Fake monks busted by Buddhist students

Two fake monks caught boozing and womanizing in Beijing now have extra time to meditate in police custody.

The duo had appeared in video clips online wearing Buddhist robes, drinking liquor on the subway, depositing piles of cash at an ATM and checking into a luxury hotel with two women.

Master Puzheng, a spokesman for the Buddhist Association of China, said the two men intended to vilify the image and reputation of Buddhism.

The pretend monks were taken away by police on Saturday after they came to Fayuan Temple, posing for photos with two women, and were recognized by students of the Buddhist Academy of China next door.

One of the two men had changed into plain clothing, the other was still in a monk's robe. They first shouted back defiantly that the students were not authentic Buddhist monks either. Cornered and desperate, they asked to call police, which the students had already done.

Police in Beijing's Xicheng district are investigating the case, but revealed no further details about the two fake monks on Monday.

Xinliang, 22, a student at the Buddhist academy and witness to the incident, responded on his blog to online comments that some monks at the scene were over-excited.

Some of the young monks questioned why two pretenders had no concern or respect for Buddhism. Some tested their basic understanding of Buddhist classics and found the results very poor. Some ridiculed the men, saying they had done it to gain fame.

Xinliang said the students at the institute aspire to become Buddhist masters, they are idealists but are nevertheless young and hotheaded, ready to protect their faith.

Puzheng said the Chinese Buddhist Association is strengthening its supervision over issuing certificates to Buddhist monks. He added that people should be wise to false Buddhist monks and have zero tolerance for similar cases, so that Buddhism can be practiced in peace and purity.