Buddha on social media: like-gathering wisdom, trending hashtags

There is an ancient saying: "I point my finger at the moon, but people start to like my finger." In the 21st century, this saying - with some digital enhancements - reads, "If you post about the moon but don't use a hashtag, you'll be in perpetual darkness." The Buddha is scrolling this morning: the dharma wheel is now pixelated, and the four noble truths of suffering are compressed into an instant meme. I wonder what a world would be like where enlightenment is also tied to a follower number, and nirvāṇa is authenticated by a commentary stream?

If the old teachers trusted in the power of silence, today they trust in algorithms. The Buddha doesn't meditate, he produces content: three inspirational words of wisdom a day, a motivational story, sometimes a charity live, with a donation button of course. Disciples gather in the comments section, where the debate is replaced by a "Who quoted the Master's words more accurately?" contest.
Buddha's tip: "Before true silent contemplation, set your profile picture."

In the old days, karma was collected over long lifetimes. Today, a well-edited feed is enough. Every wisdom-likes, every shared "Compassion for the World" post is +1 unit in the celestial newsfeed. Karmic yield: more and more people follow, and some sponsors even sign up to print Buddha mottos on kettles.
Is anyone who doesn't post enlightened? Or just inactive?

Meditation challenge: The bodhi tree under the wifi signal is strong
The new challenge: a 30-day mindfulness challenge - a new wisdom selfie of silence every day. Hidden in the canopy of a bodhi tree, a webcam broadcasts live as the "progress bar" of enlightenment fills up. Meditation takes place in "do not disturb" mode, but the real deepening only begins when the camera is finally switched off.
Buddha's thought, "Real presence is when you don't get any notice."

4. Trending Dharma: The Beekeeping of Wisdom
The teachings spread like lightning: 'Life is suffering 1TP5Relatable #mondaymood." The four noble truths of dance choreographed on TikTok - "Watch me let go of attachment!" Wisdom spins in GIFs: a Buddha head with hearts floating around it.
When will enlightenment become a trending topic? And what if we just forget where it came from?

Silence was once the seed of teaching, now noise is the spinner of the dharma wheel. The ultimate stage of realisation is the 'most useful contributor' badge. The true sage does not sit on a rock, but moderates his own comments. The price of inner peace: a proper follower base, moderated posts, timed posts.
Buddha's warning, "If you post wisdom every day, you will slowly forget how to listen."

On social platforms, every word - whether it's a verse in a sutra or just a quick comment - loses weight. Like-gathering wisdoms dissolve in the scroll, until eventually only the algorithm remembers that there was ever a word about "mindfulness", "letting go" or "compassion". The void - śūnyatā - now waits at the end of the feed. You are silence."
Will the Buddha recognise you if you scroll through your hashtags?

The Buddha-seeker of the digital age will one day notice that after every post, there is a silent absence. Like someone who cries out from the mountaintops and only gets an echo. Perhaps true enlightenment today is no longer the latest wisdom meme, but a moment that is at last truly offline: when the phone goes dead, the feed goes silent, and the silence creeps back softly from where all the teaching began.