Buddhist Monks Open Temple To Fight Drug Abuse
There have likely been enough movies to convince people that Buddhist monks are all unbreakable kung-fu masters. While there might be some truth to that, it’s a lot safer and smarter to assume that those who don the famous orange robes are out to find inner peace and spirituality, and not sheer punching power. It’s not as glamorous, but considering what’s happened these days, it’s more than welcome.
Mae Chan, Taiwan is the home of one of many Buddhist temples — but in turn, it’s in an area ravaged by excessive drug use and addiction. The spread of meth has left many families broken and children left to struggle; in order to lend a hand, the monks of the Temple of the Golden Horse opened their doors to the needy. Rather than let successive generations get sucked into the world of drugs, they offer a respite in the form of meditation, horse riding, and — thanks to the Thai champion on hand — boxing lessons.
In a sense, the Temple of the Golden Horse is offering an extensive afterschool program to the boys of the region. Thanks to it, those boys not only dodge the allure of drug abuse, but take those lessons to heart and the community. They learn how to make the world a better place — and it starts by bettering themselves.
