Yongseong
Encyclopedia
Baek Yongseong Jinjong was an important Korean Buddhist
master who helped propagate Buddhism in Korea. Primarily grounded in the Seon tradition, he also set about teaching others of Pure Land Buddhism
and undertook massive studies and translation efforts of the Buddhist Tripitaka
. He was also one of thirty-three national representatives present at the March 1 Movement of 1919, the representative of the Korean Buddhist community. The March 1 Movement is said to have marked the first significant beginning of the Korean Independence Movement
, which sought to reach autonomy from Japanese occupation
.
, Jeolla-do, Korea
on May 8 of the Lunar calendar
in 1864. As a boy he was very quiet and was educated from a young age, writing his first classical Chinese
lyric poem by age nine. He entered his first monastery
in 1877 at Deokmil-am, but was withdrawn by his parents not long after entering. In 1879, at age fifteen, he was ordained a sunim
by the Venerable Hwanwol at Haeinsa
in Hapcheon
in South Gyeongsang and was given the ordination name Jinjong. He then traveled to see Venerable Suwol, who instructed Yongseong on the practice of dharani
. Not long after, it is said that he had an "awakening experience" following six days of Seon meditation
at Bogwangsa in Yangju
. Not satisfied with his own awakening, he began his "investigation" of the MU
koan under Seon master Muyung.
In 1884, at age twenty, Yongseong received the Vinaya
and Bodhisattva Precepts
under the Vinaya master Seongok at Tongdosa
, becoming a fully ordained sunim
. Yongseong attained enlightenment during this period at Songgwangsa
. He spent the coming years practicing Seon meditation and studying the Korean Tripitaka
at monasteries and temples throughout Korea, engaging many masters in Dharma combat
. Beginning in 1903 he began leading discussions on Seon and Pure Land Buddhism
with various students, and also set about building meditation hall
s for temples and repaired the Tripitaka
woodblock
s housed at Haeinsa
. From 1907 to 1908 he traveled through parts of China
, where he visited various temples and masters. According to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism's website, "To a Chinese monk who arrogantly praised the superiority of Chinese Buddhism and disparaged Korean Buddhism, he replied, 'Is the Sun and the Moon in the sky your country's alone? Buddhist dharma is a public truth of the world, so how can the public truth of the world be limited to China?' In this way, he defended the legitimacy of Korean Buddhism."
In 1910 he became Master of Chilburam Meditation Hall on Jirisan
mountain, and his congregation asked him to critique others religions from a Buddhist standpoint. This resulted in his writing of a treatise
known as Gwiwon Jeongjong, a work which focused primarily on the flaws of Christianity
. In 1911 he left for Seoul
, where he found himself dismayed by the situation of Korean Buddhism
when contrasted with other religions. So he began teaching Buddhism to others while there, and established Daegaksa and other temples while there. He also managed a mining
company to help fund some of his Buddhist missionary work. In 1919 he became involved in the Korean Independence Movement
, and was named one of thirty-three national representatives for the March 1 Movement—the designated representative of the Buddhist community. He was arrested by the Japanese
during this event and detained until 1921. Following his release, Yongseong doubled his efforts to propagate Buddhism in Korea, and in 1925 he established the "Supreme Enlightenment Foundation"—an organization which sought to establish Buddhist educational movements. He spent the remainder of his life spreading Buddhism, and died in 1940 at age 76.
Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...
master who helped propagate Buddhism in Korea. Primarily grounded in the Seon tradition, he also set about teaching others of Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism , also referred to as Amidism in English, is a broad branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism and currently one of the most popular traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a branch of Buddhism focused on Amitābha Buddha...
and undertook massive studies and translation efforts of the Buddhist Tripitaka
Tripiṭaka
' is a traditional term used by various Buddhist sects to describe their various canons of scriptures. As the name suggests, a traditionally contains three "baskets" of teachings: a , a and an .-The three categories:Tripitaka is the three main categories of texts that make up the...
. He was also one of thirty-three national representatives present at the March 1 Movement of 1919, the representative of the Korean Buddhist community. The March 1 Movement is said to have marked the first significant beginning of the Korean Independence Movement
Korean independence movement
The Korean independence movement grew out of the Japanese colonial rule of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945. After the Japanese surrendered, Korea became independent; that day is now an annual holiday called Gwangbokjeol in South Korea, and Chogukhaebangŭi nal in North Korea.-Background:In...
, which sought to reach autonomy from Japanese occupation
Korea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
.
Biography
Yongseong was born Baek Sanggyu in NamwonNamwon
Namwon is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. Namwon is about 45 minutes from the provincial capital of Jeonju, which is three hours away from Seoul....
, Jeolla-do, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
on May 8 of the Lunar calendar
Lunar calendar
A lunar calendar is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. A common purely lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar. A feature of the Islamic calendar is that a year is always 12 months, so the months are not linked with the seasons and drift each solar year by 11 to...
in 1864. As a boy he was very quiet and was educated from a young age, writing his first classical Chinese
Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese...
lyric poem by age nine. He entered his first monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in 1877 at Deokmil-am, but was withdrawn by his parents not long after entering. In 1879, at age fifteen, he was ordained a sunim
Sunim
Sunim is the Korean title for a Buddhist monk or Buddhist nun. It is considered respectful to refer to senior monks or nuns in Korea as Kun sunim. In most Korean temples, a middle-aged monk assumes the role of a juji sunim, who serves administrative functions. The eldest sunim is typically seen as...
by the Venerable Hwanwol at Haeinsa
Haeinsa
Haeinsa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in the Gaya Mountains , South Gyeongsang Province South Korea...
in Hapcheon
Hapcheon
Hapcheon County is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Famous people born in the county include former South Korean president Chun Doo-hwan.-Location:...
in South Gyeongsang and was given the ordination name Jinjong. He then traveled to see Venerable Suwol, who instructed Yongseong on the practice of dharani
Dharani
A ' is a type of ritual speech similar to a mantra. The terms dharani and satheesh may be seen as synonyms, although they are normally used in distinct contexts....
. Not long after, it is said that he had an "awakening experience" following six days of Seon meditation
Zazen
In Zen Buddhism, zazen is a meditative discipline practitioners perform to calm the body and the mind, and be able to concentrate enough to experience insight into the nature of existence and thereby gain enlightenment .- Significance :Zazen is considered the heart of Zen Buddhist practice...
at Bogwangsa in Yangju
Yangju
Yangju is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Yangju is located south of Dongducheon and north of Uijeongbu not far from Seoul.- Attractions:...
. Not satisfied with his own awakening, he began his "investigation" of the MU
Mu (negative)
or Wu , is a word which has been translated variously as "not", "nothing", "without", "nothingness", "non existent", "non being", or evocatively simply as "no thing"...
koan under Seon master Muyung.
In 1884, at age twenty, Yongseong received the Vinaya
Vinaya
The Vinaya is the regulatory framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha, based in the canonical texts called Vinaya Pitaka. The teachings of the Buddha, or Buddhadharma can be divided into two broad categories: 'Dharma' or doctrine, and 'Vinaya', or discipline...
and Bodhisattva Precepts
Bodhisattva Precepts
The Bodhisattva Precepts are a set of moral codes used in Mahayana Buddhism to advance a practitioner along the path to becoming a Bodhisattva. Traditionally, monastics observed the basic moral code in Buddhism, the Pratimoksha, but in the Mahayana tradition, monks would additionally observe the...
under the Vinaya master Seongok at Tongdosa
Tongdosa
Tongdosa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and in the southern part of Mt...
, becoming a fully ordained sunim
Sunim
Sunim is the Korean title for a Buddhist monk or Buddhist nun. It is considered respectful to refer to senior monks or nuns in Korea as Kun sunim. In most Korean temples, a middle-aged monk assumes the role of a juji sunim, who serves administrative functions. The eldest sunim is typically seen as...
. Yongseong attained enlightenment during this period at Songgwangsa
Songgwangsa
Songgwangsa , one of the three jewels of Korean Buddhism, is located in Jeollanam-do on the Korean Peninsula...
. He spent the coming years practicing Seon meditation and studying the Korean Tripitaka
Tripiṭaka
' is a traditional term used by various Buddhist sects to describe their various canons of scriptures. As the name suggests, a traditionally contains three "baskets" of teachings: a , a and an .-The three categories:Tripitaka is the three main categories of texts that make up the...
at monasteries and temples throughout Korea, engaging many masters in Dharma combat
Dharma combat
Dharma combat, called or in Japanese, is a term in some schools of Buddhism referring to an intense exchange between student and teacher, and sometimes between teachers, as an occasion for one or both to demonstrate his or her understanding of the Dharma and Buddhist tenets. It is used by both...
. Beginning in 1903 he began leading discussions on Seon and Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism
Pure Land Buddhism , also referred to as Amidism in English, is a broad branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism and currently one of the most popular traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a branch of Buddhism focused on Amitābha Buddha...
with various students, and also set about building meditation hall
Zendo
or is a Japanese term translating roughly as "meditation hall". In Zen Buddhism, the zen-dō is a spiritual dōjō where zazen is practiced...
s for temples and repaired the Tripitaka
Tripiṭaka
' is a traditional term used by various Buddhist sects to describe their various canons of scriptures. As the name suggests, a traditionally contains three "baskets" of teachings: a , a and an .-The three categories:Tripitaka is the three main categories of texts that make up the...
woodblock
Woodcut
Woodcut—occasionally known as xylography—is a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with gouges...
s housed at Haeinsa
Haeinsa
Haeinsa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in the Gaya Mountains , South Gyeongsang Province South Korea...
. From 1907 to 1908 he traveled through parts of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where he visited various temples and masters. According to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism's website, "To a Chinese monk who arrogantly praised the superiority of Chinese Buddhism and disparaged Korean Buddhism, he replied, 'Is the Sun and the Moon in the sky your country's alone? Buddhist dharma is a public truth of the world, so how can the public truth of the world be limited to China?' In this way, he defended the legitimacy of Korean Buddhism."
In 1910 he became Master of Chilburam Meditation Hall on Jirisan
Jirisan
Jirisan is a mountain in the southern region of South Korea. It is often considered one of the three most important mountains in South Korea , with Hallasan and Seoraksan being the other two....
mountain, and his congregation asked him to critique others religions from a Buddhist standpoint. This resulted in his writing of a treatise
Treatise
A treatise is a formal and systematic written discourse on some subject, generally longer and treating it in greater depth than an essay, and more concerned with investigating or exposing the principles of the subject.-Noteworthy treatises:...
known as Gwiwon Jeongjong, a work which focused primarily on the flaws of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. In 1911 he left for Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, where he found himself dismayed by the situation of Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...
when contrasted with other religions. So he began teaching Buddhism to others while there, and established Daegaksa and other temples while there. He also managed a mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
company to help fund some of his Buddhist missionary work. In 1919 he became involved in the Korean Independence Movement
Korean independence movement
The Korean independence movement grew out of the Japanese colonial rule of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945. After the Japanese surrendered, Korea became independent; that day is now an annual holiday called Gwangbokjeol in South Korea, and Chogukhaebangŭi nal in North Korea.-Background:In...
, and was named one of thirty-three national representatives for the March 1 Movement—the designated representative of the Buddhist community. He was arrested by the Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
during this event and detained until 1921. Following his release, Yongseong doubled his efforts to propagate Buddhism in Korea, and in 1925 he established the "Supreme Enlightenment Foundation"—an organization which sought to establish Buddhist educational movements. He spent the remainder of his life spreading Buddhism, and died in 1940 at age 76.