Beomeosa
Encyclopedia
Beomeosa is a head temple of the Jogye Order
Jogye Order
The Jogye Order, officially the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism is the representative order of traditional Korean Buddhism with roots that date back 1,200 years to Unified Silla National Master Doui, who brought Seon and the practice taught by the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng, from China about 820...

 of Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...

 in Cheongnyong-dong, Geumjeong-gu
Geumjeong-gu
Geumjeong-gu is a district in north central Busan, South Korea. Approximately 7.3% of Busan's population is in Geumjeong-gu.The Hoedong Reservoir is located on the district's eastern boundary, and the mountain Geumjeongsan on the west. Because of this, 75% of the district's land is restricted from...

, Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...

, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

. Built on the slopes of Geumjeongsan
Geumjeongsan
Geumjeongsan is a mountain in the city of Busan in South Korea. It covers a large surface that extends into Dongnae-gu in the south, Buk-gu in the west, Geumjeong-gu in the east, and the city of Yangsan in the north...

, it is one of the country's leading urban temples.

Origin

Beomeosa was constructed in 678
678
Year 678 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 678 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* April 27 – Japanese Emperor Temmu holds...

 during the reign of Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...

 king Munmu
Munmu of Silla
Munmu of Silla was the thirtieth king of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He is usually considered to have been the first ruler of the Unified Silla period. Munmu was the son of King Muyeol and Munmyeong, who was the younger sister of Kim Yu-shin...

, by the monk Uisang
Uisang
Uisang was one of the most eminent early Silla Korean scholar-monks, a close friend of Wonhyo .He traveled to China, studying at Mount Zhongnan as a student of the influential Huayan master Zhiyan and as a senior colleague of Fazang , with whom he established a lifelong correspondence...

. It became known as one of the ten great temples of the Hwaeom sect, although like most Korean temples it was later assimilated into the Jogye Order. At its largest, during the Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...

 dynasty, it was much larger than it is today - with over 360 rooms and more than a thousand monks in residence. The temple was burned to the ground in 1592 during the Japanese invasion. It was reconstructed in 1602, but was burned again by an accidental fire. In 1613 it was rebuilt again. The main hall (Daeungjeon) and the front gate (Iljumun) date to this reconstruction.

The mountain where Beomeosa is found is said to have huge rock at the summit where there is a golden well which never, ever dries up. The water of this well is believed to have very special magical properties as one day a golden fish came from heaven and has lived there ever since.

Beom(범;梵) = nirvana
Nirvana
Nirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...

 - eo(어;魚) = fish - sa(사;寺) = temple. Thus the name of the temple came to be "Heavenly Fish." It is also claimed that the fish came from Nirvana, the Buddhist state of non-suffering. Therefore the temple also became known as "The temple where fish from Nirvana Play."

Treasures

The temple complex has several buildings and other objects which are designated as official treasures:
  • Treasure 250 - Three Story Stone Pagoda. This pagoda dates back to the Unified Shilla era probably erected as part of the original temple that was destroyed by fire in 1592. Only the top three-stories are from the Shilla where the base and fence are later additions.

  • Treasure 434 - Daeungjeon, the main temple hall, was built in 1614 after the temple was burned down during the Japanese invasion of 1592. Major renovations of Daeungjeon were undertaken in 1713, 1814 and 1871.

  • Tangible Cultural Asset 2 - Iljumun. The first gate to the temple, called the "One Pillar Gate" because when viewed from the side the gate appears to be supported by a single pillar, symbolizing the one true path of enlightenment, supporting the world.

  • Tangible Cultural Assets 11 and 12 - Wonhyoam Eastern Pagoda and Wonhyoam Western Pagoda. Wonhyoam (hermitage) is located to the south of Beomeosa and is the site of these two pagodas. This the site of the former residence of the famous Shilla monk, Wonhyo.

  • Tangible Cultural Asset 15 - Flag Pole Holder. These two very old stone structures, called a jiju, were used to support a flagpole between them. The stones are found on the path up to Beomeosa's main gate.

  • Tangible Cultural Asset 16 - Stone Lamp. This lamp dates back to the Unified Shilla era and was part of the original temple that was destroyed by fire in 1592.

Hermitages

  • Chungryungam (Blue Lotus Hermitage)

  • Naewonam (Buddha's Celestial Teaching Hall Hermitage)

  • Kyemyongam (Rooster's Crow Hermitage)

  • Daesongam (Great Saint Hermitage)

  • Geumgangam (Diamond Hermitage)

  • Anyangam (Peace Nurturing Hermitage)

  • Mirukam (Maitreya Hermitage)

  • Wonhyoam (Former hermitage residence of the famous monk, Wonhyo)

  • Sajaam (Lion Hermitage)

  • Mansongam (Great Teacher Hermitage)

  • Chijangam (Ksitigarbha Hermitage)

External links

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