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Thread: Buddhists behaving badly

  1. #106
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    Slightly OT

    South Korean DJ NewJeansNim faces calls for ban in Malaysia after performing in monk robe at dance club
    Lawmaker Wee Ka Siong said NewJeansNim should be blocked form performing again at an entertainment venue in Kuala Lumpur to preserve religious harmony
    A group accused the DJ of ‘harming and disrespecting’ the Buddhist way of life with his act
    The Star

    Published: 11:20am, 9 May 2024



    Malaysian lawmaker Wee Ka Siong has chided a South Korean DJ for his recent performance in a Kuala Lumpur dance club while dressed as a monk.

    Wee said that DJ NewJeansNim has angered the Buddhist community in Malaysia when he “disguised” himself as a Buddhist monk and performed at the club, which gave a wrong perception of Buddhist values and teachings.
    “I agree with the Young Buddhist Association Malaysia (YBAM) and Fo Guang Shan Malaysia which have called for action to be taken by the authorities to ban a DJ from Korea from performing again at a dance club in Kuala Lumpur,” he said in a statement.

    The DJ had performed at the dance club on May 3 and was seen wearing a monk dressing gown and using Buddhist prayer items during his performance in a viral video.

    “His controversial acts have hurt the feelings of the Buddhist community, which will celebrate Vesak Day (the festival commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha) in two weeks’ time,” the Malaysian Chinese Association president said, adding that the DJ was expected to perform in Malaysia again on May 21 – a day before Vesak Day.

    “I appeal to the home affairs minister to instruct the immigration department, the police and the Puspal secretariat (the central committee for the application for filming and performance by foreign artistes) to prevent the entry of the DJ into Malaysia in order to respect the sanctity of Buddhism and preserve religious harmony in Malaysia.”

    “If the DJ did not disguise as a Buddhist monk during his performance and incite religious sensitivity and cause unnecessary controversy, the Buddhist community will not have any intention to block the performance of any artists,” Wee added.

    YBAM was reported saying that it has received complaints from devotees who believed that the DJ had “harmed and disrespected” the Buddhist way of life with his performance.
    Note to self - refrain from wearing my robes whilst DJing in Malaysia.
    Gene Ching
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  2. #107
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    More on NewJeansNim (aka Youn Sung-ho)

    Make Buddhism cool again: South Korea's controversial DJ 'monk'
    Seoul (AFP) – With a shaved head and flowing monk robes, a South Korean DJ chants traditional Buddhist scripture mixed with Gen-Z life advice over a thumping EDM beat, as the crowd goes wild.

    Issued on: 14/05/2024 - 12:55
    Modified: 14/05/2024 - 12:53
    4 min


    A senior monk bestowed upon Youn the monk name NewJeansNim, under which the 47-year-old now performs © Jung Yeon-je / AFP

    Meet Youn Sung-ho, a comedian-turned-musician whose viral Buddhism-infused sets are credited with reviving the religion's popularity among young South Koreans, even as his performances have ruffled feathers regionally, including triggering police reports in Malaysia.

    In South Korea's Zen Buddhist tradition, which holds that the religion's truth transcends the physical, Youn has been welcomed with open arms by senior clergy, who see him as a means to engage with young people.

    A senior monk even bestowed upon Youn the monk name NewJeansNim, under which the 47-year-old, who is not ordained, now performs.

    The moniker is a mash-up of "Seunim", a respectful Korean title for Buddhist monks and other devotional words -- with no connection to K-pop girl group NewJeans.

    "Pain! Because I don't get a raise. Pain! Because Monday comes too quickly," NewJeansNim chants on stage as hundreds of mostly young Korean revellers dance, waving their hands in sync.


    Youn Sung-ho's viral Buddhism-infused sets are credited with reviving the religion's popularity among young South Koreans © Jung Yeon-je / AFP

    "This too shall pass! We will overcome!" he adds, citing classic Buddhist tenants, as the beat drops at an electronic dance music (EDM) event marking a lantern festival for Buddha's birthday, which falls on Wednesday.

    Footage of his quirky, high-energy performances has gone viral, with striking visuals of a be-robed, shaven-headed Youn dancing, singing and spinning turntables.

    "Never did I expect this reaction. It's overwhelming," Youn told AFP ahead of his performance in Seoul at the weekend.

    He says he comes by his Buddhist DJ identity honestly.

    "My mother was a Buddhist and I also went to temples from a young age so Buddhism comes naturally to me."

    And his motivational lyrics are "just what I said to myself last year when I had no work and was really struggling -- good days do come".

    Malaysia ban?

    For many South Koreans, his words have resonated.


    For many South Koreans, his words have resonated © Jung Yeon-je / AFP

    "His messages provide comfort to those in their twenties and thirties who are burnt out and feel hopeless," says Kang Min-ji, a 26-year-old, who said they did not have any interest in Buddhism before watching NewJeansNim.

    "I always thought Buddhism was conservative until I saw his DJ performances," she added.

    But in neighbouring Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country with a significant Buddhist minority, where NewJeansNim performed in early May, a second gig planned for later this month was cancelled after his performance offended local Buddhists.

    "There have been police reports lodged against DJ NewJeansNim's performance in Malaysia by Buddhist societies and individuals," Eow Shiang Yen, secretary-general of the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia, told AFP.

    "The way he chooses to perform and his dress is not appropriate to Buddhist beliefs and practices," he said, adding: "We do not want others to misinterpret Buddhist practices."

    One Malaysian lawmaker has said NewJeansNim should not be allowed to perform in Kuala Lumpur using the trappings of Buddhism.

    Buddhism for all

    But in South Korea, the president of the country's largest Buddhist sect, the Jogye Order, has urged NewJeansNim to continue, seeing the DJ as a means of attracting new, younger followers.


    As in many advanced economies, religious interest has dwindled along with South Korea's population © Jung Yeon-je / AFP

    "Young people think that Buddhism is difficult and old," the Venerable Jinwoo Seunim has said.

    "In order to break this, it is better not to be too bound by tradition," he added.

    As in many advanced economies, religious interest has dwindled along with South Korea's population, official statistics show, and "Buddhism is the religion that is suffering the most," said Ja-hong Seunim, a 33-year-old monk.

    "We are not in a position to stop anyone from spreading Buddhism to young people," he told AFP.

    The non-traditional approach could also be seen at the International Buddhism Expo this year in Seoul, when attendees could pray with an AI Buddha, buy scripture clothing and eat Buddha-shaped chocolates. NewJeansNim played a set for the grand finale.

    Attendance was up threefold from last year, with 80 percent of attendees in their twenties or thirties, event organisers said.

    "There are definitely more Buddhist events for young people to enjoy, and basically they are 'hip' now," Choi Kyung-yoon, a 28-year-old who lives in Seoul, told AFP.

    NewJeansNim himself downplays his contribution to making Buddhism cool again in South Korea.

    "I didn't do anything really," he told AFP.

    "The monks are very open-minded, and I am just flowing with them."
    This guy's gonna need his own indie thread soon.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  3. #108
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    Dogs of Po Lin Monastery

    Second abandoned dog found safe and back at Po Lin
    Money glitz | Henry Siu 23 Sep 2024


    Dai Mui is reunited with Sai Mui at last in the confines of Po Lin Monastery.
    Henry Siu

    Dai Mui, one of the two Po Lin Monastery dogs previously reported missing after being abandoned by two of its cooks, has been found.

    She was taken to a veterinary clinic, where she was found to be suffering from heartworms and infested with cattle ticks.

    The monastery announced on its Facebook page that Dai Mui has been returned to the temple and is receiving continuous check-ups and medication.

    Volunteers from the Paws Guardian Rescue Shelter located Dai Mui under a bridge on Tung Chung Road on Saturday, 39 days after she went missing.

    This discovery came 11 days after the other temple dog, Sai Mui, was found at a catchwater along East Sham Wat Road on September 11.

    Kent Luk Ka-jeep, founder of Paws Guardian Rescue Shelter, said that the chip found on Dai Mui was registered to the same owner as Sai Mui.

    Luk reported the discovery to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the police, leading to Dai Mui being transferred to the SPCA office in Wan Chai for confirmation.

    It has been reported that some drivers spotted a mongrel near Tung Chung Road, prompting Paws Guardian Rescue Shelter to set up cages in the area to capture the dog.

    Luk expressed gratitude to the over 2,000 volunteers who helped in the search. They provided food and water, set up cages and charged cameras every night, even in the rain.

    The monastery also thanked those who offered information and assistance in the search for Dai Mui.

    It shared a photo of the reunion between Dai Mui and Sai Mui, saying that "Dai Mui has undergone blood tests and received ongoing care from the SPCA and the police."
    Don't know if anyone else was following this story. It was overshadowed by the Haitian BS here in the US.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
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  4. #109
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    slightly OT

    From Buddhist monk to raver in Ibiza: The extraordinary life story of a young Spanish man

    In Tibetan Buddhism, it is believed that great teachers can choose where and into whom they will be reincarnated, so that they can continue the work of spreading Buddhism around the world.


    Osel Hita Torres as a child dressed in Buddhist robes, Photo: Getty Images

    Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.
    24.09.2024. 20:24h
    Osel Hita Torres was only a child when the Dalai Lama recognized in him the reincarnation of the Tibetan spiritual leader.

    Osel was born in 1985, the son of two Spanish hippies.

    Both embraced Buddhism after meeting the charismatic Tibetan Buddhist teacher Lama Yeshe in Ibiza, who became their guru.

    Lama Ješe was different from other monks.

    With a witty and unconventional style, he was one of the first people to spread Buddhism in the West during the seventies.

    Osel never met lama Ješe.

    Moreover, he died a year before Osel was born.

    But his life will shape Osel's in a remarkable way.

    In Tibetan Buddhism, it is believed that great teachers can choose where and into whom they will be reincarnated, so that they can continue the work of spreading Buddhism around the world.

    After the death of Lama Yeshe, his main disciple, Lama Zopa, began to have visions that his teacher was on his way back to Earth to be reborn as a Westerner.

    And when he met the unusually calm and peaceful Osel in Spain, who was only 18 months old at the time, he believed he had found him.

    This is Osel's story.

    In the seventies, lama Ješe and his chief disciple lama Zopa traveled to Ibiza, where my parents met them.

    During that visit, my parents were so inspired by lama Ješe that they decided to move to the south of Spain and found a Buddhist center in the Alpuhara mountains.

    They invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to visit them and, when he arrived, he was moved by the place because it looked so much like Tibet.

    And that's why he called that place O Sel Ling, which means "place of pure light" in Tibetan.

    That's how I got my name.

    When I was born a few years later, my parents decided to name me Osel.

    I was born only 11 months after the death of my parents' teacher, Lama Ješa.

    At the time I was born, they were already looking for his reincarnation.

    And when his main student saw me at 14 months old, he singled me out and thought this could be it.

    A few months later, I was taken to India to be put on probation.

    One of the main tests they did was to put many objects in front of me, such as bells, rosaries and drums.

    They asked me to pick out the ones that belonged to Lama Yeshe and I found them correctly every time, despite never having seen them before.

    I also recognized people I had never seen and places I had never been to.

    Finally, I was brought to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who formally recognized me as the reincarnation of Lama Yeshe.

    When this was announced, a great ceremony was held attended by thousands.

    I was only two years old.

    I had to sit on the throne and bless hundreds of monks and well-wishers.

    After that, I was taken on a tour for three years, visiting all the Buddhist Dharma centers founded by Lama Yeshe around the world.

    And then, when I turned six, I was taken to Sara Jay Monastery in Karnataka, in the south of India, where I had to start studying to become a monk as lama Yeshe.

    All this time, I was not with my family.

    The monks took care of me, but the people who took care of me were constantly changing.

    During this entire period, I saw my parents very rarely.

    Because of this, I felt that I did not have a strong emotional connection with them.

    Awakening of rebellion

    Growing up, the pressure I was under was insane.

    It was really hard for me as a child.

    Sometimes I was allowed to play with other children, but because I was the reincarnation of Lama Yeshe, they treated me differently.

    They didn't want the other kids to touch me or be in close contact with me so it wouldn't affect me.

    The same was true for listening to music, playing games or watching TV.

    All this was considered a distraction.

    Life in the monastery was reduced to study and meditation.

    Because I was the reincarnation of lama Ješe, many people wanted to come and see me in the monastery.

    And that's why every day there was a period of about 40 minutes when I would meet people.

    That was my only contact with the outside world at that time.

    Sometimes people I would meet would bring me "contraband" - things we weren't allowed in the monastery - such as Western music cassettes and compact discs.

    I got a Tracy Chapman cassette, a Linkin Park CD, a Limp Bizkit CD, and also a record by a very famous Spanish group called Estopa.


    Getty Images

    I remember I would listen to them in my room or in the bathroom on headphones (also smuggled in), but I had to hide them, because if they found the discs, they would confiscate them.

    It took me a while to figure it out.

    The first time I listened to Linkin Park, I thought, "Wait a minute, this isn't music, this is just noise."

    But slowly I started to identify with what those songs were talking about.

    About feeling misunderstood, for example.

    I could identify with that.

    I also wanted to be understood, to be accepted, I wanted to be loved as I am.

    But in the monastery I felt that people didn't really want to know who I was.

    Everyone, including my parents, just wanted me to play the role that was given to me.
    continued next post
    Gene Ching
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  5. #110
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    Continued from previous

    A taste of freedom


    with the BBC

    As I grew older and became more rebellious, I began to bring more contraband into the monastery.

    At the age of 16, I already had two computers, a punching bag and a guitar.

    They made me feel like I was part of the outside world.

    I remember sharing contraband with a close friend who was the reincarnation of someone else.

    He had a tape of a Britney Spears concert and was practicing his dance moves.

    We had no other reference points for dancing, so when we discovered Britney's video, we were completely blown away.

    He lent me the video one week and when we met again, we compared who made better progress.

    It was very funny, we had a lot of fun.

    Around that time, I convinced the institution that I needed to get a Western education.

    I told them, "I was born a Westerner, there must be a good reason for that." I assume that this is because lama Ješe wants to connect on a deeper level with Westerners and to understand Western philosophy and their way of life."

    And that's why I started to negotiate with them to let me go to Spain for two months to study together with normal kids in high school in Spain and live with my own family.

    I changed my name to Nikolas so that no one could find out who I am.


    Getty Images

    The culture shock was huge.

    At school, the first thing that shocked me was the lack of respect children had for adults.

    In Tibetan culture, parents and teachers are sacred.

    Our parents gave us our life, and our teachers gave us wisdom.

    Even a piece of paper with text on it is sacred, because it conveys something to us that we can learn.

    In a social sense, it also required a huge adjustment.

    For the first three weeks, I was bullied at school every day. But I didn't mind.

    Moreover, I was happy because I thought I was making other children laugh. I had no idea what bullying actually was.

    I was just happy to make some kind of human connection.

    But in the end the other children liked me because they understood that I was not pretending and that I was honest.

    I was very pure in that sense, very innocent.

    During those two months, I tried many things for the first time.

    One of my first discoveries was a motorcycle.

    For me it was simply pure freedom.

    I could go wherever I wanted, all over the island, all by myself.

    I kissed a girl for the first time, which was fantastic.

    She was my friend, and when it happened, I was in heaven, just floating in the air for two weeks.

    I was very happy.

    Milestone

    While spending time in Spain with my family I realized that my monastic education had turned me into a rather egotistical and narcissistic person.

    My brothers and sisters did not want to hang out with me, and they all had a very strong emotional connection that they did not share with me.

    That hit me very hard.

    I realized that I had to find my true self and learn how to connect with others.

    And that's why when I first came back from Ibiza, I decided that I wouldn't stay in the monastery forever.

    I told myself, “As soon as I turn 18, no one will be able to stop me. I will be independent."

    I asked to travel to Spain for my 18th birthday and they accepted.

    As soon as I turned 18 and became a legal adult, I told them I wasn't coming back.

    They were disappointed. For a year after that, I was getting a lot of letters pressuring me to come back.

    It was quite difficult to deal with it, because I wanted people to be happy.

    But part of this whole process was realizing that other people's happiness is not my responsibility.

    And that's why I said to myself: my life is my life.

    I have to live my own life and that is my right.

    Radical change

    After I left the monastery, it was a big shock.

    I knew nothing about the world.

    I've never seen a naked woman before.

    And so on one of my first days in Ibiza, my mom thought it would be interesting if she took me to a nudist beach.

    She left me there for half an hour.

    I was in complete shock, I didn't know what to do.

    I couldn't be naked, I came from a culture that was very exclusive in that respect.

    I didn't know where to look, so I just stared at the ground.

    When she picked me up again, I was very upset.

    Then, later that evening, she took me to a club in Ibiza.

    She paid for my entrance and let me in alone.

    It was very noisy and I couldn't move because it was very crowded.

    It was in 2003, and people were smoking inside. I couldn't, I couldn't breathe.

    I took a sip of alcohol trying to be cool and almost died. It was like I was in hell.

    When I finally got home, I told her to never take me to a nudist beach or club again.

    But slowly I started to get used to the new way of life.

    After a while, I started having more fun and ended up hooking up with rave organizers and started organizing trance raves in Ibiza.

    I became a bit naughty, a "bad boy".

    During this time, I was still in contact with the Buddhist community, but I tried to stay away from them because I wanted to find my own way.

    I had to find my own personality, because I felt like I didn't have one.

    I didn't know who I was.

    I ended up going to study film in Canada and then I got a degree in filmmaking in Madrid.

    For the next 10 years I had many adventures.

    I traveled, I met many people, I did all kinds of crazy things.

    I even lived on the street for a while.

    I was very lucky because people were always good to me.

    But I also put myself in some dangerous situations.

    I fell in love and eventually became a father at the age of 32.

    I loved being a father.

    It was important to me to offer my son something different, something better than what I had.

    To have a healthy relationship with him.

    Fortunately, my son is a very happy, balanced boy.

    For many years I did not believe that I was the reincarnation of Lama Yeshe.

    I avoided reading his books or watching his teachings because I wanted to discover who I was.

    But when I finally picked up his autobiography and started researching his life further, I was shocked to realize how much I identified with him.

    After many years of doubt, today I truly believe that there is an unbroken spiritual connection between us.

    Now I started teaching myself.

    I give lectures in Dharma centers around the world and host in resorts.

    But now it's on my terms, I know who I am based on my own effort and effort.

    This article is based on an episode of the radio show "Autluk" of the BBC flower service.
    This is a loose definition for 'behaving badly'
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  6. #111
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    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    This is a loose definition for 'behaving badly'
    I think he started 'behaving badly' when:

    "He had a tape of a Britney Spears concert and was practicing his dance moves."

    I know she was a strong dancer, but the fact he thought she was a man was probably from a previous lifetime!

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