Ming Yi reinstated as Abbot

On Monday (22.11.10) there was an article on how the Foo Hai monastery held a grand ceremony recently to reinstate Ming Yi as their abbot, and also to commemorate his 20th year as the leader of that temple. This was followed by a big dinner at Pan Pacific Hotel. Most of the Buddhist community in Singapore felt this was very inappropriate as he had just been released from jail. Instead of keeping a low profile to repent on his moral errors, here the monastery is ironically putting him up on a pedestal once again.

Upasaka Li Muyuan, chairman of the Buddhist lodge rightly criticised that such behaviour was "an exaggeration" and unprecedented in the history of Buddhism. None the great masters of the past ever promoted themselves like that. In the Nirvana Sutra, the Buddha said,

"After I enter Nirvana, you should rely on the 4 Dharmas as your teacher."

What are the 4? Namely:

1) To rely on the doctrine and not the person

2) To rely on insight and not on knowledge

3) To rely on the meaning and not the words

4) To rely on the transcendal meaning and not the conventional meaning

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The wise know thoroughly the danger of feeding the ego and thus avoid such ceremonies which serve no purpose at all. Instead of relying on the good doctrine as their teacher, the fans and followers of Ming Yi continue to rely on him for "guidance". He cannot even guide himself.. how can he guide others? It is pitiful indeed, that Ming Yi makes one mistake after another, which will compel him to embark on a path of no return. He is not worthy of the Sangha robe that he clings so dearly to.