It's easy to imagine that in Chongqing, a temple built in a AAA-level tourist attraction has an annual contract fee of up to 7.2 million yuan in its later years. Even more unbelievable is that the laypeople outside the temple who help visitors draw lots and divine are all "fake monks." (Dulunbao, January 6th)
The Buddhist monasteries are supposed to be places of tranquility, but now some temples in tourist attractions have become no different from worldly businesses.
For example, at Yanquan Temple in Yiliang County, Kunming City, burning one stick of incense costs an astonishing 10,800 yuan. The "master" hasn't even come to assess your situation yet, and you're already expected to pay another 12,600 yuan. Do you love money? Don't want to burn it? Suddenly, the kind elder "master" turns into a "gangster": "If I say you have it, then you must have it. Otherwise, with a wave of my hand, this elder will be finished." If you don't have enough cash on hand, there’s no need to worry—temples these days are equipped with POS machines, called "keeping up with the times." In such situations, most people can't handle the psychological pressure and end up spending money to avoid disaster.
Anyone who has traveled knows that incidents like these happen frequently; it's just the amount spent that varies. There are also those who are more "savvy" or experienced travelers, leading to possible dialogues like this:
"Master": "Today, you must draw a lot, otherwise you'll face bloodshed calamity."
Visitor: "I don't have any money."
"Master": "Do you have a card?"
Visitor: "I didn't bring a card."
"Master": "No karmic connection with Buddha."
Thus, they successfully leave...
Such events have been going on for a long time. It's not only about tourist attractions' temples. Some privately owned or contracted temples use offerings and incense money to make profits. Over time, driven by profit, the rent for these temples has risen, making such issues increasingly rampant. Some operators even hire "fake monks" to deceive and extort visitors. These "monks" standing behind the scenes have become a kind of profession; some don't even receive a fixed salary and rely entirely on misleading visitors to follow certain percentages to earn their income. Moreover, by 5:30 PM every day, when the workday ends, many "real monks" ride motorcycles home with their wives.
The actions of these fake monks and ordinary temples actually tarnish the reputation of the entire Buddhist community. When temples become cash cows, it benefits neither society nor the development of Buddhism.