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Templestay, glimpse of millennium-old history of Korean Buddhists' road to self-cultivation

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Led by Ven. Inwol of Jikji Temple in North Gyeongsang Province, 23 university students look at paintings adorning the exteriors of Myeongbujeon during a two-day Templestay program, July 21. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism
Led by Ven. Inwol of Jikji Temple in North Gyeongsang Province, 23 university students look at paintings adorning the exteriors of Myeongbujeon during a two-day Templestay program, July 21. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism

Iconic Buddhist cultural program celebrates 20th anniversary

By Park Han-sol

GIMCHEON, North Gyeongsang Province ― In the breezy morning of July 22, just hours after chanting mantras for a 4:30 a.m. "yebul" (daily Buddhist ceremonial service), 23 university students gathered in a circle for a teatime session, or "chadam," with Ven. Inwol at Jikji Temple in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province.

In between sips of refreshing "maesil" (green plum) tea and a handful of nutty snacks, the curious 20-somethings threw question after question that they had been saving throughout their two-day templestay program at the smiling monk.

How often do monks shave their heads? What is the purpose of "baru gongyang," where vegetarian dishes are consumed in utter silence and not a single grain of rice is wasted? What is the true meaning of enlightenment in Zen Buddhism? Do monks ever watch Netflix?

After answering each question with a balanced mix of insight and wit, Ven. Inwol ended the session with food for thought: "A temple is a place that invites you to go on a journey to empty yourself of anguish, worries and uneasiness clouding your mind. A gentle nudge to a road to self-cultivation ― that's the true aim of the templestay program."

Ven. Inwol talks with university students during
Ven. Inwol talks with university students during "chadam" (teatime session) at Jikji Temple in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, July 22. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism

His words resonated even more at Jikji Temple, which was the first temple to host the iconic Buddhist cultural program officially launched two decades ago.

On May 11, 2002, just weeks ahead of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, 50 members of the diplomatic corps in Korea gathered at the temple nestled at the foot of Mount Hwangak for a rare overnight peek into the ascetic lives of the Buddhist practitioners. Another 32 temples nationwide soon followed suit.

Initially, the templestay program was launched to kill two birds with one stone: to lend a helping hand in providing additional accommodations for a flood of tourists visiting Korea in time for the World Cup tournament, and to give the foreign visitors a taste of one form of traditional Korean lifestyle.

Jikji Temple was first on the list, Ven. Inwol explained, because it housed Mandeokjeon, a grand hall that used to host ordination ceremonies for all monks of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in the country.

"The hall feels like home to many of the monastics, including myself," he told The Korea Times. "And because the temple already had the system and infrastructure required for training and ordaining the monks, it was seen to be a fitting place to invite foreign guests to experience the life of asceticism."

Templestay participants bow before the Buddhist statues in the Daeungjeon (Main Buddha Hall) at Jikji Temple, Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, July 21. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism
Templestay participants bow before the Buddhist statues in the Daeungjeon (Main Buddha Hall) at Jikji Temple, Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, July 21. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism

While the program was originally meant to be a one-off event, its explosive popularity led to its permanent establishment soon after.

After 20 years, it is now provided at 136 Buddhist temples in urban centers, on mountain slopes and on islands nationwide, with 25 staffed with English-speaking coordinators.

As of December 2021, the cumulative number of templestay participants exceeded 6 million, including over 650,000 visitors from 205 countries, according to the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism (CCKB), the program's operative body in the Jogye Order.

Templestay participants pose for a photo in front of a crape myrtle tree at Jikji Temple in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, July 21. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism
Templestay participants pose for a photo in front of a crape myrtle tree at Jikji Temple in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, July 21. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism

The CCKB has been running a series of special templestay sessions ― offered either free of charge or at half price of what is usually 60,000 won ($46) per night ― for various underprivileged groups, and more recently healthcare professionals amid the coronavirus pandemic.

And to mark the 20th anniversary of the program, it has increased the number of and widened the scope of visitors eligible for such sessions ― young people in their 20s, seniors over the age of 65, as well as members of single-parent families, multicultural families and child-headed households, among others.

"It's our way of paying back the love and support we've received for two decades both here and abroad," said Eugene Kim, manager of CCKB's templestay team.

The overnight templestay program held from July 21 to 22 at Jikji Temple was one such event, inviting college students, all in their early to mid-20s.

Jikji Temple's Daeungjeon, center, and Unified Silla-era three-story stone pagodas on the right and left are all designated as treasures in Korea. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism
Jikji Temple's Daeungjeon, center, and Unified Silla-era three-story stone pagodas on the right and left are all designated as treasures in Korea. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism

Temples in Korea have long been the cultural bedrock on which Zen Buddhism bloomed for over 1,700 years since the religion was first introduced to Korea during the 4th century.

During their two-day stay, the student participants marveled at the history behind Jikji Temple, which was built in 418. This makes it one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries built on the Korean Peninsula as it survived from the periods of Unified Silla, Goryeo and Joseon, all the way through the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule and the 1950-53 Korean War.

"I Googled the temple before (coming here), but they (the pictures) don't do justice to its actual beauty. You can feel that it's really old and the way they conserved it was really awesome," Sampurna Balde, a 24-year-old exchange student at Ewha Womans University from India, told The Korea Times.

"We don't have this kind of program in temples in India, where we can literally stay overnight, so this was unique."

Three Buddhist paintings hung inside the Daeungjeon of Jikji Temple are designated as treasures in Korea for masterfully reflecting the aesthetics of the late Joseon Dynasty. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism
Three Buddhist paintings hung inside the Daeungjeon of Jikji Temple are designated as treasures in Korea for masterfully reflecting the aesthetics of the late Joseon Dynasty. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism

Park Sung-eun from Jeonbuk National University in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, recalled the experience of directly facing the three centuries-old paintings of the Buddha triad hanging inside the Daeungjeon (Main Buddha Hall).

"I got a chance to take a good look at them during the 4:30 a.m. yebul session, and they were spectacular," she said.

The paintings as well as the main hall itself have been designated as treasures in Korea for masterfully reflecting the aesthetics of the late Joseon Dynasty, as they were reconstructed in the wake of the 1592-98 Japanese invasions.

For Lim Seo-yoon, a freshman at Korea Maritime & Ocean University in Busan and a first-time templestay participant, it was the monastery's visual harmony with the wavy ridges of Mount Hwangak that struck her.

"Even I, as a person who knows nothing about architecture, could sense how much effort was put into making each building blend seamlessly with the surrounding nature," she said. "It was impressive to see in person how the temple was able to retain its overall form in the same place throughout the 1,600 years of its history."

Students go on an early morning walk, following what is known as
Students go on an early morning walk, following what is known as "Ven. Samyeong Meditation Path," on Mount Hwangak that surrounds Jikji Temple in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, July 22. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism

She added that it wasn't yebul nor the 108-prostrations ceremony ― often referred to as the crown jewel of the templestay program ― that remained most memorable to her.

Instead, it was "samul," or the four percussion instruments played by the monks to represent Buddha's teachings through the universal language of sound.

When struck, each instrument is meant to awaken and briefly liberate every sentient creature in the universe: "beomjong" (bronze bell) for mankind agonizing in hell, "beopgo" (dharma drum) for beasts on earth, "mokeo" (wooden fish) for life forms in the sea and "unpan" (cloud gong) for creatures in the sky.

"Once in a while, every person feels that no one is there for them, not even their parents or other family members, and is tasked with carrying the burden all on their own. But the realization that somewhere on earth, there are monks who are striking samul even for a being like me, became a great source of comfort," she said.

In the end, this emotional and physical journey is made possible by being able to experience the living traditions that continue to be practiced to this day.

"Places like 'seowon' (neo-Confucian academies of the Joseon era) and royal palaces, despite their significant historical value, are no longer occupied by people. Nowadays, they simply play the role of assets attesting to a bygone culture," Ven. Inwol noted.

"But here, it's different. Monks still reside here, practicing and bringing to life the long-standing cultural heritage. That, I believe, is the charm of Buddhist temples."

Participants of the templestay program watch monks playing
Participants of the templestay program watch monks playing "samul," or the four percussion instruments, which are struck to awaken and briefly liberate every sentient creature in the universe, at Jikji Temple in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province. Courtesy of Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism
Park Han-sol hansolp@koreatimes.co.kr


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