[Temple Adventures] Tongdo Temple: Home to the Buddha's partial remains

Behind Gwaneumjeon (the Hall of Avalokitesvara) at Tongdo Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

By Dale Quarrington

Oftentimes, and if you're lucky, you'll be able to look back at your past and point to the moment you fell in love with someone or something. I first fell in love with Korean Buddhist temples back in the fall of 2003.

Having lived in Busan for only a couple of weeks, and feeling a bit more adventurous after finally getting my bearings, I thought I would travel northward to the famed Tongdo Temple in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. With all of that expectation and excitement boiling up inside me, it certainly didn't disappoint.

Tongdo Temple, which means, "Passing Through to Enlightenment Temple," in English, was first established in 646 by the famed monk, Jajang-yulsa (590-658). Jajang-yulsa traveled to Tang China in 636 to further his Buddhist studies. When he returned, he brought back holy relics of the Buddha that were given to him by Munsu-bosal, the Bodhisattva of wisdom, according to the historical text, the "Samguk Yusa" (the "Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms"). These holy relics consisted of sarira (crystallized remains) of the Buddha, as well as the Buddha's alms bowl, robe, a tooth and part of his jawbone. Jajang-yulsa established Tongdo Temple to house these holy relics to help promote the spread of the relatively newly established religion of Buddhism in the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.―935 A.D.). After Tongdo Temple was established, the temple grew in size gradually and became a center for Buddhism under the protection of the Silla royal family.

Inside Yeongsanjeon at Tongdo Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

Together with Haein Temple in Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province, and Songgwang Temple in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, Tongdo Temple is one of the "Three Jewels Temples" ("sambosachal" in Korean) in Korea. In total, Tongdo Temple is home to 19 national treasures. It also participates in Korea's popular Templestay program.

Tongdo Temple is beautifully situated to the south of the towering Mount Yeongchuk (1,082.2 meters). As you make your way up towards the main temple grounds underneath a beautiful, mature canopy of twisted red pines, you'll enjoy the shade of these trees, as you're joined by the meditative flow of the neighboring stream that divides the temple grounds. Along the way, you'll notice that the rock faces that line the entry trail are covered in ancient carved graffiti. The first real signs that you've finally arrived at the temple grounds are the stupas that house the earthly remains of centuries of monks that once called Tongdo Temple their home.

Banwol Bridge crosses over the stream in front of Tongdo Temple. / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

Past the Banwol Bridge that spans the width of a meditative and meandering stream, which flows the length of the temple grounds and out towards the entry, is Iljumun (One Pillar Gate). The pathway between this gate and the next, which is Cheonwangmun, is often filled with paper lanterns, especially during Buddha's Birthday celebrations. Inside Cheonwangmun, you'll find four fierce statues dedicated to the Sacheonwang (Four Heavenly Kings).

After Cheongwangmun, you'll finally enter into the lower temple courtyard. Housed inside this lower courtyard are three temple shrine halls including: Geungnakjeon (Paradise Hall), Yeongsangjeon (Vulture Peak Hall) and Yaksajeon (Yaksa-bul Hall). Also found inside the lower courtyard is a two-story temple bell pavilion that houses the four traditional Buddhist percussion instruments. Of note are the beautiful, fading pastel colors of the Banya Yongseon-do (Dragon Ship of Wisdom Mural), on the backside of the Geungnakjeon. Also, look for the amazing 50 Buddhist murals housed inside Yeongsanjeon that are classified as Korean Treasures.

The beautiful, fading pastel colors of the Banya Yongseon-do (Dragon Ship of Wisdom Mural) at Tongdo Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

Next, and passing through the Bulimun (Gate of Non-Duality), the third and final entry gate of Tongdo Temple, you'll enter into the upper courtyard, which is home to nearly a dozen temple shrine halls, including the ever-popular Gwaneumjeon (Hall of Avalokitesvara), Yonghwajeon (Dragon Flower Hall), Daejeokgwangjeon (Hall of Ultimate Silence and Light) and Myeongbujeon (Judgment Hall). Also found in the upper courtyard, next to the central Daeungjeon (Great Hero Hall) and Guryongji Pond (Nine Dragons Pond), are Eungjinjeon and the shaman shrine halls, dedicated to the Sanshin (Mountain Spirit) and the Dokseong (Lonely Saint).

Guryongji Pond (Nine Dragons Pond) at Tongdo Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

Legend has it that there were nine dragons living in Guryongji Pond. Jajang-yulsa prayed, chanted and wrote Buddhist scriptures in an attempt to get them to leave. But despite all his efforts, they refused to go. Then he wrote the Chinese character for fire on a piece of paper and threw it into the air while swirling the waters of Guryongji Pond with a stick. Mysteriously, the pond water began to boil. Three of the dragons flew out of the water to escape the heat. Disoriented, they crashed into a neighboring hillside, on a site now called Yonghyeolam (Dragon Blood Rock) that can be found on the temple grounds to this day. Five other dragons flew southwest into a valley now known as Oryonggok (Five Dragon Valley). The last of the nine dragons, who stayed in Guryongji Pond and was blinded by the boiling water, promised Jajang-yulsa that if he were allowed to stay in the pond, he would help guard the temple. Jajang-yulsa agreed, and the dragon still takes up residence at Guryongji Pond, west of the present Daeungjeon.

Geumgang Gyedan, where the partial remains of the Buddha are housed, in front of Daeungjeon, Tongdo Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

The most important hall in the upper courtyard, or of any temple for that matter, is Daeungjeon. Tongdo Temple's Daeungjeon is registered as a Korean national treasure. Typically, a temple's Daeungjeon has a triad of Buddha and/or Bodhisattva statues resting upon the main altar inside this temple shrine hall. However, at Tongdo Temple, there is simply a window that looks out onto the Geumgang Gyedan (Diamond Altar), an outdoor altar that houses the partial remains of the Buddha, Seokgamoni-bul, which Jajang-yulsa brought back from China and used to help found Tongdo Temple.

The stone lotus bud housing the Buddha's partial remains, Tongdo Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

So much of Tongdo Temple's history centers on the preservation of these holy relics of the Buddha, especially the sarira, which was housed inside the centrally located Geumgang Gyedan. The sarira were placed inside a stone lotus bud sitting atop the Geumgang Gyedan, protected behind numerous stone rails and guardians at each of the four corners of the altar's elevated platform. The Geumgang Gyedan, which is still the main focus of the temple, and before which Buddhist monks still take their religious precepts, is situated to the north of Daeungjeon at Tongdo Temple. The Geumgang Gyedan has been repaired seven times ― in 1379, 1603, 1652, 1705, 1743, 1823 and 1911 ― and it's still as awe-inspiring as the day it was first built.

Dale Quarrington has visited over 500 temples throughout the Korean Peninsula and published three books on Korean Buddhism. He runs the popular website, "Dale's Korean Temple Adventures."