The Impacts of Technology and Globalisation on Buddhism

Over the past fifty years there has been a rapid increase in Buddhist adherents, this is due to the accelerated improvement in technology and the consequent elevation of globalisation. Buddhism is a wide spread, immensely populated religion that circumscribes a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, based on the teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha). Over time, the Buddhist environment has been affected by the diversity of cultures within societies which has implemented change within a person’s environment. The documentary ‘Buddhism meets Technology- Digital democracy’, the article ‘Globalization and Buddhism-Alfred Bloom’ and the image of the Golden Buddha Phone ... are examples that contribute to the impact that technology and globalisation have on Buddhism.
Technology can be defined as an application of knowledge suited to meet an individual’s expectation. The documentary ‘Buddhism meets Technology – Digital democracy’ clearly identifies how technology has impacted Buddhism. Burmese Monk U Agga (leader of Burma's 2007 Saffron Revolution), discusses the role that digital technology has depicted in the Burmese democracy movement. Agga believes that is essential to keep up with the global cohort of technology as it allows for individuals to be notified on current issues and affairs’ surrounding cosmos and it’s also considered as a form of communication between individuals. The world is interconnected instantaneously through electronic devices such as television and the Internet. Agga is informing adherents in the macro world on the absence of peace and human rights that the monastery is faced with in the micro world; Burma. Through the use of technology entities from abroad were able to gain insight into the “terrible situation inside Burma” . Witnesses are able to record what they have viewed and post it the internet (online) which is now estimated to be frequently used by 26.6% of the world’s population daily, thus, allowing a