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Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 4:50 am
by Bankei
binocular wrote:Things like these are not that rare in other Buddhist traditions, and in other spiritual / religious schools, right?

I guess part of the shock around the jet-setting monks etc. is that so far, Theravada has had the reputation of being relatively free of scandals, the most un-problematic tradition of Buddhism. As far as I know, scandals used to be the domain of Tibetan Buddhism and Zen. My first mental association to "scandal in Buddhist sangha" is a Tibetan or Zen teacher having sex with students or using drugs or murky financial schemes.

Oh ...
I agree with Chownah,

In Thailand there is a major scandal every few years involving senior monks. A few years ago there was a famous abbot arrested for raping children. He was sentanced to around 30 years in prison. Also maybe 10 years ago there was a famous monk called Ajahn Yantra who was alleged to have fathered a child - he escaped over the board to Cambodia and ended up in USA on a false passport. He was granted some sort of asylum in USA and still lives there as a 'monk' of some sort. He was also involved in a car accident in which someone was killed and he was the one that was at fault (as driver) - but he escaped prison. Wonder what has happened to him.

Bankei

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 5:53 am
by forestmat
@Bankei - Aj Yantra as he was known is still around - in fact saw him on a video clip just the other day sporting a long beard and wearing dull orange/brown robes. Somewhere in Florida I believe?

I remember the fuss in the newspapers back in 1994/1995 when the stories of his sexual exploits came to light.

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 8:03 am
by binocular
chownah wrote:Things like this happen all the time in Thailand but usually not on such a grand scale...it is in the newspapers and on TV from time to time....the bulk of it is not interesting enough or unusual enough to even warrant mentioning in the news....

I think it is mostly people who have never lived in a country with a large monkhood who are so taken by this scandal...although it certainly is an extensive list of accusations and so is being featured in the news everyday here in Thailand but this has a lot to do with Thai people liking to talk about a good scandal of any kind so it makes good copy.
I've just discovered that even though I know of the kind of crap that so often goes on in spiritual/religious circles, and have witnessed some of it myself, I am nevertheless more affected by the news of these recent scandals than I'd thought I would be ...

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:01 am
by forestmat
From an article just posted:

"The woman who claims defrocked monk Wirapol Sukphol, formerly known as Luang Pu Nen Kham, fathered her 11-year-old son on Tuesday filed suit in the Si Sa Ket Youth and Family Court, asking that the disgraced monk be acknowleged as the boy's father and that he be ordered to pay 40 million baht in back-dated child maintenance..."

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... -backdated

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:38 am
by BlackBird
'defrocked' I wonder if he indeed is defrocked or whether he is still wearing the robes despite ecclesiastical expulsion. Furthermore it might pay for the authorities to remember that under the Vinaya he needs no official expulsion, for committing a parajika offense he is automatically no longer a monk.

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:09 am
by forestmat
This is the lounge after all...

here's the Bangkok Post's latest take on things:

Monk gone, money gone

The photos show a Luang Pu Nen Kham medallion, left, and a fake mocking the disgraced monk. (Facebook photos)

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... nk-acounts

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:49 am
by BlackBird
I hope he is forced to pay child support for his many children, but I hope that money does not come from donations given to the Sangha and stolen by this disgraceful man.

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 2:57 am
by Bankei
forestmat wrote:@Bankei - Aj Yantra as he was known is still around - in fact saw him on a video clip just the other day sporting a long beard and wearing dull orange/brown robes. Somewhere in Florida I believe?

I remember the fuss in the newspapers back in 1994/1995 when the stories of his sexual exploits came to light.
Wow, long beard and robes!

Would you have a link to the video?
Thanks forestmat

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 2:59 am
by Bankei
The "world's largest Emerald Buddha image replica" at Si Sa Ket's Wat Pa Khanthitham was found yesterday it was not made of jade.
Disrobed monk Wirapol Sukpol, better known as Luang Pu Nenkham, claimed the green concrete figurine was made of Indian jade. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) officials found this during their gathering of evidence for public fraud charges against Wirapol.

Meanwhile, Wirapol has 30 days to appeal in person against the Si Sa Ket monastic council's ruling to oust him from monkhood for reportedly having a sexual relationship with a woman - otherwise the judgement would be final, Office of National Buddhism chief Nopparat Benjawatananun said yesterday.

He insisted Wirapol's claim to be transferred to the supervision of an overseas temple would still leave him an unsupervised monk because temples overseas were not under Thai law or the Buddhist Order Act.

Songkran Atchariyasap, who heads the "Facebook network against acts that destroy the nation, religion and the royal institution" yesterday submitted Wirapol's brochures to raise money donations to the Anti-Money Laundering Office to investigate financial transactions and fraudulent activities by Wirapol's network.

He said the network comprised more than 20 people including businessmen and a former national politician.

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 3:10 am
by tiltbillings
Naughty bhikkhus.

How about some stories about monks who are doing the right things.

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 4:14 am
by forestmat
tiltbillings wrote:Naughty bhikkhus.

How about some stories about monks who are doing the right things.
Although as I am sure you have read this case is rather more serious than just a "Naughty bhikkhus" case, with allegations of sex with a minor (a girl aged 14) and misappropriation of some 300m Baht (approximately £6.5 million)

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 4:45 am
by tiltbillings
forestmat wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:Naughty bhikkhus.

How about some stories about monks who are doing the right things.
Although as I am sure you have read this case is rather more serious than just a "Naughty bhikkhus" case, with allegations of sex with a minor (a girl aged 14) and misappropriation of some 300m Baht (approximately £6.5 million)
I realize the case is rather more serious than "naughty bhikkhus." While it is not that such things should not be looked at, I wonder when the "looking at" crosses a line into something else a little less than wholesome.

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 7:51 am
by gavesako
Bankei wrote:
forestmat wrote:@Bankei - Aj Yantra as he was known is still around - in fact saw him on a video clip just the other day sporting a long beard and wearing dull orange/brown robes. Somewhere in Florida I believe?

I remember the fuss in the newspapers back in 1994/1995 when the stories of his sexual exploits came to light.
Wow, long beard and robes!

Would you have a link to the video?
Thanks forestmat
Ex-Ajahn Yantra still alive and kicking in the Land of Endless Opportunities (America) in 2013:

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 11:13 am
by Bankei
Oh, that is Yantra! I have seen photos of this santa clause like monk before and didn't realise it was him.

Thank Bhante.

Re: Monks in private jets pass test

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 12:58 pm
by forestmat
Fact (as opposed to gossip):

The Criminal Court has approved a warrant for the arrest of unfrocked monk Wirapol Sukphol, formerly known as Luang Pu Nen Kham Chattiko, Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tarit Pengdith said on Wednesday.

The warrant cites three charges - violation of the Computer Crimes Act, deceiving the public, and having sex with a girl under 15 years of age.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... a-fugitive