Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hadit]

I've never been to Korea and realize Buddhism is all over there. I am wondering if there is any cities with a notable Buddhist/enlightenment culture. Is there a notable center of Korean Buddhism in any area? Where would you suggest I live if I wanted to be near the best Buddhist sites and nature. I'd really like to have an enlightening experience there, while not residing in too small a town. Any suggestions? I think it may be hard to pinpoint a location, because as I see in the Lonely Planet guide there are great temples all over.

I suppose I could also decide from these temples: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jogye_Order

I'd like to live near a great national park with great Buddhist temple and architecture scenery.

[Scamps]

Korea Tourism Board should have information on it. You can do temple stays. Do you know the Insadong area in Seoul? That's where the cluster of Buddhist shops, restaurants and temples are in the city.

[hungrybeaver]

Gyeongju

[nukeday]

Yeah, gyeongju's about as close as you're gonna get to what you're looking for re: nature and old temples.

However, I know foreigners here involved in meditation groups (at temples...particularly Hwa gye sa on Bukhan mountain) and other Buddhist activities here in Seoul....so Seoul might be more active, if perhaps less scenic/natural

[Kimchifart]

[Yaya]

[nero]

[[email protected]]

[Yaya]

Buddhist places in Korea also have to deal with vandalism and harassment from Christian groups. The atmosphere for Buddhism has gotten pretty bad for a country that is traditionally supposed to be Buddhist.

[AsiaESLbound]

You can teach in Korea, but it's the vacation periods and when you are finished that truly enlighten the Zen in the zed. I did a Korean temple stay and it was horrible other than the ceremony being atmospheric, because the monk wasn't open minded, felt contempt towards me and French tourists, and just downright lost face by asking me if I can restrain anger if threatened by an enemy and then had us sit in a dark room for hours to think about our problems as if we were being persecuted or punished. It was strange, but I got a taste and insight of Korean psyche and logic. Korea once was the land of smiles long ago during the Baekje period many eons ago when Buddhism, a foreign religion and lifestyle at the time, and foreigners were welcomed and embraced with sincerity in the hearts of the people. The rocks tell a story far different than how today's people act and think.

On with more thrilling experiences down South in the tropics where you'll find old ways of life very much alive. Myanmar is the golden land for Buddhism and is probably the most traditional country of them all. Despite being very 19th century in style, their culture is the exact opposite of Korea's. Very open minded with a real sense of humor is the norm with it being extremely easy to meet local people without someone to introduce you. There isn't that embarrassment factor that comes into play with saving face in Korea so you are welcome to walk up, talk, and spend time in temples, monasteries, and many other places for a real immersion experience. And the locals welcome you nor try to hide the facts of how they feel and what their beliefs center on. Myamar is not just a seeing the sights kind of place, you can talk with locals due to their higher level of English ability where that monk may speak English and you end up having a meaningful and extremely interesting fairly fluent talk well beyond a simple awkward hi and bye you commonly get in Korea. It's unfortunate Koreans usually act in a most reserved mannered, because it could had turned out far different, but that's how it is due to numerous invasions and the country still being at technically at war with the threat level continuing to rise.

[Illysook]

Buddism isn't really practiced in the way that Americans and other westerners seem to think that it is. You may or may not be like this, I won't judge, instead lets call this a cultural observation.

Case in point: Elizabeth Gilbert in her book Eat, Pray, Love in which she largely demonstrates how westerners fetishize Buddism by praying in India and Indonesia for awhile and then going off and getting down with her next husband no more than a year after her first divorce. Not that this is shocking behavior these days, but one can hardly call this sort of thing an emotionally balanced approach to life.

If you decide to take Buddism seriously, you will find that when you want to practice your ordinary vices, any spiritual growth is likely to be hindered, just as it would be if you tried to live as a Christian, Muslim, or Orthodox Jew while still practicing those vices. If people still want to practice Buddism knowing these things, I say more power to them, but the typical hippie who just wants to feel spiritual for awhile isn't fooling anyone.

[nero]

[Illysook]

Well, I don't know a lot of SEA's but I do know a lot of American hippie-folk. In general, I like them but when they tell me that all religions are the same, I have to disagree. One must believe that his or her choice is best, or one wouldn't bother committing to that choice. Then, if the tenets of that faith conflict with those of another, the committed believer has to conclude that not all religions are true.

It does however seem that all religions have "followers" who are hypocrites. Typically, they are not the people who are traveling on humanitarian missions or winning converts. The depths of someone's faith will likely show up in that person's lifestyle choices.

[lithium]

[Hadit]

"Yes, I have to agree. I'm not sure that Korea is really what you think it is. Firstly, most people who are religious have been sucked into Christianity and Buddhism seems to be a left over embarrassment from earlier 'undeveloped' times."


I was hoping this wasn't the case there. Thanks for conveying the gist of the enlightenment/Buddhism vibe in Korea, and thanks for the Myanmar advice.

I was simply wanting to find a spot with excellent Buddhist architecture and nature nearby, as I was considering teaching there. I'm already enlightened, I wasn't trying to seek it in Korea lol or fit in somewhere. I am a Thelemite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelema

As far as "all religions being the same," they are in essence in regards their potential goal of the enlightenment and spiritual progress of the individual. For example, the Tree of Life is taken as a model of this sameness, which has number as its underlying structure. Here 0 is the void and emptiness before creation, where God (beingness) is then 1 as the point, on down to 10 which is the manifest world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_life_(Kabbalah)

For instance in the model of the Tree of Life, enlightenment occurs as one progresses from 4 to 3, Chesed to Binah, which is termed "crossing the abyss" as there is no path connecting them.