A monk in Hai Duong Province is facing a dismissal for violating Buddhist ethics after showing off photos of himself with luxury devices.

Monk Thich Thanh Cuong holds the new iPhone 6

Thich Thanh Cuong, head monk of Cuong Xa Pagoda and the Buddhist Sangha of Tu Ky District, started attracting attention after posting a series of controversial pictures on his Facebook account.

The photos showed Cuong wearing military clothes, attending lavish banquets and using a VND600 million (USD28,500) Vertu phone. But it was the most recent picture of him showing off an iPhone 6 that seemed to be the last straw.

The Buddhist sangha of Hai Duong Province then summoned Cuong to a meeting to hear his explanation. Thich Quang Tung, head monk of the provincial sangha, proposed giving him a warning and dismissing him from his current position as the head monk of Buddhist Sangha of Tu Ky District.

However, because Cuong did not heed the summons, the provincial Buddhist sangha has not decided on an official punishment.

Tung said that, according to the Charter of Vietnamese Buddhist Sanghas, Cuong has violated Buddhist ethics and caused serious damage to the sangha's reputation. The sangha of Hai Duong Province has issued a second summons for a meeting on September 9 on Lunar Calendar, or November 1.