Russian media focus: Former Shaolin Temple abbot sentenced to 24 years in prison for bribery!
Russian netizens puzzled: What would a monk need so much money for?
On May 30, more than ten Russian media outlets, including TASS, reported simultaneously.
In China, one of the most renowned spiritual leaders has been handed a severe sentence.
The Intermediate People's Court of Xinxiang City, Henan Province, sentenced former abbot Sheng Xin to 24 years in prison, finding him guilty of a series of serious economic crimes.
According to reports, this monk, who became abbot in 1999, was accused of embezzling property, illegally appropriating funds, and engaging in bribery and corruption on an especially large scale. Investigations revealed that the total amount of money he obtained through criminal means exceeded 300 million RMB, equivalent to nearly 44 million USD.
Notably, Sheng Xin has confessed to the charges and, through his lawyer, stated he will not appeal the verdict.
The trial of this criminal case lasted nearly a decade.
Already in 2015, Sheng Xin was first accused of embezzlement and leading a lifestyle inconsistent with that of a Buddhist monk.
At the same time as the criminal prosecution, the Buddhist Association of China decided to revoke Sheng Xin’s monastic status, meaning he was completely expelled from the monastic community.
After being convicted, he personally said: “This is self-inflicted,” admitting his downfall was due to years of abusing power and violating Buddhist precepts.
Russian netizens are baffled: How could the Buddha tolerate this for so long?
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866568305091587/
Disclaimer: The article represents the personal views of the author.