Things to know before your Temple stay in South Korea
As Buddhism in Korea dates all the way back to the 4thcentury, it comes as no surprise that there are over 900 traditional Buddhist temples across the country, where one can practice Buddhism. Luckily for us, even 50 temples offer temple stay programmes to visitors wanting to get closer to oneself and/ or understand Buddhism a little better.
What is a Temple Stay?
It is a cultural programme, where one can learn and experience the life of Buddhism practitioners in their natural habitat. It is a great way to let the stress leave your body as you rejuvenate the soul and the body. Each temple has its own programme and focus, letting you choose from a range of temples to your best match.
“Templestay is a unique cultural program which lets you experience the life of Buddhist practitioners at traditional temples which preserve the 1700 year old history of Korean Buddhism. ”
Key facts:
1. Typical duration: 2-3 days (some offer extensions)
2. Clothing: avoid any revealing clothing
3. Behaviour: always keep your noise to minimum, refrain from smoking & alcohol, treat all people, structures and objects with respect, physical contact between genders is forbidden
4. Things to bring: toiletries, basic layers of clothing
5. Religion: every religion is welcome
6. Food: you will eat vegan food like the Buddhists do
7. Etiquette: never enter the building through the middle doors as these are for monks only; whenever you meet someone always half bow at them, you must also bow towards the Buddha every time you enter/leave the temple
8. Price: 50,000-80,000 Korean Won per night
Key Activities:
· Yebul: Ceremonial Service.Everyone on the temple compound is asked to pay their respects to the Buddha enshrined in the temple. This is done three times a day and is the main activity regulating the day’s schedule.
· Chamseon:Zen Meditation.Meditation letting one reflect within oneself. You can either practice a ‘jwaseon’ (seated meditation) or ‘haengseon’ (walking meditation). This depends on the temple and the schedule chosen.
· Barugongyang: Monastic Meal. Since the Buddhists are against hurting animals, you will be offered vegan food prepared from seasonal vegetables and rice. Buddhists eat their food in complete silence and only put on their plate as much food as they can finish, not wasting a drop of water or a grain of rice.
· Dado: Tea Ceremony. It is believed that traditional tea cleans the body and mind, thus it is a highly important part of any temple stay programme. Concentrate your attention on the sound of the boiling water, the warmth of the tea and the taste of the tea.
Top Korean Temples offering temple stays:
A monk walking towards the Guinsa temple in Danyang county, South Korea (Source: @craiglynch15)
1. Baekyangsa- famous from Netflix series “Chef’s Table”, where you can learn more about the spiritual side of food.
2. Golgulsa- home to the oldest cave temple in the country, the temple offers an opportunity to learn the traditional Buddhist Korean marital art- sunmudo. Temple stay programmes vary from 1 day intensive programmes to a 10-day courses.
3. Guinsa- for those wanting to escape the buzz of the city and reunite with the nature. The temple has over 30 temple buildings, which are all surrounded by thick natural forests and mountains.
4. International Seon Centre- located in Seoul, this modern facility offers one to learn the art of meditation and escape the stress of the city. There are also free classes in English on meditation and Buddhist teachings.
5. Jikjisa- built over 1,600 years ago, the temple has a unique plethora of Buddhist art in an on-site museum. There, you can not only learn more about the spirituality and mental rejuvenation, about also about the history of Buddhism.
There are numerous temples offering a Temple stay programme, let it be in the metropolitan city of Seoul, or deep in the mountains in one of the Korea’s national parks. If you have enough time, we would definitely recommend taking a weekend trip to a national park, where you can truly detach yourself from the buzz of the city and enjoy the meditation deep in the nature.
Have you done the temple stay before? What surprised you most?
Author: Raimonda Kekyte