You Are My Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

Joseph Bengivenni’s family’s Templestay at Hyangiram Hermitage in Yeosu

"Welcome! First Time at Templestay? Joseph Bengivenni—a Canadian who settled in Korea because of his love for temples—once dreamed of becoming a monk. He met a beautiful Korean ballerina and gained the greatest treasure of his life: a wife and three children who resemble him. While his children sometimes throw him unexpected challenges (like a hwadu), they remind him of the weight of being a father; they are his “dharma friends” of life who pursue happiness by putting their heads together and solving problems. Joseph, who visits temples every weekend, is a veteran Korean temple pilgrim who has completed Korean Buddhism’s “Pilgrimage to 33 Avalokitesvara Temples.” A Templestay at Hyangiram Hermitage in Yeosu with two of his adolescent children—daughter Fina and son Cello—added another layer of happiness to their lives."

Hyangiram Hermitage, Embracing the Golden Sun in Yeosu

Attracting over a million visitors annually to witness the sunrise, Hyangiram Hermitage is one of Korea’s four major prayer sites dedicated to Gwaneum (Avalokitesvara). It is located on Mt. Geumosan which literally means “Golden Turtle Mountain.” The name derives from the mountain’s golden glow in the morning sunlight. The history of Hyangiram, which transformed Golden Turtle Mountain into a Buddhist sanctuary, dates back to 644, when Great Master Wonhyo established Wontongam Hermitage here after encountering a manifestation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. The name “Hyangiram,” meaning “hermitage facing the sun,” has been around since the Joseon Dynasty.

Beneath the statue of the Seaward-Looking Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva stands a meditation platform where, it is said, Wonhyo met Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. “Sutra Rock,” said to have turned into a rock after someone tossed a sutra, towers behind Daeungjeon Hall. In front of the Thousand-Arm Avalokitesvara Hall—which enshrines the Thousand-Arm Thousand-Eye Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the Dragon King, and Sudhana—is said to lie the Dragon King’s palace beneath the sea. According to feng shui principles, the geomantic topography suggests a turtle carrying a sutra on its back as it heads toward the Dragon King’s palace. The turtle sculptures found throughout the temple compound, like the spirit of the temple site itself, are a fitting nod to the turtle.

The uphill path to Hyangiram Hermitage begins at the parking lot, which corresponds to the turtle’s neck. After a 20-minute climb, the hermitage’s Iljumun Gate appears. Climbing the stairs, three charming stone buddhas—with their mouths, ears, and eyes covered—welcome all visitors coming from afar. Soon, you arrive at the Dragon Gate, a rare structure at temples. The gate embodies the prayer, “May all who pass through this gate overcome hardship and achieve success.” After passing through this gate, with beads of sweat forming on your forehead, you arrive at an observation deck overlooking the ocean and a café where you can cool off. After taking a breather while gazing at the ocean, it’s time to prepare for your Templestay.

“Welcome, everyone!” With this energetic greeting from the staff, the Templestay began. Participants dropped off their luggage in their rooms and changed into Templestay attire, the yellow vests embroidered with Hyangiram’s mascot, the turtle.

Legend has it that passing through all seven rock crevices at Hyangiram will grant one the blessings of the Seven Stars. One of these crevices is the unique Haetalmun, a natural rock gate. Passing through the narrow gate and climbing a few more steps, Daeungjeon Hall, the heart of Hyangiram, comes into view. While it’s natural to pay homage to the Buddha first, perhaps everyone is equally captivated by the vast expanse of sea in front of Daeungjeon Hall.

The endless horizon created by the sky and sea, and the dazzling glitter of the water elicit exclamations of admiration. With photo opportunities everywhere, perfect for capturing the perfect moment, even Joseph smiled while holding his camera.

Father and Children’s First Templestay

Leaving behind his wife and 10-year-old youngest child, Joseph embarked on this trip with his son and daughter. Every weekend, Joseph visits temples across the country, starting with Gaesimsa, Cheonjangsa, and Sudeoksa Temples near his home. The children often follow their father on these trips, but this was their first time spending a night at a temple.

Joseph’s Korean name is Gildo, a Buddhist name he received along with the Five Precepts from Master Daehaeng of Hanmaum Seonwon. Having majored in art in Canada, Joseph pursued a career as an English teacher, completing a professional English teaching qualification program and coming to Korea in 2005. The impression he received at Bulguksa Temple with friends that year still makes his heart race, and the comfort of feeling at home in the temple gradually led him to Buddhism. Excluding the seven years he spent in Canada after getting married, he has lived in Korea for approximately 13 years. He now lives in Seosan, teaching English and art to children while also introducing Korean Buddhism to the world through his photography and writing, pursuits he has cultivated since college.

Fina Bengivenni, the eldest daughter with a talent for art, is 16 years old and has a passion for animation and psychology. Her name “Fina,” meaning “bright and beautiful,” came from Pina Bausch, the genius choreographer her ballerina mother admires. Her son, Cello, 13 years old, is interested in computers and science. The name “Cello” comes from “ruscèllo,” the Italian word for “stream,” but his Korean name is Jun.

This was Joseph’s third visit to Hyangiram Hermitage. The first visit was during Chuseok in 2007, when a friend’s father in Yeosu brought him here. He recently visited here again, alone, to complete his pilgrimage to 33 Avalokitesvara Temples. He came for this Templestay, hoping his children would experience the breathtaking scenery, nature, and peace of Hyangiram with their whole being, and find direction in their lives through conversations with the monks.

After a delicious dinner offering, the evening ceremony, and a voluntary 108 prostrations, darkness began to fall. The hermitage, bustling with people since early morning, now fell silent. The final activity of the first day of the Templestay was “Gazing at Hyangiram’s Starry Night from My Room.” It is said that if you go into your room, turn off the lights, and lie down, tens of thousands of stars will pour into your room. Unfortunately, there were no stars that day because the full moon, as bright and round as the sun, made them impossible to see.

After the sun had set, the moon—once obscured by sunlight— revealed itself clearly. As the darkness deepened, the moonlight stretched across the sea, and a boat sailed leisurely across it. It was a moment when all worries and anxieties vanished. Everyone returned to their lodgings, and only the monks’ prayers filled the hermitage, but Joseph’s camera never paused. His efforts to capture the beauty of Hyangiram and that fleeting moment continued until the monks’ prayers ended.

Finally Encountering the Sunrise and the Buddha Within

Next morning, at 4:50 a.m., the dawn Buddhist ceremony began, bathed in the starlight revealed as the moon set. Fina and Cello, who usually wake up at 8 a.m., rubbed their sleepy eyes and joined in. Joseph loved Gyeongheo Seunim’s saying, “Only luminous wisdom; wisdom is useless between the mountains and water,” so for him, this must have been a time to encounter the buddha within

After the dawn ceremony, the long-awaited sunrise arrived. Joseph, who holds Wonhyo in the highest esteem, was granted the special opportunity to sit on Wonhyo’s meditation platform with the temple’s permission. Facing the rising sun—while imagining Wonhyo meeting the manifestation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva 1,400 years ago—was the most memorable moment of the two-day Templestay for Joseph. After the breakfast offering, we enjoyed the tea provided by the monks and chatted. We then walked around Mt. Geumosan, where we saw rock formations with turtle shell-like patterns scattered here and there. Fina and Cello said the beautiful, vibrant scenery they saw upon reaching the summit of Mt. Geumosan would remain in their memories for a long time.

Hyangiram Hermitage, where everyone has at least one wish fulfilled, has all buildings facing the sea. As you pray, the warm sunlight embraces your back, as if caressed by Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Your heart, weary from life’s struggles, relaxes, and the bright energy of the sun permeates your body.

After completing their Templestay, Fina and Cello felt rejuvenated, both physically and mentally. Saying every moment was filled with joy, Joseph expressed his hopes to return again with his entire family, including his wife and youngest child. May the blessings of their brief stay at Hyangiram bring peace and fulfillment to each and every one of them. “Homage to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Homage to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Homage to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.”