Visit to Haeinsa Buddhist Monastery

I heard the name of Haeinsa Monastery since I first began reading Buddhist sutras in Chinese. The Tripitaka Koreana, a set of wood-block carvings containing all the Mahayana Buddhist books is preserved in a mountain temple in Southern Korea. I always wanted to see it and this time I got my wish. I will post pictures as I sort them out.

Here is the Chogye Order's official brief description of the monastery.

Haeinsa is west of Daegu city at the edge of Gyeongsang province.  It holds a complete copy of the Tripitaka Koreana, the collected writings of Mahayana Buddhism, making it one of the most important Korean temples.  Though most Buddhist countries in East Asia possess a copy of the Tripitaka, the Korean edition at Haeinsa is considered the best.  Carved in the 13th century, the Tripitaka consists of 52,382,960 characters carved on 81,258 double-sided woodblocks in 6,802 volumes.  It was commissioned by the government-in-exile on Ganghwa island, who undertook the carving in the midst of war with the Mongols as an act of faith intended to arouse the intervention of Buddha to Korea's cause.  Traditionally the woodblocks are said to have been made with white birch first soaked and then boiled in sea water for three years, then dried for three years in the shade.  Though some books claim the carving is the work of one man, that is clearly impossible.

Haeinsa's history is far older than the woodblocks.  Haein means "reflection on a smooth sea," and is thought to have been founded in 802 upon the return of monks Suneung and Ijeong from China.  Traditionally, the temple came about as an act of gratitude by King Aejang, who brought his sick queen to the monks, ill with a tumor.  The monks tied a piece of string to the queen's tumor, and the other end to a tree.  They chanted special verses.  Miraculously, the tumor vanished as the tree withered and died.  The grateful king founded Haeinsa in awe of the Buddha's mercy.

The main worship hall was rebuilt in 1818 during the late Joseon (Chosôn) dynasty, on the foundations of the one built a thousand years earlier by the two monks.  The Vairocana Buddha statue inside was carved in 1769.  Behind the statue are somewhat unusual paintings of the Buddha's life.

Though most of the buildings are reconstruction after the great fire of 1817, the Tripitaka repository in the rear escaped the flames and is an original, built in 1488.

Comments

[Chin Wai]

Amitofo DM Heng Sure...

it is just amazing to know that Korea also has a strong history in Buddhism like China where i didn't even realise the existence of Haeinsa Monastery and the wonderful wood carvings of the Tripitaka until now.....

hope you will able to share with us some photos on the woodblocks for our reverence.....

best regards,

Chin Wai

[Chin Wai]

Amitofo,

Just would like to inform everyone that Unesco has given recognition to Haeinsa Temple in its World Heritage List where its homepage is as below:-

whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=737

Also check out the belowmentioned site as it gives a great detail explanation on how the woodblocks have been preserved in mint condition all this while....

www.ocp.go.kr/english/treasure/dom_hae.html

[Edward Cherlin]

That brings back memories. I visited Haeinsa in 1969 during a tour of Buddhist monasteries in Korea, shortly after I entered the order in Japan. I had to spend a month outside Japan before I could get the visa I needed for an extended period of training. Since I had been in the Peace Corps in Korea before going to Japan, it was natural for me to go back. I also visited Peopjusa, Bulgugsa, Jogaesa, Jigjisa, and others during that month. I had a great time, although kimchi without any garlic took a little getting used to.

My former hosts in Korea were delighted, and also astounded, to see me come back as a monk. Little children would stop playing in the streets when I came by and say, "Wah! Migug jung!" ("Wow! An American monk!")

[Nicola Manasseh]

YOur site is great. I am the editor for a spiritual online magazine called Essence of Life. We are due to have our first issue on the net next week. We have an interview with a zen monk who was trained in Korea and would like to have a beautiful photo of a Korean monastery to go with the article. would it be possible to use your photo of the Haiensa monastery? I look forward to your response, Niki

[Eveline]

Hi Heng Sure Shih,

I just read that the Tripitaka there has been keyed in a CD-ROM. I wonder if it is keyed in classical Chinese. Wonder if the Chinese Tripitaka is less complete this this Korean one?