This weekend, I went to a temple in Cheonan, and spent the rest of the time working on some of the large projects I have due in a few weeks. In my Politics and Global Society classes, I have some presentations due after Easter, but I like to get assignments done well in advance. I don't like to rush through an assignment. I always want the projects I submit to be a good representation of my ability. I don't like my work to be halfway. I also want to get these assignments done because I have a few small trips planned in the next few weeks. I will be going to Seoul this weekend for Seoungyoung's birthday and I am hoping to go to the southern part of Korea again in a few weeks for some spring hiking. The first national park of Korea is near Busan. I want to see this area as everything begins to come back to life. This trip will depend on if I can get these assignments done, so I'm determined to have them finished soon!
On Friday, I went with Heather to Cheonan to Boksan temple just outside of town. It is a larger Buddhist temple. There is also a thirty foot bronze Buddha just up the hill from the temple complex. It was the first temple Heather has been to, so it was really fun to explain all of the details of Buddhist temples. I still have a lot to learn about Buddhism in Korea, but the things I have learned are quite fascinating. Buddhist temples, like the palaces, are painted green because it is the color of peace and serenity. There are always at least three different temples to Buddha. One will have three Buddhas placed in the middle to represent the three main reincarnations of the Buddha: Sakyamuni the original Buddha that we all know, Vairocana the cosmic Buddha that spreads Buddhism throughout the world, and Amithabha the Buddha that governs paradise. The second temple has a Buddha statue, along with the patron monks of the temple. The last temple has a Buddha statue, along with over 100 small Buddha figurines placed in the walls.
Korean Buddhism was first introduced to Korea about 1500 years ago during the Three Kingdoms period. It had to compete with both Confucianism and Shamanism. Rather than compete with these two philosophies, Buddhism reshaped itself to fit Korean culture.
Confucianism was the belief of the educated and powerful, so Buddhism presented itself as the spiritual side of Confucianism. This created a phenomenon know as Neoconfucianism, which is the belief in the moral principles of Confucianism while believing in the spirituality of Buddhism. Confucianism does not provide an answer for where the soul goes after death, rather it teaches men to be responsible while on earth. The Korean people were craving an answer for their questions about what happens after death. Buddhism provided that answer. In contrast to China, Buddhism and Confucianism worked well together to form a kind of Buddhism in Korea.
Shamanism was the religion of the common people. It was the ancient folk beliefs. Shamanism is the channeling of spirits and ghosts through Shamans, people with the ability to communicate with spirits. It is similar to the ancient Shaman traditions of Mongolia and China. Ancestor worship, offerings to spirits to gain favor, and Shamans speaking on behalf of people to spirits are the main components of Shamanism. Buddhism provided the common people with a religion, rather than spiritual traditions. Buddhism included some of the major spiritual beings of Shamanism: Sanshin (mountain spirit), Toksong (the recluse), and Chilsong (spirit of the seven stars). They gave these spirits a place in Korean Buddhism. There are some shrines and festivals that honor these Shaman spirits in Korean Buddhism today.
I find it interesting how Buddhism adapted itself to appease the people of Korea. It saw exactly what the Korean people wanted, and compromised itself in some ways to fulfill that desire. Korean Buddhism looks completely different from Thai Buddhism or Tibetan Buddhism. They have disagreements about the Buddhas life and the requirements to achieve Nirvana. Granted, there are some small differences in Korean Christianity and Western Christianity, but it is the order of worship, not the message. The Gospel message in Korean churches is identical to the message in American churches. This gave me so much peace when I first came here. To see that Christianity is a universal message that is understood and accepted regardless of the cultural differences. I guess that it's a difference of what a person wants and what the person needs. A person needs Christ, and that's why His Word is so powerful.
Ok, that was a really long tangent, but it is so interesting! Buddhism is the religion of a quarter of Koreans, so I want to understand as much as I can about this religion that is very important for so many. After visiting the temple and saying hello to the Big Bronze Buddha, we went back to Cheonan to wander the street market. The street market in Cheonan is packed with fresh fish, fruit, and all sorts of random stuff. You never know what you may find, which makes it so exciting!
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