Sudoksa Temple of Cultivating October 17, 2014

Sudoksa dates back to the Baekjae Kingdom (18 BCE – 660 CE)—one of the first kingdoms on the Korean peninsula to embrace . Many famous monks have practiced here, including the legendary Kyong Ho Sunim. However, the temple became a magnet for students at the beginning of the 20th Century when Kyongho's famous disciple, Mangong (1871-1946) came to live there in 1905.

Today, Sudoksa is home to one of the most established nun meditation halls in . It also houses facilities in the triple training of Vinaya, Sutra and Meditation for monks. Many sunims in the Kwan Um Zen School family have practiced and trained in Sudoksa facilities.

Since the passing of Zen Master Seung Sahn, Seol Chung Sunim, the Banjang of Sudoksa (person in charge of overseeing the instruction and practice of a full monastery training temple) has taken on the role of helping the community of foreign practitioners connected with the Kwan Um Zen School with their stay Korea.

(http://www.sudeoksa.com)

Sudoksa Temple of Cultivating Merit October 17, 2014 After his enlightenment experience during his 100-day retreat, Zen Master Seung Sahn sat the winter meditation retreat at Sudoksa. He began to feel that the monks were not practicing hard enough, so, one night, he took all the pots and pans out of the kitchen and arranged them in a circle in the front yard. The next night, he turned the Buddha on the main altar toward the wall and took the incense- burner, which was a national treasure, and hung it on a persimmon tree in the garden. By the 2nd morning, the whole temple was in an uproar and rumors of gods coming from the mountain to warn the monks to practice harder began to spread. The third night, Zen Master Seung Sahn went to the nun's quarters, took the nun's shoes and put them in front of Zen Master Dok Sahn's room, displayed as in a shoe store. One nun saw him doing this and, the next day, he was brought before the assembly of monks for admonishment. He was not expelled, but had to offer formal apologies to all the high monks.

First, he went to Zen Master Dok Sahn, who said, "Keep up the good work." Then, he went to the head nun. She said, "You've made too much commotion in the temple." He laughed and said, "The whole world is full of commotion. What can you do?"

Finally, he went to Zen Master Chun Song. Seung Sahn Sunim said, "I killed all the Buddhas of the past, present and future. What can you do?" Chun Song Sunim looked deeply into his eyes and asked, "What did you see?" Seung Sahn Sunim replied, "You already understand." Chun Song Sunim said, "Is that all?" Seung Sahn Sunim replied, "There's a cuckoo singing in the tree outside the window." Chun Song Sunim laughed and after Seung Sahn Sunim answered several more questions without difficulty, Chun Song Sunim leapt up and shouted, "You are enlightened! You are enlightened!" The news spread quickly and people began to understand the events of the preceding days.