The unusual performance took place during a prayer competition organised by the Jogye Order, the largest Buddhist order in the Asian country. We "wanted more young people to take an interest in Buddhism and the message of its prayers," said one of the rapping nuns. A clip of the performance is available online.

Seoul (AsiaNews) - In order to attract young people to Buddhism, three young nuns from the Jogye Order chose to rap 'Heart Sutra', one of the most common and popular prayers Buddhists recite in the world. Taped, their performance aired on news channels and programmes across the country.

Rap was chosen to attract a more youthful following to Buddhism. "I wanted more young people to take an interest in Buddhism and the message of its prayers," said one of the nuns.

More than 300 nuns and monks convened in a Seoul temple on 17 July to participate in a prayer competition hosted by the Jogye Order, Korea's largest Buddhist organisation. Most of them recited sutras, classical aphorisms.

A senior member of the Jogye Order and one of the judges in Thursday's event, Venerable Yin-Mook, agreed with Hye-Kang's sentiments.

"We wanted to let people, especially young people and children, know Yumbul (Buddhist prayers) can be more interesting and easier to practice than they think," he said.

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