Jikjisa

 buddhist temple  Add category

Jikjisa is believed to have been originally established in 418 by Master Ado Hwasang. The name Jikji originated, according to the guidance of Chan Buddhism, from “direct pointing to the human mind, seeing one’s own nature to attain Buddhahood”.

Master Jajang Yulsa rebuilt Jikjisa, with the support of Queen Seondok who reined from 632 to 647 of the Silla dynasty, in 645. Later, Jikjisa was once again reestablished by Master Cheonmuk Daesa in 930 and Master Neungyeo Josa in 936 with the support of King Taejo of Goryeo. During this rebuilding process, Jikjisa saw a major renovation and was widely accepted as the best temple in Korea since it produced great numbers of outstanding monks.

In the Joseon Era Jikjisa was restored again in 1399. Moreover, when extensive rebuilding and expansion work was carried out by Master Hakjo Daesa in 1488, Jikjisa became one of the best eight temples in the Joseon dynasty.

Jikjisa was a place where numerous high priests and great abbots were consecrated. Also, Samyeong Daesa, who performed meritorious deeds during Japanese invasions, became a Buddhist monk here. During the early years of the Joseon dynasty when persecution of Buddhism was implemented officially, Jeongsim Seonsa retired to a hermitage here and continued to cultivate the Buddhist doctrine.

During the Imjin War from 1592 to 1598, numerous military monks from Jikjisa rose up against the Japanese, and as reprisal, most of the facilities of Jikjisa were damaged or lost to arson at the hands of the Japanese invaders, in 1596. Reconstruction started in 1602 and completed in 1662. Since the 1660s, more than 50 years of reconstructions has transformed Jikjisa into its present form.

Inside of the temple numerous cultural heritages including Daeungjeon hall of Jikjisa (Treasure #1576), Buddha triad paintings of Jikjisa Daeungjeon haII (Treasure #670), Seated Stone Bhaisajyaguru (Treasure #319), East-West Three-Story Pagodas in front of Daeungjeon hall (Treasure #606), Three-Story Pagoda in front of Vairocana hall (Treasure #607), Three-Story Pagoda in front of Jikjisa Buddhist Heritage Museum (Treasure #1186), and more than a hundred buildings that have been well preserved.