The smallest and most obscure Buddhist temple we have visited thus far, Myeongbeopsa is a hidden gem in the middle of a bustling city and is situated right next to Deokdongsan Neighborhood Park. Myeongbeopsa is perfect for so many reasons: it’s beautiful, small, and not frequented by tourists often. If you’re looking for a refuge from the busyness of life, this is the place!
Myeongbeop Temple in Sosabeol
We actually visited Myeongbeopsa on our way home from our visit to Sudosa. I was in the middle of a major Buddhist temple kick and I wanted to fit as many temple visits in as I could before the weather turned real nasty. This temple is located in the middle of downtown Pyeongtaek (specifically Sosabeol). But it’s hard to believe that somewhere so calm and peaceful can exist in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. We were the only visitors to the grounds that day, making for a relaxing and perfect Sunday afternoon.
We first stopped to see the Kimchi Pots (“onggi” in Korean) all laid out at the base of the hill that houses the palace of Myeongbeopsa. And then we climbed the small hill to admire the 5-story golden pagoda standing in front of the palace. All other temples we had visited had stone pagodas (which are beautiful as well), but I had never seen one so bright and ornately decorated as this one.
Mudras
It was also at Myeongbeopsa where I first noticed the hand gestures of the main Buddha inside the palace. I’m not sure if I just never noticed that each Buddha had different hand gestures before, or if this was the first time I was curious about the meaning behind his hand gestures, but I suddenly wanted to know why his hands were placed the way they were.
In short, the gestures are called Mudras and they symbolize different events in Buddha’s life. This particular Buddha is displaying the Bhumisparsha Mudra – or the Earth-touching Gesture. As one of the most popular mudras for Buddha statues throughout the world, this gesture represents the moment when the earth witnessed Buddha’s Enlightenment. (This is also the mudra that is shown on the Buddha’s in the main palaces of Gakwonsa and Sudosa.)
It reminds worshippers of Buddha’s victory over the demon king Mara, who tried to pull Buddha from his meditation so that he would NOT obtain Enlightenment. During this moment of temptation, Buddha kept his concentration and reached out to touch the earth. At that moment the earth proclaimed that Buddha had obtained Enlightenment and that the earth was now a witness of that. The Bhumisparsha Mudra and the story behind it represents the Buddha’s firmness in pursuing Enlightenment. It also signifies the belief, faith, and effort that it takes to attain Enlightenment, as well as the transition from anger to wisdom that must take place.
Drawing parallels back to my own faith, I appreciate the idea of “staying the course” or, as Latter-day Saints would put it, “enduring to the end.” And, while I wholeheartedly believe in God, I always appreciate the reminder that enduring is the proper course of action for all of us, regardless of our specific religions. I’ve found as I focus on the similarities between my own faith and the faith of others, my faith and testimony in Jesus Christ is strengthened – even when I am looking at non-Christian (or, in the case of Buddhism, non-theistic) faiths.
Visiting these Buddhist temples has been such a fun experience for us – and our kids are really coming to appreciate the beauty of them too. While we do not practice Buddhism, walking around the grounds is always a calming experience – and heaven knows we could all use more quiet in our lives. I love that we get to share these experiences with our children – that we can show them how we honor and respect faiths that are VERY different from our own.
’til next time…
Ash
How to visit Myeongbeopsa in Sosabeol
Directions: Paste 명법사 into Naver and it will take you right to the small grounds of Myeongbeopsa.
Parking: There are a few parking spots within the temple grounds. While there were only 5-6 spots, the area was mostly vacant and securing a parking spot wasn’t difficult.
