Is it wasteful for monks to build big temples and big statues?

That was the question raised at the seminar on Buddhism with the culture of thrift and anti-waste organized by the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hanoi.

Venerable Thich Thanh Quyet asked whether building big temples and big statues is wasteful - Photo: T.DIEU

Venerable Thich Thanh Quyet asked the question, "Is it wasteful for monks to build big temples, large statues, and use modern means?", and gave the answer at the Buddhist seminar on the culture of thrift and anti-wastefulness held on the evening of August 21.

The Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hanoi organized a seminar on Buddhism with a culture of thrift, anti-waste , academic exchange, and sharing of practical experiences between monks and nuns of all grades, helping them to better understand this issue to spread and apply it in the propagation of Dharma at the monasteries.

The workshop discussed issues such as: Identifying thrift, fighting waste and Buddhist scriptures on thrift, fighting waste; Truc Lam Buddhism, the pinnacle of thrift and fighting waste; Wasting monks' talents, wasting faith...

No monk uses his wealth to build a temple , that money belongs to the people.

At the conference, monk Thich Minh Tu (class HV4) stated: Even though the temple is big, the statues are big, and the facilities are modern, when used with a pure heart according to the spirit of Buddhism and managed transparently, it is a way to sow wisdom and blessings for the present and the future.

After this statement, Venerable Thich Thanh Quyet - President of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hanoi, chaired the conference and gave his analysis.

The monk said that in fact, it is not only now that large pagodas are being built. When King Ly Thai To moved the capital to Thang Long, he ordered the construction of 18 large pagodas.

"Building a big temple is not for any individual but for the whole people. Each ancient temple is a place of education , of goodness, and of elevation for the masses.

So if you have the means, you can build a big temple, just don't beg too much to build it. Don't take advantage of a big temple to do illegal things or do things that go against the religion.

Because that temple is the temple of the people, the finances also belong to the people. No monk brings wealth to build a temple, mainly due to the prestige of each person, each temple, Buddhists contribute and donate to build a big temple, big statue", monk Thich Thanh Quyet analyzed.

He concluded that we should not be bound by the idea that "big temples are wasteful, small temples are economical". A small temple that is not used properly is also wasteful.

Also, don't be too concerned about driving a car and using a phone as a waste, walking and not using a phone is economical. Because walking and not using a phone is sometimes more wasteful. It's a waste of time, and a waste of many other opportunities, a waste of human inventive intelligence.

Venerable Thich Thanh Quyet advised monks and nuns to apply the technological achievements of mankind to their study and practice life, but not to compete with fashion and new means.

"Spending 1 billion VND on the right place is not a waste, but spending 1 VND on the wrong purpose is also a waste," he concluded.

The seminar was attended by hundreds of monks and nuns from the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hanoi - Photo: Organizing Committee

A mind that is not attached to material things will be easier to practice.

Talking about the spirit of thrift and anti-waste in Buddhism, Venerable Thich Giac Hop (Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hanoi) said that the Buddhist ideology of "thieu duc tri tuc" - living with enough, knowing when to stop - is the core foundation for practicing thrift.

The Buddha pointed out that the origin of suffering is greed and desire that have no end. Therefore, monks and true Buddhists must cultivate a mind free from greed and reduce desires.

Saving is to practice compassion and wisdom. A mind that is not bound by material things will easily practice and attain liberation. On the contrary, wasting damages one's own merit and harms the environment and the community.

Thrift in Buddhism does not mean being stingy, mean or living a life of negative austerity.

On the contrary, it is an attitude of living mindfully and responsibly. It is the appreciation of every grain of rice, every drop of water, every piece of paper, because all are the results of labor, the efforts of the faithful.

Along with saving is the action of fighting waste. Not only fighting waste of useless material consumption, but also fighting waste of time, effort, intelligence, and even opportunities to do useful things.

Be filial to your parents while they are still alive.

Applying the spirit of thrift during this Vu Lan season, monk Thich Thanh Quyet said that to show filial piety to parents with delicious food or good things, one should show filial piety while the parents are still alive.

When parents have passed away, the best way to show filial piety is to do many good deeds, not to waste it by offering lavish feasts and burning lots of votive paper money.

He advised monks and nuns to practice thrift after graduation and educate people and Buddhists about the spirit of thrift.

BIRD OF PARADISE

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nha-su-xay-chua-to-tuong-lon-co-lang-phi-khong-20250821082020296.htm