Jeokmyeol-bogung
Introduction
A Jeokmyeol-bogung, which means “Nirvana Treasure Palace” in English, is a Buddhist structure within a temple that enshrines the true relics known as sarira, or sari (crystallized remains) in Korean, of the Historical Buddha, Seokgamoni-bul. All of these relics found at Jeokmyeol-bogung were brought back to the Korean Peninsula during the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C. – 935 A.D.) by the monk Jajang-yulsa (590-658 A.D.) from Tang China (618 – 907 A.D.).
Origins and Name
The Jeokmyeol-bogung is a reference to a part of a temple or hermitage where the Buddha’s relics are enshrined. It’s common for people to oftentimes confuse an entire temple with the Jeokmyeol-bogung, which is only a part of the temple that enshrines the relics of Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha). However, a Jeokmyeol-bogung is only part of a temple.
Unlike other sarira (sari), the relics of Seokgamoni-bul are called the true-body relics, or “jinsin-sari – 진신사리” in Korean. Because a Jeokmyeol-bogung houses the relics from the body of Seokgamoni-bul, these temples have no statues of the Buddha on the main hall’s altar. The reason for this is that it’s believed that the Historical Buddha is spiritually present in a Jeokmyeol-bogung, so there’s no need for statues or images to be present.
Another interesting feature is that Buddhist buildings are typically named with suffixes like “jeon” or “gak” like a Daeung-jeon Hall or Samseong-gak Hall. However, a temple that enshrines the Historical Buddha’s relics are honoured with the suffix of “bogung,” which means “Treasure Palace” in English. As for “jeokmyeol,” it means “Nirvana.” So the name Jeokmyeol-bogung means “Nirvana Treasure Palace” in English.
The Five Great Jeokmyeol-bogung of Korea
In total, there are 5 extant Jeokmyeol-bogung in Korea. They are sometimes referred to as the Five Great Jeokmyeol-bogung. Originally there were six with the addition of the Hwangnyongsa-ji Temple Site. Unfortunately, Hwangnyongsa Temple was destroyed in 1238 during the Mongol Invasions of Goryeo (1231-1270). Purportedly, the sarira from Hwangnyongsa Temple are now housed inside a five-story pagoda atop Sajamok Hill at Tongdosa Temple. With that being said, there are now only 5 extant Jeokmyeol-bogung sites in Korea. They are:
1. Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do
2. Sajaam Hermitage – Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do
3. Bongjeongam Hermitage – Inje, Gangwon-do
4. Beopheungsa Temple – Yeongwol, Gangwon-do
5. Jeongamsa Temple – Jeongseon, Gangwon-do
**6. Hwangnyongsa-ji Temple Site – Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Except for the Jeokmyeol-bogung at Jeongamsa Temple, all the other relics were directly enshrined at these locations by Jajang-yulsa from Tang China. The relics at Jeongamsa Temple were later enshrined by Samyeong-daesa (1544-1610) during the Imjin War (1592-98). The sarira at Jeongamsa Temple were originally located at Tongdosa Temple. However, during the Imjin War, they were moved north for their safekeeping and to protect them from being looted by the Japanese invaders.
The History of the Five Great Jeokmyeolbogung
Each of the Jeokmyeol-bogung temples is associated with a legend or story connected to Jajang-yulsa, who studied in Tang China and brought the sarira (crystallized remains) back to the Korean Peninsula. This starts with how Jajang-yulsa first came into possession of these sarira. According to the “Samguk Yusa,” or “Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms” in English,“ Jajang-yulsa traveled to Tang China (618–907 A.D.) in 636 A.D. to study Buddhism alongside ten other monks. During his travels, he was said to have received Buddhist scriptures and sacred relics from Munsu-bosal (the Bodhisattva of Wisdom). Among these relics were the Buddha’s robe, alms bowl, a tooth, and sarira (crystallized remains), as well as the Great Tripitaka (a collection of Buddhist sutras, laws, and treatises). Jajang-yulsa brought these treasures back to the Silla Kingdom in 643 A.D.
Tongdosa Temple – Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do
Tongdosa Temple was first founded in 646 A.D., and the legend about its founding surrounds the Guryong-ji Pond (Nine Dragons Pond) to the south of the Geumgang Gyedan (Diamond Altar), which acts as the Jeokmyeol-bogung at the temple.
Historically, the location near Mt. Yeongchuksan was considered to be an auspicious site; and yet, all efforts to build temples, hermitages, and pagodas were thwarted. The reason for this was that there were nine dragons living in this area that stymied these efforts. Discovering this site to be a perfect place for the future Tongdosa Temple, Jajang-yulsa prayed, chanted, and wrote Buddhist scriptures in an attempt to get the dragons to leave; but in the end, and despite all Jajang-yulsa’s efforts, the nine dragons still refused to leave.
Then Jajang-yulsa wrote the word for “fire” in hanja on a piece of paper and threw it into the air while swirling Guryong-ji with a stick. Mysteriously, the water in the lake began to boil. Three of the dragons attempted to ascend to the heavens, but died in the process. Disoriented, they crashed into the neighbouring hillside. The place where they died is now called Yonghyeol-am, or “Dragon Blood Rock” in English, and can be found on the temple grounds to this day. The five other dragons flew to the south-west in a valley now known as Oryong-gok, or “Five Dragon Valley” in English. The last of the nine dragons stayed in Guryong-ji and was blinded by the boiling water. This ninth dragon promised Jajang-yulsa that if he could stay in Guryong-ji, he would help guard the temple. Jajang-yulsa agreed, and the dragon still takes up residence at Guryong-ji. Also, it was after this that Tongdosa Temple was founded and the sarira were transferred to the temple.
As for a later legend surrounding the power of the Jeokmyeol-bogung at Tongdosa Temple, you can look to the Imjin War to find answers. During the Imjin War, Japanese forces attempted to steal the Buddha’s relics from Tongdosa Temple. When they first opened the reliquary, they were startled to find a toad inside guarding the relics. Closing the reliquary and then opening it again, they then found a coiled snake inside protecting the relics. Ultimately, these Japanese soldiers finally abandoned their efforts to steal the Buddha’s remains at Tongdosa Temple. While probably not true, it points to the efforts of Koreans and the temple to protect the relics of the Buddha found at Tongdosa Temple.
Sajaam Hermitage – Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do
After Jajang-yulsa came to discover that Mt. Odaesan was a sacred mountain, it was revered as a Buddhist holy site, where the relics of Seokgamoni-bul were enshrined. However, while all the other locations in Korea are known, the one on Mt. Odaesan is unknown. This only adds to the mystique of the location.
Sangwonsa Temple, which is where Sajaam Hermitage is located, was established to serve as a guardian temple to help protect and preserve the relics of Seokgamoni-bul. In fact, the founding of Sangwonsa Temple is detailed in the “Samguk Yusa,” or “Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms” in English. According to the “Samguk Yusa” in the Book Three in the chapter titled “The Fifty Thousand Images of the Buddha on Mt. Odaesan,” Sangwonsa Temple was first built by two princes of King Seondeok of Silla (r. 780–785 A.D.). Sangwonsa Temple was initially called Jinyeowon. The construction of this site coincided with the time that Mt. Odaesan was growing in prominence as a holy Buddhist site on the Korean Peninsula.
During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), there are very few references to Sangwonsa Temple, despite the fact that Buddhism was the state religion. However, a travel record by Yi Saek from the late Goryeo Dynasty titled “Odaesan Sangwonsa Seungdanggi” mentions that a monk named Yeongroam, who was a disciple of Naong (1320-1376), rebuilt the temple. This implies that the current Sangwonsa Temple dates back to at least the late Goryeo Dynasty.
And during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), despite the repression of Buddhism by the Confucian centred state policies, Sangwonsa Temple managed to maintain its elevated status due to its connection to King Sejo of Joseon (r. 1455-1468).
Beopheungsa Temple – Yeongwol, Gangwon-do
Beopheungsa Temple is located on Mt. Sajasan in Yeongwol, Gangwon-do. The temple was first founded in 643 A.D. by Jajang-yulsa under the original name of Heungnyeongsa Temple. Of all the temples that have Jeokmyeol-bogung created by Jajang-yulsa, Heungnyeongsa Temple (Beopheungsa Temple) was the temple where he stayed the longest.
After the temple was established as a Jeokmyeol-bogung by Jajang-yulsa, the temple became one of the Gusan Seonmun, or “Nine Mountain Meditation Gates” in English, which were the nine original Korean Seon (Zen) sects. Specifically, the Mt. Sajasan sect of Korean Seon Buddhism was established by the master monk Doyun (797-868 A.D.). Master Doyun studied under the monk Nanquan Puyuan (748-835 A.D.).
Heungnyeongsa Temple was rebuilt during the reign of King Uijong of Goryeo (r. 1146–1170) in 1163. The temple would remain open through to the reign of King Jeongjo of Joseon (r. 1776-1800). Eventually, the temple would fall into disrepair. It wasn’t until 1902, when the temple was reconstructed, that the temple was renamed Beopheungsa Temple.
Jeongamsa Temple – Jeongseon, Gangwon-do
Unlike the four extant temples with Jeokmyeol-bogung in Korea, Jeongamsa Temple’s Seokgamoni-bul relics were actually delivered to the temple by Samyeong-daesa (1544-1610) during the Imjin War (1592-98) from Tongdosa Temple. They were transferred to Jeongamsa Temple to help protect them from looting by the invading Japanese forces. While the other four were directly placed at these temples by Jajang-yulsa, they were not at Jeongamsa Temple. Jeongamsa Temple is similar to the Jeokmyeol-bogung at Yongyeonsa Temple in Dalseong-gun, Daegu. Like Yongyeonsa Temple, the sarira of Seokgamoni-bul were transferred to these temples by Samyeong-daesa (or his disciples) during the Imjin War for safekeeping.
The exact date of the construction of the Jeokmyeol-bogung at Jeongamsa Temple is unknown; however, it was rebuilt in 1771. Based upon this information, it’s believed that the Jeokmyeol-bogung shrine hall was first constructed in the early 18th century. And just recently, the shrine hall was repaired over a one-year period.
The Jeokmyeol-bogung at Jeongamsa Temple looks out on an embankment. At the top of this hillside is the “Sumanotap Pagoda of Jeongamsa Temple,” which is a National Treasure. It’s believed that the sarira from Tongdosa Temple are housed inside this brick pagoda.
Bongjeongam Hermitage – Inje, Gangwon-do
While looking for an auspicious site to found a temple for the relics of Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha), a phoenix appeared that drew the attention of Jajang-yulsa. Jajang-yulsa then followed the phoenix as it flew. Eventually, and during this trek, Jajang-yulsa discovered a rock that resembled the Buddha. The phoenix then disappeared into the forehead of the rock that resembled the Buddha. It was then that Jajang-yulsa realized that the surrounding area was a spiritually auspicious location that was surrounded by scenic mountains. It was then that Jajang-yulsa enshrined a portion of the Buddha’s skull relic (naesari in Korean) in the part of the rock that resembled the Buddha’s forehead and then built a hermitage nearby. The name of the hermitage, Bongjeongam Hermitage, literally means “Phoenix Forehead Hermitage” in English.
Because of its rugged location, it took a long time for Bongjeongam Hermitage to develop. During the reign of King Munmu of Silla (r. 661 – 681 A.D.), Wonhyo-daesa (617-686 A.D.) conducted the first major reconstruction of the hermitage. Later, the famed monk Jinul (1158–1210) conducted another reconstruction of the hermitage grounds. And up until the Korean War (1950-53), monks and lay Buddhists helped fund raise on seven different occasions to help reconstruct Bongjeongam Hermitage.
Nine Additional Jeokmyeol-bogung
In addition to the Five Great Jeokmyeol-bogung, there’s an expanded list of Jeokmyeol-bogung that are housed at other historic temples throughout Korea. Listed below are the 9 additional Jeokmyeol-bogung, the temples, the location, and how they came to be at the temples:
1. Geonbongsa Temple – Goseong, Gangwon-do
It’s believed that 12 of the Buddha’s teeth were stolen from Tongdosa Temple and brought to Japan during the Imjin War (1592-98). In 1605, Samyeong-daesa travelled to Japan to free Koreans and retrieve looted objects from the Korean Peninsula. Some of these looted items were the 12 teeth of the Buddha.
2. Yongyeonsa Temple – Dolseong-gun, Daegu
A single sarira was brought to Yongyeonsa Temple for protection by one of Samyeong-daesa’s disciples. This one sarira was from Tongdosa Temple. It would be enshrined at the temple inside the “Ordination Platform of Yongyeonsa Temple” in 1613.
3. Dorisa Temple – Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do
The sarira were discovered inside the “Sejon Sari Stupa” in April, 1977 during restoration work on the stone stupa.
4. Beopjusa Temple – Boeun, Chungcheongbuk-do
The relics were transferred to Beopjusa Temple in 1362 from Tongdosa Temple to mark King Gongmin of Goryeo’s (r. 1351–1374) visit to Beopjusa Temple. This was done after the defeat of the Red Turban Invasions of Goryeo (December 1359 and November 1360). The relics are housed inside a stupa behind the Neungjin-jeon Hall at Beopjusa Temple.
5. Dasolsa Temple – Sacheon, Gyeongsangnam-do
The relics were discovered inside the Daeung-jeon Hall in 1978. Recently a Jeokmyeol-bogung was built behind the main hall.
6. Geumsansa Temple – Gimje, Jeollabuk-do
It’s believed that the relics of Seokgamoni-bul are housed inside the “Ordination Platform of Geumsansa Temple” which dates back to the Goryeo Dynasty. Nearby is a Jeokmyeol-bogung that looks out onto the ordination platform.
7. Hyeondeungsa Temple – Gapyeong, Gyeonggi-do
Hyeondeungsa Temple makes the claim to be the first Jeokmyeol-bogung in Korea. However, the sarira housed at the temple weren’t brought to the Korean Peninsula by Jajang-yulsa. Of all the historic Jeokmyeol-bogung in Korea, this temple is the only one in Korea that doesn’t claim a connection to Jajang-yulsa. Instead, these sarira were brought from India in 540 A.D. by the Indian monk Maragami.
8. Geumgoksa Temple – Gangjin, Jeollanam-do
Thirty-two jinsin-sari (crystallized remains of the Buddha) were found inside a reliquary on the front side of the “Three-Story Stone Pagoda of Geumgoksa Temple” when the pagoda was being disassembled for repair in 1988.
9. Hwaeomsa Temple – Gurye, Jeollanam-do
Purportedly, 73 sarira that were brought to the Korean Peninsula by Jajang-yulsa are now housed inside the third story of the National Treasure “Four Lion Three-Story Stone Pagoda of Hwaeomsa Temple.” Nearby is a newly constructed Jeokmyeol-bogung that looks out at the historic pagoda. The sarira were purportedly brought to the temple in 645 A.D.
Jeokmyeol-bogung as Sacred Buddhist Sites
Since being established by Jajang-yulsa, all the Jeokmyeol-bogung have served as sacred Buddhist sites. Major Buddhist ceremonies have often been held at the various locations, and they have been chosen as places of worship and practice by prominent Korean monks. As such, the Jeokmyeol-bogung have functioned as centres for the transmission of Buddhist teachings.
During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), the sacred value of the Jeokmyeol-bogung reached its zenith, when Buddhism was the state religion of the nation. While numerous temples were built during the Goryeo Dynasty around urban areas with larger populations, this made the remoteness of some of the Jeokmyeol-bogung that much more pronounced.
During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), and because state policy shifted away from Buddhism and towards Confucianism, it resulted in the persecution of Buddhists, monks, and their temples. As such, the Jeokmyeol-bogung lost most of their official status. However, during the Imjin War (1592-98), the Jeokmyeol-bogung played prominent roles. They became the centres for the training and organization of monk soldiers and civilian militias. Among the lead figures was Samyeong-daesa, who traveled across Korea, focusing on Jeokmyeol-bogung shrines, to encourage the participation of monks in the defence of the nation. His efforts would lead to the participation of numerous Seon monks actively participating in combatting the Japanese forces.
Much later, and during the Korean War (1950-53), the Jeokmyeol-bogung shrines in Korea suffered severe damage. Because these sacred sites were often located deep in the mountains, the military considered them to be potential gathering places for enemy forces. As a result, the Jeokmyeol-bogung were often deliberately targeted for destruction. Fortunately, after the war, there were sustained efforts to restore and reconstruct the damaged Jeokmyeol-bogung. And in modern Korea, these historic Jeokmyeol-bogung continue to maintain their elevated status among other Korean Buddhist temples.
