Buddhism and Digital Communication: Connecting the Guru, the Master and the Disciple through Digital tools

Abstract

Guru Rinpoche (or Padmasambhava), a Tibetan figure from the 8th century, is important in Tibetan Buddhism. Today, his traces are still visible in the Himalayas in caves, dedicated spots, and monasteries. Nowadays, a practitioner could be in contact with this Guru through his master, himself holding the knowledge and the ‘karmic’ connection with this Guru. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is the dominant and everlasting method. Surprisingly – or logically – the link between the Guru (and one of them, Guru Rinpoche), the master (itself an emanation), and the disciple is now also possible with social media and digital tools. The use of digital tools gives indication on how people understand and are maintaining the link into an everyday practice. By examining the presence and the activities by the
practitioners of Buddhism on digital tools, this article wants to examine the modalities of esoteric practices. Creating posts and photos may be a manner to express its devotion to the guru, a constitutive dimension of the relationship between a figure and practitioners. Moreover, with the 2020 lockdown, additional digital practice arises, such as online session with the master and mantra counter as
performative action.