Samgak-san Doseon-sa

Map

Samgak-san (Three Horns Mountain) dominates the Bukhan-san National Park in far-northern Seoul, with its many craggy peaks. Always considered highly sacred, it contains a huge fortress and about a hundred Buddhist temples and Shamanic shrines, heavily visited by many types of faithful. Its most important ancient institution is Doseon-sa (Tao-Gathering Monastery). It was founded in the 10th Century and features a 7-meter-tall -carved relief of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, engraved on a massive boulder over 1000 years ago. A much more recent addition is an amazing Budo (stupa) for 20th-century Master Cheongdam, who led the urban modernization of Korean Buddhism. This temple is named after its founder, National Master Doseon, the genius developer of Korea's style of geomancy, called Pungsu-jiri (Feng-shui).

Small Buddha statues, Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple, Seoul
Small Buddha statues, Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple, Seoul
Chinese style Maitreya Buddha, Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple, Seoul
Painting of Bodhidharma and Second Patriarch of Chan Buddhism, Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple, Seoul
Painting at Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple
Painting at Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple
Pilgrim with statue of Maitreya Buddha, Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple
Bodhisattva of Compassion, Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple
Pilgrims praying to Bodhisattva of Compassion, Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple
Pilgrim meditating at Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple, Seoul

For additional information by Professor David Mason, visit san-shin.net: Samgak-san

Martin Gray

Martin Gray is a cultural anthropologist, writer and photographer specializing in the study of pilgrimage traditions and sacred sites around the world. During a 40 year period he has visited more than 2000 pilgrimage places in 165 countries. The World Pilgrimage Guide at sacredsites.com is the most comprehensive source of information on this subject.