Lotus flower 華 at Chukseosa Temple. Painted on a wooden panel. Peony flowers 牡丹 at Chukseosa Temple. Painted on a wooden panel. Many Korean temples are adorned with elaborate paintings covering the left, right, and back sides of the building. Here we see one wall of Bongamsa Temple depicting the story of Sudhana (see extended notes). Ten Ox Herding 十牛 Paintings at Bongamsa Temple. Also translated as Ten Bulls. 1. Searching for the Ox 尋牛. Shows a young boy going out to find an ox in the field. The practitioner who is meditating for the first time is searching for his Buddhahood, which he has had from the beginning. 2. Seeing the Tracks 見跡. The boy, searching for the ox, finds its hoof-prints. The practitioner is catching a glimpse of his original mind. 3. Seeing the Ox 見牛. As the boy follows the tracks of the ox he finally catches a glimpse of it. This shows that if the practitioner studies and practices hard, he will find his true mind. 4. Catching the Ox 得牛 and 5. Taming the Ox 牧牛. The boy is trying hard to catch the wild ox. Similarly, the practitioner has now had a glimpse of his true nature, but has not severed all delusions from his mind. It is a tough struggle to pacify all his wild thoughts. In scene 5, the boy puts a rein on the ox. Even though it is difficult to see progress, one must continue to practice hard. The mind becomes partially purified, indicated by the white color. 6. Unimpeded, Riding the trained Ox home 騎牛歸家, the boy happily goes back home playing the flute. If the practitioner controls his mind he will return to his true, natural mind. The fully purified mind is indicated by the ox being completely white. 7. Ox forgotten man remains 忘牛存人 and 8. Both forgotten 人牛倶忘. After the boy returns home he sits alone forgetting the ox. The practitioner reaches a new level of enlightenment. He should forget the fact & keep practicing without rest. There is no practice or goal (the ox) apart from oneself. Scene 8, both forgotten, is one large circle, which represents the state of emptiness attained by forgetting both ox and self. Through complete emptiness the boy attains a state of enlightenment. 9 Returning to the Original Place 返本還源 and 10. Both Vanished. 入鄽垂手. Now there is no ox and no boy, only the beautiful scene of the original, clear mind. Mountains are mountains, and water is water. In the last scene -- both vanished -- the boy, after years of practice, returns to his village and teaches what he has realized to all the sentient beings, reflecting the spirit of the bodhisattva. Modern illustrations of Buddha's life story. Donghaksa Temple. 1. Buddha descends from Tushita Heaven on a white elephant. His mother Queen Mayadevi dreamt of the elephant and became pregnant. 2. Buddha's birth in the Lumbini grove. 3. Enlightenment through Four Gates. When Siddartha travels outside the palace, he sees an old man, a sick person, a corpse, and an ascetic -- the four gates to insight. 4. Renunciation or Leaving the Palace. 5. Practice in the snow-covered mountains after abandoning six years of life as an ascetic. 6. Temptation of Siddartha by Mara, the force of evil. Mara was unsuccessful & Siddhartha attained awakening. 7. The first teaching of the Buddha. 8. Death of Buddha. At the age of 80 he entered nirvana (aka = parinirvana). Modern illustrations of Buddha's life story. Chukseosa Temple. 1. Buddha descends from Tushita Heaven on a white elephant. His mother Queen Mayadevi dreamt of the elephant and became pregnant. 2. Buddha's birth in the Lumbini grove. 3. Enlightenment through Four Gates. When Siddartha travels outside the palace, he sees an old man, a sick person, a corpse, and an ascetic -- the four gates to insight. 4. Renunciation or Leaving the Palace. 5. Practicing alone after abandoning six years of life as an ascetic. 6. Temptation by Mara, the force of evil. Mara was unsuccessful and Siddhartha attained awakening. 7. The Awakening of Buddha. 8. Gathering to praise the Buddha. 9. First teaching of the Buddha. 10. Death of Buddha. At the age of 80 he entered nirvana (aka = parinirvana). Modern illustrations of the 28 Indian Patriarchs and 6 Chinese Patriarchs of Chan/Seon/Zen. 1st Patriarch Mahākāśyapa 摩訶迦葉; painting on outer wall of Seokjongsa Temple. 2nd Patriarch Ānanda 阿難; painting on outer wall of Seokjongsa Temple. 3rd & 4th patriarchs Śāṇakavāsa 商那和修, Upagupta 優婆毱多; painting at Seokjongsa Temple. 5th Patriarch Dhṛṭaka 提多迦; painting at Seokjongsa Temple. 6th, 7th, 8th Patriarchs. Mikkaka 彌遮迦, Vasumitra 婆須蜜, Buddhanandi 佛陀難提. 9th, 10th, 11th Patriarchs Buddhamitra 伏駄蜜多, Pārśva 波栗, Puṇyayaśas 那尊耶舍. 12th, 13th, 14th Patriarchs Aśvaghoṣa 馬鳴大士, Kapimala 迦毘摩羅, Nāgârjuna 龍樹. 15th & 16th Patriarchs Kāṇadeva 迦那提婆, Rāhulata 羅睺羅多. 17th Patriarch Saṃghanandi 僧伽難提; painting at Seokjongsa Temple. 18th Patriarch Gayāśata 伽耶舍多; painting at Seokjongsa Temple. 19th, 20th, 21st Patriarchs Kumārata 鳩摩羅多, Jayata 闍夜多, Vasubandhu 婆修盤頭. 22nd, 23rd, 24th Patriarchs Manorhita 摩拏羅, Haklena 鶴勒那, Ārasiṃha 師子尊者. 25th, 26th, 27th Patriarchs Basiasita 婆舍斯多, Puṇyamitra 不如密多, Prajñātāra 般若多羅. 28th Patriarch Bodhidharma 菩提達磨. Also the 1st of Six Chinese Patriarchs. 2nd Chinese Patriarch Huìkě 慧可 (K = Hyega, J = Eka). 3rd & 4th Chinese Patriarchs Sēngcàn 僧璨 (K Seungchan, J Sōsan) & Dàoxìn 道信 (K Dosin, J Dōshin). 5th & 6th Chinese Patriarchs Hóngrěn 弘忍 (K = Hong-in, J = Kōnin) & Huìnéng 慧能 (K = Hyeneung, J = Enō). Other Paintings from various temples. Painting of Buddhist deities at Gapsa Temple. Giant wall painting of Avalokitêśvara (God / Goddess of Mercy) at Magoksa Temple. Painting of celestial musicians and storks (symbol of longevity) at Chukseosa Temple. Monks and laity at Seokjongsa Temple. Like many Korean temples, Seokjongsa is elaborately painted. Painting of an Arhat at Magoksa Temple, or perhaps a depiction of Siddhartha while an ascetic. Patriarchs' Hall at Magoksa Temple. Painting, Seokjongsa Temple, Mountain Spirit and Tige. One of three spirits worshiped widely in Korea. (1) Mountain Spirit, who governs material wealth and is accompanied by a tiger; (2) Lord of the Seven Stars, or Big Dipper, who governs human fortune & longevity; (3) Dokseong, an enlightened hermit who blesses the people. The three also represent (1) Shamanism, (2) Taoism, and (3) Buddhism respectively. Gapsa Temple. Mountain Spirit and Tiger, one of three spirits worshiped widely in Korea. (1) Mountain Spirit, who governs material wealth and is accompanied by a tiger; (2) Lord of the Seven Stars, or Big Dipper, who governs human fortune & longevity; (3) Dokseong, an enlightened hermit who blesses the people. The three also represent (1) Shamanism, (2) Taoism, and (3) Buddhism respectively. Gapsa Temple. Spirit of the Big Dipper, one of three spirits worshiped widely in Korea. (1) Mountain Spirit, who governs material wealth and is accompanied by a tiger; (2) Lord of the Seven Stars, or Big Dipper, who governs human fortune & longevity; (3) Dokseong, an enlightened hermit who blesses the people. The three also represent (1) Shamanism, (2) Taoism, and (3) Buddhism respectively. Gapsa Temple. Dokseong, the enlightened hermit, is one of three spirits worshiped widely in Korea. (1) Mountain Spirit, who governs material wealth and is accompanied by a tiger; (2) Lord of the Seven Stars, or Big Dipper, who governs human fortune & longevity; (3) Dokseong, an enlightened hermit who blesses the people. The three also represent (1) Shamanism, (2) Taoism, and (3) Buddhism respectively. Painting of Dokseong, the enlightened hermit and solitary spirit, at Seokjongsa Temple. Painting of latticework at Chukseosa Temple. Ceiling painting at Magoksa Temple. Ceiling paintings at Chukseosa Temple.
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