Gerlinde's Blog (7)

First of all, I would like to say that I am glad I have gone this pilgrimage. Although at times, it was tough on my body condition but I learned not to give up and made my way to Soraksan mountains finally. As I have heard and read of many times before: A pilgrimage can change you - whether this is true for me, time will tell. Meanwhile, I tend to have a different view on some things; other things turn out to have a different meaning than before the pilgrimage. I am somewhat overwhelmed by the… Continue

Western Buddhist Teachers Meet the Dalai Lama Dharamsala, India. March 1993 by Stephen Batchelor Before our formal sessions with the Dalai Lama began, we gathered for a preliminary meeting. "I'd like to suggest an exercise," announced Jack Kornfield, "Close your eyes an… Continue

We are a small Zen (Korean: Seon) Buddhist community founded by Gerlinde Grunt who came from the Kwan Um School of Zen. The initial concept was to form a lay meditation group of Zen practitioners following the Korean Zen (Seon) Buddhist teachings. Our practice is influenced by the… Continue

Hendrick Hamel wrote this in 1668 when he was stranded in Corea (Korea): The Religious Men offer Perfumes before an Idol twice a Day, and on Festivals; all the Religious of a House make a Noise with Drums, Basons and Kettles. The Monasteries and Temples, which the Kingdom swarms with, are for the most part on the Mountains, each under the liberty of some Town. There are Monasteries of 5 or 600 Religious Men, and at least 4,000 of them within the Liberties of some Towns. They are divide… Continue

Master Kusan Sunim (1908-1983) Korean Zen Master Kusan ("Ku"-Nine; "San" - Mountains), known as Kusan Sunim, was considered the greatest living Zen Master in South Korea toward the end of his life. He passed on in December, 1983, at the age of 74, at SonggwangSa Zen monaster… Continue

In the Buddhist world there are various kinds of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This phenomenon originated within Mahayana Buddhism. Theravadin Buddhists only recognize the Buddha Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha, as their spiritual teacher. Sakyamuni was born prince Siddhartha Gautama i… Continue

by: Martine Batchelor Visiting Songgwangsa, an important Son monastery in Chollanamdo in South Korea, if you take a walk up a steep hill and deep in the forest you reach Bulilam, an hermitage nestled in a bamboo grove with a wide vista of Chogye mountain. There, resides Pop… Continue