, we have a huge faith market that needs to be developed. How can Buddhism be widely promoted in modern society? This requires considering how to maintain the original spirit of Buddhism while also reflecting the characteristics of the times so that it can be easily accepted by people at different levels of society. It must exist in a form that is easily accepted by the public. In recent years, network communication has developed rapidly, which is an inevitable trend of historical development. Under this trend, how to take advantage of the situation and maximize the use of future media technology to serve the promotion of Buddhism and strive for space for the survival and development of Buddhism has become a sense of urgency that every one of us who loves Buddhism must have.

2. Diversity of ways to propagate Dharma on the Internet

Modern network technology has made the way of propagating Dharma refreshing: wonderful and vivid pictures, photos, and some Buddhist scripture stories have been made into videos suitable for all ages. Animated cartoons simplify the profound Buddhist principles and present them on the Internet in a three-dimensional sense, greatly enhancing the visibility and dissemination.

Technology has transformed the sutras and mantras that were originally recited by monks into songs that modern people love to hear. The highly absorbing Sanskrit chants and Buddhist sounds are stirring the eardrums of netizens through the Internet, and the intensity of sound propagation of Dharma has been greatly strengthened. This can be heard and seen everywhere on Buddhist websites.

Open your computer and browse the web pages to learn the teachings of various great teachers, such as the lectures of Master Mengcan, Master Xuecheng’s blog, Master Minghai’s online diary, Master Huifa’s videos and various other Various forms of preaching and listening to the Dharma, such as Buddhist forums, can be watched and listened to all over the world at the same time. This is just like what is said in the Buddhist scriptures: "The Taoist temple is immovable and spreads all over the ten directions." Covering the three thousand worlds." Multimedia technology allows text, voice, images, music, and animation to be integrated into one pot, creating an unprecedented art of expression, allowing the Internet to vividly realize the functions of clairvoyance, ears, and broad tongue in promoting and listening to the Dharma.

The online communication method has developed from the initial e-mail to the current QQ, MSN, video and Fetion methods of exchanging text messages between the Internet and mobile phones, etc. When communication changes, everything it affects changes. Propagating the Dharma is the communication of education, and its method must match the communication method.

3. The richness of the content of promoting Dharma on the Internet

1. The website established by the virtuous laymen (hereinafter referred to as the private website) is lively in form and rich in content

The author At first, I traveled to study Buddhist websites as a layman in white, and personally experienced the development, growth, stability and improvement of some excellent websites. For example, the Ksitigarbha forum, the forum on abstaining from evil and sexual misconduct, etc. The website founder and forum moderator not only have profound and extensive research on Buddhism, but are also very worldly in social work. They not only provide comfort to netizens’ questions from the perspective of mundane laws, but also provide guidance and enlightenment from the perspective of transcendental laws. The sincere replies and easy communication made netizens open up their hearts and speak freely. The clean and harmonious study atmosphere gathered a large number of Taoist friends from all over the country and even the world.

On private websites, people post to ask for advice and discuss various issues without worrying about their level. For those who are new to Buddhism or have not been exposed to Buddhism for a short time, the experience of beginners in learning Buddhism often has certain guiding and reference significance. Corresponding to this, various cultivation methods are also demonstrated here: some Taoist friends specialize in life release, and the Internet has developed forums and blogs dedicated to life release; various Buddhist scriptures practice activities attract netizens to delve deeper into the scriptures. There is no need to be afraid of whether your knowledge and views are correct when posting, because there are many Taoist friends with correct knowledge and views on the forum. If your knowledge and views are correct, you will naturally be praised by your Taoist friends and use this to encourage each other; if your knowledge and views are indeed biased, you will naturally There will be Taoist friends who will benefit from communicating with him, and other Taoist friends will also eliminate their errors and gain correct views.

Private websites not only strengthen the connections between different regions, but also strengthen the connections within the same region through posts from netizens, which facilitates the gathering of dispersed forces, connects people from point to point, and strengthens unity.

The charity section and memorial section in the Buddhist forum provide convenience for local Buddhists to do charity and memorial activities. The network and popularization of the ashram make it like a melting pot. Anyone who comes in can get the opportunity to reinvent themselves and their destiny. The Internet has also made Buddhist education and the spread of Buddhism more popular, social and lifelong.

2. The professionalism and comprehensiveness of the website run by the temple and Dade Master

Private websites provide a relaxed environment for attracting non-Buddhists or new believers, and Dade Master The website of Master Online serves as a guide for netizens to further their practice and provides an in-depth professional environment for practitioners of different dharma schools. Netizens of the "Ten Days and Millions of Buddhas' Names Retreat" at Donglin Temple, the ancestral home of the Pure Land, posted their personal experiences on the Internet to stimulate people's interest in trying it. Pingxing Temple is the abbot of Master Jie Chuan, who specializes in propagating precepts. Internet photos of Bini's pure and majestic appearance attract Buddhist disciples to happily go there to receive ordination and learn the ordination. The Northeast Haicheng Baoan Temple, Jizu Mountain Huashou Fangguang Temple and Lower Court Hengyang Temple (Women's Temple), which are not afraid of the asceticism, provide professional practice places for fellow practitioners to challenge themselves and surpass their limits. Berlin Zen Temple's lively and relaxed summer camp life Zen attracts young people eager to try it. Guocheng Temple in Daqing (a temple for women) and Jinling Temple (a temple for men) in Zibo, Shandong, which specialize in assisting in reciting the afterlife. Their website videos reproduce the real stories of the afterlife, making those who see them believe in and yearn for them.

The website and blog of Master Online directly attract the believers who are destined to do so. The author was fortunate to participate in the establishment and development of Master Chang Hui’s online Hongde Forum. The Hongde Forum is named after the Hongde Home (orphanage). Master Chang Hui guides all sentient beings to be compassionate, joyful, and spiritual in a philanthropic way, and to practice blessings and wisdom. He also supports Buddhists to record their spiritual journey on the Internet. Under the guidance of the Master, Buddhist disciples have been cultivating for a long time, forming an atmosphere of diligent practice. Buddha nature has no north and south, and the network has no east and west. In more than three years from 2005 to 2008, seven Internet Buddhist disciples (distributed across the country) in this forum became monks one after another, including the author. According to Dharma Lai, the form of Buddhism transmission should be adapted to the stage of social development.

When it comes to surfing the Internet, some people do not agree with going to Buddhist websites to listen to thoughts and discussions. They suggest asking Master Dade directly for advice. However, the reality is that only disciples of Master Dade or lay people with a predestined relationship can meet the Master. In addition to asking questions directly, most ordinary people do not have the predestined relationship to get close to the Master. Going to Buddhist websites and forums to consult and communicate with other Taoist brothers and sisters is a possible way to solve problems. Moreover, many lay people’s own studies and opinions also have great limitations. Relatively speaking, online communication has a wider scope, and you have the opportunity to meet more virtuous colleagues. Moreover, the communication is open and transparent, and each other refers to each other. This way, you can have more learning opportunities and avoid "working behind closed doors" alone. Repair caused a fault.

The websites established by major Buddhist colleges clearly display their professionalism and comprehensiveness in front of netizens. This is mainly for monks and monks to choose a suitable college for further study according to their own conditions. For example, Minnan Buddhist College, Jie Zhuang Buddhist Education Network and other Buddhist college websites.

In the websites built by various monasteries at home and abroad, it is very easy to collect Buddhist scriptures through Internet searches and select reference materials. Electronic archives of the Tripitaka in Chinese characters, Chinese and English Buddhist databases, complete works of great virtuous masters, a treasure house of Chinese Buddhist scriptures, etc. It is easy to find what you want to read after searching and browsing.

3. Charitable interaction between private websites and masters and temple websites

Master Dade’s online blog often guides the practice direction of many Buddhist disciples, especially outstanding old masters. The teachings of a generation of practitioners are even more instructive. The online media conveniently presents these essences and treasures, which plays a role in guiding the practice of netizens and Buddhist disciples. In particular, the answers to practical problems are of greater social significance.

The complementary interaction between private websites and Master Online websites has played an effective role in charity. The interaction between Hongde Forum and Ksitigarbha Forum is a good example. Hongde Forum verifies the photos and information of orphans, lonely elderly people and patients with serious diseases in need of rescue all year round and uploads them online to appeal to netizens for help.

Since there are so many children in need of rescue, information about helping orphans is also posted on the Ksitigarbha forum every issue. In the very popular Ksitigarbha forum, Buddhist disciples regard this as a good opportunity to plant a field of blessings and often rush to buy it. Light. The purpose of Hongde Forum is to make money with one hand and give money with the other to give to all sentient beings, so that the revenue and expenditure are open, the finances are transparent, and it has good credibility on the Internet, so the online student aid information in each issue is progressing smoothly, and each issue Information about helping 50-60 orphans. Every year, primary school students need 200 yuan and middle school students need 300 yuan. Each period of fundraising is 15,000 yuan. After the donations from netizens are received, they are transferred to the hands of the children as quickly as possible, and many people are rescued in time. Children who are about to drop out of school. At the same time, it provides a platform for direct communication between rescuers and those being rescued, which provides a trustworthy charity channel for the majority of netizens. “Buddhism is engaged in charity and welfare, and stores, distributes, and redistributes social wealth within a certain range.” “Buddhism that transcends this world can only be spread in society by using the means of worldly law.” Buddhism attracts all walks of life through the Internet to participate in social welfare and charity relief to solve more realistic sufferings in society, such as disasters, lack of food and clothing, out of school, abandonment, etc. "First use desire to lead, and then lead to Buddhist wisdom." "If you build good relationships with all living beings, it will be easy for them to accept the Dharma again. The author has participated in poverty alleviation and funding activities in Hebei over the past few years and often interacts with grassroots party and government organizations in rural counties, towns, townships, and villages. Charitable funding not only benefits local people, making them have a good impression of Buddhism, but also makes local grassroots leading cadres deeply aware of Buddhism. He was moved and actively cooperated with us in charity activities, laying the foundation for the promotion of Buddhism. Through online charity, Buddhism extends its dojo to the hearts of people in remote and impoverished mountains; through online propagation of Buddhism, Buddhism extends its dojo to the hearts of kind-hearted netizens in cities and villages.

On the website of Master Dade Online, the masters call on the public to actively raise funds for charity relief for various disasters. This is often seen on various Buddhist forum blogs, and this also makes up for the shortcomings of private websites.

4. Interaction and complementarity between online Dharma propaganda and magazines and publications

The timeliness and speed of the Internet provide convenience for the majority of urban netizens to listen to scriptures and Dharma, and magazines and publications are easy to collect. The characteristics are conducive to spreading the Dharma and benefiting people in rural areas and areas with inconvenient Internet access. Among the many Buddhist publications that the author has come into contact with, "Zen", "Pure Land", "Miaolianhua", "Hanshan Temple", etc. all have electronic publications corresponding to the paper publications, and most of their selections come from the corresponding websites. Articles published by Chinese Buddhists. On the one hand, the Internet provides a broad and open space for Buddhists to express their spiritual practice and life insights; on the other hand, it also reserves a long-term, stable and abundant "living water source" for manuscripts, pictures, photos, etc. for magazines and publications, avoiding certain problems. The shortcomings of magazines just reprinting excerpts and publishing them repeatedly.

Charitable relief information, legal affairs information in various temples and information on the circulation of magic scriptures and CDs are published on the Internet and are also published in magazines. In this way, the two-way release of information by the Internet and magazines expands the It improves the intensity and scope of publicity; at the same time, it also provides a timely and effective rescue channel for people in urgent need of assistance. The Hongde Forum is particularly outstanding in charity assistance. In the "Compassion and Helping the World" section, the "Online Help" provides a long-term and urgently needed help platform for people with various major diseases. After receiving timely donations from netizens, the patients , his condition was relieved, and he entered Buddhism. Some patients were seriously ill and died after treatment, but they received material help and spiritual comfort from Buddhist disciples at the most difficult time in their lives. This inspired their relatives to believe in Buddhism and study Buddhism, actively participate in the practice team, and also influenced the people who donated money. When people see the current situation of disadvantaged groups in society, they feel compassion, and thus develop a good impression of Buddhism, realize the wisdom of Buddhism, and actively follow the teachings of Buddhism. Over the past few years, the author has personally come into contact with too many such cases. Therefore, through the Internet, Buddhism can carry out many basic works in social welfare, charity relief, etc.