Overview
- A humanoid robot named Gabi joined an initiation-style rite at Jogyesa in Seoul this week, bowing, praying and walking with monks.
- Monks rewrote the Buddhist Five Precepts for a robot, telling Gabi to respect life, avoid harming robots or objects, obey humans without talking back, speak truthfully, and save energy.
- Leaders said the goal was to model coexistence between faith and technology as the Jogye Order grapples with fewer adherents and a drop in new monks.
- Coverage citing ANSA reports that Gabi’s movements were run by remote control and its spoken lines were prerecorded.
- Organizers say Gabi will join Seoul’s Lotus Lantern Procession later this month in a public follow-up to the ceremony.