Amazing Buddhist Korea

Wisdom Quarterly, Lonely Planet, P.R. Crossman, Frommers

The intricate stone carvings of Seokbulsa hermitage (Anosteen/Flickr)

BUSAN, South Korea - Seokbulsa ("Stone Buddha") Temple is an amazing, out of the way treasure. Lonely Planet, the backpacker's Bible, describes it in brief:

Hard to find but a wonder to behold, Seokbulsa Temple is a [Buddhist] hermitage carved into rock. Massive boulders stretching 40m in height jut out from the mountainside to form a U-shaped enclave with three rock facings that is now a place of worship.

Inside the enclave enormous Buddhist images have been meticulously etched into stone. Visually powerful in scale and impact, it's the kind of work that moves first-time visitors to exclaim "Wow" as they step back and arch their necks to get the full picture.

Patrick R. Crossman, Angelica, and Maria quietly explore the wonders of Seokbulsa, Korea

Quietly walk past the women bowing on the shoes-off platform and step into the small caves for a close-up look at the Buddha glowing in soft candlelight.

Getting to Seokbulsa is a worthwhile challenge for anyone with a desire to explore out-of-the-way places.

The most interesting -- and strenuous -- route is to add this stop to your Geumjeongsan Mountain hike. From the South Gate (남문), the path indicated by the Mandeokchon (만덕촌) sign leads to a collection of restaurants and foot-volleyball courts in Namman Village (남만 마을). More

• Seokbulsa: Korean Travel Journal (Tigers & Magpies)
  
• Seokguram (Stone Grotto) is a hermitage and part of the Bulguksa temple complex, four km east of the temple on Mt. Tohamsan, in Gyeongju, South Korea. It is classified as National Treasure No. 24 by the South Korean government. The grotto overlooks the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and rests 750 meters above sea level. In 1962, it was designated the 24th national treasure of Korea. In 1995, Seokguram was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Bulguksa Temple. It exemplifies some of the best Buddhist sculptures in the world.
• Seokbulsa: Dale's Korean Temple Adventures
• Thai Buddhist Cave Temple
  
• (Frommers) Most people don't know about this small temple south of Geumjeong Fortress and north of Mandeok tunnel. Since it's a walk to get here (no buses stop nearby), it's a quiet temple even on the busiest of summer weekends. The temple got its name from the statues of the Buddha carved in the rock here (Seokbul means "stone Buddha"). More
  

(Prcrossman) UFOs in Asia and around the world

The Zen Zero (ensō)

Wisdom Quarterly edit of Ensō Wikipedia entry

Ensō is a Japanese word meaning "circle" and a concept strongly associated with Zen Buddhism. It is one of the most common subjects of Japanese calligraphy even though it is a symbol and not a character.

It symbolizes absolute enlightenment, strength, elegance, the universe, and the void. It can also symbolize the Japanese aesthetic itself. As an "expression of the moment" it is often considered a form of minimalist expressionist art.

In Zen Buddhist painting, ensō symbolizes a moment when the mind is free to simply let the body/spirit create. The brushed ink of the circle is usually done on rice paper or silk in one movement. But the great Bankei used two strokes sometimes. And there is no possibility of modification: It shows the expressive movement of the spirit at that time.

(ioannasalajan.com)

Zen Buddhists "believe that the character of the artist is fully exposed in how s/he draws an ensō. Only a person who is mentally and spiritually complete can draw a true ensō. Some artists will practice drawing it daily, as a kind of spiritual practice."^{[Ref. 1]}

Some artists paint ensō with an opening in the circle, while others complete the circle. For the former, the opening may express various ideas -- for example that the ensō is not separate, but is part of something greater, or that imperfection is an essential and inherent aspect of existence. (See also the idea of broken symmetry).

The principle of controlling the balance of composition through asymmetry and irregularity is an important aspect of the Japanese aesthetic: Fukinsei (不均斉), the denial of perfection.

The ensō is also a sacred symbol in the Zen school of Buddhism. It is often used by Zen masters as a form of signature in their religious artwork. More on the philosophy see The Way of the Brush or Zen Calligraphy (Hitsuzendo).

(Eric_Wang_colorful_world/Flickr)