Templestay

Templestay Information

Bongeunsa Temple

History of Bongeunsa Temple
Bongeunsa 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.

Your Templestay experience

Program : Group TempleLife (for Koreans or foreign visitors)   |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 20000

Program : Templestay  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 50000

Program : Thursday TempleLife (for foreigner visitors)  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 20000
Mihwangsa Temple

A beautiful temple in the village at land’s end…

Mihwangsa is an elegant temple located at the southernmost tip of the Korean Peninsula, in the so-called “Land’s End Village.” You can see at one time both the beautiful mountain Dalmasan and the cool, refreshing West Sea.
Mihwangsa was founded during the reign of Shilla King Gyeongdeok (749 C.E.), and the story of its foundation is quite interesting. One day a stone boat appeared in the sea in front of the village. People tried to approach the boat, but it would recede, and then when they pulled back and stood there, it came closer. When Ven. Uijo heard this news, he started chanting and praying, and the boat reached land safely. Inside the boat was a box made of gold and a black rock. The monk found a Buddha statue and sutras inside of the golden box, and when he broke open the rock, a black cow leapt out. That night, the monk saw a golden man in his dream, who told him that the boat had come from India, and that he should build a temple wherever the cow stopped.
The next day, the Buddha statue and sutras were loaded on the back of the cow, which started to climb up the foothills of Dalmasan. About halfway up, the cow loudly mooed, fell down and didn’t get up again. So the monk built a temple in that place and called it Mihwangsa. The name of the temple was taken from the cow’s beautiful (Mi) “Moo” sound, and from the golden man’s enchanting color (Hwang).
Mihwangsa is a temple as beautiful as its name. The rocky ridge of Dalmasan surrounds Mihwangsa, as if the landscape is from a panel on a folding screen. Also the glow of the setting sun, as seen at dusk from the temple, has been a wondrous sight for many people, since long ago. If you continue to walk towards the Budojeon (field of relic pagodas), you’ll find a good chance to look inside at yourself.
Mihwangsa’s Templestay Program
Mihwangsa’s Templestay program is always open, 365 days a year, and offers a variety of special activities. For example, in the freestyle program called Sound of Silence, participants can enjoy tea and conversation with the monks, mountain hiking and, at any time, they are free to take a rest in nature. However, another program, called The Spirit of a True Person, is more systematically designed with practice as its central focus. The eight day schedule of this program gives the participant some experience of Seon Meditation. There is a Chinese character program that enables kids to make good use of their school holidays by learning about Chinese characters and the culture of a mountain temple. Also offered is a program called the Hwaeom Hwesang, which is designed for groups. Other programs, such as The Glow of the Evening Sun, Walking the Path of Dreams, display Mihwangsa’s beauty and feature the camellia flowers of winter and the azaleas in the spring. Every year in October, on the fourth Saturday of the month, a gigantic painting of the Buddha?only shown in public once a year?is displayed during a festival. This highly attended event also features a musical concert. Mihwangsa has prepared separate room facilities for people who are not used to community living arrangements.

Your Templestay experience

Program : Mihwangsa Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 100000

Program : Mihwangsa Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 100000
Haeinsa Temple

Eighty Four Thousand Dharma Teachings, flowers in the spring and fall foliage in the autumn, all attract people to…
The true appearance of the world can’t be seen through the delusions and dreams that cloud the mind. When these dreams and illusions come to a stop, then the true face of the world can be seen for the first time. In a similar way, nothing can be reflected in water that is agitated, but everything is reflected, just as it is, in water that is still. The ancients expressed this state of mind which has left all delusion behind as being like still water reflecting anything in front of it. This can be one origin of the name Haeinsa, which implies a seal or impression (In) on the sea water (Hae), as if the temple is pointing towards this original tranquil mind with its name. Haeinsa was founded during the reign of Shilla King Aejang (802 C.E.) by Ven. Suneung and Ven. Ijeong, who were carrying on the teaching of Ven. Uisang (625-702 C.E.) After that, when Ven. Heerang rejected Gyeonhweon and assisted Goyreo King Taejo, the king repaid him by designating Haeinsa the Goryeo National Temple. During the Joseon Dynasty, a great set of sutra tablets from the Goryeo Dynasty were enshrined at Haeinsa, which is why the temple is known as the “Dharma Treasure Temple.” Since the number of wood blocks in this collection of sutra tablets totals 81,258, the entire set is known as the “Eighty Thousand Tripitaka Sutra” collection in Korean, but is often called simply the “Tripitaka Koreana” in English. The creation of the Tripitaka dates to the Goryeo Dynasty reign of King Gojong (1237 C.E.), when the ruling government created the collection over a period of 11 years in order to repel the invasion of the Mongol hordes, using the power of Buddhism. The building in which the collection is stored is called the Panjeon, and it has been designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, while the collection itself has been designated a World Cultural Record asset. After been repaired during the Joseon Dynasty reign of King Seongjong (1488 C.E.), it looks today as it once did in ancient times. The Panjeon Hall housing the tablets is famous itself for its natural design, which features different sized windows facing north and south to allow for air circulation, and an earthen floor made up of layers of ash, lime, salt and sand in order to control humidity. Haeinsa is also considered a “Chongnim Temple”, featuring a Seon (Jap: Zen) Room, Sutra School, and Precepts School, which are called together the “Haein Chongnim.” Haeinsa is also known for being the temple where the legendary Supreme Patriarch of the Jogye Order, Ven. Seongcheol (1912-1993) resided for many years, until he entered Nirvana.
Haeinsa’s Templestay Program
Haeinsa offers a standard two- day Templestay program, a two day freestyle program, and a five day/four night training program in the summer. The standard program is called Live Like the Wind and Water, then Leave Your Body! , and features monastic formal meals, Seon Meditation, and a variety of programs that allow for a deeper feeling for the teachings of Buddhism. Participants in Haeinsa’s program can have the unforgettable experiences of hearing the sound of the throbbing Dharma drum pierce the crisp, clear, early morning air, and visiting the mountain hermitages above the temple, where many great old monks, such as Ven. Seongcheol stayed.

Your Templestay experience

Program : Haeinsa Regular Schedule  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 50000

Program : Haeinsa Freestyle program.  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 30000

Program : Haeinsa Regular Schedule  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 50000
Donghwasa Temple

In the southern foothills of the mountain Palgongsan, a phoenix roosting on her eggs…

You can sense a kind of pleasant familiarity as you enter the temple Donghwasa. The temple is located in the southern foothills of the famous mountain Palgongsan, which looks like a phoenix roosting on her eggs. The Foxglove (Paulownia) tree blooms in the middle of winter, and so the name of the temple reflects this auspicious symbol (Donghwasa means “Paulownia Flower Temple”). Donghwasa was founded during the reign of Shilla King Soji (493 C.E.) by Ven. Geukdal, and was originally called Yougasa Temple. Later during the reign of King Heungdeok (832 C.E.), a monk named Ven. Shimji enlarged the temple. He thought it was auspicious that the Paulownia Tree bloomed in mid-winter, so he changed the temple’s name to Donghwasa. Donghwasa has been expanded numerous times, so today it’s quite a large temple. The temple has many valuable cultural properties that are befitting its ancient history, but the most eye-catching by far is the gigantic Unification Medicine Buddha statue that was built in 1992 and is at least 17 m high. If you really want to have the sense that you’re going to a temple, instead of taking the newly built road, try passing through the Iljoomun (One Pillar Gate) and following the old road up to the temple. Along that road you can see the Buddha figure that was personally carved in a rock face by Ven. Shimji himself. In the evening light, the Buddha’s warm smile almost comes to life.
Donghwasa’s Templestay Program
Donghwasa runs a Templestay program called: Using Meditation in the Search for My True Self. Those who can unload their mind’s heavy baggage, even for a moment, can realize their dream of a happy life. This program features Seon Meditation near the stupas (reliquaries), where there is still a sense of the wisdom and energy of the great old masters guiding you. Lie down and meditate watching the stars in the nighttime sky. Completely find your True Self again, this True Self you thought you had lost. There is also a one day Temple Life program, where in the space of four hours you can experience a temple tour, monastic formal meal, and Dado (tea ceremony).

Your Templestay experience

Program : Donghwasa Regular Schedule  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 70000

Program : Templestay for rest  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 50000

Program : Donghwasa Regular Schedule  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 70000
Yongjoosa Temple

A temple full of the traditions of filial piety and Buddhist practice…

The area around Yongjoosa Temple, the temple well known for its filial propriety, is steadily becoming urbanized. Because of reckless development of this area, the surrounding rice fields and forests are slowly disappearing and tall apartments and skyscrapers are being built. Due to those changes, Yongjoosa has been transformed into a temple symbolic of preserving the area’s nature and traditions. Yongjoosa was built in 1790 by the 22nd ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, King Jeongjo (1752-1800), in honor of his late father, Prince Sadosaeja (1735-1762). This place was the former site of the temple Galyangsa, built in 854 C.E. by the Shilla King Munseong. King Jeongjo had moved his murdered father’s tomb from its previous location in Yangjoo, Gyeonggi Province to Hwasan. He then built a temple to protect the royal tomb, and to pray for the repose of his father’s soul. The night before the opening ceremony, the King dreamed of a dragon grasping a Cintamani jewel (magic pearl) in its mouth, ascending to heaven, and so he named the temple Yongjoosa (Dragon Jewel Temple). Therefore, Yongjoosa is known as “The original temple of filial piety”, where Buddha nature and filial piety go hand in hand. Yongjoosa hasn’t changed much from the time of its foundation until now. When you pass through the Iljoomun (One Pillar Gate), the trees lining the road stretch upwards, forming a canopy that covers the sky. And the stone wall surrounding the temple blends in well with the outlying forest, producing a cozy atmosphere. Once you pass through the forest, you reach the Daeoongjeon (Main Buddha Hall), which is the central focal point of the temple, and is well placed in relation to the other buildings. In the Main Buddha Hall there is a Thangka (painting behind the Buddha) attributed to the artist Hongdo Kim (1706--?) The giant bell in the Yongjoosa bell tower is said to have been cast in the beginning of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392 C.E.) But more than anything, if you mention Yongjoosa, the tablet containing the “Sutra of Filial Piety to One’s Parents” comes to mind, which was created by King Jeongjo in 1796 to repay his parents’ kindness. At Yongjoosa there is a museum praising King Jeongjo’s filial piety, and the sutra tablet itself is on display, as well as other cultural treasures related to the king.
Yongjoosa’s Templestay Program
Yongjoosa runs a variety of Templestay Programs that have been designed to help us turn our attention within and illuminate our True Self. In addition, another program lets participants examine the various cultural treasures housed in the temple and helps us rediscover the value of filial piety.

Your Templestay experience

Program : Yongjoosa Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 70000

Program : Yongjoosa Temple Stay Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 100000
International Seon Center Temple

==== The International Seon Center ====
The International Seon Center is a Seon (Zen) meditation and Buddhist propogation training center as well as a learning facility for Buddhist cultural practices. The overall aim of the center is to promote awareness of the inherent value of Korean Buddhism and its practices to the global community. The center contains a templestay facility, a large prayer hall, and a culture and education center, and provides temple-stay programs, Seon lectures, traditional Buddhist temple cuisine cooking classes, tea ceremonies, and many other programs and activities which aim to provide a living experience of traditional Korean Buddhist culture. To cater for the needs of international visitors, Korean to English interpretation is provided throughout many of the center's activities. The center is continuously developing a residential temple stay and temple life program to offer direct experience of Korean Buddhist culture for both Koreans and international visitors. In order to further promote the practice of Seon meditation throughout the world, the center holds academic seminars, exchanges ideas with different religions, facilitates international study exchanges, and regularly holds forums on Buddhist studies.

With a mission to raise awareness of traditional Korean Buddhist culture, the first floor Buddhist Restaurant in the center offers traditional Buddhist temple cuisine. The restaurant teaches traditional recipes, the art of tea meditation and gives lectures on various aspects of Buddhist culture, therefore introducing new and innovative ways for the contemporary person to experience and learn more about Buddhism.

Here at the International Seon Center, the staff is fully committed to spreading the teachings and practices of Buddhism. Connecting with Buddhist centers globally, the international seon center is building a diverse and interconnected network in order to communicate and exchange ideas throughout the world.

=== Saturday Evening Dharma School ===
Participants: Open to all
Program Schedule: Every Saturday Evening
-19:00 ~ 19:20 : Introduction to Buddhism; Evening Chanting
-19:20 ~ 20:00 : Sitting Meditation (30 mins); Walking Meditation (10mins)
-20:20 ~ 20:50 : Dharma Talk; Q&A Session
Location: International Seon Center: Temple Stay Dharma Hall, 5th Floor
Cost: Free (Donations are gratefully welcomed)

Apart from Templestays, the Seon Center also offers Saturday evening meditation classes year-round with the purpose of helping individuals find peace within the hectic modern world. The program is conducted entirely in English and is open to beginners and advanced students alike.

For more details about templestays or the Saturday dharma school, please feel free to contact our international relations director: Kim, Yong Tae (010-5053-8819)

Your Templestay experience

Program : International Seon Center Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 50000
Geumsansa Temple

A Templestay program you’ll never forget…

The temple Geumsansa is quietly perched in the western foothills of Moaksan. Like the mountain Gyeryongsan, Moaksan, the so-called “Mother Mountain”, is the cradle of many different indigenous religions. The mountain’s shape looks like a mother cradling her baby, just as Moaksan embraces Geumsansa. During the Baekjae reign of King Beop (599 C.E.), the temple was built to pray for the king’s prosperity and good fortune. Later during the reign of Shilla King Hyegong (766 C.E.), the Precepts Master Ven. Jinpyo (718-752 C.E.) enlarged the temple and established it as the Head Temple for the worship of Maitreya. Maitreya is the future Buddha, who will appear countless eons from now, but to his faithful followers he is a compassionate Buddha who is always with them. Wherever you step in Geumsansa there are valuable relics and cultural assets. But among them all, without a doubt the most eye-catching is the three storey Mireukjeon (Maitreya Hall), the only one in Korea. If you look at the structure from the outside, it seems like a three storey building, but when seen from the interior, it’s completely open all the way to the high ceiling. Inside this enormous hall, there’s a triad of statues, Maitreya in the middle, with a height of 11.82 m, and two Bodhisattvas on either side with a height of 8.79 m each.
Geumsansa’s Templestay Program
Geumsansa runs a Templestay program that is extremely popular and participants often return again to stay and run the volunteer team. Administrative staff and volunteers number almost 20 people at times. The program enables people to speak with the monks and ask them anything they may have been wondering about Buddhism, or for advice on how to solve some of the problems in their life. There are three kinds of standard programs run at Geumsansa. The basic program is called “Templestay: Whispering Together…” and features Seon Meditation, 108 prostrations, tea and conversation with monks, and walking meditation. A one week program, with more of a focus on actual practice, is called Seon: Understanding Myself. It is a freestyle program that gives participants a chance to examine themselves by doing practice according to their own schedules. Finally, once a year there is a special program in which former Templestay participants get together again, called Memories of Templestay.

Your Templestay experience

Program : Geumsansa Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 100000

Program : Geumsansa Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 100000
Geumsunsa Temple

With 600 years of history as a traditional Korean Buddhist Temple and the Great King Jeungjo’s place to pray for the birth of a prince, Geumsun-sa is famous for its beautiful natural scenery in the Mt. Bukhan(Mt. Samgak)National Park, and it belongs to Bumea-sa, the 14th parish of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It specializes as a concentrated SEON(Zen) meditation temple. Geumsunsa is located in Gukidong, Jongnogu, in front of Mt.Inwang, near the Blue House and Kyoungbok Palace, and only fifteen minutes away from Kwanghwamoon. A mountain stream flows from Beebong and Hyangrobong in the Mt.Bukhan National Park, passes under Hongyaekyo(Bridge of Nirvana) at the temple, and gives you the feel of the natural beauty of a temple, yet it is located in the center of Seoul.

Your Templestay experience

Program : 1000 prostration templestay | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 50000

Program : Geumsunsa Regular templestay Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 50000
Golgulsa Temple

Sunmudo

Sunmudo translates literally into ""the way of doing meditative martial arts"". It emphasizes the harmony of body and mind through the awareness of one's breath. It is a traditional Korean Buddhist martial art that traces its origins back over a thousand years.

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Ancient fighting forms, now revealed through dynamic and fluid sequences that emphasize speed and power.

Soft and meditative Qi Gong movements that cultivates an awareness of our own internal energies, while leading us towards a greater sensitivity of the external energies flowing all around us.

A nurturing yoga sequence that opens the body while relaxing the mind.

The profound stillness of sitting meditation.

It's all Sunmudo, and at Golgulsa, you can savor a little bit of all of it.

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At Golgulsa, we combine Sunmudo with all of the special moments of temple life: the unforgettable tones of early morning chanting; practicing walking meditation as the sun rises in the sky above you; exalting after finishing the 108th bow; the pleasantries of having a conversation with a Sunmudo master over tea; and the healthy simplicity of temple cuisine.

Golgulsa’s Templestay Program

Golgulsa is located amid the natural beauty of Hamwol Mountain, which is situated just outside of historic Gyeongju City.

We offer Templestay 365 days a year. Participants can stay for an afternoon, a night, or for many nights. It is also possible to stay for a month or more.

For more detailed information regarding our Templestay Program and Schedule, please see our English site (listed below).

Your Templestay experience

Program : Golgulsa Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 50000

Program : Golgulsa Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 100000
Myogaksa Temple

Stay in a temple where you can look down over Seoul city…. Myogaksa Temple is located in downtown Seoul, in the Sungindong area of the Jongnogu district. The temple is situated in the foothills of Naksan Mountain, so you can see the entire urban area of Seoul at once, and feel both the busy city below and the leisurely temple environment. Myogaksa was founded in May, 1930 by Ven. Taeheo. It has been said that, according to the rules of geomancy, constructing a temple in this spot would put the city of Seoul at ease. The temple area is not very large, but the Daebulbojeon (Main Buddha Hall) and other smaller Dharma Halls are all situated very harmoniously together. The figure of Gwanseumbosal, carved into the natural stone of Naksan Mountain, looks ready to reach out and grasp the hands of those who pass by the stone ledge.
Myogaksa’s Templestay Program
Myogaksa runs two kinds of Templestay programs: an overnight program and a daylong temple cultural program called Laying Down My Mind. The best feature of Myogaksa’s Templestay program is being able to get a taste of traditional temple life, even while still in the city. At this neighborhood temple, leave the chaotic world behind and experience Yebul (chanting services), Seon Meditation, Communal Work Period, 108 prostrations and the power of noble silence. In particular, there is the unforgettable experience of looking down over Seoul at dusk while ringing the great temple bell. In the early morning, try taking a walk in the nearby Naksan Park. It is a great way to reflect on yourself and turn your attention within. According to your age, personal preferences, and how much time you would like to spend here, we have a variety of programs available for everyone, including video presentations, making lotus lanterns, and taking a walk through the Cheonggye-cheon stream park.

Your Templestay experience

Program : One Day Program(TempleLife)  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 30000

Program : 2 Days/ 1 Night program  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 50000

Program : Myogaksa Regular Schedule  |  Period :2day  |  Fee : KRW 100000
Beomeosa Temple

A temple which will clean your mind…
The original temple of the Seon sect

Busan is the only city in Korea that wasn’t affected by the massive destruction of the Korean War. The temple Beomeosa is located on the mountain Geumjeongsan in Busan, and during the war the passion for sincere practice didn’t wane at this temple. Among High Monks these days in Korea, there are many who have a strong karmic affinity with Beomeosa. Today Busan has become a city favored by the Buddhist laity, which may be a result of the merit which this area’s central temple, Beomeosa, has accumulated. Beomeosa was founded during the reign of Shilla King Munmu (678 C.E.) by Ven. Uisang (625-702 C.E.). There’s a story that a golden fish came down from heaven and enjoyed living in a well, which may be the source of both Geumjeongsan’s name (Gold Well Mountain) and Beomeosa’s name (Sutra Fish Temple). From the time of its foundation, many temple buildings were constructed at Beomeosa, standing like stars in the sky. However, like other temples, Beomeosa was repeatedly destroyed and then rebuilt. These days Beomeosa is considered one of three great temples in the Yeongnam area (the southeastern region of Korea). Together with Haeinsa, the temple has been revitalizing a sense of well-being, just like in the era of its foundation. Since Beomeosa is built on a mountain slope, the temple buildings are arranged on three elevations of the mountain, low, middle and high. As the result of this kind of geometric placement of the buildings, the temple has a certain coziness about it. The first thing that you’ll notice as you step into Beomeosa is the substantial Iljoomoon (One Pillar Gate). The gate is built upon four gigantic foundation stones, and with a majestic roof crowning the top, from any perspective it looks just like a practicing monk, standing with unmoving mind regardless of what appears. Once you set foot in the Daeoongjeon (Main Buddha Hall), you can really sense the devotion of many people over the years. It’s certainly true of the people you see ardently chanting and praying in the Buddha Hall, and it’s also true of the meticulously depicted wall paintings that cover every corner of the building’s interior. If you haven’t sat in the Buddha Hall and carefully examined the incredible details of the interior, you can’t really say you’ve been to Beomeosa. Visit Beomeosa Webpage for more information and sign up for your Templestay.
Beomeosa’s Templestay Program
In accordance with the temple’s status as the main Seon temple in the region, Beomeosa’s Templestay program has practice as its central focus. The standard program features chanting services, 108 prostrations, Dado (tea ceremony), and has a strong emphasis on Seon Meditation. There is also a freestyle Templestay program that consists of Seon Meditation and tea and conversation with the monks. This enables participants to sit meditation or rest as they like. Aside from these programs, there is a hiking, a New Year’s Morning, and other special Templestay programs.

Your Templestay experience

Program : Beomeosa Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 50000
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 Program
On the second Saturday of every month there is a program called Templestay: Slowness, Emptiness and Sharing.... Another program offered in summer/winter season specially for 2nights 3days is called O-You-Ji-Jok (Be Satisfied with Whatever You Have) and is oriented towards practice. The programs all differ slightly, as some are oriented more towards experiencing nature, whereas others are focused more on the actual practice of Buddhism. There are also group Templestay programs suitable for businesses or institutions. More detailed information can be found on the Jikjisa Templestay website.

Your Templestay experience

Program : Slowness, Emptiness and Sharing... | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 50000
Seonunsa Temple

A place where the spirit of practice is even brighter than the crimson Camellia Flowers… When the Camellia Flowers are blooming at Seonunsa, the place is packed with people. Since the flowers usually come out at the end of a long winter, when there is still snow on the ground, they are called “Winter Tree Flowers.” However, the exact time when the flower blooms differs from shrub to shrub and from region to region. While the Camellias at Seonunsa do indeed bloom in the winter, they don’t reach their peak until around the middle of April. So some people joke that the flowers shouldn’t be called Dongbaek (Winter Flowers) but Chunbaek (Spring Flowers). Seonunsa was built during the reign of Baekjae King Wideok (577 C.E.) by Ven. Geomdan. The monk reformed a thief who lived in the valley and taught him how to earn his livelihood by roasting salt. In order to repay the monk’s kindness, the thief sent some roasted salt to the temple. The temple really prospered towards the end of the Joseon Dynasty, with 189 temple buildings and 89 different hermitages. These days Seonunsa has 13 temple buildings remaining, including the central Daeoongbojeon (Main Buddha Hall). The temple buildings stand in a long line, with the Camellia shrub forest as their background. One of the most notable buildings is the Manseru, which was made of left-over lumber after the other buildings were built. The tree trunks were just left as they were, not trimmed at all, and used to make the columns and crossbeams of the building. If you make it to Seonunsa, you should also make the extra effort to visit the hermitage Dosolam on Dosolsan, the scenery is really well worth it.
Seonunsa’s Templestay Program
Seonunsa runs regular two, three and four day templestay programs, featuring monastic formal meals, Dado (tea ceremony), and making Lotus Lanterns. Most programs are run on the weekends, but people who wish to take advantage of the freestyle templestay program can come during the week. Participants in the freestyle program are only required to attend community meals and evening chanting services. They can also have tea and talk with the monks if they wish.

Your Templestay experience

Program : Recuperation (open 365 days) | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 50000

Program : Standard Program | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 120000
Hwagyesa Temple

Practice together with the foreign monks and nuns at….
Hwagyesa Temple is located deep in the foothills of Samgaksan Mountain, even while being close to the city center. It was founded in 1522 C.E. during the reign of Joseon King Jungjong, in the Buheodong region of Samgaksan, as the hermitage Bodeokam. Bodeokam was a hermitage founded during the beginning of the Goryeo Dynasty in the vicinity of the present Hwagyesa. Hwagyesa received a lot of support from the Joseon Dynasty royal family, particularly during the reign of King Gojong, when the Queen Mother and her retainers would frequent the temple, so it became known as the “Palace temple.” In addition, in 1933 a group of nine Korean literature scholars stayed at the temple for a conference to finalize the unified orthography of the Korean Hangul alphabet. But more than anything else, the name Hwagyesa is widely known due to the efforts of the Korean monk Ven. Seungsahn (1927-2004). The Ven. Seungsahn started living and practicing at Hwagyesa in the mid 1960’s. During his frequent world travels, he taught more than 50,000 disciples around the globe. There are more than 100 international monks and nuns who ordained under Ven. Seungsahn at Hwagyesa. During his lifetime Ven. Seungsahn came to be revered as a living Buddha, due to his incredible efforts and influence spreading the Dharma abroad. After he entered Nirvana in 2004, the mourners at his funeral and subsequent public cremation were predominantly international monks and nuns.
Hwagyesa’s Templestay Program
Hwagyesa still has many international monks living and practicing there. If you participate in the Hwagyesa Templestay program, you can join in practice together with the International Zen Center monks for meditation, mountain hiking and drinking tea. Also, during the Gyeoljae period (three month meditation retreats every summer and winter), you can join the monastic formal meal together with the monks and nuns. There are also Dharma Talks in English every Sunday in the International Zen Center. Hwagyesa does not have the feel of being in a city, even though it is still technically located in Seoul. Once you pass through the Iljoomun (One Pillar Gate), another world unfolds before you. Whereas outside of the Iljoomun all the houses are tightly packed together, inside the temple gate, the forest lined road stretches into the distance. The sound of the water resonating from the valley below is yet another gift that welcomes the visitor. People often drop by the stream for a short time just to soak their feet. The practice of 3000 bows, held on the last Saturday evening of every month, is also very well-known.

Your Templestay experience
Sudeoksa Temple

Feel the spirit of practice, as you ascend the mountain Deoksungsan…

If you mention the name Sudeoksa, something comes to the mind of most people, even those who don’t go to the temple. There is a popular folk song that has to do with Sudeoksa, and also there’s the famous “Sudeok Hotel”, which looks like it could almost be part of the temple. It was at this hotel that the painter Eungno Lee (1905-1992) drew a painting on a rock. Because of these kinds of memories, the name Sudeoksa has certain fond associations for many people. The exact date when Sudeoksa was established can’t be known, but in the academic world, it is assumed to have been founded during the reign of the Baekjae King Wideok (554-598 C.E.). From the Goryeo Dynasty through the Joseon Dynasty it was a large temple, but the important role that Sudeoksa has today in Korean Buddhism is really the legacy of two Great Monks, Ven. Gyeongheo (1849-1912) and Ven. Mangong (1871-1946). Ven. Gyeongheo was a great Seon (Jap: Zen) Master who helped revitalize the Seon school in the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty. While he was staying at Sudeoksa, Ven. Gyeongheo did a lot to enliven the spirit of Seon in Korea. Later his disciple, Ven. Mangong, continued his efforts and enlarged the temple, producing many great disciples himself. Because of this long, steady tradition of practice within the Sudeoksa family, in 1984 the temple was awarded the distinction of becoming a Chongnim Temple, officially called the Deoksung Chongnim. A Chongnim Temple includes a Seon (Jap: Zen) room, Sutra school and Precepts school, all functioning together as a unified place of practice. At the moment in the Korean Buddhist Jogye Order, there are five Chongnim Temples: Haeinsa, Songgwangsa, Tongdosa, Baekyangsa, and Sudeoksa. There’s one more figure in Sudeoksa’s history who can’t be forgotten, Ven. Ilyeop (1876-1971). Before she ordained, Ven. Ilyeop was a famous writer among modern women of her day. Together with the female artist Hyeseok Na, she played an instrumental role in pioneering the feminist social action movement, during the gloomy period of the Japanese occupation of Korea. She ordained in 1933, and became a disciple of Ven. Mangong. There are many cultural properties at Sudeoksa, which confirms that it was indeed a great temple in both the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties. The Daeoongjeon (Main Buddha Hall) was built during the reign of Goryeo King Chungryeol (1308 C.E.), and is one of the few extant Goryeo Dynasty buildings in Korea, together with Buddha Halls from Bongjeongsa in Andong, and Buseoksa in Yeongju. Especially when seen from the side, the geometrical beauty of the Main Buddha Hall is famous.
Sudeoksa’s Templestay Program
Sudeoksa’s Templestay Program is very popular with international visitors. The program features monastic formal meals, communal work period, tea and conversation with the monks, and a variety of other activities that give the participants some experience of temple life. In particular, there is a good chance to appreciate the area’s beautiful scenery if you take a walk up to the top of Deoksungsan (also called The Little Diamond Mountain of Chuncheongdo) to visit the temple Jeonghyesa near the peak.

Your Templestay experience

Program : Sudeoksa Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 60000

Program : Sudeoksa Regular Schedule | Period :2day | Fee : KRW 100000

TEMPLESTAY

Templestay Information