Korea Finder #48
Who can name who is depicted in this Korean work of art?:
Here are this year’s current Korea Finder Leader’s Board:
Mark -9
Sonagi – 5
James – 2
Peekstr – 1
HumKor – 1
Farty – 1
Mike -2
Maui – 1
kcbill06 – 1
CPT Kim – 1
Tim – 1
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Is it Won Hyo?
The only other famous Korean buddhist I know is Han Yong Woon, but the art seems before his time.
Yes it is Wonhyo who is probably the most famous Buddhist monk in Korean history.
He is based in Kevin's book titled, "Drink water from the skull."
For those that don't know what CPT KIM is referring to is that there is a famous Buddhist story about how Wonhyo was staying overnight in a cave that was really a graveyard but he didn't know it. In the darkness he mistakenly used a skull to drink some water. When I found out he drank water from a skull he made some revelations which changed his life.
GI,
Thanks for clarifying my comment. I forgot that not all of your bloggers are well versed in Korean history.
Me thinks ??? ? ? ?
Won Hyu dae-sa, or wonhyusa yong-jong.
What I found interesting in that story is that he was on his way to China to study Buddhism but got caught in a rainstorm and went into the cave. The skull drinking episode convinced him — in part — the whole idea of going some place for such study was wrongheaded – given the nature of existence – so he stayed in Korea.
I have a tingling memory that he was with some others? and they kept going?…
I also seem to remember that he had started off as a Confucianist…..? but I could be completely off on these two…
usinkorea,
I think Wonhyo's buddy Monk did go on to Tang and later to India to study the scripture further. But sadly, I think his monk friend never came back to Shila and end up dying in Tang or Zhou.