Named Gabi, the robot recently took part in a Buddhist precept ceremony at Jogyesa Temple, the headquarters of the Jogye Order, the country’s largest Buddhist sect.
Standing around 4.3 feet tall, Gabi appeared at the ceremony dressed in traditional grey-and-brown Buddhist robes. During the ritual, the robot bowed before monks, joined prayers and reportedly pledged to “devote itself” to Buddhism as part of the proceedings.
The ceremony took place ahead of Buddha’s Birthday celebrations and was organised to explore how spirituality and technology could coexist in modern society.
Since traditional Buddhist rituals involve incense burns and physical markings, monks reportedly swapped some customs to ensure the safety of the robot in the ceremony. Instead of ritual burns, they included symbolic stickers to represent ceremonial practices.
Since incense and exposed robot hardware are not exactly a safe combination, monks swapped certain ceremonial elements for more tech-friendly alternatives, including symbolic stickers instead of ritual burns.
Gabi was reportedly given a Dharma name during the event, marking its symbolic entry into Buddhist practice. The ceremony also included an updated version of the Five Buddhist Precepts tailored for the AI age.
Alongside teachings about respecting life and avoiding harmful actions, the robot’s guidelines reportedly included respecting humans, not damaging objects or other robots, conserving energy and avoiding deceptive communication. The changes were designed to reflect ethical concerns linked to artificial intelligence and technology.
According to reports, the initiative is part of a broader effort to make Buddhism more relatable to younger, technology-focused generations. Religious institutions in many countries have been exploring digital outreach methods as societies become increasingly connected through technology.
While Gabi is not being presented as a spiritually conscious being, the experiment shows how traditional institutions are beginning to engage with artificial intelligence in new ways.
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It is important to note that Gabi has not achieved spiritual consciousness. Neither it is replacing monks anytime soon, nor is it expected to start supplying profound life advice between charging sessions.
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