Video: Drinking, smoking and playing poker; maybe living like a monk ain’t so bad after all

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW2HgyaCZj4

Monks are traditionally renowned for living lives of quietness, solitude and devotion, but that way of life doesn’t apply to all of them, apparently.

At least not the six Buddhist monks from South Korea, who were caught red-handed on camera drinking, smoking and playing a game of poker where there was up to a billion Korean won (approximately €675,000) at stake.

According to a report in The Guardian, the six monks from the Jogye order, the largest order of monks in South Korea, were caught indulging in the very un monk-like activities at a luxury lakeside hotel late last month, only days before a national holiday to celebrate the birth of Buddha, the holiest day in the religion’s calendar.

Grainy video footage of the monks drinking, smoking and playing poker was broadcast on South Korean state television, with reports suggesting that they played for up to 13 hours for sums in excess of 1 billion won.

The footage has caused a major scandal in South Korea and the head of the Jogye order, Jaseung, issued a grovelling apology for the actions of the six monks identified in the video.

"We deeply apologise for the behaviour of several monks in our order," he said in a statement.

"The monks who have caused public concern are currently being investigated and will be punished according to Buddhist regulations as soon as the truth is verified by the prosecution."

The footage in the video above looks innocent enough, but judging by the subsequent apologies, it's obvious that they were up to no good.

We certainly wouldn't fancy taking on a gang of monks in a game of high-stakes cards anyway; judging by their capacity to stay silent for ridiculously long periods, could you imagine their poker faces?