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@How, I wish you'd expand on this, which I found intriguing: "Buddhism must go into decline regardless of what you & I believe.. You can debate what this will mean but not it's inevitability. Historically this has already happened in many places just as sometimes it has later been reintroduced and regained a foothold again."
@vinlyn Nothing profound, just the meditative truth that everything that arises must also fade away. Just another version of everything changes. Disturbing for all of us with investments in Buddhism but can be also the impetus to attend to this nano moment of practise for nothing is certain there will be another one coming. Everything is fluidic. The identity is just an expression to hold our inability to accept the wider chaos that this fluidity presents. There is also the historical fluctuations that all but eliminated Buddhism in India in the 12 century as another type of example.
@vinlyn The unseen irony is while spouting off here about modern bling, I am at the same time preparing hundreds of my own blings involved in my next kayak expedition.
Here I am dissuading a stowaway in a photo that also explains why calling myself a minimalist with pretencions of renunciation today is a bit of a farce.
@lamaramadingdong Nope, it goes on the top of a mini cargo van. Some of the areas we travel have whirlpools capable of pulling down a single kayak so it's the monster double for this trip. This particular kayak is kevlar and has a rocker extreme enough to match a single for turning radius for surf landings and in shore rock gardens.
Jet-set monk hunted on sex charge By Ramy Inocencio and Kocha Olarn updated 2:05 PM EDT, Thu July 18, 2013
(CNN) -- To most of us, golden Aviator sunglasses, sleek wireless headphones, a Louis Vuitton bag and a private jet flight better suit the life of a Hollywood star than a holy Buddhist ascetic.
Yet Thailand's so-called "jet-set monk," 34-year old Luang Pu Nenkham, who claimed to be the reincarnation of a respected monk who lived several decades ago, is accused of ignoring his Buddhist vows of celibacy and a simple, moral living, as evidenced in video that showed up on youtube about two months ago. Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI), a division of the Ministry of Justice, tells CNN it believes the video was shot by one of the monks on the plane, passed around and posted anonymously.
Thai authorities, in an investigation, uncovered a mind-boggling list of assets that they say a man sworn to austerity should not possess.
Nenkham, now stripped of his religious leadership, owned at least 83 automobiles and a list of properties that include plots of land, houses and condominiums, according to the DSI. Thai authorities believe more properties have yet to be accounted.
Authorities also estimate at least 300 million baht, or nearly $10 million, have disappeared from Nenkham's bank accounts in recent days. Donations over the past decade, from poor supporters as well as rich backers, had helped Nenkham amass his total wealth, according to investigators.
On Wednesday, Thai authorities took action issuing a arrest warrant for the former holy man.
Nenkham, who also goes by the name Weerapol Sukpol, now faces charges of violating Thailand's computer crime act by posting "deceitful information," having sex with a minor and rape, authorities say. A female plaintiff who claimed Nenkham had sex with her when she was 14 years old submitted a request for a DNA test for her 11-year old son, says Tharit Pengdit, Director General of the Department of Special Investigation. They are still awaiting results. Nenkham's bank accounts also continue to be under investigation because of an unusually large amount of bank transactions, add Thai authorities.
Nenkham is now believed to be in the United States and in California, according to an "intelligent source," says DSI. The fugitive owns a Buddhist retreat some 75 miles south of Los Angeles.
We have been unable to reach Nenkham for comment. On Thursday, CNN went to the where the monk is believed to be staying. While they offered no official statement, one resident monk said Nenkham had not been seen at the retreat in three months. A second monk said Nenkham had not visited for a year.
As the manhunt for the fugitive monk gathers steam, Thailand's Department of Special Investigations tells CNN it has requested 114 financial institutions, land and transport departments to seize all of his assets. Thai authorities have also requested U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to revoke Nenkham's visa, said DSI's Pengdit to CNN, and will ask U.S. authorities to arrest and remand him into Thai custody.
I love Buddhism, but between this story and what's been happening to me lately within the realm of Buddhist teachers/students, I kinda don't know what to think anymore.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
It's a bit like Catholicism, Priests and choirboys.
From today's edition of The Bangkok Post: "Thailand's Special Investigation Department (DSI) asked the Criminal Court to approve an arrest warrant for Wiraphon Sukphon, the former Buddhist monk previously known as Luang Pu Nen Kham, for allegedly violating the Computer Crime Act, having sex with a minor and fraud.
...
Once the warrant is approved, the DSI will seek cooperation from the Foreign Ministry and the Immigration Bureau to have Mr Wiraphon extradited to stand trial in Thailand.
The Anti-Money Laundering Office would also be asked to freeze all ill-gotten assets of the former monk, he said.
The disrobed monk, whose footage of him and two other monks travelling in a private jet, wearing sunglasses and having expensive gadgets as well as a brandname bag, went viral and became a top news headline, was accused of deceiving people by advertising seeking donations and a sex offence with an underage girl about a decade ago.
The DSI found he has 41 bank accounts and more than 70 luxury cars in his possession.
However the bank accounts with 200-300 million baht in daily circulation were recently found to have only 2-3 million baht remaining, according to Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) adviser Narong Rattananukul."
Comments
Nothing profound, just the meditative truth that everything that arises must also fade away. Just another version of everything changes.
Disturbing for all of us with investments in Buddhism but can be also the impetus to attend to this nano moment of practise for nothing is certain there will be another one coming. Everything is fluidic. The identity is just an expression to hold our inability to accept the wider chaos that this fluidity presents.
There is also the historical fluctuations that all but eliminated Buddhism in India in the 12 century as another type of example.
Nope, it goes on the top of a mini cargo van. Some of the areas we travel have whirlpools capable of pulling down a single kayak so it's the monster double for this trip. This particular kayak is kevlar and has a rocker extreme enough to match a single for turning radius for surf landings and in shore rock gardens.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/18/world/thailand-corrupt-jet-set-monk/index.html?hpt=hp_c4
I love Buddhism, but between this story and what's been happening to me lately within the realm of Buddhist teachers/students, I kinda don't know what to think anymore.
Separate the 'Monk' from the 'teaching'.
Follow what you know is right.
...
Once the warrant is approved, the DSI will seek cooperation from the Foreign Ministry and the Immigration Bureau to have Mr Wiraphon extradited to stand trial in Thailand.
The Anti-Money Laundering Office would also be asked to freeze all ill-gotten assets of the former monk, he said.
The disrobed monk, whose footage of him and two other monks travelling in a private jet, wearing sunglasses and having expensive gadgets as well as a brandname bag, went viral and became a top news headline, was accused of deceiving people by advertising seeking donations and a sex offence with an underage girl about a decade ago.
The DSI found he has 41 bank accounts and more than 70 luxury cars in his possession.
However the bank accounts with 200-300 million baht in daily circulation were recently found to have only 2-3 million baht remaining, according to Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) adviser Narong Rattananukul."