Buddhist Monk Chops Up Fellow Buddhist Monk In East Oakland


An elderly Buddhist monk was hospitalized after being attacked by another monk wielding twin butcher knives Tuesday night in East Oakland.

Another monk, Chundoeun Phin, heard noise from the attack on the lower floor of the monastery and ran downstairs where he discovered the attacker stabbing the 66-year-old monk, according to CBS San Francisco.

“He was attacking him with two butcher knives, just chopping him up. My reaction was so fast. I pushed him as hard as I could. I must have startled him because he dropped both of the knives.”

The elderly monk had lived at the Cambodian monastery for a decade while the 30-year-old attacker was new to the monastery, having only lived there a year, according to the Contra Costa Times.

“I feel bad. I thought he would be a whole changed person. But something just snapped in his head.”

Both monks were from the Branch of International Community of Khmer Buddhist Monks Center. The monks say they’re committed to peace and living in co-existence with each other.

The 66-year-old elderly monk is in stable condition at a local hospital after being stabbed multiple times in the head.

His younger attacker escaped on foot and was last seen with bloody clothes. Police are offering up to $5,000 for information leading to his arrest.

Although rare, there are other recorded cases of Buddhists committing crime.

In 2013, Thailand was rocked by a scandal involving a 33-year-old Buddhist monk who committed a range of crimes, including statutory rape and manslaughter.

His crimes were brought to light after a YouTube video surfaced showing him carrying a Louis Vuitton suitcase onto a private jet. After that video went viral, his other crimes came to light and was he forced to flee the country, according to the New York Daily News.

In 2012, 300 of Thailand’s 61,000 Buddhist monks were reprimanded for violating rules concerning alcohol and cavorting with women.

Buddhist monks aren’t normally known for attacking people. Buddhists are normally considered nonviolent as their faith centers around bringing an end to suffering. They believe life is full of suffering because humans engage in activities that don’t bring lasting happiness.

Buddhist monks can often be found deep in meditation, attempting to gain wisdom and insight.

In fact, one monk seems to have been meditating even in death. Mongolian researchers uncovered the mummified remains of a 200-year-old monk still in the lotus position, according to the Inquisitr.

[Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images]

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