Technology and Dharma
technology and its relation to the Dharma,
to the 4 Noble Truths,
and to the 8 Fold Path,
is valuably analyzed.
experience is typically complicated and agitated
by technological inclusion.
this means that enhancement
of distraction and disorientation result.
to use technology in pursuit of Dharma,
reflective enhancement,
and calmness enhancement,
would be the operative technical outcomes.
typically artificial modifiers such as ingestibles,
or other psychoactive technologies
are suggested by those with entheogen interest.
yet as with people who seek to put on headphones
and have a recorded set of tones produce meditation
and its attended special effects,
one cannot have a machine
or an ingested or smoked artificial agent
commit to and execute an exertion of will.
this exertion of will is ESSENTIAL to discipline,
and the repercussion of it allows for self-development.
the personal role in making this happen
(whether on one's own impetus or
in response to the direction of a master/teacher)
sets into focus the continued development of skill.
in fact, the introduction of these devices or substances
complicates, perturbs, distorts, and ruins personal discipline,
suffusing the individual in delusion and confusion,
mistakenly impressing the ordinary with artificial glamour,
mistakenly concluding as to the results of maligned effort,
and mistakenly arriving at arrogant evaluation of outcome.
far better to ignore technology where practice is involved,
return to a simple, pared down, and rudimentary practice,
and exercise exertion of will
toward resolve, reflection, and repose,
without the complication and corruption of technology.
rather than to see that technology might enhance practice,
it would be better to talk about how to go about
dealing with the problems that technology causes.
for the distraction and disorientation that technology causes,
it is best to regularize use of technology so as to enable the
rise of awareness of these effects as they also regularize.
if one is solitary then a written reflective record can be of use
in bringing to consciousness this byproduct of engagement.
within it, be transparent about technology uses for any purpose
(washing dishes, laundering, driving, entertainment,
communication, etc).
for glamorous impressions and conclusions, the sangha is
a touchstone. whether this is formal and under the direction
of a master, or informal and one has a sound basis
from which to receive evaluation and feedback,
the convention is to run extraordinary feats past them,
then receive their honest consultation on the matter.
for arrogance in evaluating an outcome, there is little better
remedy for this than a didactic teacher or master who can
either mirror this or cut through it
with a perceptive and insightful repartee.