Last day in Busan! (5/29)

T H E   D A Y   A F T E R   Buddha's Birthday--our last at Hongbeopsa Temple and in Busan, Korea-- was nothing short of sublime. It helped immensely that the temple's grounds were approximately 10,000 people emptier, and that we had no nationally-televised spiritual ceremonies to fret about. The feeling of catharsis in the wake of the climax that was the previous day's festivities mixed delightfully with the almost melancholic sentimentality that suddenly surrounded every inch of the temple and our time there, creating a pleasantly meaningful mood of contentment and significance. We had been a part of something very special; it was hard not to feel fantastic.

Our group reflecting on our experience and preparing for the next leg!

Most of our day was spent packing and preparing for our impending crack-of-dawn departure, which included saying our goodbyes to the members of the temple and spending time with our afterschoolers one last time.

Goodbyes all around

W E   W E R E N ' T   T H E   only ones saying goodbyes that day. The baby monks had turned in their robes and reverted back to their non-monastic elementary school selves the day before, but that didn't stop them from coming back to the temple. This little guy (pictured above), for example, was running around the temple grounds in his soccer cleats and civvie clothes for most of the day. It was beautiful to see him talk and laugh with the monks he'd spent the last month studying under as a child, rather than a student. The monks definitely responded differently towards him-- less strict, somber, or serious; more fun and friendly. Of course there was more to the baby monks' experience than their clothes, but without them, it certainly seemed as though some spell had been broken. Recognizing the intricacies of the ex-baby monk and his mentors was one of many things that really made me feel like an insider at the temple; it was one of the things I knew I'd both miss and remember forever.




T H E   H I G H L I G H T   of our last day at the temple was our final meeting with the head abbot of the temple, Juje-sunim (sic?). He was kind enough to grant us an audience, during which time we reflected on our experiences and received parting wisdom from the wisest monk in the temple, interpreted by the wonderful Dr. Yi.

I almost regret not taking a picture of the gathering, but in the moment, it just didn't feel right. The best I can provide is a picture of the gorgeous table from which Juje-sunim delivered his final talk, pictured below.

Only memories remain

Juje-sunim thanked us for coming to the temple and being a part of the community-- he explained that it was typically the Christian communities who attracted the American visitors, and that our presence was very broadly beneficial. He went on to discuss the importance of presence and action, the attainability and character of enlightenment, and how to continue our Buddhist practice, if we were so inclined. I was blown away by how effectively Dr. Yi interpreted what were certainly complex philosophical ideas, but of course she is an expert on the subject. I just wonder how much was lost in translation and what it would have been like to interface directly. What an incredible opportunity nonetheless.

I do, however, have one regret. At one point towards the beginning of the conversation, Juje-Sunim asked us what had been the most challenging part of our stay. Nobody, not even those who had complained from within the privacy and security of our small group, said a word. An instant before the Sunim chuckled off our silence and moved on with the conversation, I got an idea of what to say-- perversely, it was all the kindness we received that was most challenging for me. I'm so used to gratuity being offered only with strings attached and being accepted only reluctantly due to the pride and self-reliance our culture is built upon; that these complete strangers would take us in, put us up, and bathe us in acceptance and kindness for so long simply blew away all conceptions of generosity and good-will I had. I didn't feel prepared by my culture to accept such mercy, and to know that I simply could not pay back all that I received was very challenging! I wonder how much of this would have translated. I wish I'd tried.

W E   S P E N T   O U R   E V E N I N G   saying goodbye to Busan beyond the temple. We were treated first to a final traditional Korean meal by one of our very kind host parents, followed by drinks with a few temple parents, and then one last hangout with our close temple friends.

Our last traditional meal... for now!

Haunting the local convenience store with our temple buddies one last time

O U R   L A S T   D A Y   was exactly what it needed to be-- simple, peaceful, and meaningful. I don't know that a goodbye has ever felt so good.