Buddhist leader calls Pakistan visit 'spiritually stimulating'

Ven. Wonhaeng, third from left, president of Korea's largest Buddhist sect Jogye Order, listens as Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, right, speaks during the former's courtesy visit to the Pakistani leader in Islamabad on Nov. 20. / Courtesy of Jogye Order

By Kang Hyun-kyung

The president of Korea's largest Buddhist sect the Jogye Order, Ven. Wonhaeng, said his recent trip to Pakistan was spiritually stimulating and he had several heart-felt moments because of the country's historical ties with Korean Buddhism.

"I was deeply moved when I first stepped into Pakistan because it is the home country of the Ven. Marananta, who brought Buddhism to Korea about 1,600 years ago," he said in a Buddhist ceremony in Seoul last week. "I was touched when I thought of him, who toiled to come all the way to East Asia against all the odds to spread Buddhism."

Ven. Wonhaeng said his trip to Pakistan reminded him of the importance of the spread of Korean Buddhism overseas.

"Among others, I was impressed by the Pakistani government's ceaseless efforts to preserve historic sites having a trace of Buddhism," he said. "This reminds me of Korean history books which state that Ven. Marananta brought Buddhism to Korea in the fourth century."

Ven. Wonhaeng returned to Korea in late November after a visit to Pakistan from Nov. 16 to 24. During the week-long trip, the Jogye Order leader met Buddhist leaders and politicians, including Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi.

During the courtesy visit to the Pakistani president, Nov. 20, Ven. Wonhaeng emphasized Korean Buddhism's centuries-old relationship with Pakistan. He mentioned that Ven. Marananta was from Gandhara in modern-day Pakistan and Korean monk Hyecho of the Silla Kingdom visited Chitral and Swat in Pakistan, which is in the monk's book "The Hyecho Diary: Memoir of the Pilgrimage to the Five Regions of India."

President Alvi responded positively, stressing religious groups peacefully co-exist in his country and he hoped many Korean Buddhists can visit Pakistan.

Ven. Wonhaeng also had a closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Khan on the same day.

The Korean Buddhist delegation traveled to several historic sites, including the Lahore Museum, which has many Greco-Buddhist sculptures and Mughal and Pahari paintings.

Their Pakistan trip came nearly three months after Pakistani Ambassador to Korea Rahim Hayat Qureshi paid a courtesy visit to the Jogye Order leader on Aug. 28 to strengthen cooperation between the Buddhist sect and Pakistan. The Pakistani envoy proposed that Ven. Wonhaeng have a state visit to his home country to facilitate ties.

The Jogye Order leader accepted the offer, saying he knew Pakistan has a strong bond with Buddhism and he hoped his visit could help improve ties between two religions, Buddhism and Islam, and Korea-Pakistan relations.

He said the Korean Buddhist delegation's visit to Pakistan would also help the preservation and recovery of Buddhist sites and relics in the country.

"I thank the Pakistani people and government for their efforts to preserve Buddhist sites and historic relics and hope that our recent visit can trigger and continue further cooperation between the two sides in the next 1,000 years," Ven. Wonhaeng said.

The Jogye Order said an agreement was reached to establish a Korean temple at one of the Buddhist sites in Pakistan.

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