Making money, manipulating the religious spirit of the masses and plotting to corrupt the image of Buddhism is what is happening in Vietnam.
The lawsuits against the ill-gotten wealth of famous monks of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (GHPGVN) are taking place online, just one point in a dense map running throughout Vietnam. So if information is allowed to freely spread and dig deep, this chain of Buddhist impersonations will be completely exposed.
The events of wealthy pagodas and monks in Vietnam are reminiscent of similar events in atheist China. In 2015, abbot Shi Yongxin, who was known as a “CEO Venerable” for Shaolin Temple’s finances, was accused of misusing money from the temple’s huge revenue stream, which also included From worshiping stars, eliminating bad luck, praying for peace, selling entrance tickets… According to the report, in 2015 alone, selling tickets to visit the temple alone, with 100 yuan/person, Shaolin Temple earned approximately $7.3 million.
But things didn’t stop there, when everything went wrong, people learned that Shaolin Temple could only keep 1/3 of that amount. The rest is divided into the local government’s slush fund.
In the analysis titled The Decline And Fall Of Chinese Buddhism – How Modern Politics And Fast Money Corrupted An Ancient Religion Fast money has destroyed an ancient religion) by author Mimi Lau, published in SMCP newspaper, September 2018, clearly stating that Shaolin Temple as well as thousands of new temples built in China, always There is an executive council, in which Communist Party members and state officials participate.
A study by professor Zhe Ji, from the Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (Institut National des Langues et Civilizations Orientales) in Paris, shows that in many temples, the treasurer is a person appointed by the local government. Private expenses for the pagoda must be presented to the abbot, and the abbot cannot decide on his own.
Of course, now, selling gods, and expressing beliefs under the banner of communism, are places where money can be made so fast and so much that it’s dizzying.
Ten years ago, the Beijing government found all kinds of ways for corrupt officials to hide or transfer money. But since the advent of investing in building pagodas, temples, festivals… is the fastest and most legal way to launder money that officials personally act, or hide under tourism investment companies. That is why, with a consistent policy of hatred against religion, the Beijing government allowed the construction of thousands of pagodas, temples, and record-breaking Buddha statues… over the course of three decades.
Talking about the speed of building pagodas and large statues, according to statistics from the state-owned Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, from 1997 to 2007, Buddhist worship facilities only increased by a few hundred (from 14,048 temples, to 14,777 thrones). But recently, from 2007 to 2017, there were 18,466 houses. This growth figure partly explains the sudden situation of temples competing to raise funds, collect money, fabricate superstitious rituals… Even more terrifying, through gathering crowds, such places also luring the crowd to forget the reality of the country’s ruin, religious division and even destroying patriotism towards foreigners.
One obvious thing about socialism is that the government does not advocate creating Buddhist monks and wise men to enlighten sentient beings, but only creates crowds wearing monk’s robes and bronze bells. and enchanting incense. Because of the nature of the government, there is always fear that those wise men will guide sentient beings to the right path.
According to documents by researcher Mimi Lau, great China has only 240,000 great monks, but more than half are from Tibet. This vast country collects countless amounts of money from Buddhism, but there are only 41 Buddhist training schools, but those who come to study are strictly controlled by the State Administration of Religious Affairs. Even in Vietnam, after 44 years of geographical unification, the atheist Vietnamese state was unable to have Buddhist intellectuals such as Tue Sy, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Le Manh That.
What is behind the development of Buddhism as a way to make quick money and manipulate the masses? Studies from China show that many abbots, because they are jealous of each other’s way of making money, and rely on the support of officials or red tycoons, still find ways to harm and overthrow each other.
It is also a temple that relies on superstition and solicits money from believers… but the monks of the Fatherland Front still often post sarcastically and speak ill of each other. It seems that every temple or monk has a strong, well-supported political position? It’s hard to guess. But what can be seen right now is that fake teachers and hypocrites are pushing the nation and country down a crazy path. That religious stage is also coming to an end as if going through a dissolution.