A Hermitage with Maitreya in Meditation

[Narration]
To get to Naewongung, you need to walk up a stone stairway, and the top of the staircase won’t be visible from the ground level because it’s circular. The stairway to Naewongung has a total of 161 steps. Buddhists say that you should repent for your sins on the first 108 steps, and think about how to attain wisdom and enlightenment on the last 53. What they’re trying to tell you is to clear your mind while climbing the stairway.

According to a story, Naewongung is where Maitreya meditates, while enlightening the world. Although you won’t find any Maitreya statues here, you will see a golden seated statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. With a round, elegance face and well-balanced body, the statue is very elaborately carved.

While you’re up here, why don’t you take in the scenery of Seonunsan Mountain? Just look at the Seonunsan Peaks from Naewongung, and you'll see clouds over them.

Okay, you have seen every corner of Seonunsa Temple while walking along the stream. Seonunsan Mountain is where you can feel enlightened in a thick silence. Your tour of the temple ends here, where you can have a panoramic view of the mountain.