Korea (Jogye Order) to host 2012 WFB Conference

The 2012 World Fellowship of Buddhist Conference will be held in Korea hosted by the Jogye Order. The decision came during the 25th WFB Conference on November 13 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The 26th WFB Conference will be organized by the Jogye Order and the Jogye Order’s Central Council of the Laity. The plan is to have the conference coincide with the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu City and the very popular Lotus Lantern Festival.

Director of Social Affairs Ven. Hyegyeong said, “The reason for coinciding the conference with the expo and the Lotus Lantern Festival is that it would be a good way to show the world the beauty and richness of Korean Buddhist tradition and to promote Korean Buddhism. We will have a tentative six-day visit plan with half the time spent in Yeosu City and the conference, and the other days to see the Lotus Lantern Festival.”

Read the rest of the press release here

Buddhists close temples to Korean President allies, GNP reps

After funding for a temple stay program was slashed in the national budget passed Wednesday, the Buddhist community has lashed back at the Lee Myung-bak administration, and Grand National Chairman Ahn Sang-soo vowed yesterday to find out who cut the funds and punish them.

The Jogye Order, the country’s largest Buddhist sect, issued a statement Thursday banning all Grand National Party lawmakers and Lee Myung-bak administration officials from entering its temples. “The ruling party and the administration rammed through next year’s budget on Wednesday, and the amount earmarked for the temple stay project was cut based on religious bias,” the statement said. “We cannot accept this situation and we ban all public servants and GNP lawmakers from entering temples nationwide.”

Read the rest of the story from The Buddhist Channel.

Congratulations new Bhikkhus!

Ven. Hae Doh (along with Ven. Hae Moon, Ven. Hae Kwang) received their full Bhikkhu ordination in Korea this past week and are on their way back home now. Congratulations to them as well as the other 100+ monks that have committed to the next level!

Book explores 30 wonders of Korean Buddhism

Understanding a religious faith is difficult — spanning the scope from the history and culture to philosophy and practices, it would be nearly impossible to completely learn a given tradition in a short period of time, although people benefit greatly by using various sources, including books.

The Korea Buddhism Promotion Foundation has been working hard to make Buddhism and its unique culture and teachings accessible to both the local and foreign crowds, and it hopes to facilitate the process with a new book, “The Colors of Korean Buddhism: 30 Icons and Their Stories.”

The book introduces distinctive icons that represent Korean Buddhism, which also have been published in The Korea Times from February to September this year. The series was called “Icons of Korean Buddhism” and introduced 30 of the representative or most typical Korean Buddhist cultural items, personas and symbols.

Read the rest of the article from the Korea Times here.

30 Year Anniversary of October 27 Incident

October 27 marks the 30-year anniversary of the government’s illegal actions against the Buddhist community. Now, the Buddhist community demands the truth to be revealed, the restoration of honor for the victims, and compensation for victims. To commemorate the 30-year anniversary, there was a dharma service and a meeting of the victims at Jogyesa Temple on October 27.

What is the October 27 Incident?
New Military Government Search Temples and Takes Away Monks and Nuns

On October 27, 1980, the Korean Government illegally searched Buddhist temples and forcibly hauled away monks and nuns. This is the first time the Buddhist community was singly sought out and oppressed in modern Korean history. The government, which has newly seized power, as a “purification movement” searched 5731 temples and took away 1929 Buddhists to be interrogated. After the incident, there were distorted and exaggerated reports, and various false rumors circulated to cause immense damage to the Buddhist community. By these severe actions of the government, the human rights of numerous monks and nuns were violated, which led to a dramatic decrease in the number of Buddhist faithful as well as the Buddhist community losing social authority. Accordingly, the October 27 Incident is an abuse of government authority, which was a violation of religious freedom and human rights.

Read the full story on Korean Buddhism.net

Taego and IBS retreat of Western region (Los Angeles, CA).

Taego Monk Training and Ordination Ceremony (행자교육)

한국불교태고종행자교육, 35기득도식, 선암사
This is video from a Korean TV station showing the novice monk training and ordination ceremony that took place earlier this week. Muddy Water Zen's Bup Chon Sunim has an English interview near the end of the video starting at the 8:59 mark.

Note: If video doesn't play click on the box to watch on host site.

Taego Ordination (Congratulations Bup Chon Sunim)

Ven. Bishop Jongmae has confirmed through the president of the Taego order that the Samanera and Sameneri ordination of 104 new monks (both male and female) has been completed in Korea this morning. Congratulations to Brent Eastman on being ordained as Bup Chon Sunim! This Sunday, Muddy Water Zen will hold a special service to introduce Bup Chon Sunim as the newest clergy member of Muddy Water Zen and gather in a celebratory vegetarian potluck after the morning service. Please join us if you can.

Religion in Contemporary Korea

On August 10, 2010, Dr. John Goulde, professor of religion and director of the Asian Studies Program at Sweet Briar College, spoke at The Korea Society to middle- and high-school teachers as part of the New York City Department of Education’s After School Professional Development Program. Dr. Goulde specializes in the sociology, religion, and culture of North and South Korea. He received a bachelor’s degree from Seoul National University and completed his graduate work at Harvard University. In this second of two lectures, Dr. Goulde addresses religion in contemporary Korea.

Listen Here

A "Shelter" for Dharma Awakening in Korea

Rapid socio-economic growth of South Korea has brought an unwelcome side effect that threatens to undermine its own cultural heritage as well as moral standards.

Worse yet, fierce - if not fanatical Christian evangelical onslaughts - have jeopardized the history and value systems of Korea, whose culture and way of life have harmoniously interlaced with Buddhism since its introduction in the year of 372 AD.

Under the seizure of bellicose evangelism, Buddhism in Korea has been painted as a misguided, superstitious cult, while Buddhists are openly abused as 'demons worshippers'. In some cases, physical and criminal assault were reported, such as temple-burning, insults openly hurled at Buddha images or statutes etc.

Continue reading story from Zen Mirror

Taego novice monk trainees at Sonamsa in Korea

영산제 (Young-San-Je) in Los Angles in 2011

Video Ven. Bishop Jongmae posted earlier today on Facebook of Young-San-Je...Young-San-Je (영산제) usually takes 8 to 10 hours to complete the ritual. Yet in the old days, Young-San-Je took 2 full days to complete.

Taego order overseas parish officially invites Young-San-Je performers from Taego order Korea.
Bishop Dr. Jongmae Park and Venerable Bo Kwang will be the host of its performing which will take place
in Los Angles in the summer of next year (2011). Young-San-Je is world treasure that protect by UNESCO
(United Nations) and it is over thousand years of traditional ritual which is held by Korean Buddhist Taego order.
Venerable Il-Woon (who is a national living treasure of Young-Sa-Je ritual) will leads all performers from
Korea and mostly stay in greater Los Angeles area during the event.

MWZ/IBS Fall Retreat

A (very) short slideshow of Muddy Water Zen/IBS Fall Retreat which took place in Saugatuck, MI this past weekend.

Welcome to the Oversea Parish of the Taego Order

Greetings visitor!

We are launching this blog in conjunction with the Overseas Taego Order Parish, led by Ven. Dr. Jongmae Park, Bishop of the Overseas Parish.

Here you will find comments and articles, but primarily a way for the clergy of the Overseas Taegojong stay in touch. Please use the comment feature to join the discussion. For more information on the Taego order, please visit our website: www.taegozen.org