A former living Buddha from Ganzi Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province had his clerical status and the title of “Living Buddha” revoked for violating laws and religious rules, the united front work department of Sichuan Province said.
According to the WeChat account of the department, the man involved was a former living Buddha from Sera monastery in Seda county who has long been engaged in accumulating wealth illegally, violating laws and religious regulations and living corruptly.
In 2013, he was sentenced to one year and three months in prison for extortion. And in 2019, he was sentenced to eight months in prison for forging official documents, as he had purchased a forged marriage certificate in order to get his hukou, or household registration, in Chengdu.
According to related regulations including the regulation on religious affairs, his qualification for being a political advisor, clerical status and title of living Buddha have all been revoked.
Photo: Xinhua
