One of the best things about the KBO league is every Monday is an off day!  Fellow baseball wives can agree that off days are like Christmas morning.  A day of getting to explore your new city your now assigned to or just get to relax with your man with no schedule of having to report to work that day.  Oh-might I add- you actually get to eat dinner with your man at a restaurant!  Not by yourself at your apartment, hotel or ballpark food.  So, needless to say, off days are great in the baseball world.

Our first day off in Seoul, we went to the Bongeunsa Temple as referred to me by another wife whose husband is playing over here.  When we arrived to the temple, a lady handed S and I a brochure and map of the grounds.  Bongeunsa is a millennial Buddhist temple with a long history of more than 1,200 years old, located at Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, in the center of Seoul City, Korea.  It was founded by National Master Patriarch Yeonhoei in 794 during the reign of King Wonseong.  Bongeunsa later became the cornerstone of the revival of Korean Buddhism as the head of the temple of the Korean Seon (meditation) lineage owing greatly to the religious devotion of the Venerable Bowoo.

During the Joseph Dynasty, the Venerable Yeonggi built Panjeon, where 81 volumes of the wood blocks of the Avatamsaka Sutra are enshrined.  Nowadays, Bongeunsa is making new history of Korean Buddhism through its practice-oriented temple management.  Moreover, Bongeunsa not only spreads Korean Buddhism and Korean culture at home and around the world with diversified programs including Templestay, but also continues to maintain its place as a important sizable temple with contribution to the public welfare in the center of Korean society.

Now that I have quoted the history of it from the brochure, here are a few pictures from our day there.

This is the entrance of the temple called Jinyeomun Gate.  Jinyeomun means “as it is” and the ultimate truth without any discrimination.

I couldn’t get over how gorgeous the lanterns where as you walked through the entrance.  S was confused on how they got them to stay there through the bad weather since they are probably made of paper…. guess its a mystery.  However, the lanterns hang on a thick cable wire so they won’t fly away.

In Korea, you take your shoes off at the door before entering someone’s home.  I am assuming you do that when you walk into the different temples as well.  There were racks to put their shoes as they walked in.  The details of the structures were absolutely beautiful!

There were trails you could walk and sit for meditating I’m assuming..?  The plants and trees were so pretty and such a breathtaking view of the city from the trail.

 This is Mireuk Daebul (The Great Statue of Maltreya Buddha)  It was built by Master Yeongam from 1986 to 1996.  More than 10,000 Buddhist monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen of Bongeunsa had prayed and donated for the Great Statue.  The statue is 23 meters high, the tallest stone statue in Korea.  The square in front of the Statue is used for prayers, cultural events and performances.

I’m not even going to act like I know anything about Buddhism.  S and I enjoyed the beautiful scenery.  While we were there, I said a prayer for all the lost people who do not know Jesus.  It really opened our eyes up to the world and how we live in a bubble sometimes.

The mall was right across the street, so we explored the mall and the different stores.  It was a good first off day for us.  We cannot wait to explore more and share with y’all our journey here in Seoul!

Thanks for reading,

XOXO,

HC