| Summary: | 碩士 === 法鼓文理學院 === 佛教學系 === 106 === Due to the popularity of the Mobile Internet, this communication technology as a new media delivers massive information and has become the most advanced way to propagate the Buddha’s teachings and to learn Buddhism today. Its function and role in propagating Buddhism requires more attention and study. To reintroduce Buddhism to this modern society is the idea of the Environmental Protection of the Mind proposed by Ven. Shengyen in Dharma Drum Mountain, and it corresponds to the needs of people in China so this new communication technology helps to propagate Buddhism in a more efficient way. The main purpose of this paper will emphasize how to conduct the idea of the Environmental Protection of the Mind through WeChat in China.
The WeChat account of Ven. ShengYen in Dharma Drum Mountain is the case study in this paper. It includes two categories, the strategies and the content of the propagation. First, we will explore the features and characteristics of Wechat through a research paper, and find out how this new media exerts its influence on everyday life. In addition, we will investigate other Buddhist accounts and summarize their patterns on the operations on WeChat as an important reference in order to learn from their experience as a lesson and improve Ven. Shengyen’s account on WeChat. On the other hand, we made a survey for WeChat users. This survey is designed to help us to understand the needs of the WeChat users and has become a reference material and statistical reference on this account. I wish this evolution of propagating Buddhism in China will be noted in the Buddhist history through this paper, and this study could be helpful as an outline or a blueprint for people who are attempting to propagate Buddhism in China in the future.
After establishing Ven. Shengyen’s account on WeChat, this account shows that information is promptly shared among friends at an extremely high rate. A high sharing rate among friends is the major characteristic of WeChat in which WeChat could be used as a convenient messenger in propagating Buddhism. However, this convenient messenger can also release incorrect information as easily and quickly as the correct information, and lead the readers to misunderstandings about Buddhism. Hence, it is important to establish an official account like Ven. Shengyen’s account on WeChat to ensure that correct information based on people’s needs is presented, and to prevent the disadvantages of misunderstanding Buddhism. As Buddhist scriptures say, manifesting correct words can destroy incorrect meanings. Ven. Shengyen’s account on WeChat works as a Buddhist propagating tool presenting the idea of The Environmental Protection of the Mind. This propagating tool like WeChat and Ven. Shengyen’s teachings like the idea of The Environmental Protection of the Mind, the practice of meditation in motion, and the mission of the Dharma Drum Mountain for people’s needs in China increases the ability and the credibility of propagation.
Because of the popularity of the new social habits on Mobile Internet, the proper opportunity emerges when new communication technology is cleverly used to propagate Buddhism. To provide for the needs of people in modern society, orthodox Buddhist theories and ideas are presented in an accessible way for learning and practice. This propagation tool, WeChat, presents the orthodox Buddhist theory and idea in the right manner that helps people to understand the right points of Buddhist views and to improve their personal life physically and spiritually. In this manner the social value and ideological meaning of the existence of the Buddhism can be found through the new communication technology in modern society.
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