On real and bogus monks
The Star, July 25, 2007; Published on
the Buddhist Channel, Aug 2, 2007
Penang, Malaysia -- The problem of bogus monks
soliciting money can be curbed if Buddhists in the country are
educated on the true practices of Buddhism, said Yayasan Belia
Buddhist Malaysia vice-chairman Datuk Tan Gin Soon.
Divine: Devotees,monks and nuns gathering for prayer and transfer
of merits.
Monks from three different schools of Buddhism Mahayana,
Theravada and Vajrayana chanted suttas (teachings of
Buddha).
Buddhists must educate themselves to know when to give and when
not to give donations.
They must be able to differentiate the real monks from the bogus
monks, he said in his speech during the 2007 National Maha
Sang-hika Dana held at the Moral Uplifting Society premises in
Jalan Macalister in Penang recently.
More than 200 Buddhist monks and nuns from various parts of the
world and country gathered for the event to chant prayers for the
living and deceased.
About 2,000 Buddhist devotees attended the event to offer alms to
the monks.
A total of RM150,000 was raised at the event.
Tan said RM20,000 was used for the event and the rest would be
channelled to the Maha Sangha Fund to finance the monks
educational and medical expenses.
Alokarama Asahan of Aloka Foundation Malacca chief monk Ven Mahinda
Maha Thera said it was difficult to have such a gathering.
Let us not think that the Dana today is only for certain
individuals and only in Penang but think of it as a whole, he
said.