Come and See (2019) Movie Script
1
A long time ago, all humans and animals
were full of ignorance
and misunderstanding...
until Lord Buddha,
the light of the world
and the universe, was born.
Since then, the true knowledge
has been revealed.
Every eye has been opened
to see the truth.
I once bought a Buddha statue
from this temple
and it smelled like rotten meat.
Its true.
I've also heard that this temple
is using black magic.
Our temple doesnt practice
any superstitious beliefs.
Our temple teaches
nothing but real Buddhism.
My ex-colleague asked me for advice.
He was going to get a divorce.
His wife went to Dhammakaya Temple.
All their savings were gone.
His kid was still young.
She gave everything to the temple.
Were never forced to donate anything.
Outsiders say the temple
forces us to donate excessively.
Thats not true.
We only donate out of faith.
Dhammakaya is not only
destroying Thai people,
but also Buddhism,
as they spread all over the world.
So, what does "best" mean?
I was searching for so long
until I found Dhammakaya.
It made me understand
the meaning of "goodness" and "best."
This place is full of criminals.
A place for laundering money.
Its even a secret base
for guerilla troops.
Soon, they will be completely wiped out.
This is the end of Dhammachaiyo.
-The biggest news making headlines today.
-Yes.
Dhammachaiyo is charged with money
laundering and receiving stolen property.
The donation money was embezzled
from the credit union cooperative.
Cashier checks worth more than
$33 million were donated to Dhammakaya.
The abbot is summoned to report
to the police for the third time.
The temple denies all accusations
and insists the abbot has no idea
about the source of the donations.
Today, the abbot refused
to meet with investigators,
claiming he is suffering
from severe vertigo.
Our 72-year-old abbot is very ill
and could die if he is forced to travel.
Why would we risk his life
by taking him to the police?
The public is questioning
whether Dhammachaiyo is really ill
or just trying to avoid the investigation.
The paper on the right-hand side
is todays newspaper.
On the left-hand side
is the paper
you reporters randomly scribbled on.
Its clear that I walked away from you
holding these papers
and entered
Dhammachaiyos recovery room.
The doctors are here to take care of him.
This footage is proof that he is truly ill
and cant travel anywhere.
You can see that he is very ill
and hasnt fled the temple.
Most importantly,
he respects the criminal justice system.
Our abbot is 73 years old now,
and hes very ill.
He has not left the temple
in the last ten years.
He has been staying here to recover.
Considering his poor health,
what use is any money
to him in this condition?
Its simply common sense.
Theres no reason to cheat at all.
I think the government
will eventually understand.
This will end well.
Let me emphasize. The embezzled money
is from peoples savings.
We demand the police take serious action.
Today, Im here with the people
to file a complaint to the chief of
the Department of Special Investigation.
Thats all for today.
Its a principle of management.
The biggest problems must be solved first.
Going after small problems
wont solve the situation
because 90% of this problem
is caused by Dhammakaya.
The reformation of Buddhism wont succeed
if we keep going after random monks
who violate minor principles.
Since Dhammakaya Dhammachaiyo himself
is the real root of corruption
in the political administration
of Thai monks.
Not just money laundering
and receiving stolen property.
Its much more than that.
Its an empire that
could become an independent state.
They could even take over the country
if they conspire with politicians.
Pass the word on to Dhammachaiyo.
You are the founder of Dhammakaya,
and now youre going to ruin your temple
with your own hands.
When I started attending the temple,
he didnt come with me.
He said he would when he's old.
He said he would join the temple
when hes old.
Then I learned to practice meditation
and follow the precepts.
So I tried to persuade him.
He said, "I already let you do
what you want, so leave me alone!"
"Dont force me. I hate it!"
He used to be a heavy smoker,
an alcoholic, an immodest man.
He wouldve gone to hell
if he hadnt started coming to the temple.
PRAEKSA
Lets go.
Let's go. It's okay.
Handsome men and pretty women
should give up their seats.
So someone more beautiful can sit.
-Where are we going?
-To Dhammakaya Temple.
-What are you going to do?
-We are going to make merit.
We will make food offerings to the monks.
We will make food offerings to the monks.
Ive been attending the temple
since I was in the womb.
Ive been attending the temple
since I was in the womb.
Everybody, let us recite
the morning prayer together.
Please take off your shoes.
Before I began
coming to the temple in 1998,
it was already wrapped in scandals.
I came to see it for myself.
Hello. Welcome, everyone.
Welcome, everyone, to Dhammakaya Temple.
Hello.
Hello.
It was not like what
I had previously heard at all.
It felt like I found purity.
I realized that meditation
is the fundamental step to happiness.
This is the reason why
Im still attending the temple today.
The crux of
Dhammakaya Temple is our abbot,
Dhammachaiyo, who became
interested in Buddhism at a young age.
He studied the Buddhist scripture
and began practicing meditation.
He studied under many masters
until he found the Paknam Temple
and became the disciple of Maechi Chan.
He believed that her meditation practice
was sincere and good.
So he resolved to enter
the monkhood for the rest of his life.
Later, the number of people who came
to study under him
and Maechi Chan increased,
so they decided to build a new temple.
Dhammakaya Temple was founded in 1970.
From my point of view, our teachings
are similar to other Buddhist temples.
We follow the Lord Buddhas teachings.
Morality, meditation, wisdom.
And alms, precepts, and prayers.
Just like any other place.
Except the way we dispense
our knowledge might be different.
to become a part
of the three jewels of Buddhism.
Take a step forward to preserve
and pass down Buddhas teachings,
which will bring
glorious peace to the world forever.
I think most people who oppose Dhammakaya
have issues with their teachings,
such as the claim that
Nirvana exists as a physical place,
or that the abbot could meet the Buddha.
These teachings go against the fundamental
beliefs of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand.
Theravada is the Buddhas teachings
as revised by the first
Buddhist council in 483 B.C.E.
Theravada is considered to be the oldest
and most accurate teachings of all,
therefore, it tends to be conservative
since the scripture
is the only measurement.
To put it simply,
Dhammakaya is capitalist Buddhism.
Its like a product that understands
and fulfills the customers desires.
Thats why Dhammakaya
has attracted a massive following.
Dhammakaya has expanded its influence
in the monks Supreme Council
and over the bureaucrats.
This move
greatly intimidates the non-believers.
This increasing influence of Dhammakaya
is intimidating other groups.
Buddhists see this
as a very significant problem,
because if Dhammakaya
can influence the monks Supreme Council
and spread their teachings without limits,
then the Buddhist teachings
based on scriptures
that dont correspond to Dhammakayas
teachings could eventually be wiped out.
ORDINATION PROGRAM FOR 48TH ANNIVERSARY
OF DHAMMACHAIYO
What Ive learned from this temple is
we were born to make merit.
We make merit by doing good karma.
We are not all born equal.
Having the chance to be born means
that I have gained
a certain level of merit.
Merit that came from sharing, following
the precepts, meditating, and praying.
As Im sitting right here,
you see my skin is this tone.
Actually, this skin tone shows I havent
followed the precepts well enough.
In my past lives,
I didnt follow the precepts well enough,
so my skin is not white and bright.
My look.
The man who has followed
the precepts well will be handsome.
Like you, you followed the precepts better
than I did, so your skin is lighter.
Its white. I can tell.
Our afterlife from our present.
According to the Buddha
and the abbots teachings,
giving alms will make you rich,
following the precepts
will make you beautiful,
and meditating will make you wise.
So we can make a plan.
Do we want to get rich? If so, we donate.
But if you wonder if Im "buying merit,"
I will explain that later.
Donating is about faith and trust.
If you truly feel the merit, just donate.
You will never be broke.
Ive been donating
since I was extremely poor.
My house burned down
several times and Im still alive.
I donated all my money,
but Im still alive
and getting richer and richer every day.
Im not impoverished in any way.
How much have you donated to the temple?
Ive donated $400,000 in total.
Look at me. Im from the countryside.
I still have no idea
how I made that much money.
Organizing my life? I couldnt do that.
Ive only finished elementary school
and done manual labor,
so it seems impossible
that I could reach this point.
We will struggle
without the merit weve made.
Less merit, more obstacles.
More merit, fewer obstacles.
MAHA KATHINA
THE GREAT DONATION CEREMONY OF THE YEAR
The temple never asks us to donate.
We always make our own decisions
because we know the temple
is the perfect "Field of Merit."
What is the "Field of Merit"?
Its like growing a tree.
You need fruitful soil, fertilizer, water.
We make merit
to one who possesses a higher virtue
to yield a higher degree of merit.
Monks here are all hard-working.
No one is lazy.
They always meditate and work hard.
Theyre always busy,
so everything needs to be funded.
We see the value in what they do for us.
FOR HUMAN BEINGS, IF WE HAVE MERIT,
WE WILL HAVE FEWER OBSTACLES.
BUSINESS WILL GO SMOOTHLY.
BUT IF WE LACK MERIT, WE WILL STRUGGLE.
THIS IS WHY WE SHOULD MAKE MERIT.
TO END OUR POVERTY AND SUFFERING.
This is a photo album
that Dhammakaya gave me
while I was still attending the temple.
Well
RECEIVING THE IMPERIAL ROBES OF TREASURE
I was really sick
of their fundraising campaigns.
They just kept competing
with each other
to reach their donation goals.
I think its so wrong.
Thats why I left and will never return.
No matter how hard
they try to convince me to come back.
Sometimes they came to ring the doorbell,
but I never answered.
So they left CDs, books, and brochures.
They are actually nice people.
They used to take care of me.
I felt attached to them.
They used to call me "mother."
But their duty was to raise money.
Each group needed
to reach its own assigned goal.
It was all fake.
I wasnt rich, so I borrowed money
from other people
and sold my stuff
just to have money to donate.
I decided to speak out
because I couldnt take it anymore.
To protect the true Buddhism,
for our descendants to worship.
Not this distorted
and materialistic kind of Buddhism.
Not the religion that would support
a fake monk like Dhammachaiyo.
Hell no.
DHAMMAPRASITHE IMPERIAL ROBES OF TREASURE
When I had just graduated from Harvard,
I was on the executive committee
of Dhammakaya,
and also the head of education
and international departments.
I met a teacher in Rayong.
She said she would do anything for us.
She inherited four houses
from her parents.
She sold three houses and donated
the money to build the new pagoda.
Her husband was an architect.
Her kid was applying for college.
She wondered why
her husband rarely came home.
She went to the temple every month
and stayed for a week
each time to observe the precepts.
She used her house as a meditation center.
She prayed every single day.
She also bought a time slot
at a local radio station
to broadcast Buddhist teachings.
And she kept on wondering
when her husband would come back home.
When was the merit
going to improve her life?
I thought that she was the problem
because she was making merit like crazy.
Then she asked me
if she should sell her last house
and donate
to the building of the new pagoda.
When I came back to the temple...
It was around 9 p.m.
I went to see Dhammachaiyo.
He was sitting with the vice abbot.
I told them what I had just heard.
Then I told him, "Master...
this happened because of
our fundraising campaign.
Many families have been torn apart.
Husbands and wives going separate ways.
We should stop raising money like this.
How can we help them to live happy lives?
How can we help
build their childrens futures?
We must change the way we raise money."
Dhammachaiyo sat still.
Then he turned to me,
looked straight into my eyes...
and said, "Mettanando.
Do you know who I am?
If you really think I am Dhammachaiyo,
the abbot of Dhammakaya...
you are wrong."
That sent a chill down my spine.
I decided that
I couldnt be with the temple anymore.
I resigned from all positions
at the end of that month...
and moved to another temple.
He tried to convince me
that hes the Origin of Dhamma.
The Origin of Dhamma is
a special term in Dhammakaya teachings.
It means the Creator of Everything.
He tried to convince me
that he is the Creator.
He is the leader of the Dhamma Army.
Dhammachaiyo is the Creator.
Since you were an insider
and no one could refute your allegations,
why do we have to believe you?
The temple has tried
to discredit me by any means.
The media has started questioning me.
Time will tell.
I could be saying something false.
People should not just blindly believe me.
I didnt write my book
for people to believe,
but to think for themselves.
Free inquiry is an important tenet
of Buddhism.
I havent done anything
outside of Buddhist teachings at all.
"COME AND SEE: THE EXHIBITION"
PROVE IT TO YOURSELF
RETOUCHED PHOTOS SPREAD ONLINE
TO SLANDER OUR ABBOEDITED IMAGES OF HIS HOLINESS
WHICH HAVE BEEN WIDELY SHARED
HOW FALSE RUMORS SPREAD
FAKE NEWS - RUMORS - FAKE ACCOUNTS
SLANDER - MASS MEDIA
I was most impressed by Dhammachaiyo
during the incident of 1998-99.
Our temple was under heavy criticism
by the media and authorities.
The abbot was preaching
at the assembly hall.
He said, "Dont blame them.
Instead, we should blame ourselves
for not explaining it well enough."
I was like, this man could be my mentor,
he could be my leader.
After all of that,
he still never blamed anybody but himself.
Imagine a chili.
You wouldnt know how spicy it is
until you try it yourself.
The Buddhas teachings are like that.
You need to experience it
to prove it to yourself.
Dhammakaya has been enduring trials
and tests since it was founded.
I have nothing much to say.
First of all,
Im glad to be
participating in your film,
even though Im not very knowledgeable.
I just speak the truth from my heart.
If...
my interview
doesnt fulfill what you need,
Im sorry for that.
Please forgive me
for my level of knowledge
so I can enter the monkhood with peace.
I hope you find success and live happily.
Hope all your wishes come true
without any obstacles.
And hope you will help
protect and spread Buddhism
to bring peace to the world.
I wish you good luck
and hope to see you again.
Thai Buddhism instills in us
that a Buddhist has to be a decent person
and that Buddhism is the best religion.
We have to pray every day in order
to become good children to our parents
and good citizens for the state.
Only then can we imagine ourselves
as being on the bright and "right" side.
Because of this, when Dhammakaya appears
with unfamiliar characteristics,
we react by demonizing them.
But in reality,
we never questioned ourselves
as to whether Dhammakayas teachings
are really all that different
from what weve been taught.
It could be that we just
dislike certain aspects that stick out.
We condemn Dhammakaya
for being this way or being that way,
but actually,
most Thai Buddhism is just the same.
Dhammakaya represents
an extreme version of Thai Buddhism.
It highlights and makes obvious
the aspects that shock and horrify people.
But I think the real issue with Dhammakaya
is that it is
a reflection of who we really are.
And that reflection is so honest
that we cant bear to look at it.
Religions once had many roles in society,
from schooling and beyond,
but the modern state
has taken over those roles.
You could try to get rid of Dhammakaya
because of the crooked abbot
or for whatever reason,
but if you look at religion this way,
Dhammakaya is really part of a religion
that is struggling to find an answer...
to create a meaningful place
for Buddhism in modern Thai society.
I think Dhammachaiyo
is trying to find a way,
but his way is different from others.
Even if Dhammakaya is gone,
this question still remains.
What is the role of Buddhism
in modern Thai society?
The answer is none.
No matter how thoroughly you destroy
Dhammakaya, the question still remains.
ALL LIVING THINGS
RELY ON THEIR MERIT FOR THEIR NEXT LIVES
I once spoke to an officer
at the ministry of defense.
He thought that the stability
of our nation
depended on the stability
of "the institution"
that survives on the love
and faith of the people.
When this love and faith
was given to Dhammakaya,
the stability of "the institution"
was shaken.
Therefore, he concluded that Dhammakaya
was a threat to the nation.
We, the National Council
for Peace and Order,
which consists of the army,
navy, and air forces,
and the national police,
must take control of power to administer
the country from this moment.
You should know that
this government came into power by
a coup.
They dont want us
to use the phrase "coup detat."
They just seized
the power from the previous government
in the name of
the National Council for Peace and Order.
The reason they came to power is
to maintain peace, law, and order.
But now Dhammachaiyo
is directly challenging them.
The temple is their biggest challenge.
Go tell him to stop
resisting the authorities.
If you think youre innocent,
just turn yourself in and go to trial.
The situation between Dhammachaiyo
and the government is a zero-sum game.
Only one will remain.
Since Dhammachaiyo has evaded the summons,
the police will request
an arrest warrant from the court.
I invited him to ordain as a monk.
-I was the worst in the factory.
-He sure was.
-I did all the bad things.
-You were a troublemaker.
Well
He was a heavy smoker,
an alcoholic, a junkie, a drug dealer.
"If he hadnt met you,
I would be dead by now," his mom told me.
So I asked her why.
She said because of a broken heart.
His mom is happy now.
She said
she used to be terribly concerned,
but now she can sleep
peacefully every night.
She doesnt worry about him at all.
He gained great merit from this.
My merit though.
Why flatter yourself like that?
-What?
-You should open the gate all the way.
Or it'll damage the car's door.
Let's go inside.
-Welcome.
-Welcome.
I forgot to turn this light on.
Thats the room for visitors to register.
Grandma!
-I wanna go with you.
-Let's go.
Okay. Come with grandma.
-Mom, your key.
-Put it on the table.
This is the meditation room.
We are open every Tuesday.
Lets worship the grandmaster.
Grandmaster,
we just went to make merits at the temple,
so we would like to share
the merits with you.
Bend your head down to the floor.
-Do I need to lie down?
-Now we bend down.
-I'm lying down.
-Bend down. Sathu.
From now on,
please be determined
to follow the path to Nirvana.
Sit cross-legged,
with your right leg over the left.
Place your right hand over the left.
Touch the tip of your right index finger
to your left thumb.
Place both hands on your lap
where you feel comfortable.
Slowly close your eyes.
Just lightly cover half your eyelids.
I meditate for one hour every day.
I always set the alarm clock for it.
On the day I had a breakthrough,
it didnt ring.
I told myself,
if I dont hear the alarm,
I wont stop meditating.
Then I started to feel pain
and my mind started to lose focus.
So I repeated the mantra in my mind.
Suddenly, I got sucked inside.
It felt like poof!
It was dense. It was like whoosh!
My body gradually expanded.
It kept expanding.
There was a bright light,
like a huge spotlight
shining directly onto my face.
I kept getting bigger and bigger.
Suddenly, it was so bright.
I disappeared.
Then I examined myself.
No worries. No suffering. No anxiety.
I felt so light, so clear, and peaceful.
It was an indescribable happiness.
I felt a chill.
I thought I was dead.
On that day,
we were meditating at the temple.
Then they said
the authorities were coming.
There was a rumor
that they would come raid the temple.
We were really scared,
so we split up to cover each gate.
We were there
neither to fight nor resist.
We meditated
so our merit would help the cause.
We didnt plan to fight,
so we turned our backs to them.
They asked us to clear the way,
but no one moved
because we had made a vow.
There was a rumor
they would bring tanks and tear gas...
so I told myself,
today, I will sacrifice my life
for Buddhism to protect our abbot.
And I was not the only one.
This is an announcement
from the disciples of Dhammachaiyo.
In spite of his severe illness,
the disciples all agree that
he should turn himself in
to enter the judicial process,
but only when the country
returns to democracy.
Its like Im seeing who I used to be.
I just followed everything they said
without any doubt.
Never questioning whether they were
protecting good or bad people.
They dont know the truth
and only listen to one side of the story.
I used to only listen to
what the temple said.
I had only faith.
Everyone, please keep sitting,
keep meditating.
Only the assigned people can go.
Others, please sit still.
Could you please let us get inside
the temple and talk to him first?
Then we would discuss
the legal procedure afterward.
Our abbot is sick.
He is not ready to meet you.
-We are all here in peace.
-We do apologize.
-Please be merciful.
-We are not resisting at all.
Please have sympathy for our abbot.
He is really ill.
How many of you are here?
I really dont know
where all these people came from,
but all of us love our abbot.
Please have sympathy for him.
Please come back later.
Okay, I will report to my commander
before making any further decisions.
-Thank you, everyone.
-Thank you.
Please give the officer
a round of applause.
Sathu.
No one believes Dhammachaiyo
would turn himself in.
The only way is to go and arrest him.
That day will come soon.
I believe it will be very soon.
That day will be the end for Dhammachaiyo,
and the reformation of Buddhism
in this country will begin.
I believe that good will conquer evil.
I truly believe
that the police will have the morality
not to do us any harm.
Will the DSI return to the temple again?
The arrest warrant is still valid,
so we will arrest him
by any means necessary.
Good morning, our beloved good friends.
This morning, its time to make merit.
Please come join us when youre ready.
After waking up, we put our minds
back into the center of our bodies.
We will feel delighted,
lively, and joyful.
Drink some water,
wash your face, refresh yourself,
then please come join us.
Once your mind is refreshed,
your body awakens.
The Crystal Ballroom
is now opened
for our good friends.
For a fresh and bright morning like today,
welcome, everyone.
Please come to make great merit
by praying and meditating
this morning.
The most important thing
before entering the Crystal Ballroom:
please dont forget
to bring a peaceful mood.
Being at peace
is the best way to attain enlightenment.
Lets make merit together
QUOTE FROM DHAMMACHAIYO:
I WANT ALL MY CHILDREN TO IMPROVE
THEMSELVES BY ACHIEVING MORE MERIBY KEEPING OUR TOILETS AND SINKS CLEAN
AND DRY AND LIKE NEW FOR THE NEXT USER.
Everyone, please clear your mind
and put it at the center of your body.
Be proud that
we are going to gain great merit today
by cleaning the bathrooms
of our religious place.
Please be proud that
we are going to gain big merit today.
Please concentrate on praying together.
With the merit
that we are making now,
please make our wishes
come true.
Please make us
achieve
the pure
and whole truth.
To clearly and permanently master
the true knowledge of Dhammakaya
in every lifetime
until we reach the end of truth.
Please make my life
full of beauty,
richness,
ability,
and followers.
When I pass away, please bring me back
to the special circle
of Dusit Buri heaven,
as an honor of us, merit makers.
When I am reborn
to make merit again,
I would be able to recall my past lives
and realize the mission of life.
So we could continue
to make more merit with even more pureness
until we reach the end of truth.
Hope all we did
will help us reach Nirvana.
My husband and I dont make a living.
Were both staying here,
and our kids are taking care of us.
Im so determined to be here,
I left my job.
My son said he would give me $3,000.
I thought, oh!
My merit is calling me
to go reside at the temple.
You know what I thought?
We just sat in our temple.
Why would they arrest us?
I was deeply sad.
It saddens me deep down.
You know why?
This is our temple.
We built it by ourselves.
The government never gave us a dime.
Why would they arrest our abbot?
Why slander him?
So I told myself, do or die.
I can die for my abbot.
So I closed my eyes
and sat there for six hours.
It was raining. My butt was soaked.
Theres nothing to be afraid of.
I think theres nothing to be afraid of.
When people say they can
sacrifice their lives for someone,
I dont think its blind faith,
but a genuine feeling.
I dont think they
really mean it as committing suicide,
like some extremist cults.
That is too much.
I think its because they came here
and really learned from the Buddha
and the abbots teachings.
So they might consider
the abbot as their father.
He gave birth to their religious life.
I see it more like gratitude.
Pimpa.
Okay, at least you two can remember.
Attention!
-Fall in!
-Fall in!
Very strong. Good job.
Please pass along my announcement.
The special mission
might happen before August 27th.
Please tell the people
who went home to come back soon
so you can take turns to rest.
Maybe the special mission
might happen before August 27.
We will let you know as soon as possible.
Attention!
Okay, lets vow together.
Zero. Seven. Two.
We believe in the innocence
of Dhammachaiyo.
Louder, please.
We believe in the innocence
of Dhammachaiyo.
We believe in the innocence
of Dhammachaiyo.
Well be like brothers and sisters
living harmoniously like angels.
Well train ourselves
to become miraculous people.
Well work together as a team.
Sathu.
Rich!
Lets go to the Crystal Ballroom.
In front of the Crystal Ballroom.
"Grandma, when will you come home?"
He said, "I miss you, Grandma."
I told him Im protecting the temple.
"The temple will win for sure," he said.
If theres any third party causing unrest
and people get hurt
or die in this temple...
would the police be responsible for that?
A STATEMENT FROM DHAMMAKAYA FOLLOWERS
But if you ask what the disciples want
Fight!
We, the disciples of Dhammakaya...
respect the law...
but
only if the law is fair and righteous.
First news today
couldnt be about anything else
since the public is paying close attention
to Dhammakaya Temple.
Last night, at 1 a.m.,
the Prime Minister officially imposed
the emergency law Article 44
in order to declare
the temple compound as a restricted area.
Article 44 allows authorities
to arrest anyone who obstructs the search.
The operation deployed more than
6,000 officers to search inside the temple
and granted permission
to cut off all utilities
and block cell phone coverage
if necessary.
The search warrant approved
by the court has no specific time frame.
Normal law and normal police
are not capable
of arresting a special person
like Dhammachaiyo.
Thats why we need this special law.
I think its unfair to our abbot.
They cant prosecute him
because the case
has been false from the beginning.
I wonder if the authorities
are pressured by any other factors.
When the police get inside,
they will surely find Dhammachaiyo.
He will be arrested right there.
I dont think he could live long
because he wouldnt be able to stand it.
We dont need outsiders to punish him.
We would punish him ourselves
if he did us wrong.
But our abbot is flawless
and open to being proven wrong.
DSI cut the lock of the front gate.
Two troops of riot police
went into the temple
to search the recovery room
in Dao Wa Dung building
where Dhammachaiyo stayed to recover,
but today
Ive been listening to how
youve responded to the media,
saying that you havent seen
the abbot for a long time.
-I'm asking you this because
-Its been nine months already.
Yes, you always give the same answer,
but let me ask you again.
You really dont know where he is?
How could I know?
Whats his condition?
Is he in the temple? Who is he with?
How could the Director of Communication
know nothing about it?
Why would I need to know?
-What for?
-Wait.
You dont worry about him at all?
My heart is always full of love
and care for him,
but that doesnt mean
I need to know his whereabouts.
How do you feel about
the disappearance of the abbot?
I am not affected by it at all.
I feel that hes safe now,
and one day, he will return.
During the search,
there was a rumor that some weapons,
guns, and grenades
were stolen from the authorities.
We dont know whether its true or not.
Maybe the authorities tried
to plant some evidence on us.
We didnt trust them.
So each team was assigned
to follow the officers
and take pictures wherever they went.
They couldnt find
any wrongdoing in our temple.
After that, they asked for another search,
but with no one
on our side on the grounds.
Do you think we would trust them?
The vice-abbot said,
"Three days is more than enough.
Were going to resist."
Let us in!
Get out of the way!
Get out of our temple!
-All officers, please get out of here.
-Please get out!
-Get out!
-Wait!
-Please get out of here.
-Please dont do this!
Team, fall back!
We can die at any moment.
But if I die this time,
I will gain great merit.
If we study about the afterlife,
well know where we are going.
If you do not follow the precepts
and, say, kill an animal,
when you die, you will be punished.
If youve been drinking alcohol, they
will pour melted copper into your mouth.
Im scared,
so Id better be safe than sorry.
Its better to gain
enough merit when youre alive.
Because you might need it when you die.
Better to be safe than sorry.
It is very pleasant here
in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Everything is beautifully created
by the merit that
Ive made when I was still alive.
It is full of celestial treasures
and faithful followers.
Heaven? It depends on your merit
and the state of your mind.
Could you explain further?
Well
If weve gained great merit,
our heavenly palace will illuminate.
When you were alive, if youd
invited many people to make merit,
done good deeds,
and donated to build a temple,
you would have a palace in heaven.
Also, if youd invited people to do good
deeds, you would have followers up there.
It will happen automatically.
Where do you think
you will go when you die?
Heaven.
For sure.
First of all, I never committed any sins.
Secondly, I always
cleanse my mind by meditating.
I will definitely go to heaven.
Which level do you want to go to?
Honestly, I want to go to Dusit Buri.
Because it is where the Buddha
who loves to meditate resides.
Wed love to be there.
PM WON'T LIFT THE RESTRICTIONS
UNLESS THE ABBOT IS CAUGHOur temple still has our honesty...
and also our truth,
which is true to ourselves.
If a blind man claims
theres no sun that shines a light,
regardless of what the blind man says,
the sun still exists.
That truth still exists.
We will stand by our own truth,
our goodness,
and eventually, they will understand.
A long time ago, all humans and animals
were full of ignorance
and misunderstanding...
until Lord Buddha,
the light of the world
and the universe, was born.
Since then, the true knowledge
has been revealed.
Every eye has been opened
to see the truth.
I once bought a Buddha statue
from this temple
and it smelled like rotten meat.
Its true.
I've also heard that this temple
is using black magic.
Our temple doesnt practice
any superstitious beliefs.
Our temple teaches
nothing but real Buddhism.
My ex-colleague asked me for advice.
He was going to get a divorce.
His wife went to Dhammakaya Temple.
All their savings were gone.
His kid was still young.
She gave everything to the temple.
Were never forced to donate anything.
Outsiders say the temple
forces us to donate excessively.
Thats not true.
We only donate out of faith.
Dhammakaya is not only
destroying Thai people,
but also Buddhism,
as they spread all over the world.
So, what does "best" mean?
I was searching for so long
until I found Dhammakaya.
It made me understand
the meaning of "goodness" and "best."
This place is full of criminals.
A place for laundering money.
Its even a secret base
for guerilla troops.
Soon, they will be completely wiped out.
This is the end of Dhammachaiyo.
-The biggest news making headlines today.
-Yes.
Dhammachaiyo is charged with money
laundering and receiving stolen property.
The donation money was embezzled
from the credit union cooperative.
Cashier checks worth more than
$33 million were donated to Dhammakaya.
The abbot is summoned to report
to the police for the third time.
The temple denies all accusations
and insists the abbot has no idea
about the source of the donations.
Today, the abbot refused
to meet with investigators,
claiming he is suffering
from severe vertigo.
Our 72-year-old abbot is very ill
and could die if he is forced to travel.
Why would we risk his life
by taking him to the police?
The public is questioning
whether Dhammachaiyo is really ill
or just trying to avoid the investigation.
The paper on the right-hand side
is todays newspaper.
On the left-hand side
is the paper
you reporters randomly scribbled on.
Its clear that I walked away from you
holding these papers
and entered
Dhammachaiyos recovery room.
The doctors are here to take care of him.
This footage is proof that he is truly ill
and cant travel anywhere.
You can see that he is very ill
and hasnt fled the temple.
Most importantly,
he respects the criminal justice system.
Our abbot is 73 years old now,
and hes very ill.
He has not left the temple
in the last ten years.
He has been staying here to recover.
Considering his poor health,
what use is any money
to him in this condition?
Its simply common sense.
Theres no reason to cheat at all.
I think the government
will eventually understand.
This will end well.
Let me emphasize. The embezzled money
is from peoples savings.
We demand the police take serious action.
Today, Im here with the people
to file a complaint to the chief of
the Department of Special Investigation.
Thats all for today.
Its a principle of management.
The biggest problems must be solved first.
Going after small problems
wont solve the situation
because 90% of this problem
is caused by Dhammakaya.
The reformation of Buddhism wont succeed
if we keep going after random monks
who violate minor principles.
Since Dhammakaya Dhammachaiyo himself
is the real root of corruption
in the political administration
of Thai monks.
Not just money laundering
and receiving stolen property.
Its much more than that.
Its an empire that
could become an independent state.
They could even take over the country
if they conspire with politicians.
Pass the word on to Dhammachaiyo.
You are the founder of Dhammakaya,
and now youre going to ruin your temple
with your own hands.
When I started attending the temple,
he didnt come with me.
He said he would when he's old.
He said he would join the temple
when hes old.
Then I learned to practice meditation
and follow the precepts.
So I tried to persuade him.
He said, "I already let you do
what you want, so leave me alone!"
"Dont force me. I hate it!"
He used to be a heavy smoker,
an alcoholic, an immodest man.
He wouldve gone to hell
if he hadnt started coming to the temple.
PRAEKSA
Lets go.
Let's go. It's okay.
Handsome men and pretty women
should give up their seats.
So someone more beautiful can sit.
-Where are we going?
-To Dhammakaya Temple.
-What are you going to do?
-We are going to make merit.
We will make food offerings to the monks.
We will make food offerings to the monks.
Ive been attending the temple
since I was in the womb.
Ive been attending the temple
since I was in the womb.
Everybody, let us recite
the morning prayer together.
Please take off your shoes.
Before I began
coming to the temple in 1998,
it was already wrapped in scandals.
I came to see it for myself.
Hello. Welcome, everyone.
Welcome, everyone, to Dhammakaya Temple.
Hello.
Hello.
It was not like what
I had previously heard at all.
It felt like I found purity.
I realized that meditation
is the fundamental step to happiness.
This is the reason why
Im still attending the temple today.
The crux of
Dhammakaya Temple is our abbot,
Dhammachaiyo, who became
interested in Buddhism at a young age.
He studied the Buddhist scripture
and began practicing meditation.
He studied under many masters
until he found the Paknam Temple
and became the disciple of Maechi Chan.
He believed that her meditation practice
was sincere and good.
So he resolved to enter
the monkhood for the rest of his life.
Later, the number of people who came
to study under him
and Maechi Chan increased,
so they decided to build a new temple.
Dhammakaya Temple was founded in 1970.
From my point of view, our teachings
are similar to other Buddhist temples.
We follow the Lord Buddhas teachings.
Morality, meditation, wisdom.
And alms, precepts, and prayers.
Just like any other place.
Except the way we dispense
our knowledge might be different.
to become a part
of the three jewels of Buddhism.
Take a step forward to preserve
and pass down Buddhas teachings,
which will bring
glorious peace to the world forever.
I think most people who oppose Dhammakaya
have issues with their teachings,
such as the claim that
Nirvana exists as a physical place,
or that the abbot could meet the Buddha.
These teachings go against the fundamental
beliefs of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand.
Theravada is the Buddhas teachings
as revised by the first
Buddhist council in 483 B.C.E.
Theravada is considered to be the oldest
and most accurate teachings of all,
therefore, it tends to be conservative
since the scripture
is the only measurement.
To put it simply,
Dhammakaya is capitalist Buddhism.
Its like a product that understands
and fulfills the customers desires.
Thats why Dhammakaya
has attracted a massive following.
Dhammakaya has expanded its influence
in the monks Supreme Council
and over the bureaucrats.
This move
greatly intimidates the non-believers.
This increasing influence of Dhammakaya
is intimidating other groups.
Buddhists see this
as a very significant problem,
because if Dhammakaya
can influence the monks Supreme Council
and spread their teachings without limits,
then the Buddhist teachings
based on scriptures
that dont correspond to Dhammakayas
teachings could eventually be wiped out.
ORDINATION PROGRAM FOR 48TH ANNIVERSARY
OF DHAMMACHAIYO
What Ive learned from this temple is
we were born to make merit.
We make merit by doing good karma.
We are not all born equal.
Having the chance to be born means
that I have gained
a certain level of merit.
Merit that came from sharing, following
the precepts, meditating, and praying.
As Im sitting right here,
you see my skin is this tone.
Actually, this skin tone shows I havent
followed the precepts well enough.
In my past lives,
I didnt follow the precepts well enough,
so my skin is not white and bright.
My look.
The man who has followed
the precepts well will be handsome.
Like you, you followed the precepts better
than I did, so your skin is lighter.
Its white. I can tell.
Our afterlife from our present.
According to the Buddha
and the abbots teachings,
giving alms will make you rich,
following the precepts
will make you beautiful,
and meditating will make you wise.
So we can make a plan.
Do we want to get rich? If so, we donate.
But if you wonder if Im "buying merit,"
I will explain that later.
Donating is about faith and trust.
If you truly feel the merit, just donate.
You will never be broke.
Ive been donating
since I was extremely poor.
My house burned down
several times and Im still alive.
I donated all my money,
but Im still alive
and getting richer and richer every day.
Im not impoverished in any way.
How much have you donated to the temple?
Ive donated $400,000 in total.
Look at me. Im from the countryside.
I still have no idea
how I made that much money.
Organizing my life? I couldnt do that.
Ive only finished elementary school
and done manual labor,
so it seems impossible
that I could reach this point.
We will struggle
without the merit weve made.
Less merit, more obstacles.
More merit, fewer obstacles.
MAHA KATHINA
THE GREAT DONATION CEREMONY OF THE YEAR
The temple never asks us to donate.
We always make our own decisions
because we know the temple
is the perfect "Field of Merit."
What is the "Field of Merit"?
Its like growing a tree.
You need fruitful soil, fertilizer, water.
We make merit
to one who possesses a higher virtue
to yield a higher degree of merit.
Monks here are all hard-working.
No one is lazy.
They always meditate and work hard.
Theyre always busy,
so everything needs to be funded.
We see the value in what they do for us.
FOR HUMAN BEINGS, IF WE HAVE MERIT,
WE WILL HAVE FEWER OBSTACLES.
BUSINESS WILL GO SMOOTHLY.
BUT IF WE LACK MERIT, WE WILL STRUGGLE.
THIS IS WHY WE SHOULD MAKE MERIT.
TO END OUR POVERTY AND SUFFERING.
This is a photo album
that Dhammakaya gave me
while I was still attending the temple.
Well
RECEIVING THE IMPERIAL ROBES OF TREASURE
I was really sick
of their fundraising campaigns.
They just kept competing
with each other
to reach their donation goals.
I think its so wrong.
Thats why I left and will never return.
No matter how hard
they try to convince me to come back.
Sometimes they came to ring the doorbell,
but I never answered.
So they left CDs, books, and brochures.
They are actually nice people.
They used to take care of me.
I felt attached to them.
They used to call me "mother."
But their duty was to raise money.
Each group needed
to reach its own assigned goal.
It was all fake.
I wasnt rich, so I borrowed money
from other people
and sold my stuff
just to have money to donate.
I decided to speak out
because I couldnt take it anymore.
To protect the true Buddhism,
for our descendants to worship.
Not this distorted
and materialistic kind of Buddhism.
Not the religion that would support
a fake monk like Dhammachaiyo.
Hell no.
DHAMMAPRASITHE IMPERIAL ROBES OF TREASURE
When I had just graduated from Harvard,
I was on the executive committee
of Dhammakaya,
and also the head of education
and international departments.
I met a teacher in Rayong.
She said she would do anything for us.
She inherited four houses
from her parents.
She sold three houses and donated
the money to build the new pagoda.
Her husband was an architect.
Her kid was applying for college.
She wondered why
her husband rarely came home.
She went to the temple every month
and stayed for a week
each time to observe the precepts.
She used her house as a meditation center.
She prayed every single day.
She also bought a time slot
at a local radio station
to broadcast Buddhist teachings.
And she kept on wondering
when her husband would come back home.
When was the merit
going to improve her life?
I thought that she was the problem
because she was making merit like crazy.
Then she asked me
if she should sell her last house
and donate
to the building of the new pagoda.
When I came back to the temple...
It was around 9 p.m.
I went to see Dhammachaiyo.
He was sitting with the vice abbot.
I told them what I had just heard.
Then I told him, "Master...
this happened because of
our fundraising campaign.
Many families have been torn apart.
Husbands and wives going separate ways.
We should stop raising money like this.
How can we help them to live happy lives?
How can we help
build their childrens futures?
We must change the way we raise money."
Dhammachaiyo sat still.
Then he turned to me,
looked straight into my eyes...
and said, "Mettanando.
Do you know who I am?
If you really think I am Dhammachaiyo,
the abbot of Dhammakaya...
you are wrong."
That sent a chill down my spine.
I decided that
I couldnt be with the temple anymore.
I resigned from all positions
at the end of that month...
and moved to another temple.
He tried to convince me
that hes the Origin of Dhamma.
The Origin of Dhamma is
a special term in Dhammakaya teachings.
It means the Creator of Everything.
He tried to convince me
that he is the Creator.
He is the leader of the Dhamma Army.
Dhammachaiyo is the Creator.
Since you were an insider
and no one could refute your allegations,
why do we have to believe you?
The temple has tried
to discredit me by any means.
The media has started questioning me.
Time will tell.
I could be saying something false.
People should not just blindly believe me.
I didnt write my book
for people to believe,
but to think for themselves.
Free inquiry is an important tenet
of Buddhism.
I havent done anything
outside of Buddhist teachings at all.
"COME AND SEE: THE EXHIBITION"
PROVE IT TO YOURSELF
RETOUCHED PHOTOS SPREAD ONLINE
TO SLANDER OUR ABBOEDITED IMAGES OF HIS HOLINESS
WHICH HAVE BEEN WIDELY SHARED
HOW FALSE RUMORS SPREAD
FAKE NEWS - RUMORS - FAKE ACCOUNTS
SLANDER - MASS MEDIA
I was most impressed by Dhammachaiyo
during the incident of 1998-99.
Our temple was under heavy criticism
by the media and authorities.
The abbot was preaching
at the assembly hall.
He said, "Dont blame them.
Instead, we should blame ourselves
for not explaining it well enough."
I was like, this man could be my mentor,
he could be my leader.
After all of that,
he still never blamed anybody but himself.
Imagine a chili.
You wouldnt know how spicy it is
until you try it yourself.
The Buddhas teachings are like that.
You need to experience it
to prove it to yourself.
Dhammakaya has been enduring trials
and tests since it was founded.
I have nothing much to say.
First of all,
Im glad to be
participating in your film,
even though Im not very knowledgeable.
I just speak the truth from my heart.
If...
my interview
doesnt fulfill what you need,
Im sorry for that.
Please forgive me
for my level of knowledge
so I can enter the monkhood with peace.
I hope you find success and live happily.
Hope all your wishes come true
without any obstacles.
And hope you will help
protect and spread Buddhism
to bring peace to the world.
I wish you good luck
and hope to see you again.
Thai Buddhism instills in us
that a Buddhist has to be a decent person
and that Buddhism is the best religion.
We have to pray every day in order
to become good children to our parents
and good citizens for the state.
Only then can we imagine ourselves
as being on the bright and "right" side.
Because of this, when Dhammakaya appears
with unfamiliar characteristics,
we react by demonizing them.
But in reality,
we never questioned ourselves
as to whether Dhammakayas teachings
are really all that different
from what weve been taught.
It could be that we just
dislike certain aspects that stick out.
We condemn Dhammakaya
for being this way or being that way,
but actually,
most Thai Buddhism is just the same.
Dhammakaya represents
an extreme version of Thai Buddhism.
It highlights and makes obvious
the aspects that shock and horrify people.
But I think the real issue with Dhammakaya
is that it is
a reflection of who we really are.
And that reflection is so honest
that we cant bear to look at it.
Religions once had many roles in society,
from schooling and beyond,
but the modern state
has taken over those roles.
You could try to get rid of Dhammakaya
because of the crooked abbot
or for whatever reason,
but if you look at religion this way,
Dhammakaya is really part of a religion
that is struggling to find an answer...
to create a meaningful place
for Buddhism in modern Thai society.
I think Dhammachaiyo
is trying to find a way,
but his way is different from others.
Even if Dhammakaya is gone,
this question still remains.
What is the role of Buddhism
in modern Thai society?
The answer is none.
No matter how thoroughly you destroy
Dhammakaya, the question still remains.
ALL LIVING THINGS
RELY ON THEIR MERIT FOR THEIR NEXT LIVES
I once spoke to an officer
at the ministry of defense.
He thought that the stability
of our nation
depended on the stability
of "the institution"
that survives on the love
and faith of the people.
When this love and faith
was given to Dhammakaya,
the stability of "the institution"
was shaken.
Therefore, he concluded that Dhammakaya
was a threat to the nation.
We, the National Council
for Peace and Order,
which consists of the army,
navy, and air forces,
and the national police,
must take control of power to administer
the country from this moment.
You should know that
this government came into power by
a coup.
They dont want us
to use the phrase "coup detat."
They just seized
the power from the previous government
in the name of
the National Council for Peace and Order.
The reason they came to power is
to maintain peace, law, and order.
But now Dhammachaiyo
is directly challenging them.
The temple is their biggest challenge.
Go tell him to stop
resisting the authorities.
If you think youre innocent,
just turn yourself in and go to trial.
The situation between Dhammachaiyo
and the government is a zero-sum game.
Only one will remain.
Since Dhammachaiyo has evaded the summons,
the police will request
an arrest warrant from the court.
I invited him to ordain as a monk.
-I was the worst in the factory.
-He sure was.
-I did all the bad things.
-You were a troublemaker.
Well
He was a heavy smoker,
an alcoholic, a junkie, a drug dealer.
"If he hadnt met you,
I would be dead by now," his mom told me.
So I asked her why.
She said because of a broken heart.
His mom is happy now.
She said
she used to be terribly concerned,
but now she can sleep
peacefully every night.
She doesnt worry about him at all.
He gained great merit from this.
My merit though.
Why flatter yourself like that?
-What?
-You should open the gate all the way.
Or it'll damage the car's door.
Let's go inside.
-Welcome.
-Welcome.
I forgot to turn this light on.
Thats the room for visitors to register.
Grandma!
-I wanna go with you.
-Let's go.
Okay. Come with grandma.
-Mom, your key.
-Put it on the table.
This is the meditation room.
We are open every Tuesday.
Lets worship the grandmaster.
Grandmaster,
we just went to make merits at the temple,
so we would like to share
the merits with you.
Bend your head down to the floor.
-Do I need to lie down?
-Now we bend down.
-I'm lying down.
-Bend down. Sathu.
From now on,
please be determined
to follow the path to Nirvana.
Sit cross-legged,
with your right leg over the left.
Place your right hand over the left.
Touch the tip of your right index finger
to your left thumb.
Place both hands on your lap
where you feel comfortable.
Slowly close your eyes.
Just lightly cover half your eyelids.
I meditate for one hour every day.
I always set the alarm clock for it.
On the day I had a breakthrough,
it didnt ring.
I told myself,
if I dont hear the alarm,
I wont stop meditating.
Then I started to feel pain
and my mind started to lose focus.
So I repeated the mantra in my mind.
Suddenly, I got sucked inside.
It felt like poof!
It was dense. It was like whoosh!
My body gradually expanded.
It kept expanding.
There was a bright light,
like a huge spotlight
shining directly onto my face.
I kept getting bigger and bigger.
Suddenly, it was so bright.
I disappeared.
Then I examined myself.
No worries. No suffering. No anxiety.
I felt so light, so clear, and peaceful.
It was an indescribable happiness.
I felt a chill.
I thought I was dead.
On that day,
we were meditating at the temple.
Then they said
the authorities were coming.
There was a rumor
that they would come raid the temple.
We were really scared,
so we split up to cover each gate.
We were there
neither to fight nor resist.
We meditated
so our merit would help the cause.
We didnt plan to fight,
so we turned our backs to them.
They asked us to clear the way,
but no one moved
because we had made a vow.
There was a rumor
they would bring tanks and tear gas...
so I told myself,
today, I will sacrifice my life
for Buddhism to protect our abbot.
And I was not the only one.
This is an announcement
from the disciples of Dhammachaiyo.
In spite of his severe illness,
the disciples all agree that
he should turn himself in
to enter the judicial process,
but only when the country
returns to democracy.
Its like Im seeing who I used to be.
I just followed everything they said
without any doubt.
Never questioning whether they were
protecting good or bad people.
They dont know the truth
and only listen to one side of the story.
I used to only listen to
what the temple said.
I had only faith.
Everyone, please keep sitting,
keep meditating.
Only the assigned people can go.
Others, please sit still.
Could you please let us get inside
the temple and talk to him first?
Then we would discuss
the legal procedure afterward.
Our abbot is sick.
He is not ready to meet you.
-We are all here in peace.
-We do apologize.
-Please be merciful.
-We are not resisting at all.
Please have sympathy for our abbot.
He is really ill.
How many of you are here?
I really dont know
where all these people came from,
but all of us love our abbot.
Please have sympathy for him.
Please come back later.
Okay, I will report to my commander
before making any further decisions.
-Thank you, everyone.
-Thank you.
Please give the officer
a round of applause.
Sathu.
No one believes Dhammachaiyo
would turn himself in.
The only way is to go and arrest him.
That day will come soon.
I believe it will be very soon.
That day will be the end for Dhammachaiyo,
and the reformation of Buddhism
in this country will begin.
I believe that good will conquer evil.
I truly believe
that the police will have the morality
not to do us any harm.
Will the DSI return to the temple again?
The arrest warrant is still valid,
so we will arrest him
by any means necessary.
Good morning, our beloved good friends.
This morning, its time to make merit.
Please come join us when youre ready.
After waking up, we put our minds
back into the center of our bodies.
We will feel delighted,
lively, and joyful.
Drink some water,
wash your face, refresh yourself,
then please come join us.
Once your mind is refreshed,
your body awakens.
The Crystal Ballroom
is now opened
for our good friends.
For a fresh and bright morning like today,
welcome, everyone.
Please come to make great merit
by praying and meditating
this morning.
The most important thing
before entering the Crystal Ballroom:
please dont forget
to bring a peaceful mood.
Being at peace
is the best way to attain enlightenment.
Lets make merit together
QUOTE FROM DHAMMACHAIYO:
I WANT ALL MY CHILDREN TO IMPROVE
THEMSELVES BY ACHIEVING MORE MERIBY KEEPING OUR TOILETS AND SINKS CLEAN
AND DRY AND LIKE NEW FOR THE NEXT USER.
Everyone, please clear your mind
and put it at the center of your body.
Be proud that
we are going to gain great merit today
by cleaning the bathrooms
of our religious place.
Please be proud that
we are going to gain big merit today.
Please concentrate on praying together.
With the merit
that we are making now,
please make our wishes
come true.
Please make us
achieve
the pure
and whole truth.
To clearly and permanently master
the true knowledge of Dhammakaya
in every lifetime
until we reach the end of truth.
Please make my life
full of beauty,
richness,
ability,
and followers.
When I pass away, please bring me back
to the special circle
of Dusit Buri heaven,
as an honor of us, merit makers.
When I am reborn
to make merit again,
I would be able to recall my past lives
and realize the mission of life.
So we could continue
to make more merit with even more pureness
until we reach the end of truth.
Hope all we did
will help us reach Nirvana.
My husband and I dont make a living.
Were both staying here,
and our kids are taking care of us.
Im so determined to be here,
I left my job.
My son said he would give me $3,000.
I thought, oh!
My merit is calling me
to go reside at the temple.
You know what I thought?
We just sat in our temple.
Why would they arrest us?
I was deeply sad.
It saddens me deep down.
You know why?
This is our temple.
We built it by ourselves.
The government never gave us a dime.
Why would they arrest our abbot?
Why slander him?
So I told myself, do or die.
I can die for my abbot.
So I closed my eyes
and sat there for six hours.
It was raining. My butt was soaked.
Theres nothing to be afraid of.
I think theres nothing to be afraid of.
When people say they can
sacrifice their lives for someone,
I dont think its blind faith,
but a genuine feeling.
I dont think they
really mean it as committing suicide,
like some extremist cults.
That is too much.
I think its because they came here
and really learned from the Buddha
and the abbots teachings.
So they might consider
the abbot as their father.
He gave birth to their religious life.
I see it more like gratitude.
Pimpa.
Okay, at least you two can remember.
Attention!
-Fall in!
-Fall in!
Very strong. Good job.
Please pass along my announcement.
The special mission
might happen before August 27th.
Please tell the people
who went home to come back soon
so you can take turns to rest.
Maybe the special mission
might happen before August 27.
We will let you know as soon as possible.
Attention!
Okay, lets vow together.
Zero. Seven. Two.
We believe in the innocence
of Dhammachaiyo.
Louder, please.
We believe in the innocence
of Dhammachaiyo.
We believe in the innocence
of Dhammachaiyo.
Well be like brothers and sisters
living harmoniously like angels.
Well train ourselves
to become miraculous people.
Well work together as a team.
Sathu.
Rich!
Lets go to the Crystal Ballroom.
In front of the Crystal Ballroom.
"Grandma, when will you come home?"
He said, "I miss you, Grandma."
I told him Im protecting the temple.
"The temple will win for sure," he said.
If theres any third party causing unrest
and people get hurt
or die in this temple...
would the police be responsible for that?
A STATEMENT FROM DHAMMAKAYA FOLLOWERS
But if you ask what the disciples want
Fight!
We, the disciples of Dhammakaya...
respect the law...
but
only if the law is fair and righteous.
First news today
couldnt be about anything else
since the public is paying close attention
to Dhammakaya Temple.
Last night, at 1 a.m.,
the Prime Minister officially imposed
the emergency law Article 44
in order to declare
the temple compound as a restricted area.
Article 44 allows authorities
to arrest anyone who obstructs the search.
The operation deployed more than
6,000 officers to search inside the temple
and granted permission
to cut off all utilities
and block cell phone coverage
if necessary.
The search warrant approved
by the court has no specific time frame.
Normal law and normal police
are not capable
of arresting a special person
like Dhammachaiyo.
Thats why we need this special law.
I think its unfair to our abbot.
They cant prosecute him
because the case
has been false from the beginning.
I wonder if the authorities
are pressured by any other factors.
When the police get inside,
they will surely find Dhammachaiyo.
He will be arrested right there.
I dont think he could live long
because he wouldnt be able to stand it.
We dont need outsiders to punish him.
We would punish him ourselves
if he did us wrong.
But our abbot is flawless
and open to being proven wrong.
DSI cut the lock of the front gate.
Two troops of riot police
went into the temple
to search the recovery room
in Dao Wa Dung building
where Dhammachaiyo stayed to recover,
but today
Ive been listening to how
youve responded to the media,
saying that you havent seen
the abbot for a long time.
-I'm asking you this because
-Its been nine months already.
Yes, you always give the same answer,
but let me ask you again.
You really dont know where he is?
How could I know?
Whats his condition?
Is he in the temple? Who is he with?
How could the Director of Communication
know nothing about it?
Why would I need to know?
-What for?
-Wait.
You dont worry about him at all?
My heart is always full of love
and care for him,
but that doesnt mean
I need to know his whereabouts.
How do you feel about
the disappearance of the abbot?
I am not affected by it at all.
I feel that hes safe now,
and one day, he will return.
During the search,
there was a rumor that some weapons,
guns, and grenades
were stolen from the authorities.
We dont know whether its true or not.
Maybe the authorities tried
to plant some evidence on us.
We didnt trust them.
So each team was assigned
to follow the officers
and take pictures wherever they went.
They couldnt find
any wrongdoing in our temple.
After that, they asked for another search,
but with no one
on our side on the grounds.
Do you think we would trust them?
The vice-abbot said,
"Three days is more than enough.
Were going to resist."
Let us in!
Get out of the way!
Get out of our temple!
-All officers, please get out of here.
-Please get out!
-Get out!
-Wait!
-Please get out of here.
-Please dont do this!
Team, fall back!
We can die at any moment.
But if I die this time,
I will gain great merit.
If we study about the afterlife,
well know where we are going.
If you do not follow the precepts
and, say, kill an animal,
when you die, you will be punished.
If youve been drinking alcohol, they
will pour melted copper into your mouth.
Im scared,
so Id better be safe than sorry.
Its better to gain
enough merit when youre alive.
Because you might need it when you die.
Better to be safe than sorry.
It is very pleasant here
in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Everything is beautifully created
by the merit that
Ive made when I was still alive.
It is full of celestial treasures
and faithful followers.
Heaven? It depends on your merit
and the state of your mind.
Could you explain further?
Well
If weve gained great merit,
our heavenly palace will illuminate.
When you were alive, if youd
invited many people to make merit,
done good deeds,
and donated to build a temple,
you would have a palace in heaven.
Also, if youd invited people to do good
deeds, you would have followers up there.
It will happen automatically.
Where do you think
you will go when you die?
Heaven.
For sure.
First of all, I never committed any sins.
Secondly, I always
cleanse my mind by meditating.
I will definitely go to heaven.
Which level do you want to go to?
Honestly, I want to go to Dusit Buri.
Because it is where the Buddha
who loves to meditate resides.
Wed love to be there.
PM WON'T LIFT THE RESTRICTIONS
UNLESS THE ABBOT IS CAUGHOur temple still has our honesty...
and also our truth,
which is true to ourselves.
If a blind man claims
theres no sun that shines a light,
regardless of what the blind man says,
the sun still exists.
That truth still exists.
We will stand by our own truth,
our goodness,
and eventually, they will understand.