Taego Order Elects Sangjin Seunim as 28th Chief Administrator

Venerable Sangjin was elected as the 28th Chief Executive of the Korean Buddhist Taego Order. His term will last for four years, starting from June 27.

According to the Taego Order, Venerable Sangjin won the election for the 28th Chief Executive held on the 18th with 95 votes. His competitor, Venerable Seong-o, received 58 votes. Out of 163 eligible voters, 153 participated in the vote. Eight abstained, and two declined to vote.

Sangjin Sunim. [Photo by Taego Order]

원본보기 아이콘

Venerable Sangjin expressed his gratitude upon election, stating, "I will listen attentively to the words of elders and senior monks above, and engage in discussions with junior monks for the development of the order below. No matter what happens, I will operate the order with fairness, integrity, and transparency."

Venerable Sangjin entered Yeongmyeongsa Temple in Changnyeong after hearing the chanting tapes of Venerable Seonggong and Venerable Wolbong, who are regarded as pioneers of modern Buddhist chanting and propagation. He learned the basics, from how to hold the wooden percussion instrument to the Sambo Tongcheong (a ritual to request the Three Jewels), from the abbot Venerable Jijong. Right after witnessing the Beompae (ritual chanting) performed by Venerable Hanpa at the Yeongmyeongsa eye-opening ceremony, he made a vow to walk the path of a Beompae monk.

After spending three years as a novice, Venerable Sangjin received the novice precepts (Sami-gye) in April 1991 under the guidance of Venerable Cheolhwa of Sunamsa Temple in Suncheon, the Taego Order's main monastery. In November 2011, he received the full ordination precepts (Gujok-gye) from Venerable Hyecho. Venerable Byeok-eun, the Taego Order's Seungjeong and holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 50 for Beompae chanting at Munsusa Temple on Ganghwa Island, taught him Beompae chanting.

He served as the head of students at the Taego Order’s Dongbang Buddhist University in 1994, and was a professor in the ritual department at the Korean Buddhist Dharma Teacher University, Bowoo Seungga University, and Dongbang Graduate School of Culture. He also served as the academic affairs director at Dongbang Buddhist University. In August 2022, he received an honorary doctorate in philosophy from Wideok University, established by the Jingak Order. He has held positions such as abbot of Gwangdeoksa Temple in Dongducheon, abbot of Wongaksa Temple in Masan, head of the Culture and Education Departments at the Taego Order’s General Headquarters, secretary general of the Central Buddhist Council, abbot of Cheongryeonsa Temple in Yangju, dean of Dongbang Buddhist University, and guiding Dharma teacher of the Korea University Buddhist Alumni Association.

He has planned and overseen various cultural and religious events, including "The Spirit and Art of Korea" (Seoul Arts Center, 1999), "Sunday Art Stage" (Unhyeongung Palace, 1999), "5000 Years of Korean Culture and Arts Leaping to the World" (Carnegie Hall, New York, 2000), "Korean Buddhist Ritual Beompae" (Bhutan, 2007), "Three-Story Pagoda Relic Transport Ceremony" (Sri Lanka, 2014), "Memorial Ceremony for Korean War Veterans" (LA Shrine Auditorium, 2016), and "Joint Memorial Ceremony for Killing Fields Victims" (Cambodia, 2017), actively leading religious affairs and propagation activities worldwide.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.