8. Myeongbujeon Hall of Tongdosa

[Man]
Myeongbujeon Hall of Tongdosa Temple was built in 1369, the 18th year of King Gongmin, and according to records, the building burned down in a fire in 1756. In 1760, Buddhist monk Chunpa Daesa reconstructed Myeongbujeon Hall, but it was destroyed by fire again in 1887, the 24th year of King Gojong, and Buddhist monk Hoseong Daesa rebuilt it the following year.


[Guide]
"Inside the Myeongbujeon Hall, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is enshrined as the main Buddha, while the Ten Kings of the Nether World are enshrined on its left and right.

[Tourist]
"Sir. What is the Sumidan altar?"

[Guide]
"The Sumidan altar is a Sumisan Mountain-shaped altar set up in the Dharma halls of a temple.

[Tourist]
"What kind of place is Sumisan Mountain?"

[Guide]
"Sumisan Mountain is said to be at the center of the world from the Buddhist view of the universe. The summit of Sumisan Mountain has the Kausika Heaven Palace, and making a Buddha throne into a Sumi throne is known to originate from the scripture of Buddha's ascension made by the Sakyamuni Buddha.

[Tourist]
"Is a statue of Buddha placed on this Sumidan altar?”

[Guide]
“Yes, that's right. Placing a Buddha statue on an object like a Sumidan altar has been practiced in India since ancient times, and this method has been popular throughout China to Korea."

[Tourist]
"I see. By the way, I heard that Myeongbujeon also has other names. What are they?”

[Guide]
"Myeongbujeon Hall is called Siwangjeon Hall because it enshrines the ten lords of judgment who serve as judges in the netherworld, and it is also alternatively called Jijangjeon Hall as it enshrines the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva as its main Buddha.

[Tourist]
"Then what is Myeongbujeon Hall for?"

[Guide]
"Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the main Buddha, is a benevolent Bodhisattva who symbolizes the ideals of Buddhist salvation. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva set up a great mission to delay becoming a Buddha until all living beings are saved. He played a role in educating each and every living being in the six realms of reincarnation from hell to heaven, allow them to attain the Buddhahood. Myeongbujeon Hall is widely used as the fundamental sacred place to hold rituals for ancestors.

[Tourist]
"So it is a place to hold rituals for ancestors. That's very interesting."


[Woman]
Due to the mercy of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the belief in Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was prevalent early in Korea and spread to become one of the representative Buddhist beliefs. The Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was widely believed, especially by descendants who were worried that their dead ancestors may fall into hell. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva appeared as the savior of the netherworld that judges the transmigration, or rebirth in the six realms of existence, and was believed as the main Buddha of Myeongbujeon Hall in Korean temples. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is a Bodhisattva who allows living beings to attain enlightenment away from all evil karma, and benefits both the dead and the living. This belief was thus the most common since the Silla Dynasty, and he is served as a Buddhist with absolute power, especially during the first forty-nine days after a person's death.

[Man]
The Ten Kings are those who judge the sins committed by the dead who are in hell. Their names are King Jingwang, King Chogang, King Songjae, King Ogwan, King Yeomra, King Byunseong, King Taesan, King Pyeongdeung, King Dosi and King Jeollyun. The idea of ten kings was passed down as a folk belief, and the fact that Myeongbujeon Hall and Siwangjeon Hall were almost always built in each and every temple serves as clear evidence. The ten kings have been the epitome of a unique form of faith, harmonizing with the view on afterlife unique to the Korean people. Outside the Tongdosa building, various murals depicting the contents of hero novels popular in the late Joseon Dynasty are displayed, such as the Samgochoryeodo painting and Hangagdokjodo painting, while inside the building are folk paintings as well as the paintings of an underwater palace, phoenix, and maple bridge at night.