[Buddha-l] Monks in Malls

[libris]

At last, monks are going to the malls for the right reason. VIP monks in shopping malls are not an uncommon feature in Singapore, where a "poor monastic" is an oxymoron :)

May we be happy

Piya

--- Kate <marshallarts at bigpond.com> wrote:

> In case you haven't seen it!
> 
> Regards
> Kate
> 
> 
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200511/s1517501.htm
> 
> MONKS TO RENT MALL SPACE IN THAILAND
> In between buying handbags or browsing the jewellery counters,
> shoppers in Thailand will soon also be able to get their daily dose
> of dharma under a plan to install monks in major department stores.
> 
> 
> Under the "meet the monk in a quiet corner" project, the Ministry of
> Culture plans to rent out space in stores throughout the country
> where shoppers can have a quiet chat with clergy in a bid to bring
> people closer to religion, officials said. 
> 
> "People nowadays have no time to go to temples, only shopping malls.
> They can get closer to the religion if we provide the opportunity,"
> culture minister Uraiwan Thienthong was quoted as saying by local
> media. 
> 
> Shoppers will be encouraged to participate in religious activities,
> and films or religious-themed comics will be available to attract
> younger participants. 
> 
> "We could campaign for religion in places where ... teenagers
> gather," said Wattana Muangsuk, minister for social development, on
> Saturday. 
> 
> Outspoken monk Phra Phayom Kalayano of Nonthaburi's Wat Suan Kaew,
> on the outskirts of Bangkok, seconded the plan, saying he would
> encourage monks to go every day to attend to the masses at the
> malls. 
> 
> -AFP
> 
>