New Gems from an Ancient Jewel
Asiana Inflight Magazine
December 1999 issue
by Brian BarryVinaya (Precepts) Master Chajang founded T'ongdosa Monastery and Temple in the 15th year of the reign of Shilla Queen Sondok (634 C.E.) with the enshrinement of Buddha's relics that he brought back from China. Thus T'ongdosa is the first of Korea's three Jewel temples, representing the Buddha (Haeinsa represents the Dharma, or teachings, and Songgwangsa represents the Sangha, or community). Long regarded as the home of Korean Buddhism, T'ongdosa is indeed an ancient jewel and one that continues to produce new gems for Korea and Korean Buddhism.
Unique Vajra Platform:
Located in Yangsan north of Korea's second largest city of Pusan, the complex sprawls out below Mt. Yongch'uk, the Korean name for Mt. Grdhrakuta in India where the historical Buddha Sakyamuni delivered the Lotus Sutra. A lengthy, beautifully pined road along a striking stream leads visitors from the entrance to the main compound, which is a colorful mandala of fascinating architecture, both old and new. Having undergone many additions, renovations and reconstruction projects throughout its rich history, T'ongdosa now has more than 50 buildings including 13 hermitages, one of which -- Ch'uiunam -- has a large meditation and retreat center.
One of T'ongdosa's many unique features is its renowned Vajra or Diamond Platform. While most Korean temples house a Buddha image and painting in the main hall, T'ongdosa's main hall has windows looking out to the stupa that enshrines the Buddha's relics. Consequently, this stupa has served as the central object of homage, inspiration and contemplation at T'ongdosa for nearly 1,400 years. The yard in front of the building serves as site for numerous monastic ordinations, for one has to "pass through" the Diamond Platform on the road to enlightenment. Thus the name "T'ongdosa."
Preserving Korea's Buddhist Temple Painting Tradition:
This Jewel Temple is the home of two new gems, products of the tireless efforts and determination of two gem-like monks, each of whom has an endless supply of those wonderfully egoless Zen smiles.The first of these two new gems, Tongdosa Museum, is located below the central temple, just beyond the long entrance, an impressive Stupa Garden, and a beautiful new wooden gate over the road.
Directed by Ven. PomHa, Tongdosa Museum is the world's only museum specializing in Buddhist temple paintings. The sparkling new edifice was dedicated last April, largely the result of Ven. PomHa's selfless efforts to preserve Korea's splendid temple painting tradition. The museum's excellent collection, centered around Buddhist cultural properties, totals more than 30,000 artifacts and 600 paintings, and includes one national treasure, 11 cultural treasures and 34 provincial cultural properties.
The sufficiently large yet cozy museum has four exhibition halls, one each for T'ongdosa's history, Buddhist paintings, special exhibitions and donated artifacts. The central lobby is sanctified by one of a rotating selection of stunning 2-story-high outdoor Tangka paintings, most of which are borrowed from other temples. In addition, the museum holds lectures on subjects related to Korean and Buddhist art, history and archeology are held in the 150-seat cultural center. The museum staff trains lay volunteers to welcome visitors, who already average more than 40,000 a month, and to keep the facility spotless and running smoothly. In return, the volunteers are given courses in a variety of special interest subjects such as foreign languages and Buddhist art. The museum's contributions to regional and national cultural and religious development are inspiring.
Complimenting the museum's role is The Buddhist Cultural Properties Research Center, a private foundation. Ven. PomHa also directs this center's project to photograph and publish a 40-volume collection of Buddhist temple paintings (Hangukui Pulwha, "Buddhist Paintings of Korea"), most of which are hundreds of years old, from major temples and their sub-temples around Korea. This astonishing 10-year project, now with 16 completed volumes, is another fruition of dreams and
determination to document and preserve Korea's Buddhist temple painting heritage for posterity. The collection makes study and research of the subject infinitely easier by providing comprehensive materials, and it affords the world a priceless view of a little known yet fabulously rich religious painting tradition.Persimmons, Beanpaste and Tripitaka Koreana:
A second new gem at T'ongdosa is nearing completion at Sowoonam Hermitage, a leisurely two-kilometer walk southwest of the museum. This gem, too, is mind-boggling in scope and it is the effort of another monk, Ven. SongP'a, to leave to posterity a cultural legacy from this century. From the beginning, he has dedicated this projected to peaceful reunification.Ven. SongP'a became an accomplished potter, artist and calligrapher in the Buddhist tradition after becoming a monk. About 20 years ago, he envisioned preserving Tripitaka Koreana -- the Buddhist canon carved in the 13th century on 81,258 woodblocks and now stored at Haeinsa Temple -- on a set of tiles. This vision took him around the world in search of large tile production technology that Korea lacked. He finally began production about nine years ago, and expects to complete it in 2000 C.E. He developed and tailored four electric kilns, baking trolleys and printing techniques to meet requirements for perfect production.
To finance the project, Ven. SongP'a began a persimmon orchard beside the hermitage about 15 years ago, and this year's crop, which took two full weeks of harvesting, totalled about 7,500 15-kg. cartons for distribution and sale. Always developing new ideas for self-sufficiency, he also began, five years ago, the production of "medicinal beanpaste" and soy sauce, made from a 1,300-year-old recipe that includes Oriental herbs, in over 5,000 huge earthenware crocks just below the persimmon orchard that look like an army of overgrown brown beehives. His largest market is, as he planned, urban apartment dwellers who lack the time and space to produce bean paste themselves.
The awesome tile project, which is bound to become a national treasure at some distant time, is now about 90 percent complete. It involves production, silkscreen printing, glazing and baking of 163,000 tiles, twice the number of the two-sided woodblocks at Haeinsa Temple.
You have to see the sea of tiles neatly stacked and awaiting their karma to unfold in order to comprehend the effort involved. Ven. SongP'a now believes that unification is approaching as readily as the completion of the mammoth project.
Sowoonam Hermitage also includes a Hall of 3,000 Buddhas, with the Buddhas having been produced at the kiln there, and Ven. SongP'a's studio, which he designed. It is a bright blend of traditional architecture and huge modern windows facing east, and includes another of his ideas which, at about six meters wide and 40 meters long, is probably the world's largest single handmade straw mat.
It is through these new gems at T'ongdosa that one can truly sense the dynamic strength of the Buddhist tradition that continues to radiate from a single small stupa nearly 1,400 years old.
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