[josh]

This has been passed around on Chinese blog and news sites, someone forwarded it to me and I thought it was pretty cool so I'm posting the pictures with some translation... nothing really new here but some cool pictures
I grabbed it from this site: http://news.21cn.com...6/4182741.shtml


The Dabei Si (Great Compassion Monastery), one of the few monasteries in the country that does not have a "donation box" for monetary donations:


Shaolin Si:


Abbot of the Dabei Monastery, founder of the Miaoxiang Monks' Association, Miaoxiang:


Shaolin Abbot Shi Yongxin has had titles such as Ph.D, MBA, CEO, "Political monk," "Economic monk," "Elite monk" conferred on him by foreigners (Caption: Shaolin Abbot Shi Yongxin, CEO of Buddhism):


The monks of Dabei Si, along with the abbot and the affiliated lay devotees all strictly uphold Buddhist regulations. They eat once a day, and do not take meals after noon. All of the monks walk together every day, holding their bowls, to beg for food, and give sentient beings the chance to plant innumerable seeds of karmic merit:


Making offerings to the Three Treasures is done voluntarily by lay Buddhist disciples; the merit gained therein is inconceivable:


Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin, living comfortably and dressed in new clothes due to his high status:


The regulations of Dabei Si require the monks to be itinerant and beg for food; firstly, it allows them to uphold Buddhist discipline and maintain the correct dharma, and secondly they can thus get closer to and perform good deeds for the benefit of other sentient beings, planting innumerable seeds of karmic virtue:


Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin, in a procession befitting an emperor:


Shi Yongxin being interviewed:

This post has been edited by josh: 15 April 2008 - 07:56 PM

[josh]

In this television studio, is Shi Yongxin preaching the essential teachings of the Shaolin Chan sect? Or, is he engaging in shameless self-promotion to bring more glory to the Shaolin monastery, which he runs like a corporation? Watching this young monk somersault around, one wonders, is there really nothing besides these circus acrobatics that Shaolin has to offer?


During their travels, the monks of Dabei Si spread the Buddhist dharma, transforming sentient beings through its teachings, causing thousands to take refuge in the Three Treasures and establish firm faith:



The solemnity of the marching monks:


Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin sits casually with his legs crossed:


Monastic regulations stipulate that if one is unsuccessful in begging for food, they try another home; they may not speak rudely or show an unhappy expression. They may only beg at seven homes, and no matter how much or how little they obtain, must immediately return afterwards:


Shaolin abbot attending a football game in the USA:


Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin has fans just like a famous star; here he signs autographs:


All of the faithful lay disciples in Dabei Si respectfully give way for the monks:

[josh]

According to the regulations, when traveling around and begging for food, monks are not allowed to spend the night in the homes of laypersons; thus, they have no alternative but to sleep beneath the trees, under bridges, or out under the stars:


If, when working, a monk encounters a worm or other sentient creature, they will move it out of the way to avoid mistakenly harming it:


Shaolin abbot having dental work done in Guangzhou:


Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin: "Next year, I will win an even bigger prize!"


When the monks of Dabei Si travel, they are forbidden to ride in any form of transportation:


Shaolin abbot goes to Germany to attend the World Cup Finals:


The monks of Dabei Si practice Buddhism with their whole bodies, engaging in manual labor to fix the temple and the roads:


In Shi Yongxin's Shaolin monastery, it is not monks who sweep the temple compound in the morning, but a hired cleaning crew:

[josh]

Shaolin monks using wireless internet:


Shaolin monks can go online in their quarters; if this was for the purpose of promoting Buddhist teachings then it would be acceptable, but one wonders for what purpose this monk requires a webcam:


According to the Shaolin disciples, the abbot, with a brand new top-of-the-line phone, the number ending in 6688 [very lucky and expensive phone # in China], is a text-message fanatic:


An evening shot of the fatigued monks of the Dabei Si:


Shaolin monks photographed together with 87 international female travelers:


Pregnant wife attends a refuge ceremony at Dabei Si:


Followers attending a nighttime worship ceremony at Dabei Si:

[josh]

Models photographed at Shaolin monastery:



Shaolin monks performing for tourists:


Monks of Dabei Si stopping for meditation during their travels:


The Dabei monastery practices and spreads the Buddhist teachings:


The Shaolin monastery shows off its boxing skills, forgetting the fundamentals of Buddhism:


Monk from Dabei Si practicing meditation by the roadside:


Monk from Shaolin lighting a giant incense stick. Tourists pay a surprising amount of 6000-10,000 RMB for one stick. Buddhist faithful have complained online that they were unable to afford a single stick of incense, and that within the temple there were nothing but "cheaters, swindlers, and a lust for profit."

[josh]

"Notice to all faithful worshipers: The monks of the Dabei monastery adhere to the regulation of 'not allowing their hands to touch money.' We do not have a donation box. Please do not leave money."

At the Dabei monastery, incense is free of charge.


A SIM card and phone number from an opening ceremony at Shaolin monastery. This person paid 82,000 RMB for the phone number.


Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin has said that "he went to Buddhist seminary for a few days, and didn't do very well." How modest. He has an MBA and a certificate of Ph.D from the USA:


The monks of Dabei Si are very well educated. Many of them are college graduates, and some were doctors, reporters, and engineers before becoming monks.



A group of monks from the Dabei Si traveling, with the abbot Miaoxiang leading the way:


Wonder where abbot Shi Yongxin is flying to this time?

[Bill]

Sounds great, but all I'm getting is red x's.

[SitYodTong]

Wow....just...wow.

What a difference between the two monasteries--it really shows how far Shaolin is from true Buddhism. Which is sad since it was one of the centers of C'han Buddhism for centuries.

Are the "Shaolin Monks" even monks anymore? I thought most of them were simply wushu performers who lived at or around the temple and basically "played monk" for tourists. Kind of like Colonial Williamsburg, but with incense and stuff.

[ashe]

everyone knows shaolin is a tourist trap now.

[Darth Histrionic]

no one goes to shaolin for buddhism. That is the fault of martial artists. In fact, the whole downfall of Shaolin is partially due to the fantasies of the aspiring martial artists mind.

when someone sees so many weak minds running after an ideal that doesn't actually exist, they will fill that mind void for those weak minded individuials and provide the fantasy they would like to have.

You cannot sell the reality of living as a monk for 4000 us dollars to a tourist who is desparate to be in shaolin for whatever fucked up reason.

so, nobody learns any buddhism there and it has become what it is thanks to martial "artists". lol

as for the others, so what, who cares. They are on their own journey and should be left out of it. I'm sure they could give a rats ass what's up down at the shaolin monastery. It is not right to use the monks at one monastery to contrast against another. It is offensive to both becasue it is petty and mere vitriol.

nothing personal. just saying.

[bruce]

thanks josh. this is a cool thread!

[Chanchu]

My god some real monks!

Dabei