6. Tiger Blood Stone of Tongdosa Temple

[Man]
A legend is passed on about the tiger blood stone of Tongdosa Temple. A long time ago, a young and handsome monk lived alone in Baegunam Hermitage of Tongdosa Temple to practice Buddhism. The monk was not negligent in reading the scriptures, and sincerely prayed to the Buddha for his wishes in morning and evening prayer chants. As usual, he was sitting at his desk reading the scriptures after finishing his evening prayer chant. Then he heard the beautiful voice of a young lady from outside.

[Young Lady]
"Is anyone there? I came here to gather wild herbs, but then I got lost. Meanwhile, it got dark, so I followed the light and came here. May I stay here for the night?"

[Buddhist Monk]
"This is a hermitage where I practice Buddhism alone. How can we share the same space together when men and women should stay separate?? So please...”

[Young Lady]
“But, the mountain is dangerous, and the night has settled in. If I leave here this late at night and get attacked by a tiger while wandering in the mountains, it would break the hearts of my parents. So please, let me stay here just one night! Please! I beg of you.”

[Buddhist Monk]
“Alright then.”

[Man]
The young monk was in a difficult position, but he had no choice but to allow the lady to occupy the area near the floor heater in his room, and he sat up straight and spent all night reading scriptures. After that day, the young lady became fond of the monk, and eventually became lovesick. Suffering from her hopeless love, she ended up hovering between life and death.

[Young Lady]
"For the last time, I would like to see your face again."

[Man]
Soon after, she died with the sorrow of love for the monk. After a long period of time, the young monk reached the position of a senior master and taught scriptures to many of his students. Then one day, a big tiger appeared and roared across the roof of the temple, scratched the door, and grew more violent. Watching the tiger from their rooms, people agreed that the tiger must have a story involving someone, and decided to throw their jackets outside to find out. It was Buddhist monk Gangbaek's turn. As soon as he took off his jacket and threw it out the door, the tiger roared even more fiercely.

[Buddhist Monk]
"It must be my tie to the secular world."

[Man]
The Buddhist monk Gangbaek opened the door without hesitation and headed towards the tiger. The tiger carried the monk in its mouth as if it had been waiting for him, and disappeared into the darkness. When the next morning came, all the people in the temple gathered to search for the missing monk. The monk was found in Baegunam Hermitage, where he had studied the scriptures while he was young. The monk, who was lying there without a scratch, no longer belonged to this world.

[Buddhist Devotee 1]
"By the way, why did they place a stone with tiger blood in the temple?”

[Buddhist Devotee 2]
"To press the tiger's lair so that the tiger will never break into the temple again. Do you remember how Buddhist monk Gangbaek was taken away by a tiger not long ago?"

[Buddhist Devotee 1]
“It really happened?”

[Buddhist Devotee 2]
“Yes. According to one report, a woman who died of lovesickness during her love for the Buddhist monk Gangbaek was reincarnated as a tiger and took him away. Otherwise, only the symbol of the man would not have been found missing while his body remained intact. "But why did the tiger only take that body part?"

[Buddhist Devotee 1]
“Wow, really? Love is a scary thing. It's too bad she couldn't let go of her love even after her reincarnation. Too bad.”

[Man]
In Tongdosa Temple, two flat stones with red tiger blood were placed inside the place of enlightenment to suppress the tiger's lair. These are the tiger blood stones. One was placed before the Sangrojeon Hall and the Eungjinjeon Hall of Tongdosa Temple, while the other was placed to the north of the Sangrojeon Hall and the Geungnakjeon Hall.