Three-story stone tower at the site of Takechoji Temple
Namsan is a mountain that has been sacred to the Silla people for a thousand years and has been considered the land of Buddha.
About an hour's drive from Busan, there is a capital city with 1000 years of history and where you can still feel the breath of our ancestors. Once you pass through the Gyeongju Toll Gate, which is symbolized by a traditional Korean tiled roof that makes the most of Korea's beautiful curves, the world changes instantly and an ancient atmosphere unfolds before your eyes. There, travelers can experience the capital city engraved with a thousand years of history and encounter and talk with Silla.
Ahead of the Buddha's birthday (2546th) of the Buddhist year 19, I visited Namsan Mountain in Gyeongju. Namsan Mountain has been sacred to the Silla people for a thousand years and has been considered the land of the Buddha. I wonder if climbing Namsan Mountain would allow me, who cannot escape from the worldly world, to come into contact with my Buddha nature.
The widening foothills of the mountains have seen rise and fall from ancient times to the present, and history and heartfelt legends hang over them. At times, Namsan was a sacred place of faith for the people, and a holy place of Buddhism. With over 1 temple ruins and Buddha statues, and over 80 stone pagodas scattered across the mountains, it is difficult to see all of Namsan's ruins in just one or two days, so today I decided to follow Yeongjanggol Valley and climb up to the three-story stone pagoda of Yeongjangsaji, which stands quietly at the site of the well-known Yeongjangsa Temple in Namsan.
At the entrance to Yeongjanggol (Jeonjanggok-ri, Naenam-myeon), located in Gyeongju City, North Gyeongsang Province, acacias are giving off the sweet fragrance of May flowers. Yeongjangsa Temple, located 5 meters above sea level, is located between Geumeo Bong (350m) and Goi Bong (4m), two of Namsan's most famous peaks. If you walk about 68 meters down the path from the 4-seater bus stop in Jeonjang-ri along National Route 94, you will come across a wide open space and the start of your mountain climb. To get to the site of Yeongjangsa Temple, you must step on the stepping stones here and cross the stream.
Around Takecho Valley, you can see signs saying, "Please do not pollute the water in the valley, as it is used by the local residents as drinking water." These days, most valleys in Korea are suffering from pollution, so it is rare to be able to drink the water straight from the valley.
At the end of the trail, cross a small stream and then another stream where the trail splits into two. Follow the path to the left and walk about 4 meters through thick bamboo thickets until the view opens up and the ruins of Takechosa Temple come into view.
Only broken tiles and foundations remain among the overgrown grass. Looking at the tall stone wall that remains behind the temple site, it becomes clear that this was once a fairly large temple. Yeongjangsa Temple, known as the temple where the monk Daehyeon founded the Beosang sect during the Unified Silla period, disappeared during the Joseon period.
The noticeboard at the site of the temple states that Maewoldang Kim Si-soo (1435-93) of the Joseon Dynasty stayed here and wrote Geumeo Shinhwa, Korea's first novel written in classical Chinese.
The name Geumeo in Geumeo Shinhwa is said to have been taken from Geumbong Peak, where Yeongjangsa Temple stands.
"Because the bamboo valley is so deep, I can't see the people passing by. / In the passing rain, the Japanese laurels begin to bloom here and there. I dream with the deer by the small window. On the old chair, only dust has accumulated like ash. / I don't care about that, I continue to sleep soundly in the shade of the pampas grass. (From the Hangul translation of Kim Si-suk's Chinese poem "Bamboo Temple")"
Looking northeast from the temple ruins, I saw a three-story stone tower on a high rock, pointing towards the sky. The Buddha looked down at me, as if beckoning me to come up.
This is the three-story stone pagoda of Takechoji Temple (Treasure No. 186). To climb up to the stone pagoda of Takechoji Temple, you can follow the ribbons tied to the tree branches. When I finally reached the peak, I was greeted by a seated stone Buddha (Treasure No. 187) and a seated rock-carved Buddha (Treasure No. 913).
Passing in front of the rock-carved Buddha, turn right and climb to the peak and finally come across the triple stone pagoda. Standing in front of the pagoda, you can see Koibong peak rising to the south and the Bai-ri plain with the branches of Hyeongsan River stretching out before you to the west.
Most stone pagodas built during the Unified Silla period have upper and lower foundations, but this one only has one upper foundation. The entire peak on which the pagoda stands, which is equivalent to a height of 4 meters, is the lower foundation, which is probably why it is called "the tallest stone pagoda in the world" even though the triple pagoda is only 4.5 meters high. I am moved by the thoughtfulness of this pagoda, which is only 4.5 meters high, as if it is gently embracing the mountains and the round sky in its large chest.
Isn't it the mind of a Buddha to embrace all things in the universe (everything in the universe) and at the same time be unique within all things in the universe?
I put my hands together in front of the tower and prayed, "May all of you in the universe be able to attain nirvana in peace."
The thought suddenly occurred to me that the deer Kim Si-sut had seen might be sleeping somewhere deep in the mountains. The sun, hidden behind the clouds, was now shedding a faint ray of sunlight over the three-story stone pagoda.
directions: Take city bus number 500 at Gyeongju Intercity Bus Terminal (20 minutes to Yeongjanggol)
Comment: