South Korea’s first robot monk officially debuted Wednesday ahead of Buddha's Birthday.
[Jundo: Actually, the robot participated in a lay Precepts ceremony, similar to our Jukai, and is not actually Ordained.]
Gassho, J
stlah
[Jundo: Actually, the robot participated in a lay Precepts ceremony, similar to our Jukai, and is not actually Ordained.]
The ceremony is "Sugye," the Korean equivalent of Jukai. "Sugye (수계) is a significant initiation ceremony in Korean Buddhism, primarily within the Jogye Order, where laypeople take refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) and vow to follow the five precepts. It is considered a formal commitment, often involving a ritual burning to leave a permanent mark on the forearm.
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During the ceremony, initiates receive a Buddhist name and accept the five precepts: not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, and not drinking alcohol. In May 2026, the Jogye Order even included humanoid robots in a, sugye ceremony to symbolize the integration of compassion, wisdom, and technology, emphasizing that artificial intelligence should follow ethical, compassionate guidelines. ... The 130-centimeter (4 feet, 3 inches) “humanoid robot G1” received the Dharma name “Gabi” ... Both monks and lay Buddhists can receive the precepts. Although Gabi received the vows as a lay follower, the robot is expected to serve as an “honorary” monk for the celebratory season surrounding Buddha’s Birthday on May 24. ... Gabi entered the ceremony wearing a helmet resembling a shaved monk's head and traditional Buddhist robes, then stood with palms pressed together before senior monk leaders.
The robot also underwent rituals of repentance and yeonbi, a symbolic burning ceremony meant to purify the body and the mind before receiving the Buddhist precepts. ... When a monk asked, “Will you devote yourself to the sacred Buddha?” Gabi replied, “Yes, I will devote myself.”
The Five Precepts — the rules Buddhists are expected to follow, including prohibitions against killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and consuming intoxicants — were also rewritten specifically for the robot.
The new Five Precepts for robots included “Respect and do not harm life,” “Do not damage other robots or objects,” “Obey humans and do not disrespect humans,” “Do not engage in deceptive behavior or expressions” and “Conserve energy and do not overcharge your batteries.” ... The robot sugye is a symbol that technology "should be used based on the values of compassion, wisdom and responsibility” and represented “a new possibility in which humans and technology coexist in harmony between tradition and the future," according to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.
“I thought from the moment humanoid robots first appeared that it would be nice if robots could participate in the Lotus Lantern Festival together,” stated Venerable Seongwon, the head of the cultural affairs department of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. “We created the Five Precepts for robots as the minimum rules robots should follow in society and for humanity. I hope they can serve as basic principles for humans and robots to coexist.”
https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10732053
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During the ceremony, initiates receive a Buddhist name and accept the five precepts: not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, and not drinking alcohol. In May 2026, the Jogye Order even included humanoid robots in a, sugye ceremony to symbolize the integration of compassion, wisdom, and technology, emphasizing that artificial intelligence should follow ethical, compassionate guidelines. ... The 130-centimeter (4 feet, 3 inches) “humanoid robot G1” received the Dharma name “Gabi” ... Both monks and lay Buddhists can receive the precepts. Although Gabi received the vows as a lay follower, the robot is expected to serve as an “honorary” monk for the celebratory season surrounding Buddha’s Birthday on May 24. ... Gabi entered the ceremony wearing a helmet resembling a shaved monk's head and traditional Buddhist robes, then stood with palms pressed together before senior monk leaders.
The robot also underwent rituals of repentance and yeonbi, a symbolic burning ceremony meant to purify the body and the mind before receiving the Buddhist precepts. ... When a monk asked, “Will you devote yourself to the sacred Buddha?” Gabi replied, “Yes, I will devote myself.”
The Five Precepts — the rules Buddhists are expected to follow, including prohibitions against killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and consuming intoxicants — were also rewritten specifically for the robot.
The new Five Precepts for robots included “Respect and do not harm life,” “Do not damage other robots or objects,” “Obey humans and do not disrespect humans,” “Do not engage in deceptive behavior or expressions” and “Conserve energy and do not overcharge your batteries.” ... The robot sugye is a symbol that technology "should be used based on the values of compassion, wisdom and responsibility” and represented “a new possibility in which humans and technology coexist in harmony between tradition and the future," according to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.
“I thought from the moment humanoid robots first appeared that it would be nice if robots could participate in the Lotus Lantern Festival together,” stated Venerable Seongwon, the head of the cultural affairs department of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. “We created the Five Precepts for robots as the minimum rules robots should follow in society and for humanity. I hope they can serve as basic principles for humans and robots to coexist.”
https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10732053
Gassho, J
stlah
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