Temple Information
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- Jikjisa Temple
- Taking a look at myself…
The region of Gimcheon, where the temple Jikjisa is located, is halfway between Seoul and Busan. The Seoul-Busan train line and the Seoul-Busan Expressway also pass by the area. If you enjoy train travel, then definitely visit Gimcheon as soon as possible, since there’s a frequent local bus waiting for you in front of Gimcheon Station that will take you right to Jikjisa. Jikjisa’s history spans more than 1600 years. It was founded during the reign of Shilla King Nulji (418 C.E.) by Ven. Ado, and during the Joseon Dynasty the temple’s influence was so great that it even owned part of downtown Gimcheon. The name “Jikji”, which means “Pointing directly”, comes from an expression in the Seon (Jap: Zen) School, “Pointing directly to Original Mind.” It also refers to the fact that Ven. Ado pointed out that this spot was a good location to build a temple. And finally, it can mean that during the Goryeo Dynasty, temples weren’t built using rulers, but instead measurements were taken by hand (“Ji” also means “finger”.) At the entrance to Jikjisa is a small park that people use as resting place, which goes to show how luxuriant the forest surrounding the temple is. Not only that, but within the temple grounds there are various flowers and trees that bloom at different times of the year and make the place really magnificent. And of course, people want to stay as long as they can in the ancient temple buildings. There’s a story that if you see the Baby Buddha first when you go into the Vairocana Buddha Hall that you’ll give birth to a son, in other words good things will happen to you.Jikjisa’s Templestay ProgramThere are two kinds of programs in Jikjisa Templestay. One is 'Looking straight into my heart', experiential Templestay through which you can experience Korean traditional culture and Buddhist monks' lifestyle. The program is proceeded various schedules for example, buddhist chanting ceremonies, doing meditation and hiking to the small temple with the monk and making 108 prayer beeds including three meals. Another program is 'Tranquil Templestay for relax', resting-style Templestay. This program has no fixed schedule except three meal times and chanting times a day. You can have a rest and recharge yourself. Search for inner peace and harmony with beautiful natural scenery and temple's unique atmosphere. Sometimes, there are also group Templestay programs suitable for businesses or institutions. More detailed information can be found. 
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- Bongeunsa Temple
- History of Bongeunsa TempleBongeunsa is a 1,200 year old temple located in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Built in 794 C.E. during the reign of King Wonseong by National Teacher, Ven. Yeonhoe, Bongeunsa became the head temple of the Seon sect during the Joseon Dynasty, when the government supported Confucianism, while oppressing Buddhism. Due to the efforts of Ven. Bowu, who devoted himself to the revival of Korean Buddhism, by official recognition Bongeunsa became a stepping stone for this development. In addition, through the national examinations for recruiting monks, it produced great masters such as Master Seosan and Samyeong, who revived the lineage of Seon (Zen) practice in Korea. In the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty, Ven. Younggi built the Pan-jeon to store and preserve Buddhist scriptures, as well as eighty-one engraved volumes of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Jeonghee Kim, at that time a great scholar and calligrapher, resided here and developed his own unique writing style, known as Chusache. More recently, when Bongeunsa was experiencing a period of decline, Ven. Youngam gradually gathered land and laid the foundation for a huge temple compound in present-day Gangnam. In the 1960s, the Dongguk Translation Institute was established at this temple to spearhead the translation of Buddhist scriptures from Chinese to Korean. This temple was also the birthplace of the Buddhist youth movement. Today, Bongeunsa is writing a new history for Korean Buddhism, establishing itself as the center of Buddhist practice. Monks apply themselves to chanting, monastic meals, communal work, and Seon meditation. The administration opened its financial records to the public, and allowed the laity to be part of management. The lay people are not only engaged in religious activities including prayer, meditation and Buddhist services, but also participate in volunteer work and other social work to help modern-day Buddhism reach out to the community. Moreover, more and more Buddhists are studying scriptures to stay on the right track as followers of the Buddha. With this drive from all parts of temple, Bongeunsa is moving ahead to become a haven of practice and compassion.
Templestaywrite what one experiences
ColumnKorean seon master Talk
NoticeAn important notice for everyone
- [2016.04.15]
★EVENT★ 2015 Fall Templestay Week!!
[2015.09.25]- [2015.05.11]
NewsNeed to read about the news
2016 Summer Special Templestay for Foreigners
[2016.07.20]Jini Pass/Jinair Tour Project - Templestay Event
[2015.09.01]- [2015.02.09]
