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study Buddhism and serve the public. Nevertheless, of experience in teaching the senior citizens to use
there are some advantages of offline activities that internet, said that there were two ways to teach
online activities cannot match. For example, seeing the elderly, i.e., telephone guidance and in person
Buddha statues or Venerable physically makes people teaching. She pointed out that although the senior
more likely to raise their respect, and the atmosphere citizens do not have computers at home, most
in the offline activity will make participants more of them have tablets and mobile phones and are
engaged in learning, and the learning will be more familiar with using the communication apps such as
effective. In addition, meeting Dharma fellows can WhatsApp, making them capable of coping with the
facilitate fellowship and have a better understanding new demands.
of each other's current situation.
The poor network signal in the rural area is also a
He said that BBFM will continue to organise online major problem, added Tan Chang Yong. The fact
events in the future, but not every event will be held that Dharma cannot be transmitted to the suburbs
online and offline at the same time. There will be shows that physical activities are still indispensable.
different modes of conduct for different activities. Lai Hui Xuan said some member organisations of
He believes that the method of Dharma propagation YBAM did not even find any mobile Internet network
needs to adapt to the needs of the times. signal at all within their buildings. Therefore, they
were unable to play live videos of Dharma sharing.
Community Buddhist Societies The members could only participate online at home,
respectively.
Compared to DDMMY and BBFM which are in urban
areas and having many young members, Buddhist In addition, the different culture of the residents
associations in rural areas with older members have also prevented digital Dharma propagation
face more challenges in promoting digital Dharma activities from coming to life in the suburbs. Tan
propagation. Chang Yong said that feedback collected during
YBAM’s visit to member organisations led by YBAM
YBAM Dharma Propagation Committee Chairperson President showed that most people have few
Tan Chang Yong said that the challenge at the interests in online activities. Lai Hui Xuan also shared
beginning was that the elderly did not know how to the feedback she had received, showing that most
access the internet and needed to be taught slowly. people preferred offline activities. For example,
In this regard, YBAM Negeri Sembilan State Liaison whenever a community Buddhist society organises
Committee Chairperson Lai Hui Xuan, who has a lot an event, such as inviting Venerable to come and

法鼓山线上初级禅训班。
DDMMY Online Meditation Class for Beginners.

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