Nov 19, 2024 – Gyeongju Namsan Pilgrimage and Dharma Q&A with Korea National Park Service
Today is the day to join Buddhist employees of the Korea National Park Service for a pilgrimage to Gyeongju Namsan.
Yesterday, Sunim successfully concluded the “Happy Dialogue” Dharma Q&A lecture in Jeju Island. After completing his morning practice and meditation, Sunim left the accommodation at 5:45 AM and headed to Jeju Airport. After check-in, he departed from Jeju Airport at 7:45 AM, flew for an hour, and arrived at Daegu Airport at 8:45 AM. Upon leaving the airport, he immediately headed to Gyeongju.
At 10 AM, Sunim arrived at the open space of Sikhyegol Pass on Gyeongju Namsan. After greeting the Korea National Park Service staff, he briefly explained today’s schedule and route.
“Nice to meet you all. It’s quite chilly today. Since the west side of Gyeongju Namsan doesn’t get much sunlight, we’ll first explore the east side to avoid the cold, and then move to the west side in the afternoon. My knees aren’t in good condition these days, so I can’t climb high mountains. We’ll walk along the lower ridges and examine the cultural heritage sites.”
The group began walking slowly along the autumn-colored mountain path, breathing in the cool, crisp air.
While walking along the ridge, they stopped at a wide open space to get to know each other. All participants, including Sunim, introduced themselves and exchanged greetings.
“I’m Pomnyun. I serve as the guiding Dharma teacher at Jungto Society and as the chairman of The Peace Foundation. It’s nice to meet you all.”
The participants continued, each introducing their name, workplace, and their connection to Buddhism.
“I work at Hallyeohaesang National Park. I graduated from Jungto Dharma School and Sutra Course. Currently, I’m actively involved in the Happy Citizen activities in Tongyeong.”
“I’m from Jirisan National Park.”
“I work at the Eastern Regional Office of the Korea National Park Service. I’ve put aside all my work to come here, just like last year.”
Sunim asked with a smile.
“What excuse did you use to come here?”
“I took a day off!”
“I work at Juwangsan National Park. I’m currently receiving training as a leading member at Jungto Society.”
“While you’re working at Juwangsan, I should definitely visit there sometime.”
Sunim listened attentively to each participant’s story and responded with warm and witty remarks. The participants opened their hearts naturally as they introduced themselves to each other. After the introductions, they resumed their journey. The mountain path was beautiful, and the participants’ steps were light.
They arrived at their first destination, the Buddha statue in a niche. Its official name is ‘Bulgok Maae Yeorae Jwasang’ (Seated Buddha Carved on Rock in Bulgok Valley). They paused briefly to bow three times to the statue together. Sunim began his explanation, emphasizing the statue’s simple and friendly beauty.
“Gyeongju Namsan is a slightly oval-shaped mountain stretching about 8km from north to south and 4km from east to west. Namsan has about 50 valleys and approximately 700 cultural heritage sites scattered throughout, earning it the nickname ‘open-air museum’. This Buddha statue is unique in that it’s carved into a niche hollowed out of a natural rock face. The people of Gyeongju sometimes call this statue ‘Grandmother Buddha’. Its expression is gentle, giving a feeling of meeting a friendly neighborhood elder. Even in winter, snow melts quickly here, making it a popular spot for many visitors.”
Sunim continued his discussion on balancing national park and cultural heritage management.
“While Namsan is well-protected as a national park, I think some adjustments might be needed from the perspective of cultural heritage exploration. Most national parks focus on nature conservation, but Namsan’s main purpose is cultural heritage protection and exploration. These two perspectives sometimes conflict.
For instance, many pagodas and temple sites are often hidden by trees. Originally, the Silla people built pagodas on mountain peaks so they could be seen from afar, but over time, pine trees have grown to obscure these pagodas. To restore the landscape centered around the pagodas, tree management would be necessary, but this is difficult under current regulations.
If you visit Huandao Mountain Fortress in China, you could enjoy the spectacular cliffs and views of the fortress on the way up just 30 years ago, but now trees have grown to cover everything. It’s unfortunate to lose such scenery. For Gyeongju Namsan as well, don’t you think we need a new management approach that balances nature conservation and cultural heritage exploration?
Some of you may take on higher positions in the future, and I hope you’ll consider how to harmonize cultural heritage exploration and nature conservation in Gyeongju Namsan.”
After taking a commemorative photo with the participants in front of the Bulgok Rock-carved Seated Buddha, Sunim moved on to the next destination, Buddha Rock. The path, colored with autumn foliage, was itself a beautiful gift. Passing Okryong Temple, the group soon arrived at Buddha Rock.
The Mystery of Gyeongju Encountered at Buddha Rock
Sunim began explaining the carvings on each side of Buddha Rock, starting from the north face and moving around in order. He first pointed to two pagodas carved into the rock.
“On the left is a 9-story pagoda, and on the right is a 7-story pagoda. The largest pagoda that the Silla people would have carved into rock at that time was the 9-story wooden pagoda of Hwangnyongsa Temple. The Hwangnyongsa 9-story wooden pagoda was about 67 meters tall, equivalent to a 20-story building, so it must have had tremendous symbolic significance for the Silla people. The 7-story pagoda reminds us of the Bunhwangsa Pagoda. Currently, only 3 stories of the Bunhwangsa Pagoda have been restored, but it’s highly likely that it was originally 7 stories tall.
Sunim then pointed to the area below the pagodas and continued his explanation.
“Below the pagodas, there are lion statues supporting them. One has its mouth open, while the other has its mouth closed, creating symmetry. You can also see the image of Buddha sitting on a lotus pattern. Above that, there’s a canopy carved, which shows the intricate carving techniques of that time. However, as the air quality in Gyeongju has recently deteriorated, black moss is growing, making the carvings increasingly difficult to see. We need to consider how to manage this issue.”
The group moved to the east side to examine the Triad Buddha and celestial beings.
“Here we have a Buddha Triad. The Buddha is in the center, with bodhisattvas on either side, their hands joined in prayer. Below the Buddha is a lotus pedestal, and above are celestial beings flying in the sky, with their robes and wings delicately depicted.
Although the Vajra warrior statue is heavily worn, you can still sense its strong presence. Traditionally, Vajra warriors served as guardians of temple gates. They were protectors stationed at the entrance of temples.”
Sunim moved to the southern face to examine the triad Buddha and standing statues.
“Here on the southern face, there’s a triad Buddha carving. In a niche-like space, the Buddha is seated in the center, flanked by standing Bodhisattva statues on either side. Those standing Bodhisattva statues are separate three-dimensional sculptures. Although they’ve been damaged over time, we can still discern their form and elegant posture. In total, there are 34 carvings on this Buddha Rock. That’s why it’s called the Buddha Rock.”
After leaving Buddha Rock, Sunim moved on to the site of Sacheonwangsa Temple.
Sacheonwangsa Temple Site: Embracing the Spirit of Unified Silla
Upon arriving at the Sacheonwangsa Temple site, Sunim first examined the stone pedestal for a stele located at the entrance.
“This stone pedestal well illustrates the structure of stelae at that time. A stele consists of a base stone at the bottom, a body stone in the middle, and a capstone at the top. The base stone often features a turtle, while the capstone frequently depicts a dragon. However, since the middle body stone is flat, people could repurpose it as a washing stone, so most of them have disappeared. In fact, in the 1970s, a fragment of the body stone from Sacheonwangsa’s stele was discovered in a village laundry area. The turtle on this base stone is carved with remarkable detail. It looks exactly like a real turtle, but sadly, someone has damaged its head.”
Moving to the temple site, Sunim explained the name and origin of Sacheonwangsa, as well as the Buddhist worldview.
“The Four Heavenly Kings are deities who guard the four cardinal directions. They reside on the slopes of Mount Sumeru, the center of the universe, and oversee four continents, including the human realm. When entering Bulguksa Temple, you pass through the Four Heavenly Kings Gate, symbolizing that one must pass through the realm of these kings to enter the Buddha’s world.”
Sunim emphasized that the Sacheonwangsa Temple site was not just a temple ruin, but a national defense temple built by Silla to protect the country.
“Sacheonwangsa was not built to propagate Buddhism, but to protect the nation. When Silla was at a disadvantage in the war against Tang China, they built this temple in Shinyurim (Divine Play Forest) to seek the power of divine beings and Buddha. Twelve Yogacara monks performed the Munduru mantra here. This was a secret method to invoke the power of Indra and the Four Heavenly Kings, famously resulting in a storm in the West Sea that sank the Tang army. This experience greatly influenced King Munmu, forming the spiritual background for his declaration to become a dragon after death.
Queen Seondeok left instructions to be buried in Trayastrimsa Heaven after her death, specifying the top of Namsan Mountain. This refers to Indra’s Heaven at the peak of Mount Sumeru. Thirty years after Queen Seondeok’s death, Sacheonwangsa was built here, fulfilling her prophecy.”
After examining each of the ruins at Sacheonwangsa Temple site, Sunim and his group went to Samneung.
The Place Where the Founding Spirit of Jungto Society Was Born
After having noodles for lunch at a restaurant in Samneung, they began walking along Samneung Valley, surrounded by pine forests.
Soon, they arrived at the statue that Sunim calls the ‘Headless Buddha’. This statue is a symbolic relic that became a crucial turning point in shaping Sunim’s and Jungto Society’s spirit. Once everyone had gathered, Sunim began to tell the story surrounding the statue.
“This is the first Buddha statue we encounter as we climb up this valley. We don’t know where this statue was originally located. In the past, there was no separate path here, so people used to walk along the stream. At that time, this statue was lying face down, and people would step on its back as they passed. Then someone discovered this statue and turned it over, revealing a very beautiful Buddha statue. The front part had been buried in the ground, so it remained undamaged and clean. When I started the Gyeongju Namsan protection movement in 1970, I set a goal to ‘find the Buddha’s head and restore it’. So I searched thoroughly down this valley several times, but ultimately couldn’t find the head. Then, in the 1980s, I began to think:
‘Is restoration about finding the statue’s head and fixing the damaged hand shape? What does it really mean to restore this Buddha statue?’
This Buddha statue seemed to embody the state of Korean Buddhism at the time. Although it bore the name of Buddhism, it lacked both the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings and the compassion of his practical actions. The statue appeared to speak on behalf of this condition. The absence of a head symbolized the lack of wisdom from the Buddha’s teachings, while the damaged hands represented the absence of compassionate deeds. The presence of the body suggested that the form of Buddhism still existed. As Sunim thought, “This is the current state of Korean Buddhism,” he realized that the Buddha was sacrificing himself to show us the reality of Korean Buddhism. Sunim concluded that truly restoring this statue meant not just physical restoration, but ensuring people understood the Buddha’s teachings, symbolized by the statue’s head. This led him to initiate a movement to reinterpret and present early Buddhism. The statue’s hands, representing compassionate action, inspired him to help those in need and engage in social justice activities. Through this damaged statue, Sunim found the path that Jungto Society should follow, which became a significant catalyst in establishing the founding spirit of Jungto Society.
In 1982, through a connection made while giving a lecture at a Korean University Buddhist Association event, Sunim had the opportunity to conduct training with the student leadership at Mangwolsa Temple below. He believed that separating Buddhist faith from social activism would not be sustainable in the long run. Thinking that social practice should stem from the Buddha’s teachings, he established a practical Buddhist philosophy based on the life of the Buddha and his fundamental doctrines. The current curriculum of the Jungto Dharma School is entirely based on this foundation.
Therefore, in the early days of Jungto Society, whenever a new executive committee was formed, they would always make a pilgrimage to Namsan together to renew their initial commitment. Sunim sincerely welcomed the group’s visit to this meaningful place. He encouraged them not to think, “The Buddha’s head is missing” or “The Buddha’s hands are gone,” but instead to make a vow, “I should become the Buddha’s head and hands.”
After the explanation, everyone reverently offered three bows in front of the headless Buddha statue. It was a precious moment to reflect on the reality of Korean Buddhism and each person’s role.
Climbing the steep mountain path next to the headless Buddha statue, the group encountered the Samreunggok Rock-carved Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.
While the upper body of the Bodhisattva is clearly visible on the rock, the lower body naturally blends into the stone. Sunim explained that this sculpting technique demonstrates the Silla people’s aesthetic sense, which emphasized harmony with nature.
“This is a statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. When the Silla people carved rocks, they didn’t approach it with the concept of engraving a Bodhisattva onto the rock. Instead, they believed that the Bodhisattva was already present within the rock, just not yet revealed. So, rather than chipping away at the rock, they sculpted by revealing what was already there. If you look at the lips, you’ll notice they’re red. This isn’t painted on; they utilized the naturally red part of the rock in their carving. It appears as if the lips have been naturally tinted red. This level of detail showcases the exquisite aesthetic sense of Silla sculpture.
Moreover, this place has been a site of faith where villagers have come to pray since ancient times. When people face difficulties, they pray earnestly, saying, ‘I’ll do anything if you just cure my illness.’ But once they recover, they tend to forget their promises as if nothing happened. Then, when another problem arises, they come back in a panic. This is a ‘after the fact’ approach to prayer. Practice, on the other hand, is preventive. It’s about preventing problems from occurring, and even when they do, accepting them with equanimity. That is what practice is about.”
This time, we arrived at the Seonkak Yukjonbul (Six Standing Buddha Statues) located deep in Samneunggol, passing by the headless Buddha statue and the Samneunggok Maae Gwaneumbosal (Rock-carved Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva).
The six Buddha statues delicately carved on the majestic rock face, harmonizing with the serene forest, evoked a profound sense of awe.
Sunim first introduced the name and significance of the Seonkak Yukjonbul.
“This is the Seonkak Yukjonbul. It’s called ‘Yukjonbul’ because there are six Buddha figures. In the front, there’s a Buddha standing in the center of the rock, with Bodhisattvas seated on either side. In the back, there’s another Buddha seated in the center with Bodhisattvas standing on both sides. Unlike deeply carved rock-carved Buddhas, this is called ‘Seonkak Yukjonbul’ because it’s only carved in lines. When I was young, the carving was very clear, but now it’s covered with black moss, making the shapes less visible.
If you go up above the open-air Buddha, you can see that they’ve carved a groove to divert the water flowing down from the mountain so it doesn’t pour over the statue. You can also see the foundation stones, right? There are traces of pillars that were erected and a sloping cover that was placed over them. Some experts say that the statue was originally painted, but the colors have all worn off over the centuries.
Among the valleys of Namsan, this Samneunggol is where you can find the most artifacts. If you continue climbing, you can reach the summit of Geumosan and then descend to Yongjangsa Temple in Yongjanggol. To see many pagodas and Buddha statues, you need to complete this course. Today, I guided you mainly on flat ground because my legs aren’t in good condition. If we have another opportunity, it would be nice to climb up together again.”
The pilgrimage to Gyeongju Namsan concluded with a visit to the Six Seon Masters Rock-carved Buddha Statues.
Upon returning to Samneung Valley, staff from the Korea National Park Service Gyeongju Office were waiting with refreshments. After the long walk, a cup of tea was a real treat.
Everyone boarded the bus and headed to the Dubuk Retreat Center, where Sunim farms.
After a 30-minute bus ride, the group arrived at the Dubuk Retreat Center at 3:30 PM. As they disembarked, Sunim pointed to the distant fields and greenhouses, saying:
“That’s where we farm.”
The practitioners’ quarters had been recently remodeled, and the group gathered there for a conversation. After a light snack, everyone assembled in a room for a Dharma Q&A session.
“Now we’ll have a time for conversation. Feel free to ask any questions on any topic you’re curious about.”
The discussion was open-ended, covering various topics such as peace issues, social conflicts, Buddhism, and funeral culture. One person shared a personal concern.
My Husband Doesn’t Help with Housework Even Though We Both Work
“Is there a way to make love for my husband spring forth?”
“Out of a hundred people living together, maybe one feels that way. Most people just live their lives without much excitement. How can you expect your heart to be on fire for someone you see every day? That’s an unrealistic expectation.”
“These days, I find myself speaking cynically to my husband about any topic.”
“In that case, your goal should be ‘not to have a cynical attitude’ rather than ‘developing loving feelings for your husband.’ The Buddha taught that happiness is not pleasure, but the absence of suffering. Similarly, love should be defined as ‘not hating’ rather than ‘being passionate.’ Feeling passionate love constantly is a kind of madness. What specifically bothers you about your husband?”
“He doesn’t help with housework and only lives for his own comfort, which irritates me.”
“How many children do you have? Are they grown?”
“Two. One in 9th grade and one in 11th grade.”
“What are the main household chores you need to take care of?”
“I have to cook, do the dishes, clean, and take out the trash.”
“Why doesn’t your husband help with housework?”
“He says he’s too tired after work. He claims he’s worked hard all day and doesn’t do any housework when he gets home.”
“What does your husband do for a living?”
“He works in surveying, and he’s been quite busy with contracts lately. Still, he should do some housework when he gets home, right? He used to at least pretend to help, but not anymore.”
“If you approach this with the attitude that your husband must do housework, you won’t be able to resolve the conflict. Observe your husband carefully. If he truly looks tired after working hard all day, you should say, ‘Honey, you’ve been busy lately, right? Don’t worry about the housework, just rest.'”
“He says he’s tired, but he goes out riding his motorcycle on weekends.”
“Your husband needs one day on the weekend to relieve stress, doesn’t he?”
“When he has a day off, he should help with housework too. He’s not the only one working. We’re both working outside the home.”
“Then what do you think should be done? Do you want to spend some time away from home?” (laughs)
“So I often left the house. I went for training and business trips. When I’m not home, my husband does the housework well.”
“Can’t you be grateful for even that much help? It’s not like your husband doesn’t do any housework at all. Maybe he trusts you and just wants to rest a bit himself?”
“That’s right. He seems to trust me too much. Even when I’m sick, if I see housework that needs to be done, I can’t help but do it. I keep working even though it’s hard for me too. My husband used to help with housework in the past, but these days it’s like he’s given up completely and doesn’t do anything.”
“Why don’t you try not doing any housework yourself and just leave it be? There’s a difference between not doing housework because you resent your husband and not doing it because you’re exhausted. Not doing housework because I’m exhausted is my freedom. However, telling the other person to do it is not my domain. If you don’t do housework and your husband points out, ‘Why aren’t you cleaning?’, just say, ‘Honey, I’m in too much pain and too exhausted to do it lately.’ If you approach it this way, conflict won’t arise. But if you say something like ‘It’s too hard for me to do it alone, so you should help too’, it becomes scolding. Everyone feels bad when spoken to in a scolding manner.”
“Because I didn’t say anything, my husband has been doing less and less housework.”
“You can stop doing housework too. Rather than scolding him saying ‘Why aren’t you doing it?’, it’s better if you don’t do it either. It’s not because you resent your husband, but because you’re exhausted. If you approach it like ‘You’re not doing it so I won’t either’, it’s just asking for a fight. If you say ‘Honey, I’m too exhausted’, you can avoid fighting with each other.”
“So I’m trying to pray every day.”
“Approaching it that way is not prayer. What did prayer do wrong? If housework is too hard, just don’t do it. Forcibly receiving a prayer text and gritting your teeth to do 108 bows is not prayer. Prayer is about letting go of your mind. The current situation is that you’re trying to keep the house too clean, which is exhausting you, and when you ask your husband for help, he says he’s tired too. You said you’re exhausted too, right? It’s not that you don’t want to do it. It’s better to say ‘Honey, I’m exhausted too’ than to say ‘You say you’re so tired, but why do you go out on weekends instead of resting?’
When people are tired and exhausted, they need to relieve stress through some other activity. For example, let’s say a company president told employees who complained about being too tired from working every day to rest on weekends. But if the employees go hiking and traveling on weekends, how would the president feel?
‘I gave them a day off because they said they were tired, but instead of staying quietly at home, they’re going out. They play hard on weekends and come to work on Monday drowsy! I should cancel their days off.’
He might feel upset thinking like this, right? But that’s not the right way to think. The employees are playing for a day because they worked all week. The reason for meditation is the same. Meditation provides true rest, but you try to rest through play instead. Playing is actually tiring too. Your husband is still at that level. He relieves stress through the play of riding a motorcycle and then works for 5 days again. If you raise issues like ‘How can you go out riding a motorcycle when you say you’re tired?’ to someone who finds compensation for hard work in thoughts like ‘Should I buy a new motorcycle?’, it becomes difficult to communicate with each other. Instead, say ‘I understand you’re tired. I’ll do the housework. But I’m tired too and then don’t do some of the housework yourself. Then the house will get messy. But isn’t living in a slightly messy house better than causing conflict?”
“I’ll think of it as if there’s no husband in our house. I’ll consider it as if he’s just boarding here.”
“How can you think someone who’s there isn’t there? You’re interpreting the Dharma talk in your own way. Having that perspective will only make things harder for you. If housework is too tiring, just leave it be. Don’t confront your husband about it. When you say ‘Honey, I’m tired now, can you help me?’, if your husband says ‘I’m exhausted too’, then end the conversation with ‘Okay, I’ll do it then’. If it gets too tiring for you, then just say ‘Okay, let’s both take a break now’ and leave it be. There’s no problem living if you clean the room once instead of twice. If your husband notices and raises an issue about the house being a bit messy, then you can say ‘Honey, it’s too hard for me alone’. That way it won’t turn into a fight. You don’t need to forcibly receive a prayer text and grit your teeth to do 108 bows. If housework is tiring, leave it be and rest a bit. You should also be able to tell your children ‘Mom is tired so get your own meals’. Don’t think you have to get up and prepare meals even when you’re exhausted.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The questions continued.
With North Korea sending troops to the Russia-Ukraine war, tensions on the Korean peninsula escalated but eased slightly with Trump’s re-election. What can I do for peace?
The conflict triggered by the medical school expansion issue remains unresolved. How can we prevent a medical crisis?
As the number of visitors decreases, the National Park Service will also face a crisis. Similarly, what do you think about the gradually decreasing number of Buddhist believers?
Unlike in the past, the way funerals are held has changed a lot from burial to cremation these days. What is the relationship between funeral methods and reincarnation and rebirth?
What is the difference between Buddhist monks performing ancestral rites and shamans performing ancestral rites?
After two hours of conversation, we went out to the yard for dinner. The sun had set by then.
“Sunim, I’m so grateful that you’ve been explaining things all day and prepared dinner for us. I don’t know how to express my gratitude.”
“Enjoy your meal, and when you retire later, come here and do a lot of volunteer work.”
“Yes, I will do that.”
We continued our conversation while eating.
After doing the dishes together, we said our goodbyes. Sunim accompanied the people to the bus stop.
“Take care on your way back.”
“Thank you, Sunim.”
After the bus departed, Sunim returned to his room and had an online meeting with the Jungto Social and Cultural Center Activation Task Force team from 8 PM. They reviewed in detail the 100-day Dharma talk program by Venerable Pomnyun Sunim that was proposed last time, and discussed each controversial point one by one. They had a one-hour meeting on various agenda items such as the day arrangement, content, and methods of various programs to be conducted offline at the Jungto Social and Cultural Center, including scripture lectures, Buddhism courses, social studies courses, social education lectures, and practice assemblies. The meeting ended at 9 PM.
Tomorrow, Sunim will depart from Dubuk Retreat Center at 3 AM and move to Seoul. In the morning, he will have a meeting with religious leaders for national reconciliation and peace, broadcast the daytime Dharma Q&A live, meet with the Peace Foundation planning committee members in the afternoon, and broadcast the evening Dharma Q&A live in the evening.
