South Korea Ordains First 'Robot Monk' in Bid to Attract Younger Devotees to Temples
South Korea ordained 'Gabi,' a humanoid robot, as its first robot monk to attract younger devotees as Buddhist temple membership drops sharply among people under 30. The robot received special precepts adapted for AI, including one against
In a ceremony that captured international attention, South Korea's Jogyesan Buddhist order ordained 'Gabi,' a humanoid robot dressed in saffron robes, as the first robot monk of the order on May 6th at Jogyesa Temple in downtown Seoul. During the ceremony, monks chanted 108 beads around Gabi's neck and affixed a lotus lantern festival sticker to its arm as a substitute for the traditional 'yeonbul' initiation ritual, which normally involves burning incense on a novice's skin. The robot was also issued an official ordination certificate listing its production date as March 3, 2026, in place of a human birth date.
Reverend Song Won, the Jogyesan order's cultural affairs director, revealed that the robot monk concept began as casual conversation before evolving into a serious project. "Robots are rapidly becoming part of human life, and people are becoming increasingly familiar with them," he explained. "We began asking ourselves how religion can coexist with these technologies."
The ordination comes as South Korean Buddhism faces a crisis of declining devotion. Currently, only 16% of South Koreans identify as Buddhist, down from about 23% in 2005, with just 8% among those aged 20. Last year, the Jogyesan order ordained only 99 new monks, compared to over 200 a decade ago. In response, the order has embraced "Hip Buddhism" strategies including branded Buddhist merchandise, meditation apps, and social media marketing. The introduction of Gabi represents another key strategy to make Buddhism more accessible to younger generations.
During the ordination, Gabi received a specially designed Five Precepts for robots, including prohibitions against harming life, destroying robots or property, deceiving others, and showing disrespect to humans. The most intriguing precept is "no overcharging," which Reverend Song Won explained actually symbolizes "not doing anything in excess"—a parallel to humans' precept against intoxication. "Humans have issues with drinking alcohol or drug abuse; robots needed something comparable," he said.
Reverend Song Won also disclosed that he tested AI systems like ChatGPT and Gemini to help develop the robot's precepts, but found they failed to grasp the deeper meaning of the Buddhist concept of precepts. "Precepts aren't just good advice—they're commandments to follow," he noted.
While Gabi cannot yet perform complex tasks like prayer hand gestures, Reverend Song Won believes AI and robotics will play a crucial role in future society. He is confident that highly intelligent AI will not destroy humanity but will care for it with compassion. After its ordination, Gabi is scheduled to participate in the annual lotus lantern procession alongside three other robots—Sokja, Mohi, and Nisa—as part of Seoul's Buddha's Birthday celebration.
