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What role can monasteries and spiritual mindfulness and the ethical use of technology, teaching
communities play in supporting laypeople to live individuals to cultivate awareness of their digital habits.
mindfully in an increasingly digital world? Through retreats and group meditations, communities
foster deeper connections and encourage participants
Aggacitta: Currently many lay people are being taught to unplug from devices, promoting presence and
meditations that were originally meant for monastics, authentic relationships. Additionally, these spaces can
the most popular being mindfulness of breathing with provide resources and guidance on integrating Buddhist
the eyes closed (although the Buddha never gave any principles into daily life, helping individuals navigate
explicit instructions to do so, even for monastics). No the complexities of technology with compassion and
doubt, they may be effective ways to calm the mind, but discernment. Ultimately, they serve as a sanctuary for
they are not very applicable in daily life when the eyes cultivating mindfulness amid modern distractions.
are open most of the time.
Tenzin Tsepal: When guests arrive at Sravasti Abbey,
Secondly, attention is usually trained to focus on a single we ask them for their phones so they can focus on
st
object by ignoring other sensory stimuli, which is not the Dharma during their stay. This is 21 century
st
applicable during daily activities. asceticism. Although this 21 century form of asceticism
is initially uncomfortable for many people, by the end of
Thirdly, focused attention training habituates the their visit they appreciate the opportunity to relax and
mind to focus too much, even to the extent of making a focus on their Dharma practice. They see that Abbey
mountain of a molehill. monastics, who don’t have personal phones, are happy
and well balanced people. Studying and practicing with
For these reasons, I think that there should be more monastics gives them a taste of the contentment that
workshops and retreats oriented to the practice of comes from keeping the mind in virtue
daily mindfulness for the laity, emphasising a more
practical approach to compose the mind while the eyes In what ways can AI and machine learning be
are open. Then when the mind is sufficiently composed, harnessed to support the spread of Dharma
introspective mindfulness should be practiced to have practices?
experiential understanding of how the mind works.
Eventually the practitioner will realize that all mental Aggacitta: I asked ChatGpt this question and its very
activities are the products of present causes and past comprehensive answers are amazingly way beyond my
experiences and conditioning. The practitioner should scope of expertise. It summarised them thus:
also be trained to “catch” intentions—initially gross ones
like the urge to move during sitting meditation. With • AI and machine learning can enhance the spread
practice, more subtle urges to think, speak or act can be of Dharma practices by generating, translating,
noticed and processed before deciding to act on them. and recommending teachings; creating engaging
multimedia content; and providing personalized
The ability to notice intentions requires introspective meditation tools.
mindfulness and that of processing them, clear • They support text digitization, preservation,
awareness (sampajañña). These two important and analysis, improving accessibility to ancient
elements are indispensable in disciplining the mind scriptures.
when confronted with increasing digital distractions. • AI-powered chatbots, virtual communities, and voice
assistants facilitate learning and global connections.
Ming Yi: Monasteries and spiritual communities • Additionally, machine learning aids meditation
can play a vital role in supporting laypeople to live feedback, ethical guidance, and event management,
mindfully in a digital world by providing a space for while optimizing resources for teachers and
reflection and practice. They can offer workshops on practitioners.