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Article: Thoughts of The Times; Buddha's Night.
- Article from:
- Korea Times (Seoul, Korea)
- Article date:
- May 26, 2000
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 Hankook Ilbo. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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May 11th, Buddha's Birthday _ The evening is cool and heavy with clouds, the moon invisible. The air is sharp and clear, washed clean by the earlier rain. I have come to Myongjong-sa, a small temple in the middle of downtown Chongju. It is late, after nine o'clock, but the temple is open and crowded.
I climb up to the third floor, take off my shoes, pull my feet up into a half-lotus, and cup my hands. Breathe. Clear my mind. The wide courtyard in front of the uppermost Buddha hall is covered with flatted pear boxes for people like myself to sit upon _ here and there, quietly sitting figures are engrossed in meditation.
It is rather noisy, but not overly ...