A Buddhist monk in the northern Vietnamese province of Hai Duong has been granted a lighter penalty than expected for showing off a fancy lifestyle on Facebook, following the surfacing of a viral video clip capturing him unpacking a new iPhone 6.

Venerable Sir Thich Thanh Cuong must engage in self-criticism and write a report showing how he repents for his mistakes and submit it to the Hai Duong Buddhist Sangha, Bhante Thich Quang Tung, head of the Sangha, ruled after a Thursday hearing where the monk reported his wrongdoings.

Venerable Sir Cuong is the abbot of the local Cuong Xa Buddhist pagoda, and head of the Buddhist Sangha in the province’s Tu Ky District.

A Sangha is a Buddhist community of monks, nuns, novices, and laity.

Venerable Sir Cuong should have been dismissed from his post at the Tu Ky Buddhist Sangha, but he had “shown repentance for what he had done,” Bhante Tung said, adding that, as per Buddhist teaching, “those who repent must receive mercy.”

“Master Cuong has admitted all mistakes and pledged to correct himself,” Bhante Tung told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

“He also removed all of the controversial photos from his Facebook and promised not to repeat his misconduct.”

Bhante Tung added that Venerable Sir Cuong did not make an unforgivable mistake as per Buddhist rules.

“If he continues committing wrongdoings during his repentance time, he will be strictly punished by the Hai Duong Buddhist Sangha,” Bhante Tung said.

Venerable Sir Cuong made national headlines last week after a video clip allegedly filmed at his request was posted online, showing the monk eagerly unboxing a 64GB iPhone 6 at a mobile phone store in Hai Duong.

Unboxing is a term to refer to the unpacking of a new product, especially a high-tech device. The product's owner usually captures the process on video and later uploads it to the Internet.

In the 2-minute video, as seen by Tuoi Tre News, the monk unpacked the handset, which cost thousands of dollars at that time, with excitement.

He also made a remark about where the power button of the iPhone 6 was placed compared to the iPhone 3 and 4, after having difficulty turning the device on, at the end of the clip.

The video was filmed on September 24 and was reportedly posted by Venerable Sir Cuong on his own Facebook page the same day.

Video of the monk unboxing the iPhone 6

The monk, whose dharma name was turned by jokers into a new one that means “monk who loves the iPhone” in Vietnamese, also posted a number of other photos on his Facebook page showing off his lavish lifestyle, something that is not expected to be seen from a Buddhist practitioner.

The photos displayed Venerable Sir Cuong posing with a VND600 million ($28,241) Vertu mobile phone, next to a dining table full of food, or beside an army jeep while wearing a military uniform instead of his monk robes.

The monk, who ignored previous summoning by the Hai Duong Buddhist Sangha, admitted his mistakes and apologized to the Sangha during the Thursday meeting.

Earlier, Venerable Sir Cuong had asserted that he did not buy the iPhone, but only touched it to “give luck” to the mobile phone store owner, who pays frequent homage at his pagoda.

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