Reflection in Bulguksa

In the zen land of non-duality, there is no inside and no outside. The "inside" reflects the "outside" and the "outside" reflects the "inside". Nowhere does this truth come to life more beautifully than in a zen temple. Korean temples are so built that they participate to stir one's meditation, as the harmony coming out of the architecture's symmetry and clear lines sinks into the visitor's mind and leaves an imprint of peace. "Outside" becomes "inside".

It is a rocky rocky land

Big rocks, small rocks.

Autumn comes, leaves go technicolor

First autumn in Korea or i should i say autumns? From the early fall blossoming into a flamboyant and colorful one before turning shadowy.

As bright hues bloom, summer's green slowly recedes in a technicolor of amber, red, yellow, purple, orange, scarlet, golden, pink...














In the branches, the soft rustling of the leaves has become crispier. Soon, the leaves start falling, swirling and twirling slowly or diving down. First soft and colorful, later dry and cracking under the feet...


Zen question: when did it fall?









... til finally there are only pale leaves, muted colors and naked trees.



Winter is here.

Naksansa H(e)aven

A temple by the sea. Waves crash to the shore. Wind gushes shake trees and lanterns. Free noodles are offered for lunch. The sea is blue and wide. So is the sky. And a zen nerd is in bliss.













In 2005, a fire ravaged Naksansa and destroyed almost all the centuries-old buildings and pine tree forest. Turned into ashes overnight. As our teacher once said, if you look closely at this life, you'll see no meaning, no reason, and no choice... But, he continued, if you truly attain what this realization is about, you'll get great meaning, great reason, and great choice. So the temple was destroyed. Then, reconstruction started and is continuing.