A stone pagoda containing Buddha’s relics can be found in the front yard, entrance, or back yard of a temple. The stone pagoda at Jogyesa Temple contains Buddha’s relics given to the temple by a Sri Lankan monk called Dharmapala in 1913, who was impressed by Korean Buddhism. He expressed this wish: “Let the people in Joseon of the East attain enlightenment.”

The pagoda was constructed in October 2009 to eliminate the three poisonous elements of greed, hatred, and illusion, which are the sources of pain and suffering for all living beings. The absence of these elements allows people to awaken to the truth, achieve enlightenment, and eventually enter the world of nirvana. Therefore, the eight sides symbolize the Noble Eightfold Path, explaining the eight ways to achieve enlightenment. The ten stories represent the ten good deeds against the ten evil acts committed by the body, tongue, and mind.

The outer parts are adorned with eight Buddha images, eight bodhisattvas, and eight divine guardians. Inside, a collection of about 14,000 small Buddha statues, part of the relics of Sakyamuni Buddha given by Venerable Dharmapala, is enshrined. Additionally, it houses one set of the seven books of the Lotus Sutra, printed by woodblocks at Ssanggyesa Temple in 1660.

Together with the relic pagoda, this monument summarizes the history of the religion, from the establishment movement of the chief temple of Korean Buddhism to the recent history of the Jogye Order and Jogyesa over the last eighty years. By observing the pagoda, one can gain insight into the history of Korean Buddhism.