TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- News has surfaced of a Buddhist monk in western Taiwan caught breaking every monastic vow in the book, including allegedly taking drugs, filming pornographic videos, and throwing sex parties.

Police in Miaoli County yesterday (Nov. 20) arrested a 29-year-old Buddhist monk identified as Master Kaihung (開泓法師), who's birth name was Hsieh Jen-hao (謝仁豪), for possessing illegal drugs, among other suspected crimes. The list of alleged impious acts committed by the monk has been described by Liberty Times as one of the biggest scandals within Taiwan's Buddhist community in many years.

When Miaoli police arrived at the Chongfo Temple (崇佛寺) yesterday with a search warrant, they were blocked from entering by four monks, who shouted to Kaihung to hide in another room. Kaihung then locked himself inside the room, but it was not long before a man surnamed Chen (陳) unlocked the door.



(Criminal Investigation Bureau image)

Once police entered the room, they first encountered a startled-looking Kaihung playing with a smart phone. Inside his wardrobe they found 19 grams of amphetamines, pipes, erection medication, anal relaxants, ultra thin condoms, and a container of Tapeijou holy water (大悲咒水) filled with sexual lubricant, reported Liberty Times.

In addition, police found two USB flash drives which contained "male-on-male sex videos," drug use, nude photos of men, and footage of sex with men, according to the report. All told, the flash drives are believed to contain over 200 GB of pornographic material.

Because Kaihung and Chen were in the room where the amphetamines were found, both were brought in for questioning on suspicion of violating drug laws. After questioning the men, police transferred them to the Prosecutor's Office on charges of violating the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act (毒品危害防制條例).



(Criminal Investigation Bureau image)

After a court hearing, the judge ordered that Kaihung be released on NT$100,000 bail, while Chen was released without bail.

According to Liberty Times, Kaihung converted to Buddhism at the age of 14 and followed the late Master Chihhai (智海法師) in the Tongshan Temple. At the time he was considered "talented and intelligent," but after the death of his master, his behavior started to change.

As he grew older, he became involved in drugs and started bringing back other monks to engage in sexual acts, and eventually he was asked to leave the Tongshan Temple. Over two months ago, Monks at the Chongfa temple took him in. However, he again began to stray from the path and started to abuse drugs and hold "sex parties." Eventually, the monks at Chongfa had had enough and informed the Miaoli police.



Police searching temple for evidence. (CNA image)