Amid rows of colourful lanterns strung across the courtyard of Jogyesa temple in Seoul, an unusual ceremony unfolded this week: monks held a Buddhist initiation for a humanoid robot draped in a saffron robe. The robot, named Gabi, was formally ordained as a monk in a bid to rejuvenate interest in Buddhism among South Korea's younger generation.
A New Approach to Faith
During the ceremony, monks placed a string of 108 prayer beads around Gabi's neck and affixed a lantern festival sticker to its mechanical arm, replacing the traditional yeonbi ritual where burning incense is pressed against the skin. Gabi received a formal certificate listing its manufacture date, 3 March 2026, in place of a human initiate's birth date.
Venerable Sungwon, the order's cultural affairs director, explained the origins of the ceremony. "At first we discussed it casually. It began almost as a joke. But the more we thought about it, the more serious it became. Robots are entering our lives so quickly, and people feel familiar with them. They're becoming part of our community."
Declining Participation in Buddhism
Jogyesa temple is the headquarters of the Jogye order, South Korea's largest Buddhist denomination. The initiation of its first robot monk comes at a time of uncertainty for the group, as they grapple with falling participation and interest. Just 16% of South Koreans now identify as Buddhist, down from about 23% in 2005. Among people in their twenties, the figure drops to 8%. Last year, the Jogye order ordained only 99 new monks, down from more than 200 a decade earlier.
Yet by another measure, Buddhism has never been more popular. Under its president, Ven Jinwoo, the Jogye order has aggressively courted younger Koreans through what observers call "hip Buddhism," using merchandise, meditation apps, and viral marketing. The ordination of Gabi, a 130cm humanoid robot, forms part of this effort to reach more Koreans.
Adapting Precepts for AI
During the ceremony on 6 May, Gabi walked before an assembly of monks and worshippers, bowed towards the temple, and received five Buddhist precepts. These ethical rules were specially adapted for Gabi. Four prohibited harming life, damaging other robots or objects, engaging in deceptive behaviour, or acting disrespectfully towards people. The fifth rule, not to overcharge, proved the trickiest.
"Humans drink alcohol and overdo things, right? So what's the robot equivalent?" Ven Sungwon said. "People might think the overcharging rule is just about batteries, but really it's about excess." Ven Sungwon drafted the rules himself, then tested them using AI programs ChatGPT and Gemini. "ChatGPT didn't fully understand what precepts are," he said. "They're not just general advice about doing good things together. They're prohibitions."
Guiding Human Creators
For him, the ceremony was ultimately less about whether robots could become Buddhist than about guiding the humans creating them. The precepts were inspired by existing robot ethics principles. "Robot-makers must create robots that can follow them," he said. Gabi itself proved less advanced than many people imagined. Teaching it to put its palms together in prayer, for instance, was incredibly difficult, Ven Sungwon said.
Despite the challenge, he remains optimistic about the breakneck speed of technological change. "I don't think future AI will cruelly destroy us. Rather, beings with very high intelligence will care for us tenderly. Someone with an IQ of 150 still cares for a dog with compassion. Now imagine an IQ of 300, 400, 500. We'll be like babies in our mother's arms."
Future Appearances
Next week, Gabi will rejoin its three mechanical siblings in the annual Lotus Lantern parade, a major celebration marking Buddha's birthday, where it is expected to walk in the streets of Seoul. For Ven Sungwon, the robot is part of a broader strategy to make Buddhism feel relevant to younger Koreans. "The important thing is that young people visit temples once. Then when they're older and start thinking about life, they'll naturally return. We can't force people to become Buddhists."
