Recently, at the Mid-Temple of Wutai Mountain in China, a monk was caught on video throwing out the rice offerings made by worshippers, claiming it was old rice. This disrespectful act sparked outrage among the public.
In the video shared by netizens, an elderly couple carrying rice offerings to a temple on Wutai Mountain had their rice thrown out by a monk, who yelled, “You expect your wishes to come true with just a bag of rice? If your heart isn’t sincere, why even worship the Buddha?”
In the footage, the monk in a yellow robe was seen holding a foldable smartphone in one hand, pointing at the elderly couple and getting increasingly agitated. He went to the offering table, grabbed the rice, and threw it out of the temple, saying, “There’s plenty in the storehouse, this old rice is unnecessary.” Despite the elderly couple explaining their poverty, the monk angrily demanded they not come back next time. The disappointed couple left the temple, picked up the rice from the ground, and went down the mountain.
The video attracted attention online, and sharp-eyed viewers noticed that the monk was holding a high-end foldable smartphone worth tens of thousands of yuan.
Criticism flooded in from netizens, condemning the monk’s behavior as “far from the detachment and asceticism that should be practiced,” and questioning the commercialization of monastic life. Some remarked, “The Buddhist community is no longer peaceful,” while others called out for true sanctuaries within Buddhism.
Following the escalation of the incident, the temple committee of Wutai Mountain issued a statement on July 2nd, explaining that a dispute over the location of offerings occurred between two monks, resulting in one of them throwing the rice outside. The monk involved was advised to return to his hometown.
However, the official explanation failed to calm public anger. One netizen shared a personal experience of encountering arrogance among temple staff at Wutai Mountain, highlighting a lack of compassion and understanding towards worshippers.
Another netizen questioned the state of true religious sanctuaries in today’s world and raised concerns about the need for religious institutions and personnel to reflect on their core values.
According to Buddhist scriptures, Gautama Buddha predicted 2500 years ago that during the degenerate age, practitioners would disrupt the teachings and values of Buddhism. The unfolding of these events seems to resonate with his prophecy.
The suppression of religion by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since its establishment is well-documented. Despite the formation of Buddhist and Taoist associations in China, their subservience to the atheistic CCP regime has raised doubts about their authenticity and principles.
The convergence of materialism and spirituality has led to instances such as the revelation of scandals involving high-ranking monks like Shi Yongxin of Shaolin Temple, which have stirred public outrage and disillusionment with religious institutions.
Echoing similar sentiments, a netizen shared an encounter with a “monk” leaving a hospital in a luxurious car in Guangzhou, expressing disappointment and disillusionment with the notion of “pure Buddhist sanctuaries.”
The incidents at Wutai Mountain serve as a reminder of the challenges facing modern religious institutions and the imperative to uphold the true essence of faith and spirituality amidst societal upheavals and shifting values.