Seoul-Kathmandu direct air link could promote Nepal in Korea

-Prof. Cho, Yong-kil, Dean, Department of Buddhist Studies
Dongguk University, Seoul, Korea

I have visited Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha, six times and hope to be there again and again.

As far Nepal is going for the establishment of a Buddhist University, I am not aware of this new development. However, if formal request are made from the nepali side, me and the university wherein I am engaged at the moment would be more than willing to support your government in materializing the Nepalese dream for such a university. All that we need is a formal invitation from the Nepal side.

What I can assure is that if such a formal requests is made to my university in Seoul, we can draft the preliminary curricula for the university students because we have the expertise in this regard. This much could be done. After all, our sentimental attachments are with Lumbini and the Koreans as homogeneous entity have already accepted and adopted the very virtues and cultures of Buddhism in our society. It has already become an inseparable part of our life-system.

Buddhism has been in Korea for well over 1,600 years and through that long history, it has achieved a deep religious tradition and created a unique culture. Owing to its comprehensive culture-rich characteristics, Buddhism in Korea played an important role not only as a religion but also as an embryo of the Korean cultural phenomenon. The influence of Buddhism on Korean thought and culture was so extensive that it can be said that we can't think of Korean thoughts without providing any reference to Buddhism which is in reality the very foundation of Korean thought and culture.

At times, I also listen to rumors printed here and there that lord Buddha was born not in Nepal but in some other countries in Nepal's neighborhood.

Rest assured, I, for one, recognize and acknowledge that Lord Buddha was born very much in Nepal. This is what we have been telling to our students here at this university..

I would wish to see a highly developed Lumbini and that it would be my modest appeal to Nepal government to look into this matter seriously.

What I also firmly believe is that if Korea and Nepal are linked directly through air, we can promote Nepal in Korea as a large section of the Korean society adheres to the postulates of Buddhism.

Let me divert a bit.

The reciprocal relationship between Buddhism and Korean culture was very peaceful from the very beginning. As is well known, Buddhism does not necessarily ignore the socio-religious contexts in which it is introduced. It has been perfectly adjusted to the emotions and sentiments of the Korean people and become homogeneous with them. It has demonstrated in Korea as well as elsewhere-great tolerance and the ability to accept indigenous culture.

Throughout the history of Korean Buddhism, the most noteworthy aspect lies in the fact that it has intended, not only to overcome any philosophical dispute between the divergent ideas and schools of Korean Buddhism, but also to pursue the synthesis of theory and practice. The pursuit of harmony and unification were constant focal points of Korean Buddhism. For this reason, Korean Buddhism can be called as "Tongbulkyo"-Whole Buddhism Harmonization. This holistic thinking is most remarkable in the history of Korean Buddhism and it was first established in the thought of Shilla Master Won-hyo. We can see easily that his thinking is centered on the idea of reconciliation.

Coming back to the point from where I deflected, I hope that both Korea and Japan, whose sizeable chunk of the population are believers of Buddhism, if come together and wish to help and support Nepal, they can do so easily for the overall development of Lumbini. This would also dispel rumors that Buddha was not born in Nepal and bla bla bla.

In this context let me announce to you that the Buddhist University wherein I am attached at the moment will be celebrating the 100th year of its establishment on May 6, 2006.

Before I conclude, it would be very apt and appropriate to mention here as to how Buddhism got introduced to Japan from Korea and prospered there. In AD 552, Buddhism was officially introduced into Japan from Korea at the behest of the King of Paekche, a former Kingdom in Southwest Korea. He sent a mission to the Emperor of Japan with some presents and a message which is as follows:

" The religion (Ho, Sanskrit, Dharma) is the most excellent of all teachings, though difficult to mater and hard to comprehend; even the sages of China would not have found it easy to grasp. It brings endless and immeasurable blessings and fruits (to its believers) even the attainment of supreme enlightenment(bodhi). Just as the Cintamani jewel ( Chinta mani gahana in Nepali-ed) is said to fulfill every need according to desire, so the treasures of this glorious religion will never cease to respond in full to those who seek for it. Moreover, this religion has come to Korea from India and the people of the two countries are now ardent followers of its teachings and none are outside its pale. (Masaharu Anesaki, History of Japanese religion, p 53.

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