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Gamno-do – The Sweet Dew Mural: 감로도
Introduction One of the more difficult Buddhist murals to find at a Korean temple is the Gamno-do, or “Sweet Dew Mural” in English. In fact, I’ve only ever seen this mural at a handful of temples and hermitages in all of my travels. So what is a Gamno-do? What does it look like? And what is it supposed to mean? It should be noted, before we go any further, that a lot of the wonderful information and research in this post comes from academic article entitled “A Fantasy in Korean Buddhist Painting: Hungry Ghosts in Nectar Ritual Paintings” by Kim Seunghee. The Buddhist Afterlife Before we can better understand the…
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Hongryongsa Temple – 홍룡사 (Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do)
Temple History Hongryongsa Temple is located on the western slopes of Mt. Cheonseongsan (920.1 m) in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam. The name of the mountain means “Thousand Saints/Sages Mountain” in English, while the name of the temple means “Rainbow Dragon Temple.” The name of the temple comes from a myth and the waterfall that flows at the temple. The spray from the waterfall often forms a rainbow, and there once lived a golden dragon that lived in the pooling water beneath this waterfall. Eventually, this dragon would ride a rainbow up into the sky and disappear. This type of dragon is known as a Heavenly Dragon, or “Cheonryong” in Korean. In Buddhism…
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Budo – Stupa: 부도
Introduction When you first enter a Korean temple or hermitage, or even their grounds, you might see a row of strangely designed stone monuments that somewhat resemble headstones. In Korean, these are known as “budo,” or “stupa,” in English. Officially, they are known as “seung-tap,” or a “monk’s pagoda,” in English. So what exactly does a Korean Buddhist stupa look like? What are they for? And what are their symbolic meaning? History In Buddhism, a pagoda historically enshrines the remains of Seokgamoni-bul (The Historical Buddha). In Korea, however, a stupa contains the remains of a monk or nun. Stupas first began to appear in the late Unified Silla Dynasty (668-935…
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Biseok – Stele: 비석
History and Design A biseok, or stele, in English, is a rectangular piece of stone that stands as a monument for a deceased monk. The tradition of creating biseok started during the Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 B.C. – 668 A.D.). Stylistically, they are typically made up of three parts: the turtle base, dragon cap, and body with writing. The turtle is thought to be the longest living animal, which is meant as a metaphor for the longevity and legacy of the monk’s life and teachings; hence, the turtle base. The dragon cap, on the other hand, of the biseok is meant to symbolize the ability of the biseok to…
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Tap – The Korean Pagoda: 탑
Introduction One of the most noticeable, and important features of a Korean Buddhist temple is a pagoda. The history of the pagoda in Korea is as old as Buddhism in Korea. And while a pagoda’s design is both beautiful and elegant, it’s also packed with symbolic meaning that may not always be all that evident. So when did the pagoda first appear in Korea? Why is the pagoda situated at a Korean Buddhist temple? What do they look like? And why are they designed the way they are? History Originally, in India, Buddhist temples were centred around stupas. The word stupa means heap in Sanskrit because these pagodas were in…
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Hyuhyuam Hermitage – 휴휴암 (Yangyang, Gangwon-do)
Hermitage History Hyuhyuam Hermitage, which is located in Yangyang, Gangwon-do, means “Rest and Rest Again Hermitage,” in English. The name of the hermitage is in reference to resting the mind from distracting thoughts and feelings like hate, jealousy, and conflict. Initially, the hermitage was nothing more than a single shrine hall; but in 1999, the popularity of the hermitage started to grow with the discovery of a rock that looked like a reclining Buddha. There are other seaside rocks at Hyuhyuam Hermitage that have significance, as well. There’s the Haesu Gwaneum rock that looks like a statue of Gwanseeum-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Compassion). This rock looks like it’s holding a…
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Sowonsa Temple – 소원사 (Gijang-gun, Busan)
Temple History Sowonsa Temple is located in the eastern part of Busan in Gijang-gun. Specifically, Sowonsa Temple is located below the beautiful peak of Mt. Hambaksan (339 m). Sowonsa Temple was first founded during the 1980’s, and it was built upon the spot where the famed monk Wonhyo-daesa (617-686 A.D.) once purportedly prayed. The name of the temple, Sowonsa Temple, means “Wish Temple,” in English. Also, it’s claimed that if you pray at Sowonsa Temple, you’ll have one of your wishes come true. Temple Layout When you first approach Sowonsa Temple, your eyes will instantly be met by a world of colour and Buddhist iconography. First up are two rows…
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Yugasa Temple – 유가사 (Dalseong-gun, Daegu)
Temple History Yugasa Temple, which is located on the western slopes of Mt. Biseulsan (1083.4 m), can be found in southern Daegu. There are two stories as to when Yugasa Temple was first established. One story describes the temple being founded between 765 to 780 A.D. And the more likely story of the two is that Yugasa Temple was founded in 829 A.D. by the monk Doseong. The location of the temple was selected because the mountains looked like a beautiful bead and/or Buddha. Additionally, Yugasa Temple is the headquarters for the Yuga-jong Buddhist Order. Throughout the years, Yugasa Temple has undergone numerous rebuilds and renovations. The first came in…
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Naejangsa Temple – 내장사 (Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do)
Temple History Naejangsa Temple, which means “Storing Inside Temple,” in English, is located in Naejangsan National Park in Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do. Naejangsa Temple was first built in 636 A.D. by the monk Yeongeun-josa. At this time, it was large in size, with fifty halls and pavilions. Originally, Naejangsa Temple was called Yeongeunsa Temple. In 660 A.D., after being destroyed by fire, Naejangsa Temple was rebuilt by the monk Hwanhae. Naejangsa Temple was an important temple during Later Silla (668-935 A.D.) and through to the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). During this time, it was rebuilt and renovated several times. It would become, in time, one of the leading Seon temples. During King Jeongjong…
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Yeongsan-jeon – Vulture Peak Hall: 영산전
Introduction Another one of the more obscure shrine halls that you’ll find at a Korean Buddhist temple is the Yeongsan-jeon Hall. The name Yeongsan-jeon means “Vulture Peak Hall,” in English. The hall is meant to symbolically re-enact the Historical Buddha, Seokgamoni-bul, seated on Vulture Peak. It’s on Vulture Peak that Seokgamoni-bul espoused his central ideas and teachings found in the Lotus Sutra, or the “묘법연화경” (Myobeop Yeonhwa-gyeong; short: Beophwa gyeong), in Korean. Yeongsan-jeon Design In the Lotus Sutra, which is regarded as one of the most important and influential sutras in Mahayana Buddhism, Seokgamoni-bul presents the ultimate truth of life. The central idea found in the Lotus Sutra is that…