Manbulsa: Temple of 10,000 Buddhas, Million Lanterns

By Oleg Kiriyanov

Contributing writer

Traveling along Gyeongbu Expressway No. 1 not far from Yeongcheon (about 100 kilometers from Busan) you can spot a large golden statue of Buddha on the top of a mountain.

Especially on sunny days this statue can be seen from far away as it appears to radiate sunshine to the vicinity. After a few trips to Busan and then back to Seoul and endless questions about the origin of the statue, curiosity finally took me to see the statue. For my efforts I was rewarded with one of the most interesting and unusual temples in South Korea _ Manbulsa.

Manbulsa is different from most other South Korean temples, something that can be seen as soon as you arrive at its gates. Right from the start, three large golden pyramid-like structures, some seven to eight meters high draw your attention. The dominating color of the temple is not the combination of dark green and gray of traditional Korean temples but bright yellow which makes Manbulsa _ at least in color terms _ closer to Thai Buddhist temples.

Approaching the three pyramids you discover they are composed of thousands of small Buddha statues about 15 centimeters tall with Korean names engraved at the bottom of each statue and a tiny lamp above it.

A monk passing by explained that any person after paying some money to the monastery (approximately 5,000 won a month) receives this composition _ the small Buddha statue plus lantern _ which is installed in the pyramid. On the lower part of the statue the name of the owner or some other person can be written. And every day when it gets dark all the tiny lanterns are turned on, transforming the golden pyramids of the daytime into fantastic and a little bit unreal pyramids of light in the dark.

It is believed that the small Buddha statues and lanterns bring happiness and good fortune to the persons whose names are engraved on the bottom. They say this idea has become an unusual and special present _ lots of people buy these statues in the pyramids of Manbulsa for the people they love.

The same lanterns and Buddha statues with names can also be found on the walls of the main praying hall of the temple, creating a really unique atmosphere at night when the yard of the temple and the surroundings are illuminated by the lights of the small lanterns. This is why one of the unofficial names of Manbulsa is the temple of a million lanterns, which it really looks like in the darkness.

The official name, Manbulsa, means `` The Temple of 10,000 Buddhas.'' And that name suits the temple very well _ in the grounds of the temple there are other statues of Buddha about two meters high.

The principle here is the same: a person can sponsor a statue and have their name or that of a person they designate engraved on the bottom. It is also believed to bring good fortune to the ``owners'' of the engraved names. Arguably Manbulsa is the temple having one of the largest numbers of Buddha statues in the world.

Also to be found are rows of statues of so-called baby Buddhas _ child-like looking Buddhas with hats on their heads. These statues with names on them are put there by sad parents in the memory of children who died at birth.

In the middle of the main yard of the monastery there is a huge bell on the surface of which are engraved hundreds of small Buddhas. While only monks of Manbulsa are allowed to strike the bell, there are also four smaller bells around for visitors. The inscription nearby explains that if you make a wish and strike one of those bells three times it will come true.

Walk more and another ``fortune improving'' exercise will be presented to you. There are two rows of big golden cylinders _ prayer wheels. If walk along and turn one cylinder after another to the left saying at the same time the mantra, ``om mani padme hum,'' it is supposed to have the same enlightening effect as having read a big holy book.

Another point of interest of the temple is the large reclining statue of Buddha. The monastery claims that the statue _ 4 meters high and 13 meters long _ is the biggest Buddha statue in Korea made of brass.

It is also possible to reach the biggest statue of Buddha in Manbulsa _ the one seen from the Gyeonbu Expressway. As soon as you climb the hill you discover that the Buddha you saw from faraway is only a part of a bigger composition. That statue of the huge Buddha stands in an area surrounded by dozens of smaller Buddhas of human height. The ``Big Buddha'' stands on a podium where, as in the three pyramids at the entrance of the temple, there are tiny Buddha statues with names and lanterns that shine in the dark.

The climb to the hill-top where the ``Big Buddha'' is situated allows for a view of Manbulsa from above and proves that the larger part of its grounds is designated for graves. Though usually people do not like visiting cemeteries without necessity, the one at Manbulsa does not produce depressive feelings and with lots of Buddha statues interspersed with the graves, it looks like an organic part of the whole composition of the temple.

So if you are up to visit an unusual and unique Korean temple where you can arguably improve your fortune and maybe buy a lantern which will shine for you every day, Manbulsa is the choice for you. It is especially advisable to see it when it gets dark _ to enjoy the fantastic view of thousands of tiny lanterns. Just make sure you arrive not too late before the temple closes its doors.