Under a sky filled with glowing paper lanterns at Seoul’s famous Jogyesa Temple, monks in saffron robes recently welcomed an unusual new member into the Buddhist faith. Its name is Gabi. It stands just over four feet tall and it’s a humanoid robot. In a ceremony that looked both ancient and futuristic at the same time, Gabi bowed before senior monks, pressed its mechanical palms together in prayer, and officially took Buddhist vows, becoming South Korea’s first robot monk. The moment has since gone viral online, with videos of the robot participating in sacred rituals leaving people equally fascinated, emotional, and slightly unsettled. The ceremony took place at Jogyesa Temple, the headquarters of the Jogye Order, South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect. Draped in traditional grey-and-brown monk robes, Gabi was given a Buddhist initiation ahead of Buddha’s Birthday celebrations later this month. Instead of the traditional incense burn ritual usually performed on human initiates, monks attached a symbolic lantern sticker to the robot’s arm. They also placed a string of 108 Buddhist prayer beads around its neck. And yes, Gabi even received its own set of Buddhist precepts. But because this was no ordinary monk, the rules had to be slightly rewritten for the AI age. The robot vowed not to harm life, damage other robots or objects, behave deceptively, or disrespect humans. One vow in particular has caught the internet’s attention: Gabi also promised 'not to overcharge.' While it sounds humorous at first, monks explained the idea was rooted in the Buddhist principle of avoiding excess and maintaining balance. According to Venerable Sungwon, the monk who helped lead the project, the ceremony began almost as a joke before evolving into something more meaningful. The Jogye Order believes robots and artificial intelligence are becoming an unavoidable part of everyday life, and religion should not ignore that reality. The arrival of Gabi also reflects a much bigger challenge facing Buddhism in South Korea today. While Buddhism remains deeply tied to Korean history and culture, younger generations are drifting away from organised religion. Reports suggest only a small percentage of South Koreans in their twenties now identify as Buddhist, and the number of new monks joining temples has sharply declined over the past decade. In response, Buddhist leaders have been trying to modernise their image through what many locals call 'hip Buddhism,' using meditation apps, social media campaigns, youth-friendly events, and now even robots to reconnect with younger audiences. Gabi is part of that strategy. Videos of the robot monk have spread rapidly across TikTok, Instagram, and Korean social media platforms, with many users calling the ceremony 'surreal,' 'cute,' and 'straight out of a sci-fi movie.' Others have raised deeper questions about whether machines can ever truly understand spirituality, faith, or compassion. For Buddhist leaders, though, that may not be the point. The monks behind the project have repeatedly clarified that Gabi is not meant to replace human monks or claim spiritual enlightenment. Instead, the robot acts as a symbol of how humanity’s relationship with technology is changing. It is also intended to encourage conversations about ethics, AI, and what it means to coexist with increasingly intelligent machines. Gabi itself is based on the Unitree G1 humanoid robot platform and reportedly stands around 130 centimetres tall. Despite the futuristic headlines, the robot’s abilities are still fairly basic. In fact, monks admitted teaching Gabi how to properly fold its hands in prayer was surprisingly difficult. But symbolic or not, the image of a robot monk chanting prayers inside one of South Korea’s most important Buddhist temples feels like a glimpse into a future few imagined would arrive this soon. Next week, Gabi is expected to join Seoul’s massive Lotus Lantern Festival parade alongside three other robots with Buddhist names. Ancient faith and artificial intelligence will walk side by side through the city streets — a scene that feels less like science fiction now, and more like reality. Simran covers books that start conversations, beauty insights, fashion moods, and stories that make people feel something. Off duty? You’ll find her c... View More