35°48′N 128°6′E / 35.800°N 128.100°E / 35.800; 128.100 Haeinsa ( Korean : 해인사 ) is a Buddhist temple in Gayasan National Park , South Gyeongsang Province , South Korea . It is the head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Seon Buddhism . Haeinsa is most notable for being the home of the Tripitaka Koreana , the whole of the Buddhist Scriptures carved onto 81,350 wooden printing blocks, which it has housed since 1398.
31-594: Haeinsa is one of the Three Jewels Temples , and represents Dharma or the Buddha’s teachings. It is still an active Seon practice center in modern times, and was the home temple of the influential Seon master Seongcheol , who died in 1993. The temple was first built in 802. Legend says that two monks of royal Daegaya descent, Suneung and Ijeong, returned from Tang China and healed Aejang of Silla 's wife of her illness. In gratitude for Gautama Buddha 's mercy,
62-401: A 100-day meditation retreat in one of the 100 temples nationwide. This is a unique Korean tradition in the sphere of Mahayana Buddhism . This tradition has influenced the architectural layout of temples and monastic life over the years, and one can attain inner calm and peace of mind and body at any of these temples. In their effort to transform the 2002 World Cup into a cultural opportunity,
93-441: A meal one reflects deeply on the countless people and efforts that have brought the food that one receives. In this way, one learns to be grateful for even a single spoonful of rice. Before the meal, everyone recites a verse which teaches participants how to reflect upon the Buddha’s teachings that are embodied in the act of receiving food. Everyone eats from a set of bowls called "baru" as monastics do, and they are told not to waste
124-495: A modern storage complex was built utilizing modern preservation techniques but when test woodblocks were found to have mildewed, the intended move was canceled and the woodblocks remained at Haeinsa. It also offers Temple Stay programs where visitors can experience Buddhist culture. Three Jewels Temples The Three Jewels Temples (삼보사찰| Sambosachal) are the three principal Buddhist temples in Korea , each representing one of
155-527: A realistic wooden carving of a monk and interesting Buddhist paintings, stone pagodas , and lanterns. During the Korean War , the area surrounding Haeinsa Temple was a site of conflict between North Korean guerillas and the allied forces of South Korea and the United Nations Command . In September of 1951, during an anti-guerilla bombing campaign, Air Force Colonel Kim Young-hwan was ordered to destroy
186-599: A single grain of rice out of respect for the offering. In the daily routine of Korean temples, the most important event is the Buddhist ceremony called yebul. This ceremony refers to paying respect to the Buddhas enshrined in the Dharma halls three times a day and repeating the teachings, usually before dawn, 10 a.m., and in the evening. Yebul is also called the "ceremony of five fragrances (obunhyangnye)" because participants reaffirm
217-471: Is called Beopbojeon (Hall of Dharma) and the southern hall is called the Sudara-jang ("Hall of Sutras"). These two main halls are 60.44 meters in length, 8.73 meters in width, and 7.8 meters in height. Both have fifteen rooms with two adjoining rooms. Additionally, there are two small halls on the east and west which house two small libraries. Several ingenious preservation techniques are utilized to preserve
248-431: Is considered an important one. This is the time for participants to enjoy a moment with monastics while asking questions about temples or monastic life or even requesting advice about how to live better. Participants may have the opportunity to view the world through the eyes of Buddhist practitioners and even reassess their own lives and improve their well being. In Korean Buddhism, "gongyang" means "offering." During
279-787: Is the Mahavira Hall --the central hall containing statues of the historical Buddha and other important figures. In the Three Jewel Temples, however, the most important buildings are ones that emphasize each temple's particular jewel. Thus, the main hall in Tongdosa opens out onto a stupa which the faithful claim contains relics of the Buddha; Haeinsa has two large buildings holding the Tripitaka Koreana ; and Songgwangsa has several prominent buildings dedicated to its monastic community (including
310-461: Is then retained during the dry winter months. The roof is also made with clay and the bracketing and wood rafters prevent sudden changes in temperature. Additionally, no part of the complex is exposed to sun. Apparently, animals, insects, and birds avoid the complex but the reason for this is unknown. These sophisticated preservation measures are widely credited as the reason the woodblocks have survived in such fantastic condition to this day. In 1970,
341-510: The 2002 FIFA World Cup . Templestay is an experiential program in Korean Buddhism initiated by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism at the onset of the 2002 World Cup . During its 1,700 years of history, Korean Buddhism has preserved and passed down Ganhwa Seon practice, a kind of Seon (Zen) meditation. Every year during the retreat seasons of summer and winter, about 2,500 monastics enter
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#1732847818087372-763: The Three Jewels of Buddhism , and all located in South Korea . Tongdosa in South Gyeongsang Province represents the Buddha ; Haeinsa , also in South Gyeongsang Province, represents the dharma or Buddhist teachings; and Songgwangsa in South Jeolla Province represents the sangha or Buddhist community. In most Korean Buddhist temples, the highest, most important, and often largest building
403-456: The Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism on May 29, 2011, a total of 700,000 people have experienced Templestay in the decade following 2002 when the program began. In most temples this is the very first item on the schedule for Templestay participants. The aim of this guided tour around the temple for first-time visitors is to get to know the age-old traditions and culture of temples as well as
434-591: The Depositories for the Tripiṭaka Koreana Woodblocks were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The UNESCO committee noted that the buildings housing the Tripiṭaka Koreana are unique because no other historical structure was specifically dedicated to the preservation of artifacts and the techniques used were particularly ingenious. The temple also holds several official treasures including
465-595: The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism decided to open their temple gates during the games and allowed both Koreans and non-Koreans to stay in one of their mountain temples. As a result, in the 30 days the World Cup lasted (May 31, 2002 to June 30), 1,000 foreigners and 10,000 Koreans experienced the Templestay program. That was a sizable achievement, but more importantly, Korean Buddhism and the Templestay program became known to
496-522: The Templestay program. As the national government promised budget support, the number of temples operating a Templestay program grew from 31 in the first year to 110 in 2015. The Templestay program is now recognized as one of the major tourist programs in Korea. In 2009, the OECD selected the Templestay program as one of the five most successful combinations of culture and tourism. According to statistics issued by
527-540: The animals of the air. The ceremony continues with a re-affirmation of the refuge we take in the various Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and generations of Seon Patriarchs. Then follows the recitation of the Heart Sutra and the Wishes for the welfare of the temple and all people (Barunmoon). Another major practice of Korean Buddhism is bowing. This practice consists of 3 bows, 108 bows, 1,080 bows or 3,000 bows and aims at ridding
558-594: The buildings and art as well as the temple itself. Seon meditation (chamseon) is similar to other forms of meditation. However, it does differ in one particular respect and that is that chamseon’s goal is to achieve single-minded absorption through the illogical doubt raised by a hwadu (the punch-line to a koan ) so that the rambling mind is momentarily quieted. It is one of the most important practices of Korean Buddhism. A chamseon session usually consists of 50 minutes of Seon meditation followed by 10 minutes of slow and fast walking (pohaeng or gyeonghaeng). Depending on
589-408: The five virtues that practitioners hope to perfect. Yebul is the ceremony that regulates the day and is attended by everyone possible in the temple compound. Different instruments are used to symbolically call all beings to join the ceremony. First of all the large bell is sounded, next the drum calls all animals, then the wooden fish for the water-dwelling animals and finally the cloud-shaped gong for
620-458: The halls were untouched during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98) and were spared from the 1818 fire that burned most of the temple complex down. All told, the storage halls have survived seven serious fires and one near-bombing during the Korean War when a pilot disobeyed orders because he remembered that the temple held priceless treasures. Janggyeong Panjeon complex is the oldest part of
651-454: The king ordered the construction of the temple. Another account, by Choe Chi-Won in 900 states that Suneung and his disciple Ijeong, gained the support of a queen dowager who converted to Buddhism and then helped to finance the construction of the temple. The temple complex was renovated in the 10th century, 1488, 1622, and 1644, respectively. Huirang, the temple abbot enjoyed the patronage of Taejo of Goryeo during that king’s reign. Haeinsa
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#1732847818087682-463: The monastic lifestyle of Buddhist monks and nuns. In this way, participants are shown where the temple dining hall and public restrooms are and so they feel more at home. As they are led through the various buildings and structures of the temple, they discover firsthand the beauty of monastic architecture, paintings, handicrafts and landscaping, and so see many things that they might have otherwise missed. The guide often tells ancient stories behind many of
713-432: The numerous Seon (Zen) Masters the temple has produced). Temple Stay Templestay ( Korean : 템플스테이 ) is a cultural program offered in numerous South Korean Buddhist temples . Templestay allows participants to experience the life of Buddhist practitioners and learn the various aspects of Korean Buddhist culture and history through stories told by monks. The Templestay program has been operating since
744-634: The potential to become enlightened , which we all possess. Just as lotus flowers are not stained with the mud in which they grow, ignorant sentient beings can reveal their inherent Buddha Nature once awakened. Korean Buddhism holds the Lotus Lantern Festival every year on the Buddha’s Birthday , which falls on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month. Buddhists handcraft their own lanterns (which are unique to Korean Buddhism), which represent purification and wisdom. The way each petal of thin paper
775-442: The practitioner of greed and attachment. The 108 bows is an act of atonement for one’s recognized ignorance and cravings, and the 108 kinds of afflictions that arise within them. In this respect, the 108 bows symbolize a fresh start as well and so one empties the illusions one has come to believe to make up one’s "self" and earnestly fills the void with new good intentions. In Buddhism, lotus flowers symbolize Buddha Nature ,
806-524: The temple and houses the 81,258 wooden printing blocks from the Tripiṭaka Koreana . Although the exact construction date of the hall that houses the Tripiṭaka Koreana is uncertain, it is believed that Sejo of Joseon expanded and renovated it in 1457. The complex is made up of four halls arranged in a rectangle and the style is very plain because of its use as a storage facility. The northern hall
837-399: The temple and the program, longer or shorter periods of meditation are offered in which participants learn the aim and method as well as correct posture. Sometime in the afternoon or evening, when monastics are not so busy with daily tasks, one of them invites the Templestay participants to drink tea. For monastics, all aspects of the day are a part of Buddhist practice, and drinking tea
868-530: The temple. He refused, instead leading his squad of fighter jets over the temple without dropping a single bomb. The storage halls known as the Janggyeong Panjeon complex are the depository for the Tripiṭaka Koreana woodblocks at Haeinsa and were also designated by the Korean government as a National Treasure on December 20, 1962. They are some of the largest wooden storage facilities in the world. Remarkably,
899-485: The wider world as major international media, including CNN, the New York Times, BBC and NHK, paid growing attention and reported feature stories about them. After the end of the 2002 World Cup, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism announced the permanent establishment of the Templestay program on July 2, 2002. The Order then established the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism on July 16, 2004 as an operative body to run
930-778: The wooden printing blocks. The architects also utilized nature to help preserve the Tripitaka. The storage complex was built at the highest point of the temple and is 655 meters above sea level. Janggyeong Panjeon faces southwest to avoid damp southeasterly winds from the valley below and is blocked from the cold north wind by mountain peaks. Different sized windows on the north and south sides of both main halls are used for ventilation, utilizing principles of hydrodynamics. The windows were installed in every hall to maximize ventilation and regulate temperature. The clay floors were filled with charcoal, calcium oxide, salt, lime, and sand, which reduce humidity when it rains by absorbing excess moisture which
961-464: Was burned down in a fire in 1817 and was rebuilt in 1818. Another renovation in 1964 uncovered a royal robe of Gwanghaegun of Joseon , who was responsible for the 1622 renovation, and an inscription on a ridge beam. The main hall, Daejeokkwangjeon (대적광전, 大寂光殿: Hall of Great Silence and Light), is unusual because it is dedicated to Vairocana , whereas most other Korean temples house images of Gautama Buddha in their main halls. The Temple of Haeinsa and