Buddhist leaders use technology to reach masses

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Seoul, South Korea -- Yes, South Korea is the most wired country in the world, but the preconceived stereotypes of Buddhist monks living in ascetic, rustic conditions nevertheless do not blend well with smartphones.

<< “Hello Dharma School,” a mobile application developed in 2010, reaches out to the English-speaking masses with stories of the life and teachings of Buddha. (Courtesy of Matthew Crawford)

Yet monks are chatting and texting, and spreading Buddhist teachings, on cell phones everywhere from Dongguk University in the heart of Seoul to the sandy courtyards of mountain hermitages.

“This is not an age of happiness but an age of exhaustion and difficulty. But a single text message can give you strength,” explains Venerable Song-mook, the director of the Jogye Order of Buddhism’s Office of Missionary Affairs.

What is more surprising than the mere use of this technology is how the Jogye Order ? by far the largest Buddhist order in Korea ? has been developing cutting-edge smartphone apps to spread the message of Buddhism.

After serving aromatic cups of tea to inquisitive visitors wanting to know about monks and their use of smartphones, Ven. Song-mook pulls out his own phone from somewhere in the loose folds of his traditional gray robe. It looks like an Android.

“The fact is that children, young people and even adults are reading books less and less often these days,” he says in a calm, measured tone. “On the subway, on the bus and on the street, people are using smartphones to access information about subjects they are interested in. So we thought that perhaps we could use these devices as a way of reaching out to them.”

Starting with the “Hello Dharma School” application in 2010, the Jogye Order’s Office of Missionary Affairs has developed eight apps and is working on several more. “Hello Dharma School” is a storybook-style app that introduces the life and teachings of the Buddha in English. Another app named “Mind Mirror 108,” which includes versions for children and young adults, is designed to teach actual Buddhist practice.

“The idea is to get rid of the idle thoughts that distract us and to realize that we are the Buddha, and also to help us cultivate compassion,” Ven. Song-mook explains. Overt religious overtones were left out of this app, which was developed in response to youth issues like school violence, depression and suicide.

Some of the other apps, such as a recording of the Heart Sutra, were made for practicing adults. The next time you hear the sound of a wood block and the chanting of a monk, it could very well be coming from the nearest smartphone.

When asked how smartphone technology can serve as an aid to spiritual practice, Ven. Song-Mook answers without hesitation:

“Whenever you’re going somewhere and you have some extra time, you could open up an app and read some of the Buddha’s teachings.” He adds that people studying Buddhist scripture can now look up difficult phrases with a few taps of their finger.

Among the Korean Buddhists embracing new technology, the most enthusiastic and successful has been the monk Hyemin. Currently residing in the U.S., Ven. Hyemin has well over 500,000 followers on his Twitter account @haeminsunim but has begun a period of electronic silence from April 1.

Ven. Song-mook believes that pursuing missionary work through social media like Ven. Hyemin has done is the wave of the future for Korean Buddhism. He sees this as the way to prepare for the “age without books” that is almost upon us.

“But would a monk sitting on a mountain somewhere meditating really know anything about smartphones?” he asks thoughtfully. In the bright office interior, decorated with thriving green plants, the only picture on the wall is of a snowy peak in Nepal.

Over 100 kilometers from Seoul at the base of Gyeryong Mountain stands the ancient Donghak Temple, one of over 1,000 associated with the Jogye Order. Here a nun named Myung-oh explains the functions of the temple’s own app, sitting at a desk next to a CCTV screen showing footage of visitors doing prostrations in the prayer halls.

In charge of supervising second year students at the temple’s school for Buddhist nuns, Ven. Myung-oh switched over to a smartphone only a year and a half ago. She shows her phone before admitting that she actually doesn’t like gadgets.

“All I need is to be able to make phone calls and send text messages,” she concedes, “so I chose an old-fashioned smartphone from the ones that were available. I don’t really make use of my smartphone that much.”

Speaking in a mix of Korean with a southeastern accent and polished English phrases, Ven. Myung-oh makes it clear that at Donghak Temple, the smartphone is a necessity for the nuns in positions of responsibility but a forbidden item for the novices:

“They get in the way of the very practice of religion,” she explains. “When the phone rings, you have to answer it, and you have to pay attention to it. Here at this monastic school, the teachers are nuns, and the students are nuns, too. They have left their home and family. They need to quit their secular life.”

Of course, when it comes to serious Zen meditation, the use of smartphones and their apps starts to seem absurd. Ven. Song-mook had mentioned that sometimes when deeply engrossed in his studies he turns off his smartphone for days at a time. And Ven. Myung-oh tells us that she finds it a relief when her phone goes out of service for a few days.

In the cool, shady interior of the temple office, Ven. Myung-oh’s calm explanation slowly begins to unpuzzle the relationship between technology and Buddhism. Ven. Song-mook wraps it up well.

“You have to let go of everything, embrace mindlessness and learn the way of emptiness. Could a smartphone really be necessary for learning this great truth?” he asks. “And of course, it’s not necessary. However, before we reach enlightenment, we are still humans, and (a smartphone) can help us learn a little more.”

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Mantras for the masses

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Hunan, China -- At a Buddhist music seminar held recently in Xiangtan, Hunan Province, Master Sheng Hui, vice director of the Buddhist Association of China and abbot of Lushan Temple, said that while time and life are changing, Buddhist music should change as well to purify people's hearts. As part of the seminar, his words were put into practice with an evening party that featured fireworks and Buddhist music.

<< Monks from Daxingguo Temple in Kaifeng, Henan Province perform a concert in Jilin, Jilin Province. Photo:CFP

The party combined stage performance with resplendent fireworks and all the performers were monks and nuns. This gave the audience a distinct experience of Buddhist music, which is usually associated with lone temples, green lamps and wooden fish.

Yuan Jingfang, director of Buddhist Music Studies at the Central Conservatory of Music, told Global Times that such efforts of presenting Buddhist music in new forms should be encouraged, though its artistic value remains to be tested over time.

Changing the stereotype

Buddhist music, also called Brahma voice, originated in India and was introduced to China over 1,900 years ago along with Buddhism. It has been regarded a good way to practice Buddhism and carry forward the power of Buddha.

Buddhist music used to be confined to temples and believers in Buddhism. Now it reaches a wider audience in the form of CDs, DVDs and online recordings. But generally it remains music for a minority, and the impression most people have about it is that it is traditional, rigid and confined to a sacred world.

As time goes by, there have been efforts to change the stereotyped impression about Buddhist music. Concerts like the one in Xiangtan have been held in several places across China in recent years to represent the ancient religious music in a modern way. Also, there are innovative efforts from individuals and temples to inject fresh blood into Buddhist music.

People might still recall the controversy a band of monks and nuns caused this September. An art troupe organized by Master Wu Le, the abbot of Tiantai Temple in Huanggang, Hubei Province, aroused much discussion. Its members are all monks and nuns and the instruments they use are Western such as violin and cello, instead of musical stones and wooden fish that are traditional for Buddhist music. They also use a Western style of singing in their performances.

Wu Le established the troupe four years ago. Monks can practice Buddhism through music, and when they perform the public can understand the religion better, Wu once told media. "People are busy today, and it is dull and not effective to rely on sermons (alone)."

Other people engaged in enhancing Buddhist music concur. Master Chang Sheng, whose vernacular name is Li Na, has produced many Buddhist music albums that are popular among fans of the genre. She was a famous singer before becoming a nun in 1997. Another nun called Yao Yi engages more in the stage performance forms of Buddhist music.

In Taiwan, Master Hsing Yun has been dedicated to enhancing Buddhist music for decades, establishing singing troupes, producing records, and integrating Buddhist music with Dunhuang dances, modern technology and Western symphony. "All these efforts are trying to make traditional Buddhist music modernized, which might help spread Buddhism," said Yuan Jingfang.

Reaching a wider audience

The worldly aspects of Buddhist music are also stressed in its development. Huang Minnan, a music producer in Taiwan, told Global Times that he made up his mind 15 years ago to change the climate of Buddhist music in Taiwan after being revolted by a traditional piece called Mahakaruna Dharani.

"Such stiff music is an obstacle for young people to know more about Buddhism. I wanted to make it sound younger," he said. "Buddhism is not just for those dying old people or people who forsake the world. It is closely connected to daily life."

He used to be among the top in the circle of pop music. But a car accident in 1996 gave him a serious shock. He was asked to recite Mahakaruna Dharani seven times a day to help him recover. The experience eventually led to his exploration into the world of Buddhist music.

Huang set up his company and produced his first CD Fortune Chant in January 1998, which combines Tibetan chant and world music style. He has gathered a group of talented singers from all over the world and manages an international team of composers and musicians, aiming to attract more young ears.

"In a society of fickleness, Buddhist music can make one review oneself and become quiet." He cited a song about a chant used to reduce sin. "We invited children to sing the song, which encourages the interaction between children and parents. It can be used as part of family education."

Master Zheng Xing, a monk in Nanputuo Temple in Fujian Province, is also creating Buddhist music connected to people's life. He is the first monk in the world to shoot music videos of Buddhist songs and the first to publish albums of his own in the mainland. His songs cover not only religious life and Buddhism but also kinship and friendship.

To him, entering into religion doesn't mean self-isolation: One can do worldly good with the spirit of Buddhism. His lyrics express the feelings of various social classes such as students, soldiers, airline hostesses, and so on, and show his deep concern for the world.

As a matter of fact, some popular songs we hear today were originally Buddhist music, exemplifying a perfect blend of Buddhist music and folk music. "Farewell" by Li Shutong (Master Hong Yi) and "Pray" are important songs related to Buddhism. Participation by pop singers like Faye Wong and Chyi Yu have added to the secular color of Buddhist music.

But there has been worry that the modernization of Buddhist music might disturb the lustration of temples and Buddhism in general. Huang said that it is important to know where to stop. "Buddhist music is a combination of music and Buddhism, but the latter is the essence."

To Yuan Jingfang, it is natural to see innovating efforts in the development of Buddhist music. "Time will tell how long they can last," she said, "Besides, Buddhist music will develop following two directions: One is for temple rituals and ceremonies, and one is simply related to Buddhism, like it is today."

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