Have you ever heard a person say, “I hope you attain nirvana”? Simply put, it means that the person wishes you to become a Buddha. Under Buddhism, anyone can become a Buddha if they work hard enough. That means the common person and Buddha are no different when it comes to their fundamental makeup as an entity. Bulguksa Temple is a temple that perfectly reflects this religious doctrine.

Even if we look across all of Asia, Bulguksa is the quintessential example of forming Buddhist doctrine into architecture. In 1995, UNESCO made Bulguksa Temple the first World Heritage Site in Korea. There is an interesting story about Kim Dae-seong, the prime minister of Shilla who built Bulguksa Temple.

A poor farmer in his previous life, Kim Dae-seong was reincarnated through the grace of Buddha as the son of a wealthy family, and then went on to become the prime minister of Shilla. According to legend, when Kim Dae-seong learned about his past life, he built Seokguram and Bulguksa Temple for his parents from his past life and current life. The name “Bulguksa” means “a kingdom of Buddhism.” If you walk up the Cheongungyo and Baegungyo Bridge and arrive to the courtyard, it feels as if you have entered into a new world. Maybe it feels that way because Kim Dae-seong built the Temple so that all people, including his parents, could attain nirvana.

Over the course of history, Bulguksa Temple served as the epicenter of several movements to revive Buddhism in Korea. To this day, it strives to spread Buddhism through several branch temples at different locations. Most of these branch temples are located in Gyeongju, followed by Pohang (Pohang has 17 temples including Oeosa and Jungnimsa). Despite being a massive establishment with more than 2,000 sections, it has the perfect blend of ancient masonry and architectural beauty with flawless proportions, balance, and harmony. Take a walk around the signature temple of a Buddhist kingdom where anyone could become a Buddha, and see if you too can find its unrivaled beauty.