Sunday 19 May 2013

Temple Stay - Geumsansa

I went with Adventure Korea on a templestay to Geumsansa temple.
(Ironically on St. Patrick's weekend. I am a disgrace to my national stereotype.)



It's not just for idle foreigners either. Temple stays are open to all.
The object is to experience regular temple life, retreat from modern life and all that sort of thing.
(Despite the rules, we didn't seem to forsake our cameras or phones. I didn't take pictures inside any of the temples because that is just gauche.)



Personally, I would say the trip is worth it just for the fresh air. Geumsansa is on the slopes of Moaksan in Jeollabuk-do
Hillwalking and mountain-climbing is Korea's favourite pastime (The first being co-ordinating your outfit with the rest of your walking group.) so while we were there there was an endless stream of hiking groups making their way through. They seemed to use the temple a their starting point before climbing the mountain. (or simply going for a nature ramble.) It can be arranged to have your dinner in the temple refectory if you want.
This is fairly common. Historically speaking temples were banned from city limits so a great many were built in the countryside among the mountains.



Geumsansa is a large complex with several smaller temples and shrines within it. It's notable for containing many significant historical artifacts. (Officially designated national treasures. One of the reasons for our strict curfew.) I recall one of the group complained about the protective covering over one burial site because their photos would be 'much better' if it wasn't there. =.= It's not as it there was a giant bilingual sign explaining the cover and the value of the monument right beside it...oh wait, yes there was.
Everything is also decorated in a very colorful manner.






We met in Seoul and took a bus down to Geumsamsa. (Stopping at a truckstop that I found quite expansive.)


We were issued with nametags and a schedule for our weekend. The workers at the temple were great. I think they were volunteers and 'parishioners' (For lack of an appropriate term). They helped organise us and served as assistants to the monks.
The first thing they did was dispense our temple gear which was a nice mixture of comfortable and durable even if the velcro ended up leaving a red mark on me later on. (I did like the little fastenings at the leg.)
We expected to be put into a 'dorm' but it ended up that Helen and I shared a room instead with neat little dual sliding doors (The extra set was a mosquito net.) I also had my first experience with what I reasonably assume to be a yo, which is just like a futon in concept except Korean. It was more comfortable than we expected although another night may have made it less so.



Then we were taught the proper ways to sit and bow.
At the end of the weekend I had crippling pain in my legs (Taekwondo was fun the next day I can tell you that much.) and a firm conviction that before spiritual fulfilment Buddhism is going to give you strong leg muscles.
We were also instructed when and where to bow and places that we were not allowed to go. We had to bow to monks we met on our way and they laughed at us silly foreigners.

After that, by consulting our handy-dandy timetable, we made lotus lanterns. Which is simple but fiddly and messy at the same time. The problem that struck me is that someone had to pre-make all of the 'petals' we used to stick onto the wire and paper base lantern. Sounds like a mild exercise in insanity. (Also someone used all the red 'petals' lickety-split and earned the silent buried wrath of about thirty people.)
 Then we were instructed to write a 'wish'. I struggled with this. I don't actually believe in wishes so I just wrote something vague in Irish since it was the weekend of March 17th.




We ate lunch in the refectory where the rule seemed to be that if the monks appear you get out the way bitch. Oh and eat everything you take. (Another reason that Buddhism is good for your health.) There is no meat because they're vegetarian which is why I could not live the lifestyle in any form.

We had the evening ceremonies, where I learned that the monks of this sect have rhythm and mad drumming skills. We all got a chance to ring the bell to hell before sitting through evening ceremonies and walking meditation.




We ended the evening with a Q&A with the monk which was very interesting. I learned that nowadays monks must go to university much like priests at home. Unfortunately there were several stupid questions. The monk had unending patience but his opinion on some questions were apparant on his face. (The look basically said 'Give me strength')

Nothing to top the 'Hitler -reincarnation' question Stephanie heard on her temple stay. But a fair amount of silly questions. This monk was a young man and still in university pursuing an advanced qualification. He told us he liked soccer and later someone asked "What do you wear when you play soccer?" I think he wanted to leave when they asked that in all po-faced seriousness. (For the record, the answer was a soccer uniform.)
It was interesting to hear their concept of spiritual punishment (Hell is horrible, yes but you serve your time and you're out.), reincarnation and how the temple functions in general.



There was a 'dawn ceremony' which we could have opted out of. I did. The tour guide gushed about it being part of the experience but I couldn't wake up enough (at 3:00) to go there without tripping, falling, going back to sleep and/or gravely insulting the monks and the temple.
Also I had to get up before seven to reach the meeting point in time, I hadn't slept all day and this was after about two hours sleep.

At the regular meeting time we had morning meditation. (Where I learned how unflexible I still am. I get phantom pains just thinking about it.) Afterwards was a traditional formal monastic meal. We learned the special way to unstack the bowls, fold the cloth covers and serving the food. There are special movements to indicate you have enough too. It is strictly forbidden to take anything that you will not eat so I had a small breakfast, not caring much for radish.
This included a special way to wash the dishes. If you do it right then your water should be mostly clean. It's then used in a special ceremony to slack the thirst of those suffering in hell.




Then came the communal work. ("Woo! Free labour." shout the monks.)  One group whose dish water was not sufficiently clean had to wash dishes. Our group was sent to sweep up the yards of leaves.
Pro tip: Watch out for hibernating frogs. I nearly killed one. Oops. Not the kind of karma I needed.

Afterall those splintery brooms we went for a walk in the mountains which was very nice indeed.A brief respite before the arduous task before us. We had to make a necklace of prayer beads - 108 to be precise.
To put one bead on your necklace you need to perform one full bow. This involves a half bow at the waist, kneeling down, placing  your hands flat on the mat, placing your forehead flat on the mat, reversing your hands before raising them up while you remain face down. Then you have to reverse all of these movements to get back up. That is exactly one bow (and worth one bead) and you must kneel down and get up in a special manner.
To sum up this part: "Oh god, my legs."



That was pretty much everything we did. I enjoyed it despite my lack of leg strength. It was definitely an interesting experience.

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