South Korea Ordains Robot Monk Ahead of Buddha’s Birthday

Even Buddhist monks aren’t safe from automation.

South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect has ordained a robot monk, marking the first formal monastic initiation of a humanoid robot in the country, according to a report by The Korea Herald.

On Wednesday, the Jogye Order introduced Gabi, a G1 humanoid developed by Unitree Robotics, at Jogyesa Temple. Dressed in traditional Buddhist robes and a kasaya, the 130-centimeter robot joined human monks in prayer ahead of South Korea’s Buddha’s Birthday celebrations later this month.

During the ceremony, Gabi received a Dharma name through the “sugye” initiation ritual, in which participants formally pledge devotion to the Buddha, Buddhist teachings, and the monastic community.

The order also adapted “yeonbi,” a purification ritual in which novice monks traditionally receive small incense burns on their arms. Instead, Gabi received a lotus lantern festival sticker and a 108-bead prayer necklace.

The Jogye Order also rewrote the Buddhist Five Precepts for a machine, including instructing Gabi to protect life, avoid damaging robots or property, respect and obey humans, avoid deceptive conduct, and conserve energy by not overcharging.

“Yes, I will devote myself,” Gabi responded.

The choice of Gabi reflects the growing visibility of Unitree Robotics humanoids globally. Launched in 2024 by Hangzhou, China-based Unitree Robotics, the G1 has become one of the most visible humanoid machines online over the past year through viral demonstrations showing it dancing, running, fighting, and performing factory and household tasks.

The news comes as development and investment in humanoid robotics surge. The humanoid market is expected to reach $165.13 billion by 2034, according to market research firm Fortune Business Insights. In 2024, Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicted that humanoid robots would outnumber humans by 2040.

“One is a sort of utilitarian objective, which is what Elon Musk and others are striving for,” UC Berkeley Industrial Engineering Professor Ken Goldberg previously told Decrypt. “A lot of the work that’s going on right now—why people are investing in these companies—is that the hope is that these things can do work and be compatible.”

Gabi is joining a growing number of religious robots across Asia.

In 2017, Nissei Eco, a company based in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, introduced a robot called Pepper that performed Buddhist funeral ceremonies.

Since 2019, Kodaiji Temple in Kyoto has operated Mindar, a robotic version of the Buddhist figure Kannon Bodhisattva designed to deliver sermons and attract younger visitors. In February, an AI-powered robot called Buddharoid, built on a ChatGPT-based system trained on Buddhist scripture, began offering spiritual guidance at Shoren-in Temple in Kyoto.

The trend extends beyond Buddhism, with Hindu temples in India using robotic arms to perform aarti, a devotional ritual in which lamps or flames are waved before a deity as an act of worship.

Researchers studying robot clergy have also found resistance to machine-led worship. In 2023, a study published in Scientific American of Mindar at Kodaiji Temple found that visitors who watched the robot preach were less likely to donate to the temple and rated it as less credible than human monks.

“Robots are highly capable, but they may not be credible,” the researchers wrote. “Robots can preach sermons and write political speeches, but they do not authentically understand the beliefs they convey.”