The Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has just informed the Supreme Patriarch of the disciplinary results of Venerable Thich Truc Thai Minh for violations that occurred at Ba Vang Pagoda, Uong Bi City, Quang Ninh Province.
In addition to the warning, Mr. Minh must repent before the Standing Committee of the Executive Council. These disciplinary measures were announced to all local Buddhist Sangha executive boards nationwide. "Venerable Thich Truc Thai Minh must commit that if he continues to commit similar violations that cause the loss of public trust in Buddhism and affect the reputation of the Sangha, he will be expelled and stripped of his abbotship," the announcement stated.
Ba Vang Pagoda is banned from organizing international exchange events for one year. The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Executive Committee must strengthen supervision of the religious and media activities of Ba Vang Pagoda and monk Thich Truc Thai Minh.
According to the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Ba Vang Pagoda's organization of worship and communication of "Buddha's hair relics" has been criticized by public opinion, creating a lot of conflicting information. This incident "seriously affects the belief of Buddhism and the reputation of the Sangha".
Buddha's relics are a Buddhist belief, true from the history of Buddhist scriptures, archeology, and are treasures of some Asian countries. Worship of Buddha's relics is practiced in the religious life of the world's Buddhist community. However, Venerable Thai Minh organized the worship of "Buddha's hair relics" without reporting to the Church and local authorities, without organizing carefully, and without media verification.
Venerable Thich Truc Thai Minh went abroad to conduct religious activities and exchanges and invited foreign monks to attend ceremonies at Ba Vang Pagoda without reporting to the Sangha "violating the Regulations on the activities of the Central Sangha Council".
Venerable Thich Truc Thai Minh, abbot of Ba Vang Pagoda
In December 2023, Ba Vang Pagoda displayed a "Buddha's hair relic", which is believed to have been brought to Vietnam by monk U Wepulla - abbot of Parami monastery and other Myanmar monks. Ba Vang Pagoda informed that this was one of eight hairs that Buddha personally plucked from his head and gave to two Myanmar traders more than 2,600 years ago.
In 2019, Venerable Thich Truc Thai Minh was dismissed from all positions by the Church and asked to repent for 49 days because Ba Vang Pagoda organized "soul summoning", preached "ghost revenge", and worshiped "karma creditors". This activity violated the Church Charter, "damaging the reputation of the Church and the Sangha".
However, Mr. Minh has remained the abbot of Ba Vang Pagoda since then. He was reinstated as Deputy Head of the Central Information and Communications Department of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in March, nearly four years after being dismissed.
According to the regulations of the Central Sangha Council, monks and nuns who damage the reputation or violate the Church's charter will be subject to disciplinary action. The three forms of disciplinary action against monks and nuns who violate the regulations are criticism, review; warning; expulsion from the Church.
TH (according to VnExpress)Source
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