South Korea ordains humanoid robot monk Gabi at Jogye Temple for Buddha’s birthday

For Buddhists — and those curious about the tradition — this weekend marks a major moment of celebration. Temples across the country are already crowded with visitors hoping to take in the festive atmosphere ahead of Buddha’s Birthday, which falls on Sunday. For many, however, the occasion is more introspective: a time to reflect on the past year and renew a commitment to live in accordance with the Buddha’s teachings. This year, in the lead-up to the holiday, one unexpected topic has captured curious glances and sparked conversations in Korea — robot monks marching at last weekend’s Lotus Lantern Festival in Seoul. Hye Ahn was one of them. Unlike the headline-grabbing Gabi, a humanoid monk built on China’s Unitree G1 robot platform and recently ordained by Korea’s Jogye Order, Hye Ahn was not built for spectacle. Standing 130 centimeters tall — about the size of a 9-year-old child — the robot monk rolls on a wheeled base, its rounded, cartoon-like face and softly curved body designed to feel less like a cold machine and more like a friendly novice a visitor might app

South Korean monks ordained an AI powered humanoid robot, triggering debate over spirituality, suffering, and sacred religious traditions worldwide.

A humanoid robot named Gabi became an honorary Buddhist monk during an ordination ceremony held at Seoul’s Jogye Temple on May 6, ahead of Buddha’s birthday celebrations in South Korea.

A four-foot humanoid robot named Gabi has become a monk at a Buddhist temple in Seoul, participating in a modified initiation ceremony where it pledged to respect life, obey humans, act peacefully toward other robots and objects. "Robots are destined to collaborate with humans in every field in the future," Hong Min-suk, a manager at the Jogye Order, the largest sect of Buddhism in South Korea, tells the New York Times. "It will only be natural for them to be part of our festival." Smithsonian Magazine reports: For the temple, this marks the first time a robot has participated in the sugye initiation ceremony, when followers pledge their devotion to the Buddha and his teachings. Gabi -- a Buddhist name that refers to mercy, Yonhap News Agency reports -- was made by Unitree Robotics, a Chinese civilian robotics company. The model, G1, retails starting at $13,500. During the ceremony, Gabi agreed to five vows usually recited by human monks and slightly altered for the humanoid. The robot pledged to respect life, act with peace toward other robots and objects, listen to humans, refrain from acting or speaking in a deceptive manner and save energy. Gabi participated in a modified yeonbi purification ritual. While a human monk normally receives a small incense burn on the arm, instead Gabi received a lotus lantern festival sticker and a prayer bead necklace. The landmark event aligns with the promise made during a New Year's address by the Venerable Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, to incorporate artificial intelligence into the Buddhist tradition. "We aim to fearlessly lead the A.I. era and redirect its achievements toward the path of attaining peace of mind and enlightenment," he said, per a statement. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

A humanoid robot dubbed “Gabi” became a Buddhist monk at the Jogyesa Temple in South Korea on Wednesday, in advance of Buddha’s birthday on May 24. It was the first documented instance of a robot undergoing the sugye ceremony of monastic devotion. The post Robot Becomes Buddhist Monk in South Korea appeared first on Breitbart.

South Korea’s largest Buddhist order has introduced Gabi, a humanoid robot monk, raising fresh questions about how AI and robotics may fit into spiritual life.