Templestay Week offers you a chance to discover a 1,700-year-old tradition for even less

It’s early morning and the pre-dawn air has the refreshing crispness of autumn, with mist hanging in the trees. As the dharma drum rumbles, a procession of monks makes its way to the main hall, where they take their places in front of the golden Buddha statue. You, too, make your way to the main hall and take a seat. The scent of incense fills the room and, outside, the drum gives way to the clang of the gong and the deep reverberation of the temple bell, which, according to Buddhist tradition, calls out to sentient beings suffering in hell to guide them to the dharma. This, too, soon fades and the chanting begins. As the voices in the hall come together in surreal harmony, you feel yourself transported to a higher plane of understanding.

Not a bad way to start your morning, really.

One of Korea’s most popular cultural experience programs, Templestay offers international visitors and locals alike a chance to experience life in one of Korea’s many beautiful Buddhist monasteries firsthand and, hopefully, gather a better understanding of an age-old component of Korea’s heritage. While the program operates all year long, Templestay Week (Oct. 19-Nov. 1) offers would-be participants a chance to take part in the experience at a reduced cost. Four temples and meditation centers in Seoul will be participating, as will dozens of other temples across the country.

Culture and healing

Run by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Korea’s largest Buddhist denomination, the Templestay program is Korea’s most successful initiative in cultural tourism. The program was founded during the historic Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup in 2002 as a means of offering international visitors an opportunity to experience Korean traditional culture on a deeper level. Over time, it has become a hit with not only tourists from overseas, who are able to get and up-close-and-personal look at 1,700 years of Korean Buddhist tradition, but also with Koreans themselves. In 2014 alone, nearly 200,000 people took part in the program; of these, approximately 170,000 people were Korean.

Among other things, Templestay is an exercise in “healing.” Today’s hyper-competitive, kinetically frenetic society can be a brutal on the psyche. Korea’s Buddhist temples, often hidden away on densely forested mountainsides, provide the perfect sanctuary for one to forget one’s mundane pressures and worries, reconnect with nature and, just as importantly, get back in touch with one’s true self.

“The Templestay program goes beyond a simple experience, having evolved into a trip of happiness that presents a new direction for your life,” said the Ven. Jinhwa of the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism. “We hope that that during this autumn vacation week, everyone can rediscover the meaning of happiness amidst pristine nature.”

The basics of monastic life

Templestay would never presume to be able to give participants an expert understanding of nearly two millennia of Korean Buddhist tradition over the course of a weekend, but it will give you a pretty good taste of both the beauty and challenges of monastic life. Regular programs are held at over 100 participating temples across Korea. Monasteries are usually located in places of great natural and scenic beauty, often in deep valleys below sacred mountain peaks. Many temples boast of over 1,000 years of history, too.

Each temple has its own unique program tailored to the site’s particular strengths. Temples in especially scenic locations may feature extended “walking meditations” in the forest, while others with artistic traditions or practices unique to the monastery may offer hands-on programs. Still, certain programs are universal. Practices you can look forward to experiencing include the following:

Yebul: Formal rites carried out to honor the Buddha, the yebul are held twice a day  once before sunrise and once before dinner. Yebul are announced by the playing of the samul, or the four musical instruments  the dharma drum, temple bell, wooden fish and cloud-shaped gong  found at every Buddhist temple. Once everyone gathers in the temple’s main hall, participants take part in chanting and bowing with the monks.

Seon: Better known in the West by its Japanese name of zen, seon is the practice of meditation. We often imagine meditation as silently sitting in the lotus position, and to be sure, there will be plenty of that, too. But meditation is much more than sitting  it involves being “in the moment” in everything that you do, from strolling in the forest to washing your dishes after a meal. For many, the meditation program is the highlight of the Templestay.

Baru gongyang: Monastic meals, or baru gongyang, are a temple tradition and important spiritual practice. Meals are taken communally, usually in the temple canteen. In accordance with Buddhist precepts, meals are strictly vegetarian. Waste is frowned upon  every grain of rice and a drop of water you take should be consumed. After you are done eating, you should wash out your bowls and eating utensils yourself.

Dado: The Korean tea ceremony, or dado, is not only a good way to relax over a refreshing cup of tea but also an opportunity to chat with monks and gain deeper insight into Korean Buddhism . . . and into yourself.

Lotus Lantern-making: A thing of great beauty growing up from the muck, the lotus blossom symbolizes Buddhist enlightenment. The lotus lantern, likewise, symbolizes wisdom shining eternally. Templestay participants can make their own lotus lanterns by gluing rice paper to a frame, and in so doing not only experience the joy of Korean handicrafts but also express one’s determination to cultivate wisdom so that it grows big and beautiful like the lotus blossom.

More info

http://fall.templestay.com

Reservations begin from Oct. 5

Written by SEOUL staff

Gyeongju’s Golgulsa is home to Seonmudo martial arts tradition

Nestled into a limestone rock face on Mt. Hamwolsan, a sacred mountain in the ancient Silla capital of Gyeongju, Golgulsa Temple is home to Seonmudo, a Buddhist practice that combines Seon (Japanese: Zen) meditation and martial arts. It’s a unique heritage that makes the temple a popular destination for both the spiritually and athletically inclined – comparisons to China’s legendary Shaolin Monastery are not completely unwarranted.

Like many temples throughout Korea, Golgulsa Temple has a Templestay program that offers visitors a better appreciation for monastic life and Korea’s 1,700-year-old Buddhist culture. This program also includes demonstrations and practical training in Seonmudo, and though you won’t become a master over a weekend, you will have a singular experience you can’t find anywhere else in the country.

A sanctuary of stone

Golgulsa was founded in the sixth century when a party of Indian monks established a humble temple in a cave on Mt. Hamwolsan, patterning their hermitage after those in their homeland. This was a full 200 years prior to the establishment of nearby Bulguksa Temple, Korea’s best-known monastery and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Because of the dramatic mountainside location, many people from the area insist the name of the temple means “Stone Buddha Temple,” and to be sure, there is a 1,500-year-old engraving of the Tathagata Amitabha Buddha etched at the top of the rocky outcropping. In spite of this coincidence, however, the temple’s name actually means “Skull Cave Temple,” owing to the cliff’s twelve caves being said to resemble the eye sockets of a human skull.

The steep rock face – a pockmarked, phantasmagoric facade that wouldn’t look out of place in Gaudi’s Barcelona – and its caves still lend the temple a strong aura of supernatural power. Today, seven of the cliff’s 12 caves are used as prayer halls; at one time, all 12 were used as sanctuaries. To reach the caves you must make use of somewhat harrowing staircase, so be sure to keep the guard rails close by at all times.

The largest of the cave sanctuaries is Gwaneumgul, a shrine dedicated to Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion and mercy. Enshrined among the little niches in the rock wall are 108 bronze figurines of the beloved deity. Locals claim that sick people who spend the night here recover their vitality – the limestone, they say, radiates an energy that’s good for the body.

Meditation in motion

At some time during the Silla Period (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), the monks at Golgulsa Temple began practicing a meditative martial art known as Seonmudo, which means “Seon Martial Way.” Over time, the practice developed into a way to integrate the mind, body and spirit. A type of moving meditation, the purpose of the art is to find harmony among four elements – mediation, yoga, QiGong and martial arts – and use this process to further one’s spiritual development. Practitioners attempt to purify and harmonize the three parts of karma (body, speech and thought) and thus enter into perfect spiritual concentration, or, as the Buddhists call it, samadhi.

“Seonmudo is a very interesting and very sophisticated but not very well-known martial art,” says Andrew Salmon, a Seoul-based journalist and avid martial arts practitioner. “In my mind, it looks like a combination of Shaolin-style techniques blended with a full Korean arsenal of kicks, as well as a lot of QiGong and yoga-style exercises, making it very suitable for people looking for more health-centric and spiritual martial arts rather than somebody who is more interested in competitive fighting or self-defense.”

Buddhism may be a religion of peace, but at times of national crisis, Korea’s Buddhist monks have taken up arms to protect the nation from foreign invasion. The most notable example of this took place during the Imjin War (1592-1598) when the renowned Buddhist monk Seosan, already well into his 70s, recruited and led a band of some 5,000 warrior monks against invading Japanese forces. The soldier-monks turned out to be some of Korea’s most effective fighters in the war, proving instrumental in finally driving out the invaders.

Building new

After an 18th-century forest fire left Golgulsa Temple in ruins, it remained forgotten about until 1990, when it was rebuilt by Ven. Jeog Un. He is currently head abbot of the temple, having established himself as a grand master of Seonmudo who played an important role in modernizing the discipline in the 1980s. In addition to the temple itself, Golgulsa Temple is home to a Seonmudo training center and a youth leadership training program.

Requiring the utmost concentration, the martial art is certainly a labor of love. Do Won, a woman who moved to the monastery to learn the practice, is often asked why it’s necessary to learn fighting skills when nobody fights like that anymore. Her response is that, “In Seonmudo, you don’t fight with your enemy, you fight with yourself.”

More info

GO> From Gyeongju, take bus No. 100 or 150, just next to the intercity bus terminal. It takes about 40 minutes to get to the stop closest to the temple. Once you get off the bus, you’ll have to walk for about 10 minutes to get to the temple. A taxi from Gyeongju to the temple is about KRW 40,000.

FYI> Visit eng.templestay.com

Experience Sunmudo

The Templestay program at Golgulsa includes basic training in Sunmudo martial arts.

Written and photographed by Peter DeMarco

Beopjusa Temple’s Templestay program is a chance to recharge in one of Korea’s most historic monasteries

This is just another evening at Beopjusa, one of Korea’s most treasured Buddhist monasteries. Though the site’s relics serve as a testament to the monastery’s proud history over the past century and a half, its treasures of more modern vintage, such as the 33-meter-tall Golden Maitreya Statue of National Unification erected in 1990, are equally breathtaking.

Like many of Korea’s other major Buddhist temples and monasteries, Beopjusa hosts a number of rewarding Templestay programs. These short recesses from one’s daily routine allow participants to have a brief experience of Korean temple life and gain a deeper appreciation for Korea’s 1,700-year-old Buddhist tradition. They also offer a much-needed chance to unplug and, perhaps – if you’re lucky – discover a bit of your “true self.”

The greatest temple in the Hoseo region

Beopjusa, or “Temple Where the Dharma Dwells,” was founded in 553 during the reign of King Jinheung (r. 540-576) of the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935). It would develop into the largest and most important Buddhist temple in the central Hoseo region, or what is known today as the Chungcheong-do provinces.

Even today, the temple remains an important and active center of Korean Buddhism. It is home to no less than 43 cultural properties, including the temple itself as well as the breathtaking Palsangjeon Hall, one of Korea’s few remaining wooden pagodas. Standing five stories and 22 meters high, the ornate structure cuts an impressive figure against the verdant hillsides and deep blue sky.

A spiritual journey

Beopjusa’s Templestay programs invite participants to come and gain a deeper appreciation for Buddhist culture than would ordinarily be possible with a simple visit. Thanks to the temple’s beautiful surroundings and the ease with which Seoulites can reach it – Beopjusa’s Templestay program is quite popular with local and international participants alike.

Most visits will begin like Beopjusa’s regular two-day Templestay, which commences at 2 PM with registration and basic orientation. Though the portion of orientation dedicated to Buddhist bowing is especially important, says the Ven. Bogwan, the nun in charge of the program, participants from other faiths shouldn’t worry too much – this isn’t about finding God, but rather about finding yourself.

After a tour of the temple grounds, it’s time for dinner in the monks’ dining quarters. The temple meals are an integral part of Buddhist practice. In accordance with Buddhist precepts, the meals are completely vegetarian. You should be mindful as you eat – monks do not waste even a single grain of rice, nor should you.

Dinner is followed by the evening services in the main hall where the surreal sounds of the drum, bell and chanting will whisk you away to a more spiritual dimension before you partake in the centuries-old tradition of making of paper lanterns, which represent enlightenment and the wisdom of Buddhist teachings. The 9 PM bedtime allows you to enjoy one final “luxury” of temple life before you rest: the beautiful, almost tangible silence that falls over the monastery after nightfall.

Mountain majesty

Day two begins early at 3 AM. After arriving at the main hall in the pre-dawn darkness for morning services, your spiritually intensive day continues with some sitting mediation. While it may seem easy to “sit and do nothing,” few things are as difficult as attempting to truly clear one’s mind. As your thoughts calm and reflect the pristine environment around you, the sounds of the temple and Mt. Songnisan beyond become clearer and clearer, from the running water in the creek outside to the ring of the wind chime in the courtyard.

Participants are also expected to participate in the 108 bows, an intensive exercise in concentration and self-reflection. According to temple team leader Judy Kim, however, the most popular part of the program is the tea conversation with the temple’s abbot. Of course, there’s the beauty of the Korean tea ceremony itself, refined in its total unpretentiousness. But more importantly, the time serves as an opportunity for participants to have their questions about Korean Buddhism answered by a knowledgeable expert..

Overall, Beopjusa’s Templestay program is an unmatched opportunity to unwind. Kenzie Watson, an American university student who particpated in the program, said, “I would definitely recommend a Templestay to international participants; it was a tangible way to experience Korean Buddhism and some of traditional Korean culture, as well as a detox from the fast modern life most Westerners tend to live.”

FYI> For further information about booking Templestay, email beopjusa@gmail.com or call 043-544-5656. Information is also available at www.beopjusa.org (English and Korean)

Two-day Templestay
KRW 70,000

GO> Buses to Songnisan National Park depart four times a day (7 AM, 10:30 AM, 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM) from Seoul’s Central City Bus Terminal.

Written and photographed by Robert Koehler

Learn about the temple’s founder while learning about yourself

Many centuries later, during the Korean War in the early 1950s, the temple was totally destroyed as opposing forces took refuge there. It has since been rebuilt entirely. In fact, Woljeongsa is not just one temple but a complex of several temples, shrines and tombs spanning 9 kilometers. The area is indeed one of the most beautiful and significant in Korean Buddhism.

Temple of natural and manmade treasures

The temple itself features a nine-story pagoda dating from the Goryeo Dynasty that displays a very peculiar design typical of the era. It has been officially registered as National Treasure No. 48, reiterating its historical significance. In front of the pagoda is a statue of a kneeling Bodhisattva making an offering. On the right of the entrance you will find a museum where the original statue is kept, along with numerous other historical documents, clothes and various historical assets. The main Buddha Hall is a large one. It contains a tall statue of the Historical Buddha, known as Seokgamoni-Bul, or Shakyamuni, painted in gold and framed by pillars adorned with complex dragons as a reminder of the holy figure that appeared to the temple’s founding master.

Just outside the temple, you can rest your mind in a fur pine forest. The main attraction there is a line of collapsed trees that have been carved empty by time and insects. Try finding the one that resembles a tall, heart-shaped stump.

The whole temple complex is bordered by a fast-running stream, exuding a relaxing sound while nesting abundant wildlife. You actually have to cross a bridge over the stream to access the temple’s main entrance, one that is decorated with the 12 animal zodiacs.

One program, different aims

Woljeongsa is a major temple and therefore attracts many Templestay visitors. Visitors can learn about the temple’s history while experiencing monk life, a chance to realize the depth and universality of Buddhist theory. Most Templestay visitors seek to experience Korean Buddhism as a chance to clear their minds in a calm and healthy environment, where you can meditate without distractions. Others have a more particular aim, like Janine, a Vietnamese-German exchange student, who learned about Buddhism from her parents but wanted to know the differences between her family’s sect (Vietnamese) and Korea’s Jogye Order.

Whatever your expectations may be, you will certainly experience something new and meaningful, such as the necklace of 108 prayer beads that you will make with your instructor.

Jeong Eun-yoo, the instructor for the day, explained the reason why they use exactly 108 beads. Each one represents an affliction you need get dispose of in order to walk the path of enlightenment. Apart from that, you can expect to sample of the Sounding of the Dharma instruments: cow-skin drum, wooden fish, cloud metal gong and the grand bell. Both the evening and morning services will open their doors to your inner self. Your instructor will lead you across temple grounds, explaining all relevant rules and history.

Indeed, Jeong has a very interesting history herself. She acquired her PhD in biology a couple of years ago, but, after volunteering at the temple for a month, she discovered the significance of her actions and decided to extend her stay by guiding Templestay visitors. She hopes that visitors realize the profound significance of each and every detail in temple life, whether it’s the food, the gestures, the services or temple architecture. Indeed, she seemed deeply touched by the philosophy of the place, and transmits her sincerity very intensely.

This temple will leave you with a very humble feeling of peace and respect for all things. Whether you want to escape the stress and noise of the city or have more spiritual goals, Woljeongsa Temple will show you a different, deeper path.

How to arrange a stay

To make a Templestay reservation at Woljeongsa Temple, go to eng.templestay.com and click “Reservations.” Scroll down and find Woljeongsa Temple. Follow the instructions on how to make a reservation.

woljeongsa.org.templestay_index.php
E-mail: woljeongsa1@templestay.com

How to get there

To visit Woljeongsa Temple, take a bus from the East Seoul Bus Terminal at Gangbyeon Station 강변역 (Line 2), to Jinbu Terminal, in PyeongChang. The ride takes about 2.5 hours and costs KRW 13,100. From there you can take a city bus, for KRW 1750. The ride takes about 15 minutes, and will let you off about 200 meters away from the temple, leaving you with a nice walk into your upcoming journey of reflection.[/box_info]

Written and photographed by Romain Boulesteix

Yongjoosa‘s Templestay program is a chance to reflect on what kind of son or daughter you‘ve been

Buddhist temples are a good place to learn about yourself.

At Yongjoosa Temple, however, you can also reflect on that most Korean of values: filial piety.

Nestled away on a hillside in the rural town of Hwaseong, just a stone’s throw from the city of Suwon, Yongjoosa is called the “original temple of filial piety” thanks to its unique history closely intertwined with one of the most tragic events in the royal history of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). Located immediately next to a royal tomb and surrounded by beautiful forests, the grounds are a great spot to get away for a weekend to not only learn about a 1,700-year-old Korean tradition but also to spend time reflecting on life, yourself and those most closest to you.

A Dutiful Son Builds a Temple

Although a temple has stood in Yongjoosa’s location since the days of the Silla kingdom, today’s temple was built in 1790 at the behest of King Jeongjo. One of the most progressively minded kings of the Joseon Dynasty, Jeongjo is most famous for ordering the construction of the magnificent city walls of Suwon’s Hwaseong Fortress, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Long before then, however, he was the son of Crown Prince Sado, the central figure in one of Korea’s most heart-wrenching tales. When Sado was a young man, news reached his father, the long-reigning King Yeongjo, that he had been menacing members of the court. Some claim he was deranged, while others believe he was the victim of a political conspiracy. Either way, Yeongjo felt an obligation to protect his subjects from his heir, and thus his son would have to die lest he assume the throne in his own right. By law, however, the king could not kill his son with own hands, so he ordered Sado to climb into a giant wooden rice chest, which was sealed up and placed in a palace courtyard on a hot summer day. It took eight agonizing days for the crown prince to die.

Sado’s young son grew into one of the finest kings to rule Korea, but he never forgot what happened to his father. In 1789, he moved his father’s tomb from Yangju, north of Seoul, to Hwaseong, close to the new royal capital he was building in Suwon. Next to the tomb, Jeongjo had a Buddhist temple constructed to protect the royal resting place and pray for the soul of his departed father. This temple was Yongjoosa.

When Jeongjo died in 1800, he was buried with his father at the Hwaseong site. The tombs, now known as Yungneung and Geolleung, are still there today and, together with all the other Joseon Dynasty tombs, are registered on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites.

Yongjoosa is home to several relics related to King Jeongjo and the devotion he showed to his father. In the temple museum you’ll find the so-called “Sutra of Filial Piety to One’s Parents,” a tablet carved in 1796 at the behest of King Jeongjo as an act of gratitude toward his parents. Also worth seeing is a period painting of a procession to Prince Sado’s tomb.

Forested Tranquility

Perhaps because it is attached to a royal tomb, Yongjoosa possesses an atmosphere quite unique for a Buddhist temple. It’s part of two worlds—this and the next. Like a royal shrine, the temple is surrounded by thick forests of fantastically twisted pines and towering oaks. In the early mornings and late afternoon, when the forest is penetrated by golden rays of sunlight, it’s a magical place to be.

As with any large Buddhist temple, Yongjoosa is composed of several courtyards surrounded by wooden halls where images of various Buddhist deities are kept. The most important of these buildings is the Daeungbojeon, the large main hall of the temple. Dating from the temple’s founding in 1790, the hall has maintained its original appearance despite several restorations, and also houses several exquisite Buddhist wall paintings. The Cheonboru, a raised pavilion under which visitors must pass to enter the main courtyard, is equally spectacular. Be sure to seek out the space under the pavilion, as it offers inspiring views of both the Daeungbojeon and an old stone pagoda in the temple’s front courtyard.

Experiencing Buddhist Life

Yongjoosa’s weekend Templestay program is a popular one with both locals and international participants thanks to the temple’s beauty and its proximity to cultural hubs like Seoul and Suwon. Program guides are quick to point out that you need not be a Buddhist to take part, and participants come from all faiths and walks of life. In her introductory address to new participants, Dae Hyun Sunim, the Buddhist nun who runs Yongjoosa’ Templestay, explains that the ultimate goal of the program is to find one’s “true self,” a quest easier said than accomplished.

The two-day program is similar to offerings at other Buddhist temples throughout the country. After arriving at the monastery, participants change into loose-fitting Korean clothing and sit for an introductory lesson on basic Buddhist etiquette, most importantly on how to bow properly. This is followed by a tour of the temple. As to be expected, dinner is vegetarian in accordance with Buddhist principles, but meals at Yongjoosa are especially hands-on, with participants taking turns serving rice and soup to other participants. The evening is dedicated to chanting and sitting meditation before the lights go out at 9 PM.

Early next morning, participants get up in the pre-dawn hours to hear the tolling of the temple bell and congregate for morning chanting. This is followed by one of the highlights of the program, the 108 bows, an intensive form of training that’s meant to lower oneself as a first step to respecting others and building self-confidence. After breakfast, there are chores to be done, walking meditation on the forested hill behind the temple, a Buddhist handicraft program and a conversation with the monks over tea. Participants head home around noon.

How to get there:

GO> From Byeongjeom Station병점역, walk out of Exit 2. Go straight until you get to the  main road and take a right. Catch Bus 35-1 and get off at Yongjusa Station. The bus ride should take around 20 minutes. From the bus stop, follow the signs to the main entrance of the temple. The walk from the bus stop to the temple is about 55 meters.

Written and photographed by Robert Koehler

A Busan hideaway well within the city limits[/box_light]

Written and photographed by Jason Teale

When you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life in Korea, it’s natural to start thinking about heading to the mountains and spending some quality time in nature. But with the popularity of “glamping” campsites, many country roads are now almost as busy as the city. Fortunately, there are still a few places where you can find peace and quiet on the weekend, with one of the best options being the Templestay programs that can be found in a variety of communities across the country. The visits, which can occur over the course of an afternoon or even overnight, offer visitors a chance to stay at the temple and learn more about Buddhism in Korea and monastic life in general. Regardless of the length of their visit, participants are immersed in the rituals of temple culture and surrounded by the peacefulness of nature.

At the base of Mt. Geumjeongsan

Beomeosa Temple sits just on the edge of Busan at the foot of Mt. Geumjeongsan, but walking around the temple, you would hardly think that you were still near the city, much less in it. The surrounding mountains and trees seem to block the bustle of the nearby metropolis, allowing for a peaceful experience without having to travel too far.

The temple was first built around the year 678 and has been repaired and rebuilt throughout the ages. It contains not one but three national treasures and enough serenity to make your head spin. Getting the chance to stay overnight surrounded by this much beauty is certainly not an opportunity to be missed.

Beomeosa’s Templestay program is extremely rewarding for those seeking an interesting cultural experience and don’t mind waking up early. The Templestay program has a few different variations, but between the trekking and dado (the tea ceremony) there is something to enlighten and relax almost anyone.

Getting comfortable

The regular Beomeosa Templestay program begins with everyone changing into comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and learning about temple etiquette, an exercise that mainly serves to get you into the temple mind-set. After chatting with the head monk, you are then taken on a tour of the temple.

Even for someone who has spent a lot of time exploring Buddhist worship spaces, there will always be something new to learn. Having every detail of the temple explained by the head monk is not only interesting but you get a deeper understanding of the meaning behind the different components. After the tour, visitors sit down for a meal with the head monk.

Beomeosa’s program has a more updated and comfortable approach to mealtime. Like most temples, however, you typically sit on the floor while a monk leads the group. The meal is served in a similar manner to a school cafeteria and consists of basic Korean food – but all vegetarian. Even the kimchi is made without using any fish products. For me, the most interesting part of this particular meal was the inclusion of vegetarian sausages, which were actually quite delicious. Like most Templestay programs, you are expected to clean your own tray and cutlery.

During the breaks, groups are allowed to wander around the temple. In the evening, the main walkway leading up to the Daeungjeon (main hall) is covered in lanterns – a beautiful sight that’s made even better without so many other people around. Each night, shortly after 6 PM, the monks begin their drumming, blanketing the entire grounds with an intense rhythm and breaking the silence that usually falls on the temple once all of the tourists have left.

Once the drumming stops, you are led up to the Daeungjeon with the monks for a payer ceremony, known as yebul. Prepare yourself: The monks’ chanting will create a fairly surreal experience. This hall is one of the older buildings in Beomeosa, and the interior artwork is especially beautiful.

Following the ceremony it is time to string some prayer beads. The act of sliding beads over string may seem simple enough, but here you stand up and bow with each bead. The guide mentioned that you “do not have to pray to Buddha. You can think about your family, the people you love or anything,” reinforcing the fact that the program is meant to help people experience temple life, not a clever way to attract new members.

The evening ends early and visitors go to bed preparing for an early rise. The final day of the program is a little more active, but like all parts of the program, consideration has been put into each visitor’s physical condition, so activities are not too rigorous.

Luxurious, but not lax

The facilities at Beomeosa are designed in Korean traditional style, meaning that they are comfortable but not luxurious. The best advice that I can give is to really “experience” everything. Temple life is simple but at times not that easy. Enjoy the peace and the beauty of a weekend away from the speed and stress of city life in Korea and your mind and body will thank you.

The Beomeosa Templestay program runs regularly on weekends throughout the year, and you can check their website for dates and more information. The basic program consists of a temple tour, a tea ceremony, chatting with the monks, drumming, chanting and prayer bead stringing. Different programs include hiking, rice cake making and meditation.

The cost of the programs is KRW 70,000 for adults and 60,000 for teenagers. Children under 13 attend for free. All reservations can be made online.

To get to Beomeosa Temple, you can take the subway to Beomeosa Station (Busan Subway Line 1), head to the Beomeosa bus stop (use Exit 7 and walk about 5 minutes) and take bus No. 90. Taxis might be a better option if you have heavy baggage.

How to reserve your stay

FYI> To reserve your special stay at Beomeosa Temple, visit their website at www.beomeosa.co.kr. Click “English” and then click “Sign Up,” and you should see an application where you can enter your desired dates of stay and other essential information.

Templestay program at beautiful Naesosa Temple lets you get back to the basics[/box_light]

Written and photographed by Simon Bond

Hidden in the verdent forests and picturesque mountains of Byeonsanbando National Park in southwest Korea, Naesosa is not just one of Korea’s most beautiful Buddhist monasteries, but also a space of great warmth and serenity. This warmth is immediately apparent as I arrive to take part in the monastery’s Templestay program. I’m greeted by a monk, the Ven. Wonjung, who beckons me to share a cup of green tea with him.

Operated by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Korea’s largest Buddhist order, the Templestay program gives visitors an opportunity to experience, if only for a weekend, life as a Buddhist monk, and in so doing gain an appreciation of a 1,700-year-old Korean tradition. First-timers shouldn’t worry: there are plenty of people on hand to help, and the program offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the culture in a deep, intimate way.

An Architectural Gem

Ven. Wonjung takes the program participants on a tour of the monastery. Founded in 633, Naesosa is lauded as a gem of Korean traditional architecture, and is home to a number of important structures and works of Buddhist art. One of these is the temple’s 17th century main hall, the Daeungbojeong, which is praised for its masterful woodwork. Particularly noteworthy is the wooden latticework on the door, which features three different flowers in a criss-cross formation. Seated in the hall are three deities: the central Sakyamuni, Samantabhadra on the right, and Manjushri on the left. If you’re able to look behind these statues to the painting on the wall behind them you can make a wish—the tradition has it that if you walk along the passage maintaining eye contact with the painted depiction of Buddha, your wish will come true.

After the tour ends, we enter the temple’s dining hall to share a meal, Buddhist-style. Strictly vegetarian and highly nutritious, Korean Buddhist cuisine features plenty of fresh vegetables, many of them locally grown. Like everything else the monks do, eating—as well as meal prep and clean-up—is a form of meditative practice, and meals are usually taken in silence. Even if you’re not especially meditative, this time can be spent contemplating the bounty provided by Mother Nature. Monks are sure to finish every last grain of rice; you’d do well to emulate them.

The Sound of the Temple Drum

After the meal is finished we head outside again to the temple’s drum pavilion, where the great drum used to mark beginning of chanting and prayer sessions hangs. Ven. Wonjung is waiting for us at the pavilion. At 6:30 PM, as a monk announces the evening chant session by whacking furiously on the leather drum, Wonjung explains what we are seeing and hearing is a ritual that has been performed for centuries here. The sound of the drum is at once thrilling and soothing, and as the drumming comes to a conclusion, the temple bell begins to toll, its deep, almost tangible knell reverberating throughout the valley.

Wonjung invites us to take turns ringing the bell ourselves. This requires a great deal more than hitting the bell with something hard—you should swing the hammer back and forth six times before striking the bell.

Learning to Bow

As the last knell is sounded, we move to the temple’s main hall, where we join the monks in bowing to the Buddha. Bowing is an important piece of Buddhist practice, and earlier in the day we are given lessons on the correct way to bow, which involves full prostrations before the Buddha image. The evening session is relatively light, involving just 10 minutes of bowing, but in the morning, some chose to bow 108 times. The number 108 is sacred in Buddhism, as it represents the 108 defilements we must overcome to achieve enlightenment. The life of the Buddhist monk is not easy, and monks—and Templestay participants, of course—should wake up at 3:30 AM to participate in the morning yebul (Buddhist ceremony), which begins at 4 AM.

The day ends much as it began—with a cup of green tea. Ven. Wongjun leads a tea ceremony, a beautifully non-pretentious ritual that has been a tradition of Buddhist monks for centuries. The tea ceremony is a great way to learn more about the temple, as we ask Wonjung questions about his life there—and anything else that springs to mind.

FYI> The general admission fee for this temple is KRW 3,000. Those who wish to do a one-day temple stay will need to pay KRW 30,000. Overnight templestays are KRW 40,000. Trekking Templestays are held on weekends for KRW 60,000. Other options are also available on www.naesosa.org.

GO> To get to Naesosa, you must first go to Buan, the gateway town to Byeonsanbando National Park. Buses to Buan depart from Seoul’s Central City Bus Terminal (travel time: 3 hours). Once in Buan, you’ll need to take one of the local buses that circle around Byeonsanbando National Park (passing Naesosa in the process) or take a taxi (fare: KRW 30,000).