Starways to Heaven, descent to Hell

I read with much interest Veena Thoopkrajae’s opinion on the activity of the Dhammakaya sect in Thailand. Being well acquainted with what is going on in some of your neighbouring countries, I can assure you that the trend is not restricted to Thailand. The staircase to Heaven is already fully occupied by those who cheated the simple and not-so-simple people. Some astucious monks and their so-called disciples have become specialised in concocting these types of stories to attract the donations of their gullible listeners for supposed charity works. Naturally the pretext for dispensing their supposed knowledge is the teaching of the dharma to already-superstitious believers.

A few months ago I witnessed the activities of such a well-fed monk who arrived in a remote village, with a fleet of attendants and three Land Rovers (with smoked screens) to give a sermon, and sell his own publications, to some 2,000 believers. The team was well equipped with projector, amplifiers, microphones, giant screen and connection cables. During the sermon the monk said that, last year in Norway, oil prospectors heard noise during the night. Intrigued, they went to the site of the drilling, which was at the origin of the noise, to find the cause of the disturbance. On the spot they realised that the noise was coming from the 2,000-metre well: the people suffering in hell were lamenting and their shouts were coming to the surface. 

The villagers were moved and wanted to show their compassion to the helpless sufferers. Since the holy man was building a hospital for the poor (picture of a one-floor “hospital” was shown as proof on the screen), he could collect donations from the villagers. Needless to say, this “hospital” was constructed in a place no one knew about. Villagers contacted after the sermon fully believed what the monk reported. No one doubted the story. 

I subscribe to your conclusion. Allow me to add that I wish more attention was paid by parents and authorities to a proper education, associated with the teaching of a real moral ethic. No wonder the wealthy are sending their children to study in foreign countries. 

Guy Lubeigt

Bangkok