Monk had 10 bank accounts with daily transactions of $0.82 million

Patr

This is the follow up on news for the Luang Pu.....

http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Asia/Story/A1Story20130703-434200.html

Report is lodged against the monk

http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Asia/Story/A1Story20130704-434518.html


Luang Pu is the highest rank for a Thai monk.

Daozen

I can see Monks Gone Wild as the next MTV hit.

vinlyn

Yes, I read an article about this yesterday, right after I read a post in our forum about monks giving up worldly things.

There are any number of disgraced monks in Thailand...but many more honorable ones.

federica

Why was this in 'Members-Only'....?

Moved.

federica

Why are you interested in posting such sensations, @Patr?

Remember right Speech entails considering what is pertinent and what is schytt-stirring gossip.

betaboy

vinlyn said:

Yes, I read an article about this yesterday, right after I read a post in our forum about monks giving up worldly things.

There are any number of disgraced monks in Thailand...but many more honorable ones.

Are you sure? Religious people are usually dubious - money for them, morality for the masses. That's their formula.

Patr

federica said:

Why are you interested in posting such sensations, @Patr?

Remember right Speech entails considering what is pertinent and what is schytt-stirring gossip.

Well this is to broaden everyone's mind as to what the ordained can or cannot do. At least in countries where the framework exists. And as such, they should be appropriately dealt with.

Hear too many stories of wayward gurus operating with impunity, especially in the West (oh yes in the East as well, but they do face the consequences when caught) and too many of their students defending the behaviour, just because they have certain titles.

Well, again, this very young Luang Pu, age 36 must have been very well versed spiritually to gain the highest Thai ordained rank and has quite a following, to have that much funds.

This is to show that no matter how well versed in the Dharma and maybe giving tremendous talks, this is unacceptable behaviour for any Bhikku, of any Yanas.

It is in each Buddhist's interest to weed out those who damage and ultimately destroy the Dharma, especially the ordained, as prophesied by the Buddha.

And this is pertinent.

Zayl

The brighter the light, the harsher the shadow. A lot of people seem to forget this, though it is vital that we are aware of it. Which is why I feel Patr posted this in the first place. His follow up post to @Federica confirmed this.

vinlyn

betaboy said:

vinlyn said:

Yes, I read an article about this yesterday, right after I read a post in our forum about monks giving up worldly things.

There are any number of disgraced monks in Thailand...but many more honorable ones.

Are you sure? Religious people are usually dubious - money for them, morality for the masses. That's their formula.

No, religious people are not usually dubious. And, having lived in Thailand, I've seen how most monks live, and been inside their kutis.

federica

.

Patr said:

Well this is to broaden everyone's mind as to what the ordained can or cannot do.


At least in countries where the framework exists. And as such, they should be appropriately dealt with.

Hear too many stories of wayward gurus operating with impunity, especially in the West (oh yes in the East as well, but they do face the consequences when caught) and too many of their students defending the behaviour, just because they have certain titles.

Well, again, this very young Luang Pu, age 36 must have been very well versed spiritually to gain the highest Thai ordained rank and has quite a following, to have that much funds.

This is to show that no matter how well versed in the Dharma and maybe giving tremendous talks, this is unacceptable behaviour for any Bhikku, of any Yanas.

It is in each Buddhist's interest to weed out those who damage and ultimately destroy the Dharma, especially the ordained, as prophesied by the Buddha.

And this is pertinent.

Frankly, I care little about what others do or don't do, in this context.
What is more important to me, right now, is what I do.
Simply because I strive to cultivate right View, it doesn't automatically give me carte blanche to broadcast those whose view I consider to be 'wrong'.

This is not useful information.
This is gossip.

betaboy

federica said:

.

Patr said:

Well this is to broaden everyone's mind as to what the ordained can or cannot do.


At least in countries where the framework exists. And as such, they should be appropriately dealt with.

Hear too many stories of wayward gurus operating with impunity, especially in the West (oh yes in the East as well, but they do face the consequences when caught) and too many of their students defending the behaviour, just because they have certain titles.

Well, again, this very young Luang Pu, age 36 must have been very well versed spiritually to gain the highest Thai ordained rank and has quite a following, to have that much funds.

This is to show that no matter how well versed in the Dharma and maybe giving tremendous talks, this is unacceptable behaviour for any Bhikku, of any Yanas.

It is in each Buddhist's interest to weed out those who damage and ultimately destroy the Dharma, especially the ordained, as prophesied by the Buddha.

And this is pertinent.

Frankly, I care little about what others do or don't do, in this context.
What is more important to me, right now, is what I do.
Simply because I strive to cultivate right View, it doesn't automatically give me carte blanche to broadcast those whose view I consider to be 'wrong'.

This is not useful information.
This is gossip.

Are you saying that this monk doesn't have 10 bank accounts or so much money?

federica

I'm saying I frankly don't give a damn. It doesn't impact me, and he has to live with his deeds and conscience.

I don't.
I have enough on my own plate to be concerned about.
It's the way I live that counts.

lobster

@frederica
moderate and be damned :rarr:

all too often trolls get their self righteous kicks for pointing out the flawed, it is a flaw we allow by compounding with acquiescence, if occasional, good, if a tendency, then wipe out . . .

- yeah we know bad apples exist - duh!

this message provided by Crusty 'Judge Dredd' Lobster

pegembara

"It isn't right, monks, that sons of good families, on having gone forth out of faith from home to the homeless life, should get engaged in such topics of conversation, i.e., conversation about kings, robbers, & ministers of state... talk of whether things exist or not.

"There are these ten topics of [proper] conversation. Which ten? Talk on modesty, on contentment, on seclusion, on non-entanglement, on arousing persistence, on virtue, on concentration, on discernment, on release, and on the knowledge & vision of release. These are the ten topics of conversation. If you were to engage repeatedly in these ten topics of conversation, you would outshine even the sun & moon, so mighty, so powerful — to say nothing of the wanderers of other sects."

Topics of Conversation
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.069.than.html

I guess it is alright to talk about monks who don't practise contentment, modesty etc. as well as those who do. Otherwise maintain noble silence.

Dakini

Since we only very rarely get members interested in going to Thailand and studying Buddhism or joining a monastery there, the news in the OP could, perhaps fairly, be considered of no particular practical relevance, and therefore "idle chatter". However, if it were a post about a teacher in any Buddhist tradition that has followers here, like a Mahayana tradition, or the Thai Forest tradition, I would say it was an important post. People do join sanghas naively, and some get hurt or used. It's a public service to warn people of unscrupulous teachers, and to point out the need to be discerning in selecting one.

Also, I think that the fact that Thailand has a governing body that tries to keep an eye on monks and weed out the undisciplined ones is instructive. Maybe if Zen and other traditions had something like that, there would be fewer scandals. As Buddhism adapts to the West, and the West adapts to Buddhism, the call for greater transparency and accountability has been raised. These are essential for maintaining integrity in the sanghas and the safety of students. Perhaps this was Patr's aim: to provide transparency.

vinlyn

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/List-of-monks-assets-mounts-30209839.html

And here's a very good discussion of why this is important to Buddhism:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/The-problem-with-getting-attached-to-things-30209812.html

Linc

Cleaned this discussion up a bit. Please keep your fingers away from the moderators and don't tap on the glass. :pirate:

Patr

It is extremely easy for a Monk like him to just transmigrate and set up shop in a Western country. He has the title, the assets and followers to do it, especially if it gets too hot in Thailand... then chapter two starts.

Wow, a genuine, Thai 'Luang Pu' in residence setting up a new center, there'll be a queue forming fast.


We also read about pedophile priests, demagogue muftis, which are not in this part of the world, so then do we turn a blind eye, label it gossip, or do we enlighten our brethren to the truth, which is whats happening. The world is a 'smaller' place now!


FYI, I dont think theres more than a hundred living Luang Pus now, compared to many hundreds of Rinpoches.

vinlyn

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/652564-thai-buddhism-much-deeper-things-have-gone-wrong/?utm_source=newsletter-20130710-0953&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news

An article from one of the two leading -- and well respected -- English language daily newspapers about how the scandals -- which have now blown up into a possible sex scandal and another monk -- are affecting Thai Buddhists. Ultimately it addresses individual responsibilities of Thai Buddhists.