I open a new chapter of new Buddhism / page19~ page 23

 I open a new chapter of new Buddhism

I bear witness that I have passed2 the Path of a Bodhisattva (the

examination of teaching and saving Bodhisattvas)of the family3 of the true 

Dharma of the Buddha, and that the Body of the Buddha is made of the 

Immeasurable Light

I, kasyapa Gwangmyong Manduk, personally met the

Buddha who abides in true suchness in the Absolute Realm of

Constant Quiescence Light, and have put the vivid teachings 

that I have heard from him together with Ananda Jajae

Manhyon here in the 21st Century Buddha's Message I, 

II. With these teachings, I wish to open the first chapter of 

new Buddhism.

2 By ceaselessly pursuing bodhi (enlightenment) on the one hand and 

by practicing the actions of a Bodhisattva over countless kalpas of lives on

the other hand, when one reaches ultimately the level at which one can

achieve Buddhahood, one will be confirmed as possessing the capacity of

a Buddha from the Buddha.  Afterwards, one must cultivate the ability

(wisdom, compassion, patience, observation of precepts, Samadhi of deep

concentration) to teach and save heavenly beings, holy multitude arhats,

undefiled great arhats, heavenly goddesses, preparatory Bodhisattvas, and

Bodhisattvas and must pass a final examination of no-self to become a

perfect Buddha. (If one is to become a doctor, it is the same as having to

study and finally graduate in order to become a qualified medical 

specialist.)

3The family of the true Dharma of the Buddha includes the Five

Tathagata Buddhas with our King of Buddhism, Buddha the World-

Honoured, at the top, numerous Buddhas in the Three Realms,

Bodhisattvas, holy multitude arhats, and all Buddhist sentient beings in the 

six realms who have taken refuge in the Buddha.

                                          I open a new chapter of new Buddhism _ 19

It is 2600 years since the Buddha who came to the land of 

India as the Responsive Transformation Body departed and all

were filled with deep sadness as if the sky had fallen.  Thus

how can I express in writing and speech the overflowing joy

and the deep emotions that I experience when I meet the

Reward Body Buddha of Sakyamuni Buddha again in the land

of South Korea who is in the form of human character made

of the Immeasurable Light?  That I can make an offering to

him every day as a Buddha who has succeeded the Dharma,

and that I can also be with him all the time ?

  I am serving the Buddha like this all the time, but the

present Buddhist circles say that there is no Buddha and tend

not to believe in even transmigration in the six realms, and

their precepts of purity have broken down.  In this latter

Dharma time of an evil period of the five defilements, the 

teaching of the Buddha has been distorted too much and has

also become diminutive.

  I, Gwangmyong Manduk, want to take as the first teaching

of new Buddhism, Yongsan Buddhism, by witnessing the

existence of the Buddha and his great real substance based on

my experiences and views as a Buddha who possesses

the Three Bodies.  It is deeply regrettable that  I am unable to

open to our Buddhists the Dharma secrets of the realm of the

Buddha and my practice diary for lack of space.  I will

reveal here the vivid course of passing through difficult

gateways that I have experienced while taking the qualifying

examinations of various stages for teaching and saving

heavenly beings, holy multitude arhats, undefiled great arhats, 

heavenly goddesses, preparatory Bodhisattvas, and 

Bodhisattvas to become a perfect Buddha after having

attained Buddhahood from the Buddha.  I want to use as the

20_The 21st Century Buddha's message 1

  

preface of this book the course of thses qualifying

examinations, and to bear witness to the Buddha Body of the

Buddha made of the Immeasurable Light.

1.  Earnest practice in To-gool at Amsa-dong in Seoul for three

years4(In ancient times, the cave was called To-gool and whilst it is no

longer a cave, the name 'To-gool' is now used to refer to a place where a 

practitioner practices intensively.)

 I went into a bold and vigorous practice, prepared all the

while for death, putting a sharp and glittering knife in front of

me from the beginning.  I succeeded in moving an image of

the Buddha in Seokguram Grotto onto the wall in 100 days.

I will not write here about the process of desperate practice I

took before being confirmed as a Buddha by entering a deep

complete concentration, seeing the Immeasurable Light, and

meeting the Buddha in person.

  I took tough examinations over and over again in order to

qualify as being able to teach and save heavenly beings5, holy

 4 From the beginning, the way of my practicing chanting the Buddha's

name was to first read the Diamond Sutra once, recite a Buddha's dharani

three times and then chant the sacred name of 'Sokkamonibul.' I was

taught this by a Buddha (through exquisite and sonorous voice of 

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva coming from the empty space; Gong-

cheong denotes an exquisite and sonorous voice of a Buddha or a

Bodhisattva coming from the empty space when a practitinoer is in the

state of a perfect Samadhi).  I call this 'the recitation of the sacred name

of the Buddha with the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path'- this is to

ask you to become a Bodhisattva by receiving empowerment of the

Buddha and to chant the sacred name of the Buddha, observing the 

precepts of the Dharma to attain Buddhahood.

5 This denotes the six heavens in the realm of desires.  When these

are looked at in more detail, there are the heavens of 54 levels.  When

one puts the five precepts and ten virtues into practice, one can be reborn 

in one of the heavens.

                                                       I open a new chapter of new Buddhism_  21

multitudes, undefiled great arhats and heavenly goddesses

after having been confirmed as a Buddha.  In this process, I

came to know that there are 54 levels of heavens, and there is

King Sakra who teaches and saves the kings of the respective

heavens.  My ability to teach and save all of them has been

confirmed.  I competed with holy multitudes,6 undefiled great

arhats and heavenly goddesses (of the Pure Land of Heavenly

Goddesses7), and Buddha the World-Honoured has confirmed

my ability to prevail and supervise them.

2.  Life in To-gool at Bo-gwang-dong(Itae-won) for three years

  I entered various kinds of Samadhi through bold and

vigorous practice in order to pass the examinations of

preparatory Bodhisattva8 and the Path of a Bodhisattva(an

examination of teaching and saving Bodhisattvas).  The examination

at this time was the practice of mastering and learning all the

Dharma of 'having no I and living for the benefit of others.'

  6It means the holy multitude arhats.  They are the beings of heaven of

the Form Realm and the Formless Realm who have entered the rank of a

saint.  One can be born in that heaven when one can enter deep and

complete concentration.

  7This is the realm of all women saints who serve BAUDDHAS, AND WHERE

they let rain of flowers be sprinkled when there is an event involving a 

Buddha.

  8This is the heaven of a Pure Land which is above the Pure Land of

Heavenly Goddesses and is immediately below the Realm of UItimate

Bliss where a preparatory Bodhisattva can be reborn.

22 _ The 21st Century Buddha's Message 1

  Buddha the World-Honoured, Sakyamuni Buddha, and the

Sixteen Teachers 9 sat on their respective diamond thrones,

and the examination given over several hours made me

extremely strained and I  was faced with various difficulties.

  I entered Samadhi of recitations10 of the Noble Eightfold

Path for 10 - 13 hours, sometimes 18 hours, each time with

painstaking preparedness for death.

  Dark barley tea in a big kettle was almost the only thing I

ingested, and I kept missing meals over many day, so I could

not relieve myself.  I could not tell how emaciated I was

because of the daily practice that made me exhausted and

tired, and I also spent time being completely absorbed in

perfect Samadhi almost without soeeping by virtue of Samadhi.

But my physical strength was maintained by virtue of the

awesome spiritual powers of the Buddha.

9 16 Buddhas worked hard in the noble work of teaching Gwangmyong

Manduk aND jajae Manhyon to become Buddhas.  They are Sakyamuni

Buddha, the Five Tathagata Buddhas and the most -prominent Buddhas

among all Buddhas in the Three Realms - Manjushri, Samantabhadra,

Avalokiteshvara, Mahasthamaprapta, Maitreya, Ksitigarbha, Mountain

King Buddha, Stars Ruling Tathagata Buddha, Myongsang Buddha, Hwa-

gwang Buddha, Daewon Myo-eum-wang Buddha.

10 Samadhi through recitation of the Buddha's name that I have

mentioned here has a great difference in depth from pratyutpanna Samadhi

That Samadhi is a profound stage of practice that one can

meet the Buddhas fof the Three Realms.  One meets the Buddha who

eliminates one's karmic hindrance, removes the heavenly maras that have

been possessing him, protects one from various mara-hindrances, leads

one to Samadhi, provides one with wisdom, eradicate the root of the three

poisons of greed, anger(hatred), and makes the body (the four spiritual

bodies) change to the spiritual bodies of light(the Buddha Body) by

pouring the Immeasurable Light. 

                                                I open a net chapter of new Buddhism- 23

Background on the conception of the shaven-headed image of the Buddha

 

 

Background on the conception of the shaven-headed image of the Buddha

 

 In the early days of Buddhism, the creation of statues of the Buddha’s likeness was prohibited.

The Gandhara Region became the grounds on which Buddhism first flourished. These lands were ruled by the Kushan Emperor, Kanishka the Great (127-150 AD), of the Kushan Tribe, which established the Kushan Empire. It was King Kanishka who spread the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism from Gandhara to China by means of the Silk Road. With the dissemination of Mahayana Buddhist thought too came the methods of Buddhist prayer and practice, along with the reading of the Buddhist sutras.

Gandhara / the Roman Empire / the Kushan Empire / the Later Han Empire

In the ancient days of Buddhism — some 2,200 years ago — visual depictions of the Buddha were strictly prohibited. As such, the creation of statues of the Buddha was not allowed. However, ancient peoples had a lasting desire to lay their eyes on an image of the Buddha.

Owing to this longing — and breaking a taboo held for 500 years — a statue of Buddha was finally born.

Sirkap (now an archaeological site in Pakistan) was an ancient city in the eastern Gandhara region. Alexander the Great, conqueror of all Eurasia, was responsible for the city’s planning and development, intending it as a Greek settlement. One hundred years after Sirkap’s construction, the city fell under the rule of the Kushan Empire following their conquest of the Gandhara region. Consequently, Buddhism was introduced to the Greek population residing there.
 

As a result, one of the earliest-known statues of the Buddha — the Seated Buddha from Gandhara(excavated in the west end of Gandhara) — features an amalgamation of Greek and Asiatic artistic styles, and was influenced by Ancient Greek sculpture. Similar to the features common in Hellenistic sculptures, the Seated Buddha from Gandhara was carved with large, long ears and curly hair held up in a topknot. It is postulated that the topknot hairstyle appearing on this statue eventually metamorphosed in China into the crown-like protuberance atop the Buddha’s head that is common in modern depictions. Such it was that in Gandhara, the lands where ancient Buddhism flourished — breaking a 500-year taboo — a figure of the Buddha was born.

 

[The Seated Buddha from Gandhara]

When the Buddha renounced secular life to become a monk, he cut off his hair, shaving his head bald. This fact is recorded in many sutras.

In the Causality of Past and Present Sutra (過去現在因果経), Vol. 2, Prince Siddhartha says, “Now that I have cut my hair and beard, please let me cut off all defilements of mind and sinful hindrances.” Responding to this action, Indra, King of the Devas, took the hair from Siddhartha and disappeared, after which many heavenly beings sprinkled incense powder and flowers upon Siddhartha from the air, praising him and saying, “Excellent, excellent.”

 

 

The Vasala Sutta (Sutta Nipata 1:7) contains a scene in which a brahmin, seeing the Buddha come to his residence for alms, speaks the words, “Stay there, you shaveling! Stay there, you wretched monk!”

 

According to Vinaya Pitaka, Vol. 4 (Mahavagga), the Buddha, seeing a monk with long hair, spoke to him, “Cut your hair and beard off of your own doing, or have them cut off.”

 

 

In the Samannaphala Sutta (Digha Nikaya Vol. 2), during the dialogue with King Ajatashatru, the Buddha said that to become a Buddhist monk is to cut off one’s hair and beard, clothe themselves in orange-colored robes, and go forth from their household to cultivate Enlightenment.

 

As the Buddha renounced not only his royal status as a prince, his wealth, and his honor, but even his hair — truly a part of his own body — shaving off one’s hair is recognized as a holy and precious action. Owing to this display of sacrifice made by the Buddha, the shaving of one’s hair has become a Buddhist precept within monkhood.

 

[The statue of the First Turning of the Wheel of the Illustrious Law (初轉法輪)]

Curly hair and a protuberance on the crown of the Buddha are typical features of a Buddha statue.

      Throughout the history of Buddhism, Buddha statues have been made with the Buddha possessing curly or wavy hair, and a hairstyle similar to a conch-like shape, or a topknot. Buddhist scholars have theorized that it would have been difficult to apply the shaved head of a sinner to the Buddha’s image in India and that the current unique depiction of the Buddha was borne from the likeness of the Greek-influenced Gandhara Buddha statue

      According to an alternative theory, the historical image of the Buddha was formed based on a passage found in the sutras that states that the Buddha — with his thirty-two physical marks — possesses conch-like hair that is dark blue and worn wrapped up on the right side of his head.

 

According to Buddhist texts, the thirty-two marks of a holy man — or the Wheel-turning Monarch — documented in Ancient Indian writings are a symbol of holiness, and that the Buddha was born with these marks upon him. There is a view that the Buddha is often expressed in imagery as possessing curly hair and a protuberance on his crown to symbolize the Buddha’s sacred and great appearance of the thirty-two major and eighty minor marks of a holy man.

The appearance of the Buddha is recorded in detail in the following texts: Majjhima-nikaya, Vol. 11; the Sutra of Past and Present Causes and Effects, Vol. 1; the Abhiniṣkramaṇa Sūtra, Vol. 9 (Sutra of the Great Renunciation); the Lalitavistara Sutra, Vol. 3 (Sutra of Extensive Play); the Mañjuśrī-paripṛcchā Sutra; etc.

 

The Statue of Seokguram Grotto

Various images of Buddha as found across Southeast Asia

The Buddhas in the Absolute Realm in Selflessness all have their heads shaved.

The Buddha-recitation Samadhi, the practice diary of Great Monk Gwangmyong Manduk, describes in detail the appearance of the Buddha as follows:

 

“A monk wearing a golden, long-sleeved robe and a red kasaya robe, with his hair shaved and holding a staff with rings suspended from it in his hand, came forth from the Buddha statue.”

 

“Shakyamuni Buddha spoke to me, saying, "The Triad Buddha from the Western Pure Land of Utmost Bliss has come here. Give your greetings to them." I prostrated before them wholeheartedly. The Triad Buddha all wore golden, long-sleeved robes and red kasaya robes; all had their heads shaved."

 

All those she met in Samadhi were Buddhas, and all appeared before her with their heads shaved.

                              

Hyonjisa enshrines the image of the Buddha with a shaved head, an image which has never existed in any temples or countries of the Saha world.

All images of the Buddha found in the statues and paintings of Hyonjisa — those proclaiming that the Buddha abides in the Absolute Realm — have their heads cleanly shaved. The notion of the “shaven-headed Buddha” speaks to the profound thought of Yongsan Buddhism, the New Buddhism of the 21st century. It will be of supreme merit and virtue to meet, praise, worship, and make offerings to such genuine Buddhas.

Background on the foundation of Hyonjisa

 

Background on the foundation of Hyonjisa 

 

Hyonjisa was founded by our two Great Monks, Gwangmyong Manduk and Jajae Manhyon.

           Our two Great Monks entered into Samadhi through the fervent recitation of the Buddha’s name, therein meeting with the Buddha in person. After this meeting, by virtue of the Buddha’s awesome spiritual powers, our Great Monks gained Buddha bodies, thereby becoming Buddhas themselves.

They have unanimously declared that “the Buddha is alive.” In accordance with the teachings of the Buddha, and based on their own meditative experiences, they have introduced their method of practice to the world: the recitation of the sacred name of the Buddha, and the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path. 

           Current Buddhist thought has failed to come up with unequivocal answers to the questions: “Does another world after death truly exist?” and “Where does the Buddha, he who had entered nirvana, now abide?” 

           Hyonjisa will become the place where Buddhists can truly take refuge by spreading the teachings of the true Dharma, and lead Buddhists to a path full of happiness.

 

The meaning behind “Hyonjisa of Yongsan Buddhism”

Hyonjisa of Yongsan Buddhism is the name of this Buddhist foundation.

“Yongsan” means Vulture Peak Mountain, the place where the Buddha expounded the Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. Yongsan Buddhism contains in its name the spirit of great compassion — that we will succeed the correct Dharma preached at the time of the Buddha and lead sentient beings to the right teachings of the Buddha by the recitation of the Buddha’s name.

 

 

“Hyonjisa” has the meaning of “a temple in which the wisdom of the Buddha is revealed.”

It contains in its name the great will — that we will save all sentient beings with the Buddha’s wisdom

Creed and teachings

 

Creed

Through recitation of the sacred name of the Buddha, along with the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path, we, the Buddha’s disciples, receive empowerment from Shakyamuni Buddha, who is The Honored One of the three realms and the King of Jambudvipa. Through this empowerment, we can escape from the three realms and become a Bodhisattva of the Pure Land; and beyond this, we can become Buddhas ourselves.

 

Teachings

Sentient beings commit acts of karma and transmigrate throughout the six realms of existence by means of the repeating cycle of death and rebirth. The subject of this transmigration through death and rebirth is one’s spiritual body.

Those Buddhas who have attained Buddhahood abide in true suchness within the Absolute Realm in Selflessness, transcending existence and nonexistence. 

The Buddha is in possession of wisdom, blessed virtues, compassion, and the power of his vows to save all sentient beings. His supernatural powers are numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges. He is the universal being who embodies human character; his holy appearance bears the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor marks of a holy man, and his body consists of a billion forms of Immeasurable Light, each composed of thousands, millions, billions, and asaṃkhyeya (innumerable, infinite) colors.

Attaining enlightenment is the first stage of practice necessary in order to proceed with becoming a Bodhisattva, and beyond this, a Buddha. The path to Buddhahood involves passage through many realms; there are the enlightened realms of liberation (wherein one can be freed from transmigration) – the realm of Arhats, of Undefiled Arhats, of Bodhisattvas, and finally, the Buddha’s realm of tranquil extinction.

 

The five virtues of practice (code of conduct)

 

First: To practice filial piety to one’s parents and ancestors, to love one’s country, and to respect one’s teacher.

 

Second: To obey the precepts taught by the Buddha, which are as precious as one’s own life.

 

Third: To love one’s neighbors, and practice in earnest the Bodhisattva’s actions for the benefit of others.

 

Fourth: To prioritize actions above words.

 

Fifth: To have complete faith that the Buddha is alive and that he possesses the universal power of salvation.

 Lotus flower

The meaning behind the lotus flower depicted in Hyonjisa’s logo

2600 years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha held up a lotus flower with a smile before a gathering of 1,250 disciples, during an assembly led by the Buddha. It is a well-known anecdote in Buddhism that a noble disciple among the congregation gathered there named Kasyapa smiled at seeing this display. Hyonjisa has adopted the lotus flower in this anecdote as the symbol to represent our foundation.

 

 

Hyonjisa Temple’s lotus flower emblem

      The three lotus seeds seen within Hyonjisa’s emblem symbolize the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The ten petals of the lotus flower represent all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the Dharma realm of ten directions, who protect and praise the Three Jewels.

 

We have adopted a golden red to color the lotus flower’s image, a reference to the color of the kasaya robe worn by the Buddha.

 

The history of Hyonjisa

 

November 1998: Great monk Gwangmyong Manduk entered into the Buddha-recitation Samadhi, therein met with the Buddha in person, and thus attained Buddhahood.

 

January 2000: Great monk Jajae Manhyon met with the Buddha in person and attained Buddhahood.

 

May 2000: Hyonjisa was established at the foot of Mount Daeseong on the outskirts of

Chuncheon City.

 

May 2005: The 21^st Century, Buddha’s Message was published.

 

January 2006: The Three Buddhas Treasure Hall was opened after life was given to the statues

of the Buddhas enshrined therein.

 

February 2006: The Busan branch of Hyonjisa Temple was opened.

 

July 2007: A ceremony was held declaring the foundation of Yongsan Buddhism.

 

November 2008: The 21^st Century, Buddha’s Message II was published.

 

November 2008: Life was given to the statue of Vairocana Buddha in the Chuncheon head temple; thereafter, the Vairocana Hall was opened.

 

May 2009: Life was given to the Prabhutaratna Buddha Tower at the head temple in Chuncheon,

and the tower was dedicated to Prabhutaratna Buddha.

 

December 2009: The Daejeon branch temple was opened.

 

March 2010: Yongsan Buddhism College was opened.

 

May 2010: Life was given to the Shakyamuni Buddha statue at the head temple in Chuncheon,

and the main temple hall was opened.

 

May 2011: Life was given to the Shakyamuni Buddha Tower at the head temple in Chuncheon, and the tower was dedicated to Shakyamuni Buddha.

 

February 2012: Life was given to the Medicine Tathagata Buddha statue at the Goseong branch 

                          temple, and the Sacred Medicine Buddha Temple was opened.

 

March 2012: The Daegu branch temple was opened.

 

July 2012: A second head temple was opened on Jeju Island.

 

April 2015: A Hyonjisa temple branch was opened in Japan. 

 

September 2018: The Buddha-recitation Samadhi was published.

October 2020: The Gimhae branch temple was opened.

 

 Introduction of the Great Monks of Hyonjisa

 

Great Monk Gwangmyong Manduk

 

1954: Gwangmyong Manduk was born in Boeun County, North Chungcheong-buk Province.

1997, 27^th April: She encountered the immaculate and pure, Immeasurable Light of the Buddha. On November 11^th of this same year, she experienced six kinds of enormous vibrations within her body; later that year, she met with the Buddha in person and was given the Dharma teachings from him.  

1998, 13^th September: She received her own Buddha-body in the Absolute Realm in Selflessness, and her spiritual body combined with her Buddha-body, becoming one. 

1999, 23^rd March: She entered Samadhi of Great Tranquility unassisted.

           In her previous life, Great Monk Gwangmyong Manduk was Kasyapa, one of the principal disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha, who succeeded Shakyamuni Buddha as his patriarchate. As the highest-ranked living disciple following the passing of the Buddha, she led the very first Buddhist foundation. She is the third to attain Buddhahood since the Buddha’s entry into nirvana, following after Venerable Subhuti and Shariputra. Her Buddha name is Gwangmyong, and her Bodhisattva name is Manduk.

Her practice diary, which she kept during the early days leading up to her attainment of Buddhahood, has been published under the title the Buddha-recitation Samadhi.

She has also written The 21^st Century Buddha’s Message I and II, co-authored with Great Monk Jajae Manhyon.

She is the most highly-revered teacher among the fourfold community (male and female monks, as well as male and female laypeople) of Hyonjisa.

 

 Great Monk Jajae Manhyon

- 1937: Jajae Manhyon was born in Hampeong, Jeonnam Province.

- 1960: He became a Buddhist monk at Seonam Temple in Busan, and was instructed under his teacher, Monk Seog-am.

 After deeply meditating to solve a hwadu over a period of ten years as a disciple of Venerable Gyong-bong, he perceived the true nature of Emptiness upon breaking open this hwadu.

 After attaining enlightenment, he served as a permanent missionary of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. During this time, he realized that he would be unable to progress any further by following his current form of practice – so, he instead began to recite the sacred name of the Buddha.

- 2000, January: He entered into the Samadhi of Great Tranquility, met with the Buddha in person, and attained Buddhahood.

 

 He is the final bodily incarnation of Venerable Ananda, who was one of the ten great disciples at the time of the assembly of the Buddha.

He has confirmed through his own personal experiences that all Buddhas abide in true suchness in the Absolute Realm in Selflessness and that the liberated realm of nirvana - that which is free from transmigration throughout the six realms (such as the hells and the realm of Deva heavens, etc.) - truly exists. He co-authored The 21^st Century, Buddha’s Message with Great Monk Gwangmyong Manduk.

Along with Great Monk Gwangmyong Manduk, he is highly revered as a teacher of the fourfold community of Hyonjisa, and teaches lay-Buddhists through his Dharma talks, leading them towards liberation from suffering.  

 

 

 

Greetings from the chief executive of Yongsan Buddhism

 

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to Hyonjisa’s homepage.

 

The reality is that it is hard for us to make a living in a heartless world. How fortunate would it be, if, in these difficult times, we could encounter a right and true teaching, one that gives us hope and comfort, and that will serve as a compass in our lives? Buddhism is an unsurpassable teaching and one that offers us an unequivocal answer so that we can manage our difficult lives with wisdom. It is a teaching that is full of nourishment, and one that can surely enrich our lives. 

 

Hyonjisa, which is the Buddhist foundation of the true Dharma, has declared that “the Buddha is alive,” and endeavors to spread the true teachings of the Buddha far and wide.

 

In the warm-hearted Buddha’s arms, the boundless ocean of his teachings is filled with insight and know-how and can guide us towards happiness in our difficult lives.

 

I sincerely hope that you will visit Hyonjisa and form a close connection with the Buddha – that you will receive his empowerment, and lead a more comfortable and happy life, using the Buddha’s teachings as a model of how to live.

Introduction to Hyonjisa’s Temples

Vairocana Hall

 

The greatest treasure of the global Buddhist village, and the place where the cosmic powers of Vairocana Buddha are displayed.

 

Vairocana Hall is the temple in which the Vairocana Buddha of Pure Dharma Body is enshrined. It is the central and principal temple of Hyonjisa.

The Vairocana Buddha of Pure Dharma Body originally is without human character or physical form but is enshrined in the image of the Complete Body of Bliss, Nosana Buddha, in the Vairocana Hall of Hyonjisa.

When the Buddhas conduct their necessary universal tasks as a collective, they become one entity, unifying themselves into the Vairocana Buddha of Pure Dharma Body. At such a time, Vairocana Buddha exercises a creator-like spiritual power, acting as the cosmic Buddha-body possessing human character.

On the 15^th day of October of the lunar calendar, in the 2552^nd year of the Buddhist Era (12^th November 2008), life was given to this Buddha in the Samadhi of Great Tranquility, bestowed by our two Great Monks, Gwangmyong Manduk and Jajae Manhyon, both of whom who have attained Buddhahood. This statue of Vairocana Buddha has thereby been linked with the real Vairocana Buddha so that his awesome spiritual powers can be displayed in reality in Vairocana Hall.

The Vairocana Buddha statue in Vairocana Hall has received the following wishes of the two Great Monks: first, that by virtue of the spiritual powers of Vairocana Buddha, South and North Korea can be unified peacefully, without another fratricidal war; second, that the power of our country of Korea expands day after day; and third, that the world at large continues to maintain peace without the outbreak of a Third World War.

 

Shakyamuni Buddha Tower

 

“For the first time in the world, the tower from which the Buddha preached his Dharma – the Shakyamuni Buddha Tower in the Pure Land of Vulture Peak Mountain – has been reproduced by Hyonjisa. This tower will be a field of good fortune for sentient beings.”

The Shakyamuni Buddha Tower is the tower that stands in the Pure Land of Vulture Peak Mountain in India, erected in the air above the mountain itself. This tower of light, which truly exists, is made of the Immeasurable Light of the Buddha. It is the tower in which Shakyamuni Buddha abides when he enters into meditative concentration and the location from which he gives Dharma lectures to the numerous Bodhisattvas of the Vulture Peak Mountain Pure Land. The octahedral form of the tower symbolizes the Noble Eightfold Path, which is the foundation of the Buddha’s teachings.

Life has been given to the Shakyamuni Buddha Tower of Hyonjisa by the two Great Monks, Gwangmyong Manduk and Jajae Manhyon. Hyonjisa’s Shakyamuni Buddha Tower has been unified with the real Shakyamuni Tower located in the Pure Land of Vulture Peak Mountain, and contains the power of life – it is wholly unique in the world.

Shakyamuni Buddha Tower will let the compassionate light of the Buddha and his universally awesome spiritual powers spread far and wide

Prabhutaratna Buddha Tower

 

Prabhutaratna Tower is the only Buddhist tower in the world where the powers of the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas are displayed.

 

Dabotap, or the Tower of Prabhutaratna Tathagata Buddha, is the tower in which Prabhutaratna Buddha teaches and leads numerous Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas. This tower, which has been recreated here in Hyonjisa with only a reduction in its size, is a reproduction of the Tower of Prabhutaratna Tathagata Buddha in the Absolute Realm, as found in the Chapter of the Appearance of Jeweled Stupa of the Lotus Sutra. 

The Prabhutaratna Tathagata Buddha Tower’s quadrangular form symbolizes the Four Noble Truths that are the quintessence of the Buddha’s teachings. Images of Vairocana Buddha of Pure Dharma Body, Nosana Buddha of the Complete Body of Bliss, the Shakyamuni Buddha of Body of Transformation, and Prabhutaratna Tathagata Buddha are depicted in carvings on each side of the Prabhutaratna Buddha Tower. This tower is made of the Immeasurable Light of the Buddha, like the Shakyamuni Buddha Tower, and this Light can only be seen by the eyes of a Buddha.

When there is a great Dharma talk led by the Buddha (such as in the Lotus Sutra), or an important event is held, Prabhutaratna Tathagata Buddha emerges out of the ground along with this tower in order to prove that the Dharma talk is true.

When Great Monks Gwangmyong Manduk and Jajae Manhyon of Hyonjisa attained Buddhahood, when the establishment of Yongsan Buddhism was declared, and when life was given to the statue of Vairocana Buddha, this tower emerged from out of the ground to prove that the words of the Buddha are true.

As the Great Monks Gwangmyong Manduk and Jajae Manhyon - both of whom who have attained Buddhahood - have given life to this tower, its existence is rare and unprecedented in the history of the world; it is the first tower to have been linked with the real Prabhutaratna Buddha Tower in the Pure Land Ratnavisuddha (the Pure Land of the Absolute Realm, where Prabhutaratna Tathagata Buddha abides).

 Main Hall

 

“ The Main Hall is the temple in which Shakyamuni Buddha, who is the Dharma King in the Dharma Realm of the universe, has been enshrined.”

 

In the Main Hall, a statue of Nosana Buddha of the Complete Body of Bliss – the Reward Body of Shakyamuni Buddha – has been enshrined as the main Buddha present; along with him, statues of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who conduct the Bodhisattva’s actions in the Saha world, have also been enshrined.

Enshrined in a painting located behind the three statues of the Main Hall are those Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who acted as teachers of the two Great Monks - those who taught and led them until they attained Buddhahood - as well as the Five Tathagata Buddhas who represent all Buddhas in the Threefold Great Thousand World System.

The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas seen in the paintings of the Hyonjisa’s Main Hall have been portrayed as being surrounded by blazing light, such has been seen by the two Great Monks in the Samadhi of Great Tranquilit

Three Buddhas Treasure Hall

 

Three Buddhas are enshrined in Hyonjisa’s Three Buddhas Treasure Hall: Sanwang Buddha on the left, Bo-myong Buddha in the middle, and Tejaprabha Tathagata Buddha on the right.

 

Bo-myong Buddha is one of the Five Tathagata Buddhas. Kept in his Dragon Palace are all the sutras containing the words of the numerous Buddhas who abide in the Threefold Great Thousand World System. He supervises the dragon kings, who reside in the Dharma Realm of ten directions. 

Sanwang Buddha supervises the numerous mountain kings who live in the various famous mountains found in the Dharma Realm of ten directions. 

Tejaprabha Tathagata Buddha is responsible for supervising the chief leaders of living beings, the Star Kings (星君), who live on the innumerable stars.

The three Buddhas of the Three Buddhas Treasure Hall collectively supervise the fortunes of sentient beings, especially those in Jambudvipa of the Saha world. If sentient beings who are encountering suffering as a result of their karma pray earnestly to these three Buddhas — Bo-myong Buddha, Sanwang Buddha, and Tejaprabha Tathagata Buddha — by their astonishing empowerment, these difficulties can be overcome.

 Worship etiquette in a temple hall

The way of worship in a temple hall 

1.

When Buddhists visit Hyonjisa – a clean, pure place in which the Buddha manifests himself –, they must be of a pious state of mind and refrain from wearing discourteous attire, making uncivil remarks, or having poor manners within the temple halls.

2.

We advise visiting Buddhists that upon arrival, you first pay respects to the Vairocana Buddha of Pure Dharma Body, who is enshrined in Vairocana Hall.

3.

Following this, you should pay respects to the Buddhas in their respective halls in this order: the Sakyamuni Buddha Tower, the Prabhutaratna Buddha Tower, the Main Hall, and the Three Buddhas Treasure Hall.

4.

When you ascend towards the entrance of a temple hall, you are not allowed to use the middle steps or door, as these are reserved for the Buddhas and our Great Monks; instead, please use the steps and doors found on either side of the temple halls.

5.

Upon entering a temple hall, you should first greet the Buddha once with a half-salutation (bending your head and waist slightly, while also joining your palms together), and after this has been completed, then bow three times, offering three separate prostrations to the Buddha, at an appropriate place in the hall. At this time, you should neither light any candles, burn incense, nor present individual offerings such as rice, candles, incenses, etc., upon the platform.

6.

When going to pay respects at the towers found at Hyonjisa, you should first worship at the Tower of Shakyamuni Buddha, and then proceed to the Tower of Prabhutaratna Tathagata Buddha. In order to pay your respects at our towers, please follow these steps: first, remove your shoes; after this has been completed, walk up upon the square stone base of the tower; once upon the tower’s base, bow in three prostrations towards the Buddha in the Tower; following the prostrations, descend from the tower; finally, circle the tower counterclockwise. The Shakyamuni Buddha Tower and Prabhutaratna Buddha Tower should be circled together, chanting the words “Shakyamuni Buddha” with your mouth, and thinking (or chanting) “Prabhutaratna Buddha” in your mind as you do so.

7.

When paying respect to the Buddhas at any of our branch temples, you should worship the Buddhas in the order of their respective attainment of Buddhahood – that is, the Vairocana Hall, the Main Hall, the Medicine Buddha Hall, the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Hall, the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Hall, and so on. 

 

 

Introduction to Hyonjisa’s 

Head Temple and Branch Temples

 

 Head Temple in Chuncheon

Hyonjisa is a holy site offering sacred shrines and Buddhist towers, including Vairocana Buddha Hall, Shakyamuni Buddha Tower, Prabhutaratna Buddha Tower, and many others.  

 

Hyonjisa’s head temple was established at the foot of Daesung Mountain, situated in the suburbs of Chuncheon City, in May 2000.

           Our two Great Monks established the temple halls of the great monastery which stands today. They went on to build the Vairocana Hall and erect the towers dedicated to Shakyamuni Buddha and Prabhutaratna Tathagata Buddha. By giving life to the statues of the Buddhas enshrined within the temple, they linked these images of the Buddhas with the true Realm of the Buddha. 

           The Buddhas of the Absolute Realm abide and manifest in the Vairocana Hall, Shakyamuni Buddha Tower, and Prabhutaratna Buddha Tower which are connected with the Realms of the Buddhas. 

           Also, the Main Hall and the Three Buddhas Treasure Hall located within the head temple grounds in Chuncheon are likewise holy places where the Buddhas abide.

The head temple in Chuncheon acts as the base for spreading the true Dharma, and can also be called the cradle for the vows of the two Great Monks, for it is the place at which their wishes for the prosperity of the country and its peaceful unification are realized through Buddhism. 

 

·        Transportation 

 

[From Seoul] 

·        Take a bus at either the East Seoul Terminal or Gangnam Terminal -  Exit the bus at the Chuncheon Terminal stop - Take an intercity bus for Hwacheon, found in front of the station - Disembark the bus at Hyonjisa 

·        Take the subway at Sangbong Station, on the Seoul-Chuncheon Rail Line - Exit the subway at Chuncheon Station - Take an intercity bus for Hwacheon, found in front of the station - Disembark the bus at Hyonjisa 

 

 

[From Busan] 

·        Take a bus at Nopodong Terminal in Busan - Exit the bus at the Chuncheon stop - Take an intercity bus to Hwacheon - Disembark the bus at Hyonjisa 

·        Alternatively, you can take a taxi to Hyonjisa directly from Chuncheon Terminal (taxi services can be reached at 010-4059-9602) 

 

 

 

[Directions when traveling by car] 

 

[From Seoul] 

·        Take Route 46 heading from Seoul, Guri to Gapyeong - Continue in the direction of Chuncheon and Hwacheon - Follow Local Road 70 and the directions towards Hwacheon) - Go straight (take Route 5 or 56. You can see Chuncheon Dam on your right) - Go straight about ten kilometers from Chuncheon Dam - You will see the temple’s sign on your right - Hyonjisa Temple 

·        Chuncheon Tollgate on Jung-ang Expressway - Drive toward Soyang Dam - Onui Intersection - The 2nd Bridge of Soyang - Heading to Chuncheon Dam or the 102nd Replacement Battalion - Turn right passing by Chuncheon Dam - Go straight about ten kilometers to Chuncheon Dam - You will see the temple’s sign on your right - Hyonjisa Temple

The second head temple in Jeju-do

 

The bodhimanda of the white lotus flower, where Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva abides

 

Our two Great Monks established Hyonjisa’s second head temple on Jeju-do for disseminating the true Dharma to the Buddhists living on Jeju Island, and abroad, as Jeju receives many visitors from abroad.

We first built the three temple halls - the Vairocana Hall, the Main Hall, and the Medicine Tathagata Hall - and subsequently constructed the Great Dharma Talk Hall.

           With the construction of Hyonjisa’s second head temple on Jeju Island, we could lead Jeju’s Buddhists toward the arms of the Buddha, and spread the true Dharma abroad. 

The Yongsan Buddhism College also operates in the second head temple, and the faith and knowledge of our Buddhists in Buddhism have been much improved. 

 

[Directions to Hyonjisa’s Second Head Temple in Jeju] 

·        Address: 311, Sinbuk-ro, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, Korea

·        Tel : 064-783-5355