..续本文上一页npidual with some basic computing literacy skills, would have no doubt to equally express, communicate, and conduct dialogues with anyone who is online. With this flat, equal and free nature of the internet, the traditional Sangha- and temple-centered communication style is being affected quite strongly.

　　To take an example of Chinese Buddhism, after the completion of monastic regulation in the Tang and Song dynasty, Buddhist preaching and communication primarily focused on Sangha and monasteries. Paying attention to the quality of Sangha communities, emphasizing Dharma assembly, Dharma preaching, routine cultivation, sutra translation, and the transmission of the Dharma linage, were the most important elements and activities of Chinese Buddhism.

　　Communications between Sangha communities and laities and within the communities were basically verbal. Chan practioners did not follow rigid teachings but find situational inspirations from their lives according to different people”s level of awakening. According to Conze (1951, p. 6), the Buddhist Chan School also promotes that everything one may see is ultimate false, false by mere fact that one says it. “Those who say don”t know; those who know don”t say.” In Chan School, silence alone does not violate the truth. If one say something, and it is astonishing to find how much the supporters of the Chan silence had to say, it is justified only by what they called “skill in means.” In other words, what one says may help other people at a certain stage of their spiritual progress. Thus, Chan is, in Buddhism, easily the chief communicative means of awakening. The stress throughout is far less on “doing something” by overt action, than on contemplation and mental discipline. For a long period of time, Chinese Buddhist Schools fundamentally relied on these styles, and situational teaching/inspiration plus book printing, sutra and sculpture circulation, and temple building for its development.

　　Throughout Buddhist history, the ways of communication have changed dramatically, from Sangha- and temple-centered preaching, activities and cultivation, to today”s technologically equipped speeches, events, and shows. The methods of Buddhist communication become increasingly perse. It is true that the perse of Buddhist communication will benefit more people in our information age. However, the process of commercialization, marketization and touristization of many monasteries might result in the deviation of Buddhist communication. Many monasteries, especially those located in the tourist spots, paid too much attention to their commercial needs but focus too little on what the devotees and public were pursuing. Buddhist temples were places for monks to live, practice, learning and teaching in the past. But today, the major function of those temples is for tourism. Since monks are busy serving tourists, less and less attention is being paid to other decent matters, such as meditation and teaching, which are supposedly the “right livelihood” for Buddhist monks (Wan, 2005, p.78-79).

　　Even thought there is no a universal best way of Buddhist communication for all inpiduals, we still need to pay greater attention to the information technology. In recent years, we have been enjoying the convenience which the information technology brings to us, meanwhile, we also have been distracted by its side-effects. Information overload and information repetition are some common problems for Buddhist websites. Additionally, some websites just make troubles for the users, they are neither inconsistent, nor “user friendly” or “ease of use” (Shuman, 2003). The repetition of information leads to the waste of human and natural resource, in the meantime, it makes a warning call to us to adjust, to use and to disseminate th…

《科学、信息科技与佛教传播》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…