Buddhist teacher Andrew Holecek says virtual reality, just like lucid dreaming, could be an opportunity to investigate the mind — or it could be "super samsara." What do dreams and video games have to do with Tibetan Buddhism? For one thing, they all introduce us to “dereification” — the creeping feeling that reality isn’t as solid as we might think. For another, they will [...]
Where Buddhism and Science Meet: Teachings, Commentary, and News
Now more than ever, Buddhists are using scientific tools and scientists are using Buddhist wisdom to uncover truths about the universe. Here, we present a collection of articles on the fruits of those collaborations. Featuring the Dalai Lama, Daniel Goleman, Karen Kissel Wegela, Vincent Horn, Judy Roitman, Jack Kornfield, Judy Lief, Sam Littlefair, and more. Buddhist [...]
Joy, Awe, Surprise, and Bodhisattva A.I.’s: An interview with author Alexander Weinstein
Author Alexander Weinstein writes about Vajrayana sleeper cells, virtual-reality children, and commodified digital enlightenment. Here he talks with Myles McDonough about the Buddhist themes in his debut short story collection, Children of the New World. Myles McDonough: You received your B.A. from Naropa University, an institution founded by Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chögyam [...]
Is a More-Enlightened Social Media Possible?
Dan Zigmond, a Zen priest and the director of analytics for Facebook's News Feed, argues that social media can promote thoughtful and compassionate discussion. As the director of analytics for Facebook’s News Feed, Dan Zigmond works on the algorithms that decide what more than a billion people read each day. That’s a big responsibility. After the U.S. election, commentators [...]
11 Buddhist iPhone Apps to Help Recognize You Don’t Really Need a Buddhist iPhone App
Sam Littlefair learns why there are so few Buddhist apps and how — even if they're not totally necessary — they might help you on your spiritual journey. I select Stop, Breathe & Think on my iPad, and the app opens to a friendly drawing of a meditator, next to a large “Begin” button, which I tap. I’m swept into my guided meditation. Close your eyes, reads the next [...]
After ten years, Buddhist Geeks shuts down
Buddhist Geeks — the podcast about dharma, technology, and culture, which has been downloaded more than 10 million times — is no more. On Tuesday, founders Vincent and Emily Horn announced that they have stopped the podcast, memorializing it with a death poem and launching a fundraiser to pay for the organization’s outstanding costs. Horn says Buddhist Geeks may publish one [...]
The Dharma of Distraction
It goes a lot deeper than how many times a day you check your phone. According to Buddhist teacher Judy Lief, distraction is the very foundation of ego, the way we protect ourselves against both the pain of life and the open space of awakened mind. You could even say that letting go of all distraction is the path to enlightenment. Distractions are everywhere, all the [...]
Xian’er the robot wants to answer your questions about Buddhism
The ongoing collision of technology and dharma is rife with both promise and pitfalls. So what are we to make of Xian’er, developed by Chinese artificial intelligence experts to, as ShanghaiList reports, “sense his surroundings and answer deep questions about Buddhism?” Already well-known as an animated character who teaches Buddhist concepts, Xian’er is now firmly in the [...]
How Oculus Rift Will Change Buddhism
It won’t be long before you can slip on a headset and enter a new dharma realm. But, says Vincent Horn, we should watch our step. “Presence”—that’s the term used by the makers of virtual reality (“VR”) to describe how immersive it feels when you’re in one of their simulated three-dimensional environments. It’s the visceral feeling of actually being somewhere. I experienced [...]
The year in Buddhist tweets
2015 was a big year for @LionsRoar. These top ten tweets are an illustrative cross-section of the goings-on at Lion's Roar. Watch next year's top ten arrive in real time by following us on Twitter, @LionsRoar and @BuddhadharmaMag. #10 From a Q&A with our friend, @SensesFail vocalist Buddy Nielsen. https://twitter.com/ShambhalaSun/status/596759529238503425 #9 This PSA [...]