Buddhist temples in Korea
Despite all the differences that Buddhist temples have, there are always recurring similarities in philosophy, symbolism and design. This article covers structure, symbols and names, especially in Korea. The symbolism is also used in a similar form in other countries in East Asia, but then often with names in the respective national language.
In Buddhism, Buddha ( 불 Bul , teacher), Dharma ( 달마 Dalma , teaching) and Sangha ( 승가 Songga , community of Buddhist monks, community) form the three jewels and are therefore regarded as inseparable. A temple complex is therefore almost always also a monastery and therefore includes sacred buildings and symbols as well as bedrooms and utility rooms for the nuns or monks.
Structure and symbolism of Buddhist temples in Korea
Geungnakgyo - bridge to the temple
Geungnakgyo (극락 교) denotes a bridge and means something like nirvana bridge .
Because of the monks living in a temple, a temple can only be built where there is drinking water in sufficient quantity and quality. A rich spring or a clean stream are therefore a prerequisite. The way to a temple always leads first over a bridge that crosses such a stream. Like the following gates, the bridge is a symbol of leaving the secular world behind and entering a spiritual world.
Hamabi - not on horseback
Hamabi (하마비) refers to a stone with an inscription that prompts you to get off your horse. The stone is in the immediate vicinity in front of the first gate Ilyumun .
In earlier times, a horse was a symbol of social status. The request to get off the horse is, as it were, the request to give up your privileges and to treat everyone with equal respect.
The goals
On the way to a monastery or temple one usually passes three, sometimes four gates, each of which has a symbolic meaning:
Ilyumun - one-pillar gate
Iljumun ( 일 주문 ) means something like one-pillar gate . It is the first gate on the way to a temple.
If you look from the side, the gate appears to have only one pillar. It symbolizes the clear separation between the worldly and the spiritual and the one path to clarity and wisdom (awakening, enlightenment).
Geumgangmun - beginning and end
Geumgangmun ( 금강문 ) is a gate that is not always there. If available, it shows pictures of two guards called Geumgangyeoksa . The first is called Narayeon ( 나라 연 ) and is shown with his mouth open, as if he were screaming. That is why it is also popularly called Ah . It is said that it is as strong as a hundred elephants. The other guardian is called Miljeok (밀적), he has closed his mouth and is therefore also popularly called Heum . He is the keeper of the Buddha's teachings. Ah is considered to be the tone with which the universe begins, Heum is the tone with which it ends. Together the two sounds form the Om , the comprehensive unity that is formed from the beginning and end of the universe.
Sawangchon - guardian of the four winds
Sawangchon (사왕천) means something like gate of the guardians of the four cardinal points . It is one of the middle gates and designed as a gate house. Inside the gate house there are four grim-looking figures of imposing size, armed with spears and swords, who crush or impale all kinds of dangerous animals. A guard is responsible for each of the four cardinal points. The gate with its guardians symbolizes that one should only pass through the gate with peaceful intent and that one is protected from harm inside the temple. The four guardians are considered to be the protectors of the world and fight evil. Each of the four commands a legion of supernatural creatures to protect the Dharma (law). The four guards are:
- Damun-cheonwang (다문천왕) - north
- Jeungjang-cheonwang (증장 천왕) - south
- Jiguk-cheonwang (지국 천왕) - east
- Gwangmok-cheonwang (광목천 왕) - west
Burimun - gate of non-judgment
Burimun or Purimun (불이문) is the last gate on the way to the temple. It is the gate of non-judgment , of non-difference or non-duality . Beyond this gate no judgment should be made between a Buddha (wise, enlightened) and a normal person, not between good and evil and not between fullness and emptiness.
The Burimun Gate often has a high threshold beam, a steep staircase or is so low that you can only get through it when you stoop. This is to prevent simply strolling through it without thinking. It is intended as a reminder not to rise above others, but to treat everyone with humility and respect and not to close yourself off to new insights with a preconceived opinion.
Beomjonggak - bell pavilion
Beomjonggak (범종각) is the bell pavilion . It contains the following four cult items:
Beomjong - bell
Beomjong (범종) is the bell . However, your clapper does not hang inside the bell, as is usual in the West, but consists of a piece of tree trunk that hangs on two chains next to the bell and is swung against the bell, more like a gong. The bell is struck 28 times in the morning and 33 times in the evening.
Beopgo - drum of teaching
Beopgo is the drum of teaching . A huge barrel drum that is covered on one side with the skin of a cow and on the other side with the skin of a bull, in order to maintain the balance between Um and Yang .
Unpan - cloud plate
Unpan is the cloud plate . A metal plate in the shape of a cloud. It is dedicated to all living beings in the air and wandering souls.
Mogeo - wood fish
Mogeo is a wooden fish . It is hollow on the inside and open at the bottom to form a resonance body. It is struck with wooden sticks against the inside of this opening. It is dedicated to all living things that live in water.
Image gallery for Beomjonggak
Bell Pavilion Beomjonggak with bell Beomjong , drum Beopgo and Wooden Fish Mogeo
Bodhisattvas
building
According to Buddhist ideas, Buddha is not a specific person, but anyone can become Buddha. There are a multitude of different Buddhas that are worshiped. Sometimes there are historical persons to whom Buddhahood is ascribed, but there are also transcendent Buddhas who embody a certain idea without there being a real historical person to whom they are ascribed. Within a temple area there are usually a large number of buildings that are dedicated to different Buddhas and are named accordingly, but never all of these buildings can be found in a monastery.
A spacious square usually opens up behind the bell pavilion, often with one or two dominating pagodas . On the opposite side is the Geumdang Buddha Hall .
Geumdang - Buddha Hall
Geumdang ( 금당 ) is the Buddha hall , literally actually gold hall . It is the tallest building in the temple complex and stands on a high stone base made of light-colored stone so that this base can reflect as much light as possible into the hall. The hall contains a central Buddha figure on an altar, often flanked by slightly smaller Buddha figures, depicting the Buddha on the left as a child and adolescent, on the right as an older man and as an old man. The central larger statue shows the middle-aged Buddha. If the monastery houses body relics of the Buddha, then there is no additional Buddha figure.
Other possible buildings and their names
- Jeongmyeolbogung (적멸보궁) - building containing relics of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni
- Daeungjeon (대웅전) - is also dedicated to Buddha Shakyamuni , but without relics. The name means something like "great heroic man"
- Daejeokgwangjeon (대적광전) - serves to worship Buddha Birojana (비로자나), he is the master of teaching
- Geungnakjeon (극락전) - is used to worship Buddha Amitabha , a transcendent Buddha. Its name comes from Sanskrit and means infinite life . It is the Buddha that Buddhists believe accompanies the dying
- Yaksajeon (약사전) - Medicine Buddha Yaksa
- Mireukjeon (미륵전) - Buddha of the future, Mireuk means compassion and friendship
- Gwaneumjeon (관음전) or Wontongjeon - compassion
- Jijangjeon (지장전) or Myeongbujeon (명부전) - Dedicated to Buddha Jijang, who swore to return to the world again and again and who tries to lead the souls of the deceased into the best possible world
- Yeongsanjeon (영산전) or Palsangjeon (팔상전) - hall of teaching
- Eungjinjeon (응진전) or Janggyeonggak (장경각) - Hall of the Preservation of Teaching. Libraries, printing plates
- Josajeon (조 사전) - The founder of a temple or a Buddhist denomination is venerated in a hall with this name
- Samseonggak (삼성각) - The hall is dedicated to the 3 nature spirits (star god, mountain god, wisdom). It is an expression that Buddhism in Korea has mixed relatively strongly with the shamanism widespread in Korea
Pagodas, stone lanterns, budos
Famous temples
| Surname | province |
|---|---|
| Gyeingguksa | Seoul |
| Gwanneumsa | Seoul |
| Doseonsa | Seoul |
| Bongeunsa | Seoul |
| Yeonghwasa | Seoul |
| Jogyesa | Seoul |
| Jingwansa | Seoul |
| Bogwangsa | Gyeonggi-do |
| Bomunsa | Gyeonggi-do |
| Jeondeungsa | Gyeonggi-do |
| Bongnyeongsa | Gyeonggi-do |
| Bongseonsa | Gyeonggi-do |
| Silleuksa | Gyeonggi-do |
| Yeonjuam | Gyeonggi-do |
| Yongjusa | Gyeonggi-do |
| Yes, yes | Gyeonggi-do |
| Guryongsa | Gangwon-do |
| Naksansa | Gangwon-do |
| Deungmyeong-nakgasa | Gangwon-do |
| Samhwasa | Gangwon-do |
| Sinheungsa | Gangwon-do |
| Oseam | Gangwon-do |
| Woljeongsa | Gangwon-do |
| Cheongpyeongsa | Gangwon-do |
| Beopjusa | Chungcheongbuk-do |
| Magoksa | Chungcheongnam-do |
| Sudeoksa | Chungcheongnam-do |
| Donghwasa | Gyeongsangbuk-do |
| Pagyesa | Gyeongsangbuk-do |
| Bogyeongsa | Gyeongsangbuk-do |
| Buseoksa | Gyeongsangbuk-do |
| Bulguksa | Gyeongsangbuk-do |
| Seokguram | Gyeongsangbuk-do |
| Jikjisa | Gyeongsangbuk-do |
| Unmunsa | Gyeongsangbuk-do |
| Beomeosa | Gyeongsangnam-do |
| Ssanggyesa | Gyeongsangnam-do |
| Tongdosa | Gyeongsangnam-do |
| Haeinsa | Gyeongsangnam-do |
| Geumsansa | Jeollabuk-do |
| Naesosa | Jeollabuk-do |
| Seonunsa | Jeollabuk-do |
| Silsangsa | Jeollabuk-do |
| Daedunsa | Jeollanam-do |
| Mihwangsa | Jeollanam-do |
| Baengnyeonsa | Jeollanam-do |
| Baegyangsa | Jeollanam-do |
| Songwangsa | Jeollanam-do |
| Hwaeomsa | Jeollanam-do |
| Gwaneumsa | Jeju-do |
| An'guk-sa | P'yŏngan-namdo |
Picture gallery
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Structure of the temple. (jsp) 1. From Geungnakgyo Bridge to Ilyumun Gate. In: Korea Tourist Organization. Retrieved April 29, 2014 .
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Building the temple. (jsp) 2. From the Ilyumun Gate to the Burimun Gate. In: Korea Tourist Organization. Retrieved April 29, 2014 .
- ↑ Korean Buddhism and Art. (Cgi) (No longer available online.) In: Digital International Buddhism Organization (DIBO). Archived from the original on May 12, 2012 ; accessed on April 29, 2014 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Tongdo-sa: Korea's Head Temple of Buddhist Family. (php) In: The buddhist Channel. Retrieved April 29, 2014 .
- ↑ a b Structure of the temple. (jsp) 4. Buddha Hall & Bodhisattva Figures. In: Korea Tourist Organization. Retrieved April 29, 2014 .
- ↑ Building the temple. (jsp) 6. Pagodas & stone lanterns. In: Korea Tourist Organization. Retrieved April 29, 2014 .
literature
- Hyung Il Pai The Creation of National Treasures and Monuments ( Memento from April 26, 2014 in the Internet Archive ): The 1916 Japanese Laws on the Preservation of Korean Remains and Relics and Their Colonial Legacies, Korean Studies 25 (1), pp. 72-95, 2001
Web links
- Charles Muller (1996). Korean Buddhism ( Memento from April 24, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
- The history of Korean Zen Buddhism (German)
- Buddhist temples in Korea