Internet as an ecology : a case study on Tibetan buddhism.

Abstract

With the advent of the Internet, the feeling of an online "sacred space" has been enhanced by the use of stunning visual and audio. The internet is gradually taking shape as online ecology for the practice of various religions. Using Lytle's five components of religious ecology, namely collection (oral and written traditions), creed (doctrinal tenets), code (behavioral expectations), cultus (ritualistic practices) and community as its basis, this study examines Internet as an ecology for the practice of religion. The research seeks to find out how the Internet serves as a new environment to convey religious information and whether religious communities can be formed and sustained in cyberspace. To answer these questions, the online practice of Tibetan Buddhism was examined as a case study.