South Korea's First Robotic Monk Initiated

A humanoid robot named Gabi became South Korea's first robotic monk during a Buddhist initiation ceremony at Jogye Temple in Seoul on Wednesday, ahead of Buddha's Birthday celebrations later this month.

The 130-centimeter-tall robot, developed by Chinese firm Unitree Robotics, participated in the sugye ritual, a traditional pledge of devotion to the Buddha, his teachings, and the monastic community. Dressed in gray and brown kasaya robes, black shoes, flesh-colored gloves, and a 108-bead rosary, Gabi clasped its palms in prayer and bowed alongside monks and nuns in the temple courtyard. When a monk asked, "Will you devote yourself to the holy Buddha?" and "Will you devote yourself to the holy teaching?" Gabi responded audibly, "Yes, I will devote myself."

Gabi, whose name means "mercy" in Korean, received adaptations to monastic customs suited for a machine. In the yeonbi purification rite, where novice monks traditionally receive small incense burns on their arms, a lotus lantern sticker was placed on the robot's arm instead. The Jogye Order, the country's largest Buddhist sect, also revised the Five Precepts for Gabi: respect life and do not harm it, avoid damaging other...