On the third day of the journey, the sangha members of Subong Monastery visited Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan of South Gyeongsang, one of Korea’s three major temples. Tongdosa was founded in 634 AD and enshrines the Buddha’s true relics brought back from the Tang Dynasty in China by Master Jajang. It is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Next, we visited Woljeonggyo Bridge, Seoun-Am and Junghongsa Temple in Gyeongju. Following the morning practice led by Zen Master Dae Kwan and Abbess Yeojin Sunim of Junghongsa, we slowly ascended to Chilbulam Hermitage at the top of Namsan. Along the way, Sifu shared her experiences of practicing with nature in Thailand, allowing everyone to gain personal insight in the present moment. When we arrived at Chilbulam, drenched in sweat and exhausted, we truly appreciated the great masters’ dedication and perseverance in spreading the dharma despite limited resources. Led by the sunims, we chanted and offered flowers in front of the stone Buddhas, practicing reverence for the Buddhas and great masters. We were deeply grateful for the warm hospitality of Yeojin Sunim and the sangha members of Junghongsa which invigorated everyone on our Buddhist path!
