We notice a tendency in the media to "expose" Buddhist monks. Even the slightest transgression is pounced upon and turned into a news item. Rogues who purposely don the Buddhist garb to indulge in nefarious activities - one wonders how much they are paid to bring the religion into disrepute - are branded, if not as "Buddhist" monks, then as "men in Buddhist robes". The opposite is true of other religious orders, especially Christian. Here, the culprits are referred to as "priests" and it is left to our imagination to decide the colour of their robe - yellow, black and white or plain white! We keep hearing of any number of escapades within holy orders, but almost all of this, if not Buddhist, is hushed up in the media, unless, of course, it is much too juicy to be discreetly tucked away!

Recently we heard of a charismatic "priest" whose ardour in gathering female members for his flock sometimes oversteps the bounds. It appears even the police had to be called in to oust him from his office, but he refuses to budge. If his robe had only been yellow, how many episodes of the drama would have appeared in the newspapers?

It behoves all Buddhists to be aware of this media propensity for Buddhism-bashing and take action against it!
Fair play