2005-2162 The Buddha’s birthday illuminates Seoul

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Buddha’s Birthday: A luminary’s party enlightens Seoul Cover Story Overcoming division to live the saintly life the end of the colonial period. After liberation from Japan, Korean Buddhism fell into a confused and bitter struggle between married and unmarried monks. Violent clashes between sects made headlines. Korean Buddhism did not return to its former prestige until the mid-1990s. Strong reform efforts eventually put an end to internal power struggles in the Jogye Order, the biggest Buddhist sect in the country. In the wake of the reforms, the number of adherents has been rising, albeit slowly. Korean Buddhism has a history of 1,700 years, and it has had tremendous effects on Korean society and development. Buddhism is also the biggest religion in terms of number of believers in the country. Of the over 48 million Koreans, 53.9 percent believe in a religion as of 2003, with 97.5 percent of them counting themselves as members of major religions such as Buddhism, Protestantism and Catholicism. Buddhism has the largest number of followers, 12 million, of all religions in the country. There are now over 25 Buddhist sects in Korea, but nationally Korean Buddhism is synonymous with the Jogye Order, the biggest sect, based on Zen. Zen Buddhism arrived from China at the end of the Unified Silla Dyansty, but the Jogye sect only took form later, during the Goryeo Dynasty. Though Jogye was dissolved during amid the persecution of the Joseon Dynasty, it was re-established in 1941 in an effort to separate Korean Buddhism from Japanese Buddhism, becoming the first officially recognized Buddhist sect in Korea. The Jogye Order has a total of 12,000 monks and 1,800 temples officially registered in the country. Ninety percent of Korea’s 870 temples recognized by the government as historic belong to the Jogye Order. It also has 90 monasteries and 1,500 would-be monks studying at 17 Buddhist colleges run by the sect. The order also runs one elementary school, 10 middle schools, 11 high schools and two universities. Dongguk University, one of the few Buddhist universities in the world, was founded in 1906 and has over 20,000 students. The Jogye Order has also been at the forefront of the propagation of Korean Buddhism around the world. Masters including the Venerable Seung Sahn and the Venerable Gu San spearheaded the effort, which has helped Jogye expand. The sect now runs 136 temples outside Korea: 84 in the United States and Canada, six in Europe, seven in Latin America, seven in the Pacific region and 32 in Asia. Some 120 non- Korean monks have been ordained in the Jogye Order. An official at the order said Korean Buddhism’s strength is that it continues the traditions of Zen Buddhism. “There are few countries where the Buddhist world is as well organized as in Korea,” said Hong Min-suk, a manager of the social affairs department at the Jogye Order. Hong said China lost much of its Buddhist heritage because of communism, while Buddhism is not as closely embedded in the lives of people in Japan. Temple stay programs have become one of the main tools to spread Korean Buddhism to foreign visitors, and to Koreans as well. There are over 100 temples in the country offering temple stay programs, and, since 2002, they have been promoted as a way for foreign tourists to experience Korean culture up close. Temples in major cities as well as in remote mountains provide the programs. Nine temples in Seoul participate, including Myogak Temple, Bongeun Temple and Gilsang Temple. Last year alone, over 2,000 Koreans and more than 700 visitors from overseas took part in the weekend programs provided by Myogak in Jongno District, Seoul. The main part of the weekend programs, which usually start on Saturday afternoon, consists of striking a bell, bowing to Buddha, Zen meditation and mountain hiking in the early morning on Sunday. By Limb Jae-un Enlightenment is a Big Mistake” may seem an unlikely title for “Wanting a Buddhist book. But Hyon Gak is no ordinary Korean monk. In his new book, released in March, the blue-eyed Hyon Gak writes about the shock he felt when he met the Venerable Seung Sahn, as well as tales about his relationship with his late master. Hyon Gak is the author of the best-selling book, “Manhaeng: From Harvard to Hwagye Temple.” He became the first foreign head priest of a Korean temple in 2001 when he was named chief of Hyeonjeong temple in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang. “When I was at Harvard, I listened to the Venerable Seung Sahn giving Buddhist teachings,” Hyon Gak said. “I was taken aback. I was so moved that I cried all night, almost every night. I was very thankful that such teachings exist in the world.” Hyon Gak took a one-year leave from Harvard. He moved to Korea in November 1990 and trained in Zen practice at Shinwon Temple on Mount Gyeryong in South Chungcheong Province. Hyon Gak returned to Harvard after he finished training, but he had no interest in studying. “It was not fun to read books. I read books as one reads menus,” he said. “People do not look at the menu once they have started eating.” Later, he wrote a thesis based on Seung Sahn’s teachings. Masatoshi Nagatomi, a Buddhist scholar who taught at Harvard and guided Hyon Gak, passed the thesis to a publisher of Buddhist books, which released it in the United States two years ago. Hyon Gak also spoke of Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, Korea’s first cardinal, who passed away in February. He said he met Cardinal Kim once, in New York. “I wanted to meet him personally,” Hyon Gak said. “We drank tea at a Korean cathedral in New York. I felt like I was talking to a venerable Buddhist monk. I felt like I had known him for a long time.” “I told him that once I had wanted to become a Catholic priest,” Hyon Gak said. “Cardinal Kim told me he was sorry that someone like me left church. But I told him that I never left church.” “Then he turned around and looked at me attentively. And he smiled at me,” Hyon Gak said. “I knew that he understood me.” Though they never met, Hyon Gak was at Harvard at the same time as President Barack Obama. He said Obama has the heart of a Buddhist saint. “Obama is biracial and was once an outsider,” he said. “That doesn’t come from one’s head but originates from one’s experience.” Finally, Hyon Gak said, monk or not, people should live a life of giving. Hyon Gak [YONHAP] 10 korea May 2009 May 2009 korea 11
Diplomacy G-20 nations to cooperate for world economic recovery In London, leaders agree to oppose protectionism, spend on stimulus 12 korea May 2009 President Lee Myung-bak (front, far left) poses with other leaders of G-20 countries at an economic summit in London last month. Leaders of the world’s most powerful economies gathered in London on April 2 to set a road map to recovery amidst the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s. At the G-20 financial summit, the leaders hammered out a clear-cut, goal-specific agreement to fight the financial crisis. Addressing journalists after the G-20 summit, President Lee Myung-bak said the gathering of the world leaders was a success. “Each nation has diverse opinions, but British Prime Minister Gordon Brown worked very hard to narrow down the differences and coordinate the positions,” Lee said. “As a result, we have forged an agreement from diverse positions.” He went on to say that it is historically meaningful that emerging and advanced economies gathered and hammered out an agreement. “If this agreement is successfully implemented, it will be remembered as an example of how an unprecedented crisis can be resolved through international cooperation,” he added. During the summit, President Lee stressed the importance of coordinating the macroeconomic policies of the major economies and stopping the spread of trade and investment protectionism amidst a worsening economic crisis. It was not the first time Lee’s efforts to prevent the spread of protectionism had gained the support of world leaders. At the first G-20 financial summit in Washington, D.C. in November last year, Lee proposed a “standstill” commitment, urging member nations not to erect any new trade and investment barriers. The proposal gained support and was included in the declaration signed by G-20 leaders at the end of the Washington meeting. At the London meeting, G-20 leaders extended their support for Korea’s proposal to expand the “standstill” commitment to not just trade and investment but also the financial industry. At the London summit, a further accord was reached on the need to reform international financial institutions, promote global trade and investment and reject protectionism. The so-called standstill commitment agreed upon at the November summit in Washington to prevent any new trade barriers will be extended for another year, leaders agreed. Following South Korea’s initiative, the World Trade Organization was given the authority to monitor measures around the world that restrict trade and release quarterly reports on the issue. May 2009 korea 13
Page 1: Opening a communicative space betwe
Page 4 and 5: Cover Story A luminary’s party en
Page 8 and 9: Diplomacy U.S. President Barack Oba
Page 10 and 11: Global Korea KOICA in Ethiopia 18 k
Page 12 and 13: Culture Songs from the Korean soul
Page 14 and 15: Culture [JoongAng Ilbo] Art as frau
Page 16 and 17: Korean Literature Hwang Seok-yeong
Page 18 and 19: Book Human story Provided by The Ko
Page 20 and 21: Human story To Won’s father, June
Page 22 and 23: Korea through the Lens Sun flowers
Page 24 and 25: Travel minutes leads to the ridge.
Page 26 and 27: Successive administrations have sup
Page 28 and 29: Sports missionary, Phillip L. Gille
Page 30 and 31: Design The biggest auto show in the
Page 32 and 33: People [Press Q] Father Kevin O’R
Page 34: Foreign Viewpoints Back to a life o

2005-2162 The Buddha’s birthday illuminates Seoul

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