Technology And Globalization In Buddhism

The increased exposure to globalisation through technology and westernisation has brought about much change in Buddhism. However, it has also placed strains on the belief system, as Buddhists attempt to uphold the traditional views and ideologies. The spread of Buddhism to Asian countries and more currently western countries have led to changes of its traditions and values concerning gender, technology usage, its ability to adapt to society as well as their place in society.

The traditions of Buddhism have generally remained the same throughout its history, however, have had small changes as a result of globalisation. Originating in the 5th century, Buddhism has been successful in maintaining its concepts and ideals even in modern society.

The advancements in transport with planes have allowed Buddhists to visit religious sites, such as Lumbini in which Siddhartha Gautama was born, or Bodh Gaya, the place of Buddha’s enlightenment. Such travelling would not have been possible centuries ago. The Dalai Lama also uses transport in visiting countries and spreading the teachings of Buddhism. This in turn contributed to the growth of Buddhism and the globalisation of the belief system. Further technologies as the internet have enabled the publishing of Buddhist doctrines online, giving non-Buddhists access to Buddha’s teachings. Social media has also led to the development of Buddhist social media. Facebook and Twitter accounts have been made to promote Buddhism to the world. The Dalai Lama uses technology to state his opinions and provide guidance to individuals. He currently has 13,514,546 likes on his Facebook page, emphasising his influence and hence the spread of Buddhism. Buddhist sect Soka Gakkai also utilises technology to preach their messages. The use of technology has favoured Buddhism’s globalisation, with all parts of the world having access to its teachings and beliefs. Hence, without the help of technology, Buddhism would not have spread around the world globally and therefore it would not be possible for

The belief system has spread like no other religion, perhaps as there has been little to no history of missionary activity and militancy. Peace is heavily promoted, with the Eightfold Path outlining the avoidance of actions which negatively impact the lives of others. The lack of a God enables Buddhism to adapt more easily to different cultures as the belief system is merely a way of life and guidance. However, the views of western culture conflict with those of Asian culture, creating dissent in both western countries and in Asian countries, which continue to be exposed to the western world from globalisation. This is evident through the colonial period, in which Vietnam was colonised by the French, who imposed Catholicism in the Buddhist country. President Ngo Dinh Diem, whilst born a Buddhist, was Catholic by choice. As president, he led a government which favoured Catholics and the church, allowing the church to own a large amount of property and land with no tax, whilst heavily taxing civilians. This change was heavily resisted, with Buddhist monks joining the protest, to the extent of some monks causing self-immolation. Thus, globalisation has been opposed by Buddhists in dire circumstances, as Buddhists do not usually cause nor contribute to conflict, as such actions would hurt others and therefore contradict the Eightfold