Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
South Korea ordained Gabi, a humanoid robot, as a Buddhist monk. The unprecedented ceremony seeks to bring Buddhism closer to new generations. Understand.
A humanoid robot was officially ordained as a Buddhist monk in South Korea this week, in an unprecedented ceremony held by the Jogye Order, the country’s main Buddhist sect, in a temple located in central Seoul. Named Gabi — a name that, in Korean, means “mercy of Buddha” — the humanoid participated in the ritual alongside human monks, dressed in a gray and brown ceremonial robe, skin-colored gloves, black shoes, and a rosary. The initiative is part of a strategy by the religious order to bring Buddhism closer to new generations, amid the declining popularity of the religion in the country.
How was the robot’s ordination ceremony?
According to information from Olhar Digital, during the ritual, Gabi answered the traditional questions asked to ordination candidates. Asked about commitments such as “Will you dedicate yourself to the holy Buddha?” and “Will you dedicate yourself to the sacred teachings?”, the robot answered “yes” to all.
Standing just over 1.20 meters tall, the humanoid also received, according to The New York Times, five specific precepts for a “robot monk”:
-
The first vaccine in the world was created 230 years ago by Edward Jenner, tested on an 8-year-old child, and later helped eradicate smallpox — the deadliest disease in history.
-
Putin accelerates the Sarmat and puts pressure on the nuclear board with a 35,000 km missile called “Satan,” capable of carrying warheads, evading radars, and reaching Europe in minutes.
-
Researchers from the Schmidt Ocean Institute discover 40 new marine species in a single expedition during a dive in the Mar del Plata Canyon in Argentina.
-
Submarine volcano Home Reef has been erupting for 5 months in Tonga, and the island it created in the South Pacific has grown 9 times since 2022 with lava still spewing from the ocean floor.
- Respect life;
- Do not damage other robots or objects;
- Obey humans;
- Avoid deceptive behavior;
- Conserve energy.
Behind the scenes, however, Gabi’s autonomy during the ceremony was limited. The robot’s movements were controlled remotely, and the speeches played had been pre-recorded, as admitted by Hong Min-suk, manager of the Jogye Order.
Why the Buddhist order ordained a robot monk
The motivation of the Jogye Order goes beyond technological symbolism. Like Christianity in South Korea, Buddhism has been losing ground in recent decades, especially among young people, who often consider religious traditions distant from contemporary reality.
In an official statement, the organization stated that the ordination represents an attempt to unite technology and spirituality: “The ordination of a robot means that technology should be used in accordance with the values of compassion, wisdom, and responsibility.”
According to the order, the gesture “symbolizes new possibilities for coexistence between humans and technology.” Earlier in January this year, the Venerable Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order, had already announced the intention to incorporate artificial intelligence into the institution’s religious practices.
Furthermore, later this May, Gabi is expected to participate in the Lotus Lantern Festival, one of the most important Buddhist celebrations in the South Korean calendar.
The robot monk and the future of religious counseling
For Hong Min-suk, the expectation goes beyond the ordination ceremony. The manager believes that Gabi’s presence can help transform the public image of Buddhism and, in the future, expand the role of artificial intelligence in religious practices.
“We are moving towards a world where, when the faithful ask questions, robots will be able to provide more suitable answers for each individual,” stated Hong.
It is worth noting, however, that Gabi is still far from advanced AI systems. Unlike many humanoids developed recently, the robot monk does not have autonomous learning capability. Nevertheless, temple representatives believe that the technology could, in the future, perform functions of religious and even psychological counseling with the faithful.
Experts diverge: spiritual innovation or religious marketing?
The ordination of Gabi generated different reactions among experts.
Noah Namgoong classified the initiative as “something quite strange,” more related to socioeconomic issues than spiritual ones.
Meanwhile, Sujung Kim, an anthropologist specializing in East Asian Buddhism, evaluated the project as “a very unique marketing and visibility strategy” for the religion.
While part of the public received the news positively, voices from the academic and religious fields question whether the ordination of a robot represents a genuine evolution of spirituality or just a visibility strategy of an institution seeking relevance among new generations.
With information from Olhar Digital
Be the first to react!