The Dhammakaya controversy resurfaces

Thailand of all countries must realise that any legal case involving a highly popular figure is not easy. But that is not the only reason why cool heads must get together to figure out a way to settle the Phra Dhammajayo episode quickly. In addition to being venerated by a large number of Thais, the abbot of the Dhammakaya Temple seems to be connected strongly to the ongoing political strife, and this means if the case is mishandled the consequences can be immense.
A few days ago, the Criminal Court rejected a request by the Department of Special Investigation to arrest Phra Dhammajayo for failing to acknowledge charges in the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative embezzlement scandal. As expected, some booed the leniency shown to him while others cheered. In a way, he has become a Thaksin Shinawatra in saffron robes. Supporters hail what the monk “has done for Buddhism”, while critics insist that Buddhism will be better off without him.
His temple, Dhammakaya, has grown rapidly in wealth, influence, popularity and religious clout. The current impasse regarding the appointment of a new Supreme Patriarch concerns the temple’s alleged connections with a candidate. Articles have written in foreign publications about the temple in both supportive and critical ways. The divisive views of Thais about the temple and its abbot have been amplified by the political divide.
Old wisdom says that people who love each other should not discuss politics or religion because they can easily end up hating each other. The Dhammajayo case is both religious and political, so the path must be strewn with landmines. That said, the only way to put the case to rest early is for the investigators to lay everything down on the table. Of course, the truth may upset people, but it can also set them free.
The Dhammakaya Temple, despite its mammoth popularity, has been fraught with controversies for decades. One of the main reasons is the contentious way in which the temple has accumulated its massive wealth. Financial donations matter a lot when Dhammakaya followers are concerned, giving critics major ammunition, as obsession with money goes against the core teaching of Lord Buddha.
The embezzlement charges related to Dhammajayo reinforce critics’ doubts about the abbot’s real motives. But the case, not surprisingly, has also been viewed by his followers as a conspiracy against him. “Conspiracy” has become a classic political defence in Thailand, but Dhammajayo’s case is in danger of sliding further down the slippery slope. Now, another line of defence is emerging – that what he has done is no different from what other senior mainstream monks have been doing. We can use that line of argument in politics, but religion is strictly about morals, not what the masses do.
Thai authorities have two choices. They can drag their feet and let the case remain a divisive but not explosive religious affair for as long as possible. Or they can leave no stone unturned and deal swiftly and effectively with the case. In the second scenario, the authorities risk provoking his supporters, in case he is proven guilty, or make Thais sceptical, in case he is proven innocent.
However, sweeping the case under the rug can have serious, long-term repercussions. At stake is the essence of Buddhism in Thailand. That essence has been tested, defied and assaulted by misguided beliefs and the poor behaviour of mainstream Buddhist monks, but Dhammakaya’s teachings regarding wealth, donations and goodness have posed additional challenges. In short, if Dhammakaya is to be cleared or exposed, it should be now.
The serene photos of Dhammakaya followers and monks meditating en masse against the backdrop of the temple’s glittering and massive symbolic structures seem to belie the current situation. The temple is a big ship facing a major storm, and the skipper is in the eye of it.