Affluent Monks on Holidays.

[paul_au]

About three months ago, I was visiting the Sydney Opera House and noticed two monks taking snap shots of the Sydney Opera House with a digital camera, I then approached them and said hello, they told me they were from Thailand, in very basic English. As these monks seemed to be in there 40's and 50's, I presumed they were not just novice monks, but were of the full time variety.
That got me wondering, are monks becoming more affluent, being able to afford international holidays and digital cameras. Can you in fact be a multi millionaire and be a full time monk.

[Betti]

you have to be a multi-millionaire to make it to Australia and take photos of the Opera House?
probably they weren't on holiday but some convention / training, something along these lines?
many monks have mobile phones and cameras. or they are owned by the temples, I don't know. in any case, you can see monks taking pix all the time when there is a temple festival, gong competition on the temple grounds, ordination ceremony, visit to Doi Suthep or Wat Phra Kaew, etc.

[billk]

Australian Buddhist temples often have visiting monks from overseas. The faithful here would probably pay the cost of them flying over. A return airfare is around $1000 AUS, which would be well beyond the means of most monks but do-able for a decent sized temple.

[billk]

Though I guess some of those fake monks we've read about recently could get $1000AUS together pretty quickly from one scam or another.

I wonder if they would still wear their robes on an overseas jaunt?

[khaojao]

the 3rd buddhist convention (or something) was held in june this year in perth. chances are the monks were in oz to attend this convention and took the opportunity to do some sight-seeing or perhaps they were visiting foreign viharas?

from my understanding, while they are not allowed (supposedly) to purchase items of luxury (eg digital cameras, holidays), there are many instances where these are donated to the monks community or temple by rich laity. many monks these days carry mobile phones for the convenience of being contactable wherever they may be, and even these are most likely donations from the laity.

granted, there are also many wolves in sheeps clothing

kj

[yurian]

remember Phra Yantra....?

[paul_au]

But is it OK for a full time Buddhist Monk, to win the lottery, of come into some multimillion dollar inheritance and still keep the money for him self. If then if he can keep the money is it OK for him to live the in the fast lane, could he in fact drive around in an open top Ferrari and display his wealth to the world.

[khunlungphudhu]

Paul, I am still puzzled by your origional post, 'Affluent Monks on Holiday'.
Obviously monks from the way they were dressed, they said they were from Thailand,(so far, so good,) but what made you think they might be affluent? the digital cameras? (almost a dime a dozen nowadays,) or was there something else? the fat wallets? or maybe Armani shoes? I would really like to know.
In my experience Monks travelling are usually sponsored, by either a single benefactor, a group or even their local community. If they are going somewhere special, ie. overseas or simply to another Wat, the Long Por or senior incumbent will ask for pictures of their trip, and the camera will be supplied by the sponsors.
So, either no monk has won the lottery as yet, or the sponsors are as tight as yourself and have failed to provide either a Porche or a Ferrari!
Had either event happened I feel sure it would have made international headlines.

[paul_au]

Well the reason I think these Monks may be affluent is, just the cost of a motel room in Sydney is astronomical, the fact they were doing the tourist things. It is not you average Thai battler, who can afford a holiday in Sydney, more like your affluent Japanese tourist type of traveler's if you ask me.

[khunlungphudhu]

Paul, I am sorry, but with over 100 sanghas, centers and groups listed for NSW & Sydney on Buddhanet.net, I am very doubtful about the monks in question needing to use any motel or hotel of any description.
Further evidence required as to their 'affluence' I am afraid.
You will find at least 20 Theravadin centres, even if not all of them are Thai! Any one of them probably could and more likely would provide accomodation for visitors from Thailand.

My appologies to the other members of this board, but Paul has made a judgement on Thai monks he claims to have met only very briefly, and, as those monks are probably in no position to ask him to justify that judgement, I feel someone should. So, as I have too much time on my hands....again, my appologies!