Monk from US blasts Korean Buddhism for love of money

By Kim Se-jeong

Hyun Gak

A well-known monk from the United States said Friday that he will cut ties with Korean Buddhism which he said is dominated by “bad monks” who pursue money and discriminate against foreign monks.

On his Facebook account, Monk Hyun Gak wrote, “I am deeply disappointed with Korean Buddhism. August will be my last visit to Korea.”

Hyun Gak currently serves as chief monk at Hyeongjeong Temple in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. He is now staying in Germany.

Born in New Jersey, the monk became a member of the Jogye Order in 1992. He became a Korean citizen in 2008.

He was inspired by Seungsahn, the master of the Jogye Order and a founder of the International Kwan Um School of Zen. The two met at a lecture in the U.S. Seongsahn died in 2004, and Hyun Gak took over the Zen school as director.

The monk cited the authoritarian culture, hierarchical system, discrimination against nationality and gender, and the pursuit of money within the Jogye Order as reasons for his departure.

“Foreign monks like me were only a decoration for the Jogye Order. This is a summary of my experience as a monk in Korea. This is very sad,” he wrote. “Korean Buddhism under Seungsahn was different. They were open to diversity and more tolerable. But the Jogye Order changed things.”

He harshly criticized Korean Buddhism for its love for money.

“The essence of Korean Buddhism has been replaced with the pursuit of money as part of its blessings. This is utterly sad.”

Hyun Gak studied at Yale University and Harvard Divinity School.