On Daegak Gae Gyojeol, Won Buddhism Celebrates "Achieving a Miraculous History in 100 Years"

In celebration of Daegak Gae Gyojeol, the largest holiday of Won Buddhism, commemorative events were held at over 1,000 Won Buddhist temples and institutions both domestically and internationally.

On the morning of the 28th, the commemorative ceremony held at the Banbaeknyeon Memorial Hall of the Won Buddhist Central Headquarters in Iksan, Jeonbuk, was filled with approximately 1,200 guests from inside and outside Won Buddhism. Jeonsan Jongbeopsa, the supreme leader of Won Buddhism, stated in his congratulatory address, “Our Won Buddhism has passed through over 100 years of founding history, enduring the oppression of Japanese colonial rule and the turmoil of the Korean War and other hardships. Now, we have planted the flag of Ilwon Daedo across the five oceans and six continents, achieving a miraculous history of spreading the Dharma, and we are dedicating ourselves with hope for the fourth generation of the order.”

On the 28th, the Daegak Gae Gyojeol commemorative ceremony was held at the Banbaeknyeon Memorial Hall of the Jeonbuk Iksan Central Headquarters.
[Photo by Wonbulgyo]

President Yoon Suk-yeol, in a written congratulatory message, said, “Just as Won Buddhist followers embrace the suffering of their neighbors, the government will also do its utmost to create a warm society that supports the socially vulnerable with a spirit of solidarity,” adding, “The founding spirit of Won Buddhism will enrich our society further.” The message was read by Kang Seung-gyu, Senior Secretary for Civil Society at the Presidential Secretariat.

Jinwoo Sunim, the representative chairman of the Korean Council of Religious Leaders and the head of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, said, “The teachings of Won Buddhism, which pursue morality and communal values through spiritual renewal, are precious guidelines for all of us,” and urged, “Please play a greater role so that we can develop into a first-class nation in the 21st century.”

Desmond Cahill, chairman of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace, stated, “The religious and social values upheld by Won Buddhism have transformed a world rife with conflict and promoted human progress,” and expressed respect for “Won Buddhism’s efforts to pursue a just and harmonious society and interreligious harmony.”

Additionally, Kim Gi-hyeon, leader of the People Power Party, and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, sent congratulatory messages.

To mark Daegak Gae Gyojeol, Won Buddhism held the ‘Iksan Sacred Site Enlightenment Festival’ from the 21st to the 23rd under the theme ‘Together, All Together.’ The 2nd Songdae Music Concert and the 8th Won Buddhist Content Contest were held in Iksan, Jeonbuk, where the Central Headquarters is located.

A Won Buddhist official stated, “This year, we plan to expand nationwide the ‘Dasi Sallim’ campaign for suicide prevention and the social spread of respect for life awareness, as well as climate crisis response activities such as RE100,” adding, “For the underprivileged, over 1,000 temples and institutions nationwide are conducting a sharing campaign of grace items (ramen, rice, kimchi).”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.