The ShinsungHwa of Venerable Beopjeong (2019)
The ShinsungHwa of Venerable Beopjeong
In the lower right corner of his ShinsungHwa, there’s an energy form that represents Bulil-am, the small hermitage where he spent seventeen years in quiet retreat. You can almost feel the stillness of those mountain years captured in that gentle presence on the paper.
The lower left holds a different kind of energy—one that speaks to Gilsang-sa, the temple he founded later in life. This Gilsang-sa energy connects to some rather tangled energies in the upper left corner, suggesting the complicated matters he faced with the foundation after his passing. Although complex issues arose, the related energy had already been set in motion. Even in spiritual life, it seems, there are knots to untangle and difficult conversations to navigate.
Quote
“True wisdom is not borrowed knowledge; it must be based on my own experience. That which I learn from others is memory, not wisdom.”
“To align with others, you must first acknowledge that they are different from you.”
“Life is short and precious, and we must be grateful and live in any situation.”
“The greatest victory is to control your own mind.”
“Happiness does not depend on how much you have, but on how free you are from what you do not need.”
“When we don’t own anything, we will gain the world.”
“It is asking ourselves the fundamental questions — ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Where am I going?’ Through these questions, we can finish every moment. The beautiful finish is not the end but a new start.”
The Monk Who Owned Nothing
Park Jae-cheol was born in 1932 in Haenam, a small town in southern Korea. Like most college students, he had big dreams and bigger plans. Then the Korean War erupted, and he watched his homeland tear itself apart. The violence and suffering he witnessed haunted him with timeless questions: Why do we suffer? What’s the point of it all?
Rather than bury these thoughts, Park made an extraordinary choice. He would find answers, even if it meant abandoning everything. In 1954, mid-way through his junior year, he packed his bags and headed for the mountains. His destination was Odaesan Temple, but heavy snow stranded him in Seoul. Sometimes fate intervenes when we least expect it.
Meeting His Teacher
Stuck in Seoul, Park encountered Venerable Hyobong, a wise old monk. One conversation changed everything. The young college student knew instantly he’d found his path. He shaved his head, donned the simple gray robes of a Buddhist monk, and took the name Beopjeong—meaning “upright in the teachings.”
He would later recall that transformative moment: “I was so happy when I put on the robes for the first time. I felt like I could fly. I walked around the busy streets of Seoul, feeling completely free.”
The Philosophy of Having Nothing
Beopjeong spent years studying at Songgwang Temple, one of Korea’s most revered Buddhist centers. Yet what set him apart wasn’t his scholarship—it was his radical lifestyle. He developed a philosophy called “musoyu” (무소유), meaning “non-possession” or simply “having nothing.”
This wasn’t about poverty or misery. It was about discovering that genuine happiness comes from wanting less, not accumulating more.
In 1976, he published “Non-possession,” a book that would transform countless lives. It sold over three million copies in Korea—extraordinary for a nation of 50 million. Even Cardinal Stephen Kim, Korea’s leading Catholic figure, quipped about the book: “Even though it teaches about having nothing, this is one book I definitely want to own.”
Living What He Taught
Beopjeong didn’t just preach simple living—he embodied it. In the late 1970s, he built a tiny hermitage called Burilam deep in the mountains behind Songgwang Temple. There he lived alone: cooking, cleaning, gardening. No electricity, no running water, no modern conveniences. Yet visitors found him radiantly happy—more so than most people surrounded by luxury.
Fame has its own momentum. The more Beopjeong sought solitude, the more people sought him out. Eventually, pilgrims disrupted his meditation so frequently that in 1992, he vanished deeper into Gangwon Province’s mountains. His exact location remains unknown to this day.
Then came 1997 and an unexpected twist. Kim Yeong-han, a wealthy restaurant owner, was so moved by Beopjeong’s teachings that he donated his entire upscale establishment to create a temple. Rather than demolish the building, they transformed it into Gilsang Temple, preserving its warm, welcoming atmosphere. Here was a temple that broke the mold—modern, accessible, inviting.
Beopjeong also launched a citizens’ movement called “Malgo Hyanggiropge” (“clean and fragrant”), encouraging people to live more simply and honestly while caring for their communities and environment.
He also championed controversial causes. He wrote passionately against eating dog meat, arguing it violated both Buddhist compassion and Korea’s traditional kindness toward animals. Though unpopular with some, Beopjeong believed true spirituality meant protecting the vulnerable—human and animal alike.
The Final Teaching
When lung cancer took Beopjeong in 2010 at age 77, his final wishes perfectly embodied his life’s philosophy. No funeral, no fancy coffin, no memorial ceremonies. “Dress me in cotton, which I used to wear,” his will stated. “Scatter my ashes on the flower garden of the hut where I used to live.” Even in death, he owned nothing and returned everything to the earth.
