The Jogye Order, officially "Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism", is the representative order of traditional Korean Buddhism. It originates from the master Doui who imported Seon (a variant of Zen) and the teachings of the sixth patriarch, Huineng, from China around the year 820.
Name
The word chogye (jogye) is the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese word Caoxin, the name of the mountain Caoxinshan, on which Huineng resided. The adoption of this word aims to clearly establish the lineage with Chinese Chan, while incorporating the main currents of thought and practice of Korean Buddhism.
The word was first used by the monk Uicheon, in order to refer to the "Seon School of the Nine Mountains", and it was used several times to clearly mark the indigenous origin of the Seon current.
History
In 826, the "nine mountains of Seon" (or "schools"), originating from Shan Buddhism, took the name of "Jogye order". They played a big role in the development of the kingdom of Silla. During the Goryeo period (918-1392), the masters Bojo Jinul and Taego Bou (57th patriarch) carried out important Seon reforms. Jinul, in particular, sought to develop an order that was based on the direct practices of the Seon, but also placed importance on the study of the sutras and the recitation of the name of Amitabha, as found in the Pure Land teachings. The basic precept advocated by Jinul was “sudden enlightenment followed by gradual cultivation”.
1392 - 1910
The Jogye Order was thus established as the order representing the Seon movement until the persecution led by the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Due to its inclusive nature and emphasis on permanent discipline, the Jogye gained considerable support from the military establishment and flourished in monasteries throughout the Korean peninsula.
However, for nearly five hundred years, Buddhism will be repressed in favor of neo-Confucianism. Under the reign of King Sejong (1418-1450), two sects were formed, one grouping the doctrinal schools, the other grouping the Seon schools. These sects were temporarily dissolved during the reign of King Yeonsangun (1494-1506), which led to great confusion.
However, during the Hideyoshi invasions at the end of the 16th century, the masters Seosan (63rd patriarch) and Samyeong (64th patriarch) raised armies which protected the country, which improved the situation of the Buddhists for a time. Nevertheless, it was not until the reforms of 1895 that the monks obtained the right to return to the cities. Then, in 1899, under the direction of Master Gyeongheo (75th patriarch, 1849-1912), monks of the Haeinsa temple launched a petition to restore the traditions and the philosophical bases of a reconstructed Buddhist order. Eventually, the Wonjong and Imjejong orders, belonging to the Rinzai school, were founded, and there were various attempts to revive the doctrinal schools and restore activities in the cities, but these actions were quickly suppressed during the Japanese occupation which began in 1910.
First half of the 20th century
The Jogye Order we know today is a modern institution, formed in 1938, under the Japanese colonial administration of Korea. A few steps can be noted.
First, the reaction to the Japanese occupation was mixed within the Jogye. While some collaborated with the authorities, monks like Yongsong (76th Patriarch) and Manhae Monks Yongsong and Manhae were great resisters against the occupying forces, and they strove to keep Korean Buddhist traditions alive.
The Sonhakwon Seon Meditation Center was established in 1921. In 1929, a conference of monks of Joseon Buddhism was held. In 1937-1938, the construction of the main Buddha hall at the Jogyesa temple in Seoul enabled the establishment of a central headquarters. Finally, in 1941, the Jogye Order of Joseon Buddhism was founded, this grouping being exclusively Korean and free from any Japanese influence. It was the first legal Buddhist order in modern Korea and the forerunner of the current Jogye order.
After 1945
In 1955, after the end of the Korean War, Seon monks cultivating Korean Buddhist traditions began a movement of purification of Seon Buddhism which would take about ten years, in order to rid Korean Buddhism of any vestige of Japanese influence. It is a question in particular of restoring the celibacy of the monks – the marriage of the monks being precisely a remnant of the Japanese presence – and of taking back the temples from the married priests. Finally, in 1955, the Jogye order was created, centered on celibate monks, with one exception — as a result of mediation between senior monks and the government—allowing some already married priests to be accepted. However, this dispute resulted in a split into two orders: on the one hand a very minor order of married monks (the T'aego Chong) and on the other hand the Chogye Chong, the "Jogye order of Korean Buddhism", officially founded on April 11, 1962, with three main purposes: training and education, the propagation of Buddhism, and the translation of hanja sutras into Korean. Today, the order has about 15,000 monks and nuns, with more than 2,000 temples and monasteries organized into twenty-five “districts” (ponsa).
Beomeosa Temple. |
Tongdosa Temple. |
Bulguksa Temple. |
Haeinsa Temple. |
See also
Source
Location