Most Korean temples are located in mountain valleys. Each temple has several buildings; these include the gate or gates, halls and shrines, stupas, bell pavilions, academies, living quarters, etc.
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Most large temples have several gates before reaching the Main Hall. These gates delineate the land of Buddha and the secular world. The One-Pillar gate is the first gate in the temple. While the gate actually has two pillars, from a Buddhist point of view, it is referred to as a "One-Pillar" gate as it symbolizes that one who enters into the temple should have one mind and take the first step towards the Pure Land.
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▲The one-pillar gate at Hwaeomsa Temple |
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The second gate is the Four Guardians' gate. These guardians are in charge of the four cardinal directions; North, South, East, West, and the four seasons. The guardians are of ancient Indian religious origin. After listening to the Buddha's teaching, they became deities. Their duties include defense of the temple and crushing demonic opponents. They carry a lute, sword, dragon or pagoda, respectively, in one hand.
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▲The Four Guardians' gate at Tongdosa Temple |
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▲ The main hall
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The Main Hall is the temple's architectural and spiritual center. The name of the Main Hall is determined by the Buddha's image that is enshrined inside. An image of Buddha usually stands on the main platform, which is adorned with carvings of many animals and flowers to represent Mount Sumeru. On the wall to the right of the Buddha image is a painting of the guardians. They serve to protect the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
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Usually Buddhist paintings are drawn on the outside wall of the Main Hall. One series of paintings is entitled "Eight Scenes of the Life of the Buddha," and the other is called "the Ox-Herding Paintings." The "Eight Scenes of the Life of the Buddha" are eight scenes that include the most important events of his life.
The Ox-Herding paintings originally came from China, and depict a profound metaphor for Zen (Chan in Chinese, Seon in Korean) Practice. The pictures depict a young man searching for an ox. The young man represents the practitioner and the ox is his mind. The paintings are usually divided into ten stages, and thus they are called the Ten Ox-Herding Pictures. |
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▲ The stupa, "Seokgatap" at Bulguksa Temple
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In front of the Main Hall, there is usually a stupa. Before Buddha's images were created, the stupa was the object of worship and was regarded as Buddha and his teachings. As such, there are two types of stupas; one is for Buddha and the other is Dharma, Buddha's teachings. Over the centuries, stupas were built of various materials in East Asian Buddhist countries. Stupas in Korean Buddhism are usually made of stone, and on the surface of the stupa figures are carvings of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Devas.
On the left side of the Main Hall there is a two-story tower-like structure, which is the Bell Pavilion. There are four instruments inside, the Dharma Drum, the Wooden Fish, the Cloud-shaped Gong and the large Brahma Bell. These are used to announce the temple's daily schedule and regulate monastic life.
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Academies and living quarters are located off to the side of the temple. These places are not open to the public. Academies are used by student monks who study and practice daily. Living quarters include such facilities as dormitories, a kitchen, an eating area, and a storage house.
[source : www.visitkorea.or.kr]
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