Chuseok

Tomorrow will be the last day of Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) vacation.
I worked Monday and on Tuesday, I returned to Dragon-tail? (Yeonwado) Island with Ben, Ben's friend Dave, from the north, and a bunch of Ben's friend from the north's friends.

Although less enchanted by it than on my innitial journey, I still maintain that Yeonwado is one of the nicer places I've been.

Shortly after arriving we decided to go on a hike. Once we reached the ridge, the main party headed eastward, but I slunk away west, to see the Buddah statue at the peak. When I arrived, there was a rushing mist of cloud that poured across the top of the mountain. Still light, you could see the moon behind the cloud. I took a profile picture of the Buddah statue with the moon in the background.

The statue, seemed suspiciously out of place on the top of this secluded mountain. It was about ten meters tall and made of the same clean, newly cut granite that that surrounded it. Although I recognized the aesthetic beauty of it,  I was not able to fully appreciate it--I always wince when I see a Buddah statue. I remember what I read about Siddhartha Gotama said when on his death bed. The monks asked him is they could erect a statue in his memory. His response was that if they needed something to remember him by, they should plant a bodhi tree, because it was under such a tree that he gained his enlightenment.

As I approached the simple wooded pagoda nearby to meditate, some monks came and collected money from the altar in front of the Buddah.

I returned later with a severely intoxicated Ben, and a relatively (if not completely) sober Jessica. We lay under the Buddah and stared at the stars a while.

Wednesday, we came back from the the island, and I decided to go to one of Korea's three Jewel temples: Haeinsa. Haeinsa, located at the top of Mt. Gaya, was another of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. I only took a few poor pictures. I hope you will forgive me. I went for a hike and meditated on a rock at the highest peak that I cared to climb to.

The monks were something to behold. They had an amazing dignity and mental discipline about them. However, I think the trip dispelled any yearnings I had about becoming a monk myself. Lights-out time for monks is 9:00.Wake-up time is 3:00. Seriously, I don't think this is what the Buddah had in mind when he said the best way was "the middle way".  Have any of these people read the discourses?

Before I left, I took a look at the Tripitaka house: a building housing the Tripitaka Koreana--the oldest complete set of the Buddhist Canon. This Chinese version, carved into wooden blocks is over one thousand years old, and if stacked end to end, would be taller than the tallest mountain in Korea.

For a mere five-thousand won, I purchased a print of the Vajrayana? sutra.

I decided to come back into Tongeyeong early, instead of visiting Seoul or Busan. I decided I need a day or two of  solitude and quiet contemplation before returning to work.