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The world's first robot monk has sparked confusion and curiosity after footage emerged showing the humanoid pledging itself to Buddhism.
The robot, named Gabi and standing around 130cm tall, was dressed in traditional robes during a ceremony at Jogye Temple in Seoul. In the video, a monk asks whether it will commit itself to Buddhism, prompting Gabi to reply: "Yes, I will devote myself."
Gabi bows respectfully and clasps its hands in prayer as a fellow monk places a 108-bead rosary around its neck.
The ceremony was held in the lead-up to celebrations marking Buddha’s birthday on 24 May.
AP
The bizarre sight left online viewers conflicted and straight-up baffled.
"Someone, please explain to me why? I mean, what is the reason that we are inhibiting robots in here? I want to know the real purpose and need," one wrote.
One person, who described themselves as a Buddhist, called the ritual "ridiculous and insulting".
Meanwhile, a third chimed in: "It is silly and meaningless for a robot to seek transcendence. The inventors just want praise for doing something they want to consider significant. Robots are not alive. They are machines."
The head of the Jogye Order’s cultural affairs department, Ven. Seong Won, told Korea JoongAng Daily: "I thought from the moment humanoid robots first appeared that it would be nice if robots could participate in the Lotus Lantern Festival together.
"We created the Five Precepts for robots as the minimum rules robots should follow in society and for humanity. I hope they can serve as basic principles for humans and robots to coexist."
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