Thai Buddhist monks criticized for lavish behavior

Posted: April 13, 2015 at 8:53 pm


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MENAFN - Arab Times - 12/04/2015 (MENAFN - Arab Times) BANGKOK (AP) Thailand's Buddhism body said it is monitoring monks nationwide for any inappropriate behavior after a video showed monks using luxurious personal items while flying on a private jet. The YouTube video showed one of the monks was wearing stylish aviator sunglasses carrying a luxury brand travel bag and sporting a pair of modern-looking wireless headphones. It attracted criticism from Buddhists nationwide. Office of National Buddhism director-general Nopparat Benjawatananun said Monday that the agency saw the video early this year and had warned the monks from a monastery in Thailand's northeast not to repeat the lavish behavior. A country with the world's largest Buddhist population Thailand has attempted to help Buddha's 2600-year-old doctrine stand the test of time through a variety of means including banning the sale of alcohol on religious holidays. The efforts however are sometimes tainted by the Buddhist monks themselves. Last year about 300 out of 61416 Buddhist monks and novices in Thailand were reprimanded and several were removed from the monkhood because of misconduct ranging from alcohol consumption having sex with women to extortion. The Office also received complaints about monks driving cars and scams and false claims of black magic uses by monks. Nopparat said the Buddhist monks in the video were acting "inappropriately not composed and not adhering to Buddha's teachings of simplicity and self-restraint." Monruedee Bantoengsuk an administrative officer at Khantitham Temple in Sisaket province confirmed to The Associated Press that the monks on the private plane lived at the temple but refused to give details about the trip. "We can explain this but not now" she said saying that the abbot who appeared in the video is currently on a religious tour in France. The images from the video contrasted with the abbot's message on the temple's homepage that read: "The true core of those who preach Buddha's teachings is to not to own any objects at all." "When Lord Buddha was alive there wasn't anything like this. There were no cars smart phones or cameras so the rules were much simpler" said Nopparat. "While the monks need to keep themselves abreast of new knowledge current events and technology they are restrained to choose the appropriate tools." He said one way to prevent the monks from misbehaving is for followers not to spoil them with valuable objects or vices. "In many cases it was the followers who gave the monks the luxury. Some bought them sports cars. This is by no means necessary."

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Thai Buddhist monks criticized for lavish behavior

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Written by simmons |

April 13th, 2015 at 8:53 pm

Posted in Buddhism




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