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The Bongam-sa Temple Pact organized in 1947 in Sixtieth Commemorative Dharma Assemb Mungyeong-gun has a significant meaning for the Jogye Order. In addition to the revival of the traditional style and for the Bongam-sa Temple practice of Korean Buddhism which became dilapidated during the thirty-six years of Japanese colonial rule, it was actually the birth of Jogye Order of today. Translated by Young-eui Park ([email protected])
Resolution of the Revival of Traditional Practice by Self-purification and Contrition The Sixtieth Commemorative Dharma Assembly for Bongam-sa Pact for the revival of traditional prac tice was held at 11 o'clock on the 19th of October at Bongam-sa Temple on Mt. Huiyang, Munggyeong County, North Gyeongsang Province with the as semblage of about 10,000 monks and lay-people. The Dharma Assembly was started during a light rain in the front courtyard of that famous temple. After a brief report of the preparation of the assembly, Hamhyeon Seunim, Abbot of Bongam-sa Temple, read the following opening address: "Korean Bud dhism today is beset with all kinds of grave problems, both spiritual and material, and we the members of assembly here today feel the great responsibility for the crisis. The sweet rice porridge has turned to a bitter diet and wearing a fine Dharma-robe feels heavier than the great mountain. We humbly accept the criti cism and reproof from both within the Order and society, and I sincerely thank for all the participants of assembly here today for attending this Dharma Assembly of Contrition." Following the reading of the rules of temple com-
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munal life, there was a commemoration address of Buddha should be practiced in our daily life. In ad Venerable Jigwan Seunim, the Jogye Order's Execu dition to personal practice of meditation, chanting, tive Director of Administration: "People are watching reading the sutra, and reciting mantra, etc., let us us with suspicious eyes, and before blaming the peo return the fruit of our practice by helping others as ple, we should reflect upon ourselves to examine if we well as spreading the teachings of Buddha. Let us start were truly faithful to our sacred duty of practice and a new era of true practice. Let us always keep the tra deliverance of common folks. We should also resolve dition of Bongam-sa Pact by observing its spirit wher ourselves whether we should strive harder with in ever we are and whatever we do forever and ever. domitable resolution for our ultimate end of attaining Third All the fellow countrymen should be faithful enlightenment or follow the current of the time for to everyone's duty. Politicians should be loyal to the comfortable life, which is, of course, not the life of true country and happiness of the people. Government of practitioners. This is why we are here today—to reflect ficials should also quit committing irregularities and upon and re-resolve ourselves." return to their duties of good public servants. The Jaseung Seunim, Chairman of the Central Council press should always be just in conveying the news of Jogye Order, Jeongho Seunim, abbot of Yongju-sa and try to bring about harmony of the people. En Temple and the Representative of the Heads of the trepreneurs should always have a great regard for District Main Temples, and Kim Ui-jeong, President their employees and the employees, a great regard for of the Central Association of Laity, also gave speeches their companies. This is the only way we can build a emphasizing our true repentance and firm resolution to follow the teachings of Buddha to illuminate the world.
Succession of the Spirit of the Pact and Three Guiding Principles Hyeguk Seunim, the representative of the head dis ciples at the nationwide Seon monasteries, read the letter of resolution for the Commemoration of the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Bongam-sa Pact with the following three guiding principles: First Let us be faimful to our sacred duty of practice renouncing all the selfish ends and personal honor. Our primal duty is attaining enlightenment. The laity beautiful and happy society and even a beautiful should also exult themselves for attainment of Bud- world. Hyeguk Seunim also emphasized that all the dhahood in addition to guarding the Order. For the practitioners should be paragons of human and success of all these objectives, let us promote the im heavenly beings. Following the address of Hyeguk portance of keeping the precepts and maintaining our Seunim, Yeongjin Seunim, Chairman of the National confessional ceremonies. Association of Head Disciples of Monasteries read the Second Our daily and social life should be in ac letter of penitence. cord with practice. Teachings and understanding of Among the participants of about 1,000 monks and
6 9,ooo lay people were Beopjeon Seunim, the Supreme Historically, it provided an occasion for the purifi Patriarch of the Jogye Order, Jigwan Seunim, Execu cation of the Sangha and the reorganization of the tive Director of Administration, and the members of Jogye Order. Other notable changes were reformation the Council of Elders such as Jeongmu, Weonmyeong, of rules and ceremonies of the Order, especially in the Domun, and Go-u Seunims. aspects of revitalization of the spirit of Buddhist community, revival of Hwadu meditation, the regular Bongam-sa Pact - a Revolutionary Event observance of confessional ceremony, and harmony of in the History of Korean Buddhism the practitioners. Another result of the pact was The Bongam-sa Pact organized in 1947 by a dozen adoption of sixteen rules of the communal life of young practitioners at Bongam-sa Temple on Mt. monks, which include the following seven: Huiyang in Mungyeong Country, which was one of the 1 Strict observance of precepts and teachings of traditional "Nine Mountain Seon Monasteries" in Patriarchs for ultimate attainment of Buddhahood. Korea, was a turning point of the reformation of the 2 Rejection of any doctrine and system other than modern Korean Buddhism. At the time, the Korean the teachings of Buddha and Patriarchs. Buddhism was almost at the blink of extinction due to 3 Self-sufficiency and support by mendacity, 600 years of repression of Buddhism by Confucian working in the field, and doing all the daily chores ideology of the Joseon Dynasty and ensuing 36 years by oneself, no matter how hard they might be. of colonial rule of Japanese imperialism. 4 A complete surrender of dependence on income Upon liberation from the Japanese colonial rule in from the revenue and offerings of the laity. 1945, a group of young monks such as Cheongdam, 5 Dharma robes should be coarse made of either Seongcheol, Jawun, Bomun, Ubong, etc. met and or cotton or hemp in grey color. ganized a pact to uproot all kinds of bad practice en 6 Two hours of daily labor at the least. forced especially by the Japanese colonial govern 7 Reading and recitation of the complete rules of ment, such as marriage of monks, with the slogans, discipline of a Bodhisattva on every first and "Let us return to the primal duty of practitioners," and fifteenth day of the month. "Let us practice according to the teachings of Bud If anyone is negligent of this practice, that person dha." It was truly a revolutionary event towads the shall be expelled from the communal life of his bright future of Korean Buddhism. temple. D
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