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The Buddha’s approach towards renunciants varied contribution for those interested to engage with
widely and he would give a whole range of technical Buddha’s vast corpus of 84,000 teachings, providing
discourses related to meditation. Again this was a clear framework of the progression towards full
dependent on what was most suitable for a particular awakening.
individual.
What can we learn from the Buddha’s teaching style,

Min Wei: In the Chinese Mahayana tradition, there especially to make Buddhism more engaging for
are numerous examples of skillful means, where the younger audiences today?
Buddha adapts his teachings to suit the capacity of his
audience. One notable example is found in the Lotus Aggacitta: Relevance. The Buddha knew the right
Sutra. In this text, the Buddha tells the “Parable of the time to say the right thing to the right person. As
Burning House”, where a father uses skillful means to mentioned earlier, he taught according to the needs
save his children from a burning building by enticing and inclinations of his audience. Similarly we should
them with various carts they desire, symbolizing understand that the inclinations and needs of young
different paths to enlightenment. Another example is people today are very different from those decades ago.
the Vimalakirti Sutra, where the layman Vimalakirti They have been shaped by the consumer environment
employs skillful means to teach advanced Dharma to and the fast pace of modern technology, resulting in
monks and bodhisattvas. Through illness, he attracts addiction to the smartphone, short attention span, poor
visitors, using their concern as an opportunity to social interaction and so forth. They are also stressed
expound profound teachings. These examples illustrate by the competitive educational environment. So, our
the Buddha’s compassionate strategy to guide beings challenge lies in using creative and effective ways to
towards enlightenment according to their individual impart the Dhamma to them in the light of such a milieu.
capacities and readiness. It is important for them to perceive that the Dhamma is
relevant to their lives and fun to learn.
Tsepal: After his enlightenment, the Buddha taught
for forty-five years, tailoring his teachings to suit the Min Wei: To engage younger audiences today,
various dispositions and interests of people he met, Buddhism can draw from the Buddha’s teaching
th
as recorded in the sutras. In 11 century Tibet, the approach of skillful means. Incorporating mindfulness
great Indian master Atisha compiled a concise seminal practices into daily routines, such as through apps
text which arranges the Buddha’s entire teachings in a and social media challenges, can make teachings more
concise, logical order called the Lamrim, or graduated accessible and relevant. Emphasizing the ethical aspects
stages to awakening. Tibetan Buddhists have relied of Buddhism, such as compassion and environmental
and greatly benefitted from a successive and rich genre stewardship, aligns with contemporary concerns
of lamrim texts based on Atisha’s Lamp for the Path to and encourages active participation in social causes.
Enlightenment. Additionally, using interactive and visual storytelling
methods to convey Buddhist principles can capture
The Lamrim presents three levels of practice with the interest of tech-savvy youth. Creating inclusive and
corresponding topics of practice. For those aiming supportive communities where young practitioners
to create causes for a good rebirth, the topics of can explore and discuss their spiritual journey fosters
impermanence, refuge and the law of cause and effect a sense of belonging and continuity. By adapting these
are taught. For those aiming for personal liberation, the timeless teachings to resonate with modern contexts
four truths, twelve links and the three higher trainings and technologies, Buddhism can effectively inspire
are explained. For those aiming for full awakening, and guide younger generations towards meaningful
development of bodhicitta and the six perfections are engagement and personal growth.
emphasized, in dependence upon the previous two levels.
Tsepal: Shakyamuni Buddha had the advantage of being
In the Tibetan tradition, the various lamrim texts omniscient and knowing others’ minds. While we may
available today are an incredible skilful means and be far from being omniscient ourselves, we can read in