The Great Zen Master Jeongang Yeongshin ( ko, 전강영신대선사, ; 1898 1975) was a
Zen Master of the
Jogye Order of
Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what its early practitioners saw as inconsistencies within the Mahayana Buddhist traditions that they received from foreign countries. To address this, the ...
. He used the principle of
Kong-an ( ko, 공안) as a way to lead his disciples to
Enlightenment
Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to:
Age of Enlightenment
* Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...
.
Career
Zen Master Jeongang entered the Hae In Temple
monastery (해인사) to become a
monk when he was 16 years old and after 7 years of intense self-training he attained Enlightenment.
At age 25, he received Dharma Transmission from Zen Master
Mangong
Mangong (, 1871–1946) or Song Mangong was a Korean Buddhist monk, independence activist, scholar, poet, writer, and philosopher during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Mangong was born in Jeongeup, Jeonbuk Province in 1871 and was ordain ...
. Zen Master Jeongang later became the ‘Josil’, or supreme patriarch, of Tongdo Temple when he was 33, the youngest in the history of Korean Buddhism. These achievements at such a young age are legendary in Korean Buddhism. Later he acted as Josil in the mediation halls of many famous temples within Korea including; Beobjusa, Mangwolsa, Donghwasa, Beomeosa, Cheonchuksa, Yongjusa and Jeonggaksa.
Dharma Transmission (Inga)
After receiving Dharma Transmission from Zen Master
Mangong
Mangong (, 1871–1946) or Song Mangong was a Korean Buddhist monk, independence activist, scholar, poet, writer, and philosopher during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Mangong was born in Jeongeup, Jeonbuk Province in 1871 and was ordain ...
, Zen Master Jeongang’s Enlightenment was confirmed and recognized by 6 Zen Masters of the time in Korea: Masters Hyebong, Hyewol, Hanam, Geumbong, Bowol and Yongseong.
Death (Nirvana)
On January 13, 1975, while giving a Dharma Lecture in the meditation hall at Yonghwa Temple, Beopbo, Zen Master Jeongang asked the audience, "What is the purpose of life and death?". When nobody answered, he said, "Hak! Even backwards, 9 times 9 is 81.At that very moment he is said to have attained Nirvana"
["86. Jeongang Yeongsin"]
Bulgyo Sinmun
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References
External links
*{{Official website , http://www.yonghwasunwon.or.kr/
Korean philosophy
Meditation
Seon Buddhist monks
Zen Buddhism writers
Korean Buddhist monks
Zen Buddhist spiritual teachers
Korean philosophers
Korean scholars of Buddhism