Search Buddhist Channel

A policy of "open communication"

by Ven Dharmakara, Los Angeles, The Buddhist Channel, June 25, 2007

I refer to the letter by E.W. Silke on "What's the Buddhist Channel's editorial policy". The editorial policy of the Buddhist Channel, as I understand and expressed by it's founding editor, is that of open communication or, to quote Lim Kooi Fong, "to live the principles of the Kalama Sutta to the fullest."

0, Kalamas,
It is proper for you to doubt; to feel uncertain.
Your uncertainty has arisen in what is doubtful.
Do not accept anything merely by,
What you hear repeatedly.
What has been handed down by tradition,
Rumour,
Surmise,
Axiom,
Attractive reasoning,
Apparent logical inference or speculation,
Appealing model, form or appearance
Agreeable beliefs,
Another's seeming ability,
Nor by out of respect for the teacher.

Athough the Kalama Sutta is abused by many Western Buddhists, who use it as an excuse to pick and choose what parts of the Dharma they consider to be authentic, there is another type of abuse which is even worse, when Buddhists hide behind particuliar precepts or understandings of the Dharma solely for the purpose of silencing open communication or dialogue.

We, as Buddhists, must confront the good, the bad, and, saddly enough, the ugly within our tradition, not ignore it in some misguided belief that it will go away, not get noticed, or cease to occur.

If Buddhism, as an institution, is allowed to become sociocentric, then the lines between what is ethical and what is unethical will only get more blurred.

Only when we can distinguish "sociocentric thinking" from "ethical thinking", then and only then, can we begin to develop a conscience that is not equivalent to the values we have been socially conditioned to accept.

Without a clear understanding of sociocentric tendencies, we become victims of the conformist thought dominant in social groups, and we become potential victimizers of others who disagree with the group ideology.

Members of the Buddhist community may not care for my words, they may wish instead to live in denial and say that my words are "unwarranted" or "slanderous", even that I am "disturbed", but at the end of the day, to borrow an expression from those who apparently like quoting my own words, "the wheat will be separated from the chaff".

We Need Your Help to Train the
Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!
(Neural Omniscient Robotic-Being for Buddhist Understanding)

For Malaysians who wants to donate in MYR, please use the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
Note: Please indicate your name in the payment slip. Thank you.

Dear Friends in the Dharma,

We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.

Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:

One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.

How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.

For Malaysians who wants to donate in MYR, please use the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.

Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.

Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.

Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.

Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.

Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!

May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,

With deepest gratitude,

Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team

Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau

We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.

If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv

TOP