Luxury condo in Singapore containing pornographic videos,
properties and luxury cars in Australia and the US, horses,
membership of exclusive country clubs, several platinum credit
cards....when and where is it going to end? I really find it hard
to believe that a member of the sangha (a Buddhist monk) who is
also the abbot of several monasteries and has vowed to lead a life
of renunciation and detachment from material possessions could get
away with this for so long. Leaving aside whether there may also
have been criminal activity because this has not yet been proven in
a court of law, and innocence is assumed until proven guilty, how
was this lifestyle possible? Were his fellow monks and devotees
blind to what was going on, or did they really not care? When
questioned about the propriety of Buddhist monks personally owning
properties in other countries overseas, his defence was "many
people had that". In other words, provided other members of the
sangha betray everything that the sangha stands for then it is
justifiable for him to do the same. I find it truly unbelievable
that a senior member of the sangha in our community would hold such
an attitude.
I am curious to know whether this individual continues to be the
Secretary of the Singapore Buddhist Federation, and if so, for how
long? Irrespective of whether or not he is found guilty in a court
of law, should this man be allowed to continue the sham of
pretending to live a life of renunciation and detachment as abbot
and spiritual leader of several monasteries when his real
life-style consists of extravagent self-indulgence and luxury? I
think not.
