Beyond the Algorithm: Finding Timeless Wisdom in the Age of AI

Recently, due to my work requirements, I have been diving deep into the applications of Artificial Intelligence in education. However, amidst the excitement of innovation, I’ve noticed an exhausting trend: every two weeks or a month, new products or features are launched. The tools and skills I just spent hours mastering suddenly feel obsolete.

Faced with this endless cycle of learning things that are destined to be quickly outdated, a profound sense of anxiety set in. It made me pause and ask myself a fundamental question: Is there any kind of learning that will remain eternally useful once acquired?

Discovering the "Threefold Training"

This reflection brought to mind a core concept in the Buddha's teachings: the Threefold Training. Comprising Sīla (Moral Discipline), Samādhi (Concentration), and Paññā (Wisdom), this training offers a stark contrast to our modern technological treadmill. Unlike software updates or hardware upgrades, the Threefold Training is completely immune to the passage of time. No matter how many centuries go by or how drastically technology evolves, these three pillars of spiritual practice will never lose their profound efficacy in our lives.

Technological Anxiety vs. Spiritual Stability

The ultimate goal of the Threefold Training is to gradually eliminate our inner afflictions (kleshas), allowing us to eradicate suffering and attain true, lasting happiness. Compare this to the rapid advancement of AI. While AI is undeniably powerful in solving practical problems, its relentless pace often breeds a subtle but pervasive anxiety. We constantly feel like we are falling behind, endlessly scrambling to keep up with an ever-changing landscape.

Practicing Sīla, Samādhi, and Paññā, on the other hand, anchors the mind. It brings a deep sense of peace and stability. When you know that what you are learning will never become obsolete—that it will continuously nourish and benefit you throughout the long river of your life—you experience a profound sense of groundedness. You are no longer exhausted by the need to endlessly chase after fleeting technological trends.

Conclusion: Turning AI into a Dharma Aid

When weighed against the relentless churn of modern technology, the enduring value of the Threefold Training becomes incredibly apparent. It is the ultimate "future-proof" knowledge.

Yet, as Buddhist practitioners in the modern world, we do not need to reject technology. Instead, we can redefine its purpose. If we can harness the incredible analytical and organizing power of AI to assist us in learning and spreading the Dharma, then we give this ever-changing technology a timeless purpose. In doing so, AI truly becomes a valuable aid on our path to awakening.

Luke Lin 3/21/2026