THE JOGYE ORDER OF KOREAN BUDDHISM Hanmaum Seon Center

This park was created through the great aspiration of Seon Master Daehaeng, who envisioned a peaceful resting place for ancestors on the center’s grounds. It was built on the principle of Hanmaum—that all things arise from and return to one mind. Here, the spirits of our ancestors can return to that one mind, bringing a deep and lasting peace to both them and their descendants. The park held its opening ceremony on April 23, 1995, and is now home to about 100 memorial stupas.

During the Silla Dynasty, Seon (Zen) Buddhism arrived from Tang China and flourished, establishing Nine Mountain schools across the nation. Disciples of these great masters deeply revered their teachers. They recorded their talks and, after a master’s passing, would build a stupa to house their relics and ashes, preserving their legacy for future generations. This was the beginning of the memorial stupa, or yeongtap, in Korea. While the exact date of the first stupa is unknown, records suggest that one was built for Master Won Gwang around the 7th century, marking an early example of this beautiful tradition in Korea.

This body, made of elements, is just a set of clothes that our eternal, true self wears for a little while before setting it aside. Because of this, truly honoring our ancestors lies in guiding and tending their true essence, not in clinging to the physical form they once wore. After a life ends, the body returns to the four elements of earth, water, fire, and air. To be overly attached to these physical remains is a fleeting and empty gesture. It can even hinder the journey of those who have passed on and need to find a new beginning.

More and more people are choosing to arrange for their own memorial stupas while they are still alive. This is a beautiful practice for both themselves and for their families. It is an act of letting go of attachment to the physical body, honoring the natural way of things, and easing the path for future generations. Just as we hold memorial services for ancestors during the Baekjung (Ullambana) festival on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, arranging for a stupa while one is still alive is a way of building merits that ripple outward, bringing peace to oneself and those who follow.