Controversial Dhammakaya Temple shows off fancy festival (PHOTOS)

Dhammakaya, the temple in Bangkok’s outskirts with a reputation for encouraging followers to donate cash for merit, showed off its grand celebration of the Buddhist Gathin festival on Facebook yesterday.

These photos from the annual celebration of Gathin festival on Wednesday, which local media agreed looked rather like a grand sports event, were publicized on the temple’s Facebook showing thousands of devotees surrounding the spaceship-like temple.

The temple’s Facebook page noted that the abbot Phra Dhammachayo was glad to see his worshippers’ big gathering and posted his inspirational quote from Wednesday.

“If your heart is big, you will be rich.” — Phra Dhammachayo

Long criticized for practicing a commercial Buddhism that emphasizes material wealth, Dhammakaya’s latest scandal took place in March when Phra Dhammachayo was involved in allegations of tainted donations from Klongchan Credit Union.

Amidst scrutiny, the temple agreed to return THB684 million donated by the former chairman of Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative after he was accused of embezzlement in exchange for the financial institution not filing any criminal charges against the wat.

The case shone a spotlight on the practice of encouraging devotees, who believe in reincarnation, to make donations proportional to the size of good fortune they hope to achieve in their next life, according to AFP.

Photos: Communication Department of Wat Dhammakaya



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