Soogwangjeon of Woljeongsa

[Visitor]

What kind of features does Soogwangjeon have?

[Curator]

Five panels of doors in the front, and three on each side, along with a side-gable style of roof are used in this hall. Its builders used a typical architecture style called Jusimpo (柱心包) from the Goryeo Dynasty period. In order to balance the weight of the roof, Gonpo is used on top of the pillars. This is designed to hold up the eaves of the roof, and is set up only on the pillars.

[Curator]

In general, the names for halls enshrining Amitabha Buddha of the Pure Land in the west, who shows his compassion towards sentient beings, are either Muryangsujeon, “The Hall of Infinite Light,” Soogwangjeon, “The Hall of the Pure Land” or Geuknakjeon, “The Hall of Paradise.” At Woljeongsa, it is called Soogwangjeon. The unique feature here is that in front of the hall, the plaque reads “Soogwangjeon,” but on the south side, it is written Jijangjeon, “The Ksitigarbha Hall.” Basically, this means there is no separate Ksitigarbha Hall, unlike other temples. The Ksitigarbha Hall enshrines Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva who can save sentient beings from their sins and suffering in the nether lands or hell.

In the Hall of the Pure Land, Amitabha Buddha is enshrined in the center of the top altar, along with Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva of Great Power of Wisdom, as his attendants on the sides. Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, with his great compassion, vowed to save all sentient beings from their sufferings and lead them to their rebirths. Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, with his great power of wisdom, vowed to teach all sentient beings Buddha’s chants, and teach them how to purify their minds so that they can transcend this world and move to the pure land in the west, Amitabha Buddha World. Behind this statue is a wooden carving of Seobang Geugnak Hoesangdo, which depicts Amitabha Buddha in the pure land of the west giving Buddha-dharma.