The place where you can see flocks of migratory birds flying along the coast, right in front of your eyes… There are two famous temples in Korea named Busuksa, one in Seosan and the other in Yeongju. And not only are the names alike, but also their foundation stories are similar. Seosan Busuksa was founded during the reign of Shilla King Munmu (676 C.E.) When the Ven. Uisang was studying Buddhism abroad in Tang Dynasty China, a young girl named Seonmyo fell in love with him. However, the monk’s mind didn’t move, so the girl became his disciple, and vowed to follow him. When she saw the monk returning to Shilla, she threw herself into the sea, so that she could become a dragon and continue to accompany him. As soon as the monk arrived in the land of Shilla, first of all he wanted to build a temple in this place. However, for some reason nasty crowds of troublemakers kept hindering him, so Seonmyo the dragon appeared and lifted a huge rock in the air, driving away the mobs. When the temple was finally built, it was named Busuksa, which means “Floating Rock Temple.” And then the rock flew into the nearby sea and became a small island, so the name of the mountain behind the temple, Dobisan, means “the rock flew away and became an island.” The size of the temple is not very large, but historically there is evidence of many famous monks who practiced there, particularly the Ven. Gyeongheo (1849-1912) and Ven. Mangong (1871-1946), who brought the spirit of Seon Meditation (Jap: Zen) back to life in the stagnant Buddhist world of their day. The calligraphy on the signboard of the Shimgeomdang was written by Ven. Gyeongheo, and the Busuksa signboard was written by Ven. Mangong. The Paradise Hall is in the center of the temple, and connects with the other halls, which together have the appearance of a cow lying down. So the spring water which flows below the Shimgeomdang is called “Milk Water”, and the big rock next to the Buddha Hall is called the bull’s horn. Busuksa is surrounded by dense forest; but actually buried in the dense forest would be a more apt expression! Many plants and animals also live in the forest. If you look down from the temple towards the western coastline, you’ll see various flocks of migratory birds soaring by, which is quite an amazing sight to behold. If you visit the Busuksa homepage, you can see pictures of all the various plants, birds, and insects that live in this place. Busuksa is really a place where the tradition of practice goes together with a living, breathing environment. Busuksa’s Templestay Program Busuksa operates a freestyle Templestay program during the week and a two day program with an overnight stay on weekends. Moreover, it is possible to have a longer program arranged, of three days or more, if you apply in advance. There are a variety of programs that let the participant get some taste of the traditions of Korean Buddhism, including chanting services, Dado (tea ceremony), Seon Meditation, and Dancheong (Buddhist temple painting). In addition to the formal programs, participants can watch the flocks of migratory birds at Cheonsu Bay, hike up the mountain Dobisan, or join a variety of other programs that let you experience the l