Ven. Pupchin
The goal of the pursuit of the Tripitaka (the three
baskets of Vinaya, Sutra, and Abidharma) and application of the three
trainings (ethics, meditation, and wisdom) is to accurately understand
and apply the principles of Buddhism in actuality. From this point, it
is not an exaggeration to say that education and application are
everything to the Buddhist practitioner’s life. Here education refers
to correctly understanding Buddhist concepts and application refers to
actualization. Because it is considered that only by properly
understanding Buddhist concepts, can we approach the path of correct
understanding and education, and that only by taking into account the
actual situation can we practice the Paramitas and be innovative.
Accordingly, education and application are synonymous with understanding
and actualization.
In order to embody these virtues, what are the Jogye
Order of Korean Buddhism’s completion requirements within the training
and practice system? Together with marrying monks and non-marrying
monks, the Jogye Order was officially registered in 1962 with the Korean
government’s Ministry of Culture and Public Information. It became the
sole order to officially inherit the 1600-year-old tradition of Korean
Buddhism. As such, we can understand that the Jogye Order’s practice
and training system is the status of Korean Buddhism. This text is an
attempt to organize and concisely introduce Jogye Order’s monastic
training and practice system, and the new direction for which the Jogye
Order is working toward.
Jogye Order’s training system can be broadly
classified as: 1) Elementary Training, 2) Basic Training, 3)
General Training (specialized training), 4) Re-training. First is the
postulant (hangja) training for a minimum of six months. Second is the
four years of training for novices (shramanera/shramanerika or
Sami/Samini) undertaken at temple Sangha colleges, Dongguk University’s
College of Buddhism, Joong-Ang Sangha University, or elementary
Seon(Zen) centers. These first two trainings must be completed by all
Jogye monastics without exception. When the “elementary training” is
completed, one can become a novice monastic (Sami/Samini). When the
“basic training” is completed, one can take the full monastic vows, and
attains the qualification and rights of being a Jogye Order monastic.
Third is “general training” where a monastic can pursuit specialized
training after receiving full monastic ordination. Fourth is the
“re-training” for monastics who have been ordained 5, 10, 20, and 25
years. This is not obligatory, but it is the training process necessary
to carry out certain responsibilities as set out by the order, and to
hold positions in the order, as well as train disciples. The following
charts illustrates the training system.
Elementary Training
Postulant (Hangja) Registration
The monastic prospects put aside their past lifestyle,
to begin life as a renunciate at a new and unfamiliar temple. There is
a need for the elder monastics to show exceptional interest,
consideration, and guidance, so that the postulants acclimate well to
temple life and correctly pursuit the monastic path.
The temple’s elder monks, while living together with
the postulants, must observe whether they have what it takes to make
future monastics by thoroughly examining the postulant’s resume,
maturation process, past awards and reprimands, family situation, and
health history. After closely observing the attitude and behavior of
the postulants to determine that they have the sincere motivation of a
renunciate, only then are they allowed to stay as postulants.
The postulant who has taken the first step, must
choose a vocation master (Unsa Sunim) that will lead them, and guide
them properly as practitioners. Once the vocation master is selected,
the relationship cannot be cancelled without mutual agreement.
Therefore, this selection should be done cautiously. The vocation
master must have been ordained for at least 10 years, is over 30 years
old, passed the third level monastic examination, and is at least a
fourth stage monastic.
Hair-cutting Ceremony and Postulant Robes
Hair-cutting ceremony is meaningful because it
officially confirms the postulant as a member of the order. Therefore,
this is a formal ceremony, which follows ceremonial procedure with the
monastic community in attendance. After this ceremony, the male
postulants wear the brown robes and the female postulants wear orange
robes.
Admission into the Postulant Training Course
The postulant’s qualifications are: high school
graduate, over 15 years old, and under 50. Once the postulant is
trained at the home temple for at least five months, he/she enters the
group postulant training course. The main contents of the training
course are: novice vows, the “Admonitions to beginners” text, life of
Buddha, elementary doctrine, and Buddhist ceremonies. After the
completion of the training course, by passing the fifth level monastic
examination, the postulant takes the Shramanera/Shramanerika
(Sami/Samini) vows and becomes a novice.
Basic Training
Basic Training Summary
Basic training is required training that can be
considered the most important among all the training programs and
contents. Here the novice cultivates the basic knowledge that a fully
ordained Bikkhu or Bikkhuni must possess. This four-year training takes
place at the temple Sangha colleges, Dongguk
University’s College of Buddhism,
Joong-Ang
Sangha University, and elementary Seon
mediation centers. During this time, Jogye Order tenets, the Vinaya,
original scriptures, Mahayana scriptures, understanding of training
education, practice, propagation, among others are widely studied.
There are 13 temple
Sangha colleges for
Shramaneras (male novices/Sami) and 5 temple Sangha
colleges for Shramanerikas (female novices/Samini). Traditional temple
life can be experienced at these colleges. In addition, it would not
be an exaggeration to say that the majority of the basic training takes
place at these colleges. Joong-Ang
Sangha University is a modern monastic
training center built in 1989 by the Jogye Order. The elementary Seon
meditation centers teach the basics necessary for Gan-hwa-seon (Korean
Seon training) practice. After the official registration of the Jogye
Order with the Korean government’s Ministry of Culture and Public
Information in 1962, the Dongguk
University’s College of Buddhism was established with the
goal of providing modern Buddhist education for monastics. The temple Sangha colleges are merely Jogye
Order training institutions and not accredited universities. Joong-Ang Sangha
University and Dongguk University are accredited
universities.
The curriculum among these various “basic training”
facilities varies more or less, but the temple Sangha
colleges curriculum are all the same. This was decided at the 1984
Sangha College Teacher’s National Conference. This curriculum was
devised to cultivate the basic understanding necessary for Gan-hwa-seon
(Korean Seon training) practice using traditional doctrinal education as
the foundation. To supplement the Vinaya, Hinayana scriptures, and
Mahayana scriptures, and to better understand the doctrine from
different ideological perspectives, Hinayana Buddhism, Abhidharma,
Madhyamika, Chittamatra, Pure Land, Tantric Buddhism, and a Buddhism
Overview have been added to the curriculum. In order to see Buddhism
from a historical perspective--History of Buddhist Ideology, History of
the Jogye Order, History of Indian Buddhism, History of Chinese
Buddhism, and History of Korean Buddhism have also been added. In
addition, to strengthen an understanding of modern subjects--Humanities,
Oriental Ideology, Western Philosophy, Literature, and Foreign Language
have been added.
As a reference, the following is the Haeinsa Temple Sangha
College’s
curriculum for the 2009 (BE 2553) year:
l 1st Year: The Buddhist Person I, the
Buddhist Person II, Vinaya, Hinayana Buddhism, Abhidharma, History of
Indian Buddhism, Understanding Western Philosophy II, Literature I,
Literature II, English, Japanese
l 2nd Year: Understading the
Prajnaparamita Sutra (Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra, Vimila-kirtinirdesa
Sutra, 8000 Poems of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, Understanding Avatamska
Sutra, Introduction to the Avatamska school, History of Chinese
Buddhism, Understanding Western Philosophy II, Literature III,
Literature IV
l 3rd Year: “Awakening faith in the
Mahayana,” Shuramgama Sutra, Lotus Sutra, Nirvana Sutra, History of
Korean Buddhism, Buddhism Overview I, Buddhism Overview II, Literature
V, Buddhist Culture, Buddhist Ceremony
l 4th Year: Seon Texts (Platform Sutra,
Entrance to Sudden Enlightenment, Selected Letters of Master Dahui,
Essence of Seon), History of Seon ideology, Buddhism Overview I,
Buddhism Overview II, Graduation Thesis
When the “basic training” is completed, the novice can
take the 4th level monastic examination. If the test is
passed, the novice can receive full ordination of a Bhikkhu or
Bhikkhuni.
General Training
Specialized Training
Jogye Order’s “specialized training” takes place in
Seon meditation centers, Sangha graduate colleges, Vinaya schools,
specialized Sangha colleges, etc. Over 2000 Jogye Order monastics in
more than 90 Seon meditation centers are keeping the traditional
practice custom by practice Seon meditation during the summer and winter
retreat seasons.
There are two Sangha graduate colleges (one for
Bhikkhu, one for Bhikkhuni). Here the specialized and systematic
pursuit of scriptures and studies takes place. Future professors and
specialized abilities are cultivated at these colleges. Specialized
Sangha colleges were created for the systematic education specialized
scriptures or text that fits a temple’s tradition and character. Vinaya
Schools provide systematic Vinaya education. Goal of the Vinaya
Schools is to transmit correctly the monastic traditions and customs,
and to prepare the monastics that will transmit the Vinaya.
Extracurricular Training
The goals of “extracurricular training” are the
cultivation of Buddhist arts such as Buddhist culture, Buddhist art,
Buddhist music (modern and traditional), Buddhist architecture, and to
strengthen the ability to propagate the Dharma. Another goal is to
strengthen specialized training in the fields of Broadcast and Print
Journalism that is necessary for Dharma propagation. In addition, there
is a School of Buddhist Ceremonial Song and Dance with a two-year
course.
Re-training
Education Course
Once a Jogye Order monastic has been ordained 20 or 25
years, the monastic must complete the education course that falls under
“re-training.” Through this training, the monastic cultivates the
character of a religious leader, is granted an opportunity to strengthen
the bond with the other monastics participating in the education
course, and is supplied with diverse information to acclimate with the
modern changing times.
Monastic Examination and Monastic Rank
According to the ordination age, the Jogye Order
monastic must complete the corresponding training. After the training,
the monastic takes the examination. After passing the examination, the
monastic is endowed with the corresponding monastic rank. The following
chart illustrates the monastic ranking system:
