4. Daeungjeon Hall of Seonamsa Temple

[Buddhist Monk]
“There are two stories behind the foundation of Seonamsa Temple. One says that Buddhist monk Adohwasang built a hermitage called Biroam on the hillside of today's Jogyesan Mountain in 529 during the reign of King Seongwang of Baekje, and this was renamed as Haecheonsa Temple of Cheongnyangsan Mountain in the seventh year of King Seongwang, which later became Seonamsa Temple. Another story is that Doseon Guksa built Seonamsa temple to remedy topographical defects in 875, the first year of King Heongang of Silla. Subsequently, as Daegak Guksa Uicheon greatly expanded its denomination, Seonamsa Temple became a large temple during the Goryeo Dynasty.

[Woman]
"I see. What kind of place is Daeungjeon Hall?"

[Buddhist Monk]
"Daeungjeon Hall is the place where the Buddha is enshrined.”

[Woman]
"Oh, that Indian prince.”

[Buddhist Monk]
"Yes, that's right. He was the prince of the Kapila Kingdom in India. At the age of 29, he became a Buddhist monk, and at the age of 35, he found enlightenment and became the Buddha. For the next 45 years, he traveled all over India to convey his Buddhist teachings. Until he entered into nirvana.”

[Woman]
"What kind of enlightenment was it?”

[Buddhist Monk]
"The Buddha, or Sakyamuni, was a man who completely reached the state of nirvana, away from all suffering. So his goal was to save all people from their suffering and pain and to help them reach the state of nirvana."

[Woman]
"I see. He wanted not only himself, but also all others to reach nirvana and to break free from suffering. And Daeungjeon Hall is dedicated to serve such a person. However, I don't think the Buddha is the only one enshrined in Daeungjeon Hall.”

[Buddhist Monk]
"That's right. In addition to the Buddha, Daeungjeon Hall also enshrines ManjushriBodhisattva and Samantabhadra. The basic structure is to place Buddha Sakyamuni at the center and to enshrine Manjushri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra on either side of the Buddha."

[Woman]
A Buddhist statue is placed at the center of Daeungjeon Hall, and this Buddhist alter is called Sumidan. It symbolizes the Buddha sitting at the top of Sumisan Mountain, which is located at the center of the Buddhist world view, emanating the light of mercy and wisdom.

[Man]
Manjushri Bodhisattva is a Buddhist saint who symbolizes many virtues and prajna wisdom, and the religious belief in this Bodhisattva has been widely passed on in Korea since the Three Kingdoms Period. The Manjushri Bodhisattva was born in India after the Buddha's death, and has always been a symbol of the prajna wisdom, as a person who fulfilled the prajna duties. He is known as the one who gathered and compiled the Prajnaparamita. Prajnaparamita is a scripture written with a focus on wisdom, signaling that wisdom is the foundation of the Buddha.
Samantabhadra is the chief saint of all Buddhist saints including the Manjushri Bodhisattva. He is also a Buddhist saint who helps in redeeming and widely improving living beings. He is also called the life-extending Samantabhadra as he has the virtue of prolonging the lives of living beings. His shape is described in many ways, but there are two major types, one on a white elephant and the other on a lotus pedestal. Samantabhadra was not widely popular as a religious figure due to his lack of perspective on interests in this life or the afterlife, unlike the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva or Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

[Woman]
According to the Sangryangmun Prayer of Daeungjeon Hall in Seonamsa Temple, Daeungjeon Hall of Seonamsa Temple was burnt down in 1766 in the 42nd year of King Yeongjo, and was reconstructed in 1824, the 24th year of King Sunjo.