masks and millstones simulating religious rituals in second life

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Masks and MillstonesSimulating religious rituals in Second Life

The Problem

DR2535, Encountering Buddhism

rituals

social processes and groups

We read about ‘temporary monastic ordination‘ — but what’s it like?

A Strategy

What if we extended the idea of role-playing in class by creating an entire Buddhist monastery in a virtual world?

CLT Research <-> Teaching grants.

Why Second Life?

Millions of users: virtual societies

Free to use

Viewer on all three platforms

Large educator community

Teaching

Why Second Life?

Obsessed with appearance

Lonely

Highly commodified

Close fit with Buddhist description of suffering

Would Buddhist rituals be possible?

Research

The plan

Orientation • Immersion • Renunciation • Group activity • Giving back robes • Review

And So I Began to

Build

QuickTime™ and aMPEG-4 Video decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aMPEG-4 Video decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

MasksImmersion in Second Life

is as ordinary as immersionin reading a novel.

For some students, drawinga line between the avatar

andthemselves made becoming aBuddhist monk acceptable.

Millstones

Building for immersion requires multiple skills in depth and a fat toolbox.

Scheduled blocks of time online are essential.

Thanks

Phil Marston and CLT.

Derek Logan and Paolo Marioni in DIT

The 2009 pravrajika group in Emptiness Hall