Tongdosa Temple通度寺

Tongdosa, the main temple of the 15th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, has 19 large and small hermitages. Each hermitage possesses its own unique characteristics, and among them, Jajangam is said to have originated when Monk Jajang built a dugout hut under a rock wall and practiced asceticism during the reign of King Jinpyeong of Silla. Its subsequent history is unknown, but Hoebong rebuilt it, and after a renovation in 1870, Yongbok rebuilt it again in 1963, bringing it to its present state. Upon entering the temple grounds, a rock-carved Buddha, approximately 4 meters high, comes into view in front of Jajangjeon. Created in 1896, the center of the rock-carved Buddha features a seated Amitabha Buddha, flanked on the left and right by incised images of Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva and Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, respectively. Behind Jajangjeon stands a stupa containing the true sarira of the Buddha, which Great Master Jajang brought from Tang China.