[Temple Adventures] Pilgrimage to 3 temples for Buddha's Birthday

The temple courtyard at Yonghwa Temple is decorated with colorful lanterns. / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

By Dale Quarrington

More often than not for Buddha's Birthday, I'll visit larger temples like Tongdo Temple right here in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, or Samgwang Temple in neighboring Busan.

There's nothing quite like visiting a large, historic temple like Tongdo Temple on the biggest Buddhist holiday of the year. There's just something special about a temple that's nearly 1,500 years old and rich in both tradition and ancient temple structures that adds a certain transcendent depth to one's experience.

A close second is the colors, lights, and pageantry that a temple like Samgwang Temple puts on display during its Buddha's Birthday celebrations. With over 40,000 paper lanterns, mechanical lotus flowers and dragons, and the larger-than-life temple structures, it's hard to deny the aesthetic beauty that envelopes Samgwang Temple on Buddha's Birthday.

However, with all that being said, and because of the COVID-19 numbers being what they are, I decided to play it a bit safer. Instead of visiting those prominent temples that would be packed with visitors, I decided to go to three local temples in my area, following the Korean tradition known as Samsasunrye ("Three Temple Pilgrimage"). This is an older tradition that is less commonly practiced these days, but it still seems to be prevalent in regions that have a higher Buddhist population like North Gyeongsang Province, South Gyeongsang Province and Busan.

A pink paper lantern at Gwaneum Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

The number three is sacred in Buddhism. Not only does it represent the Three Jewels of Buddhism, known as "Sambo" in Korean, which represents the Buddha, the Dharma (teachings) and the Sangha (community), it also embodies the idea of completeness. The number three is also considered to be auspicious, as best represented in Buddhist pagodas, which are most commonly formed as three-story structures. More specifically, and as for the Samsasunrye, it's completed by those people that want to achieve something.

The first of the three temples I visited was Yonghwa Temple here in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. Established in 1471, Yonghwa Temple is related to Mireuk-bul (Future Buddha) because Mireuk-bul will be born under a dragon tree when he returns to Earth. However, beyond this, there is very little known about the temple. It is beautifully situated next to the Nakdong River below the towering Mount Obong (533 m) to the east.

Yonghwa Temple is a simple temple with just three buildings: the Daeungjeon, the Sanshingak (Mountain Spirit Hall) and the Yosa (monks' living quarters). Of the three temple buildings, it was the Daeungjeon main hall that drew my attention first. Housed inside the hall is the Stone Seated Buddha of Yonghwa Temple, which is Korean Treasure No.491. The stone statue was originally located in a temple in neighboring Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, but it was moved to Yonghwa Temple in February 1947. The statue dates back to the mid-Unified Silla Dynasty (668-935). It sits atop a beautiful stone lotus pedestal and it's surrounded by a stunning stone mandorla (an almond-shaped enclosure that encircles the body of the Buddha). Engraved on the stone mandorla are flames, flowers and clouds that help depict the light that emanates from the Buddha's body.

The stone seated Buddha of Yonghwa Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

After visiting the shamanistic Sanshingak, I was off to visit my next temple when a member of the temple staff offered me a handful of free rice cakes. It was a perfect way to end my visit to Yonghwa Temple.

Second on my three-temples pilgrimage was a little further up the mountainside, and a little further away from the Nakdong River basin. The more modern Garam Temple was a little busier than Yonghwa Temple, but still nowhere near as busy as a larger temple. The entrance was lined with staff and families that regularly attend Garam Temple. Along the way, I was offered tea, which went well with the rice cakes that I had received at Yonghwa Temple. Because morning services were ongoing when I visited Garam Temple, I decided to wander around the compact temple grounds and take in all of the artwork at the handful of temple buildings. Of note were the vibrant and descriptive Palsang-do (The Eight Scenes from the Buddha's Life Murals) that surround the Daeungjeon. Also of note were the beautiful views of the neighboring mountains and the Nakdong River. With a little more elevation than Yonghwa Temple, Garam Temple offers a beautiful, scenic view across the longest river in South Korea.

The view from the main hall at Garam Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

The last of my Samsasunrye journey was Gwaneum Temple. Not far from my home, and in back of row upon row of apartments, is this urban temple. In fact, Gwaneum Temple seems to be squeezed between apartments and the near-vertical slopes of Mount Obong. It is related to Gwanseeum-bosal, who is the Bodhisattva of Compassion. More recently, this temple has undergone renovations. Both the landscaping and the temple structures have experienced a beautiful makeover. While the main hall structure is more modern in design and less traditional, the Samseonggak (Three Saints Shrine) behind the main hall allows for some beautiful views across the sprawling cityscape from the heights of the shrine hall. Also housed in this more traditional temple shrine hall is a pleasing three-in-one shaman mural dedicated to the three most popular shaman deities found in Korean Buddhism: Chilseong (Seven Stars), Sanshin (Mountain Spirit), and Dokseong (Lonely Saint).

The Samseonggak at Gwaneum Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington

My little adventure to these three temples on Buddha's Birthday was really rewarding. It had been a long time since I had last visited three temples in one day during Buddha's Birthday celebrations. Besides realizing that you don't need to go to the oldest and most aesthetically pleasing of Korean Buddhist temples, I realized that immersing myself in the immediacy of my temple travels and experiences was reward enough. And I hope everyone else was able to get out there and enjoy some of the Buddha's Birthday celebrations here in Korea, as well.

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."