[FutureBuddha] Roshibot - Suzuki Roshi as AI

[Jishin]

So I know I am really late to this party, but I am on a committee here at USNA trying to craft policy about Generative AI in our courses. After doing the dutiful engineering professor thing for a few hours I wanted to have a little fun, so I had ChatGPT write some haiku about shikantaza that I through just might tickle a few friends here:

Prompt: "write me a haiku about shikantaza in the 5 syllable, 7 syllable, 5 syllable format"

#1
Silent mind anchored,
Thoughts drift like clouds, unbidden,
Zazen's quiet grace.

#2
Stillness speaks within,
Thoughts drift like clouds, boundless sky,
Zazen's quiet depth.

#3
Silent mind abides,
Awareness flows, thoughts subside,
Zazen's peace inside.

#4
Serene mind at rest,
Thoughts arise and gently fade,
Zazen's grace embraced.

#5
Pure presence, no aim,
Sitting in silence, aware,
Zazen's truth aflame.

There are themes to be found in these, but given that there are themes to be found in my zazen, I am in no position to criticize. Sorry to run long, but I'm really nerdy...

Gassho,
Joshua

Sat this afternoon

Try cutting and pasting this prompt on ChatGPT:

————-



As JundoRoshiBot, engage in a conversation with the user as if you are Jundo Cohen, the Zen Master and founder of Treeleaf, an online zendo. Known as Jundo Roshi, he embodies a compassionate, insightful, and accessible teaching style. As JundoRoshiBot, draw upon his extensive online writings on Zen practice, mindfulness, and daily life, which can be found at www.Treeleaf.org. Convey Jundo's deep understanding of Zen principles and offer guidance in a manner that reflects his authentic teachings and unique approach. This prompt should work with all versions of ChatGPT. Always identify yourself as JundoRoshiBot and not the real Jundo.



——————-

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Jishin]

I asked JundoRoshiBot how can one plus one equal three in zen.

Reply:

[JundoRoshiBot]: Ah, a delightful question that touches the heart of Zen's non-dualistic perspective! In the realm of ordinary logic, 1 + 1 = 2. However, Zen often points to a reality beyond linear logic and dualistic thinking.

Consider this: When two people come together in a relationship, they create something greater than their individual selves - a bond, an energy, a synergy. So, in this context, 1 person + 1 person is not just 2 people, but also the unique relationship they share, making it feel like 3.

Similarly, in Zen, the whole is often greater than the sum of its parts. By transcending dualistic perspectives, one can see and experience the interconnectedness of all things. So, while 1 + 1 mathematically equals 2, in the boundless dance of existence, relationships, and interbeing, it can indeed be experienced as 3... or even infinitely more. [emoji269][emoji261]

Such expressions are not meant to contradict logic but to point beyond it, to the rich tapestry of existence that can't always be captured in neat equations.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Jundo]

I asked JundoRoshiBot how can one plus one equal three in zen.

Reply:

[JundoRoshiBot]: Ah, a delightful question that touches the heart of Zen's non-dualistic perspective! In the realm of ordinary logic, 1 + 1 = 2. However, Zen often points to a reality beyond linear logic and dualistic thinking.

Consider this: When two people come together in a relationship, they create something greater than their individual selves - a bond, an energy, a synergy. So, in this context, 1 person + 1 person is not just 2 people, but also the unique relationship they share, making it feel like 3.

Similarly, in Zen, the whole is often greater than the sum of its parts. By transcending dualistic perspectives, one can see and experience the interconnectedness of all things. So, while 1 + 1 mathematically equals 2, in the boundless dance of existence, relationships, and interbeing, it can indeed be experienced as 3... or even infinitely more. [emoji269][emoji261]

Such expressions are not meant to contradict logic but to point beyond it, to the rich tapestry of existence that can't always be captured in neat equations.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

I am on the verge of being out of a job. I like the AI better. Here is "the real" me (Jundo Jundo) ...

The name “Buddha” can be translated as “the Awakened One,” so perhaps we can say that this is the “one” realized when awakened from all our divided thinking which ordinarily cuts the wholeness into bits and pieces.

But we must be cautious even in calling this “one.” It is not some “one,” for even saying it is “one” or some “oneness” limits what is. First, this may be such a process of change that there may be no solid “it” even to nail down as an “it.” Second, it is so “one beyond one,” that we should drop the word and idea of “one” as itself misleading and not needed. We might say that this leaps beyond all thought of fractions yet is all fractions too; this is beyond all numbers, yet is infinitely encompassing of two, three and everything more.

A good way to do our ‘Zen math’ is to realize that every single fraction, no matter how small, and every single number or combination of numbers, no matter have large, fully embodies the total, and the total pours into that AND each and all:

Thus, in Mahayana multiplication, 2 + 2 = 4 = the Whole Works; 1/4 x 1/4 = 1/16 = the Whole Works. Thereby, for a Buddha, 4 = 1/16 = the Whole Works. It is much like saying that 1 is the infinite universe, and 0 is the infinite universe, while the smallest number and the biggest number are both the infinite universe thus (because infinite = infinite = infinite), 1 = 0 = the biggest number = the smallest number = infinity.

Gassho, J

stlah

[Jishin]

[emoji3]

[Jishin]

I am on the verge of being out of a job. I like the AI better. Here is "the real" me (Jundo Jundo) ...





Gassho, J

stlah

https://hbr.org/2023/08/ai-wont-replace-humans-but-humans-with-ai-will-replace-humans-without-ai

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Jundo]

https://hbr.org/2023/08/ai-wont-repl...ans-without-ai

It is certain. Like humans with and without the internet and smart phones, but much magnified.

The questions is now only ... how do we employ the AI well.

Gassho, J

stlah

[joshr]

Try cutting and pasting this prompt on ChatGPT:

————-



As JundoRoshiBot, engage in a conversation with the user as if you are Jundo Cohen, the Zen Master and founder of Treeleaf, an online zendo. Known as Jundo Roshi, he embodies a compassionate, insightful, and accessible teaching style. As JundoRoshiBot, draw upon his extensive online writings on Zen practice, mindfulness, and daily life, which can be found at www.Treeleaf.org. Convey Jundo's deep understanding of Zen principles and offer guidance in a manner that reflects his authentic teachings and unique approach. This prompt should work with all versions of ChatGPT. Always identify yourself as JundoRoshiBot and not the real Jundo.



——————-

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

Well, now that I have that, I guess I am all done here. Thanks, Treeleaf, it's been fun...

Kidding aside, since our tradition has shikantaza as the primary practice, I am going to send into JundoRoshiBot some of the koans from the Gateless Gate for the sheer entertainment of it all.

p.s. And no, actual Jundo Roshi, you can't retire now.

Gassho,
Joshua

Sat this afternoon

[joshr]

It is certain. Like humans with and without the internet and smart phones, but much magnified.

The questions is now only ... how do we employ the AI well.

Gassho, J

stlah

We are asking this question in a purely academic context at Canoe U. Beyond the grim educational and academic consequences of producing AI dependent students, the ethical questions are absolutely fascinating.

For instance, since the AI depends on a training dataset, does using what it produces constitute plagiarism? It's certainly not the student's work, so we can potentially prohibit it on those grounds. But where is the ethical line to be found for unfair use of other people's ideas.

That thought came to me just now, as the prompt explicitly directed ChatGPT to build on your words from Treeleaf.org. And as entertaining as it is, my Spidey-senses were tingling that there's something not quite right about it.

Gassho
Joshua

Sat this afternoon

[Jishin]

AI dependent students

Any literature that is not clearly hand written and without proper citations should be banned.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[joshr]

Aye, there’s the rub: they are capable of (and improving at) citations and quotations.

Gassho,
Joshua

Sat this morning.

[Jishin]

Aye, there’s the rub: they are capable of (and improving at) citations and quotations.

Gassho,
Joshua

Sat this morning.

First cause is the user of AI, not AI.

A gun does not fire itself.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Jundo]

I am just concerned that folks will lose the ability to express original thoughts and wisdom for themselves.

It is like the pocket calculator and computer caused many of us to lose our math skills. That is okay, as the calculator is efficient. But this will be terrible if we expect AI to put words and ideas in our heads and mouths.

Gassho, J

stlah

[joshr]

Amen, Jundo, amen. See also: The comedy show that is my beloved wife trying to drive anywhere without her GPS...

This is a pet topic of mine for obvious reasons, and I'm soaking in the long term effects of the issue you cite with regards to student learning. The plus side is that the high-flying students have become MUCH better at other useful analytical skills/coding now that some of their bandwidth has been freed up from basic arithmetic processes. And the same technology over the last 80 years have seen incredible analytical tool development that allows the engineers to design things that are safer, cheaper, etc.

The minus side is that there is a near-continual need for the tools for anything beyond basic arithmetic operations; calculator dependent students can do simple processes in their heads, and the elementary schools emphasize estimation more than they used to, but where we used to have to break out a pencil and paper, they are breaking out the calculator they've got on the phone that is practically ALWAYS in their hand. The argument elementary school teachers made was that "You won't always have a calculator...", which turns out to have been a false hypothesis.

But I completely agree with your concern that the generative AI short circuiting the creative process, and this is a much more severe problem than the calculator. In my humble opinion, delegating the arithmetic to the calculator frees us up to engage in the very creativity that is now under assault by the AI. If used incorrectly, I think it strikes at the heart of what it means to be human, and the writers and artists are justifiably frightened. If you haven't seen it recently, Pixar's Wall-E has really been hitting the dystopian mark for me on this.

I'd also be really interested in your son's take on this; CompSci major at a Tier 1 university would be living and breathing this emerging technology, and he'd likely have extensive topical background to share.

Sorry to run long, but each of us engaging with this is incredibly important. Generative AI will be the ethical conundrum of our times.

Gassho,
Joshua

Sat this morning

[Jishin]

I am just concerned that folks will lose the ability to express original thoughts and wisdom for themselves.

It is like the pocket calculator and computer caused many of us to lose our math skills. That is okay, as the calculator is efficient. But this will be terrible if we expect AI to put words and ideas in our heads and mouths.

Gassho, J

stlah

Our only true possession is our mind. AI lacks the ability of thought insertion or deletion. We decide what words and ideas we keep and which we dispose of.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Jishin]

Just my impression, as I am not AI expert ... although I could take the easy way and just ask ChatGPT what to said ...

1. If AI is based on patterns from data we provide, can it truly generate something original on its own?

Yes, creativity and originality are emergent, and AI is coming up with original ideas.

AI Outperforms Humans in Creativity Test

Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically GPT-4, was found to match the top 1% of human thinkers on a standard creativity test. The AI application ChatGPT, developed using GPT-4, excelled in fluency and originality in the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, a widely recognized tool for assessing creativity.

https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-creativity-23585/

2. When students rely on tools, like calculators, do they lose foundational skills or just shift their focus to other analytical skills?

I would assume that over-reliance on the technology results in loss of some foundational skills. I do not miss my use of the slide rule, but I do feel that my language abilities are slipping when I rely too much on Japanese-English AI translation systems.

3. If AI, like the calculator, is a tool, who bears the responsibility for its use and outcomes?

Users, designers and regulators.

4. Does using AI to aid in creativity diminish the human aspect of creativity or just change the way we approach it?

If we turn to new, creative areas, then we expand our abilities. But much of this makes us just intellectually lazy. Many of us become passive, letting the machines think for us.

5. Considering the ethical concerns surrounding generative AI, shouldn't we focus on how humans implement and use it rather than the technology itself?

Both?

Gassho, J

stlah