Blessings of 3

We all have these quirky “coincidences” at different times in our lives that at first is just, well I would say neat, but then you realize, huh…. I better pay attention to this. For me that was having the significance of 3 in every blessing I received while in South Korea. As someone who was raised in the Christian Catholic faith, 3 for me has always meant a Holy Trinity Blessing – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Growing in my spirituality as I have gotten older has shown me the beauty of all faiths, but I did not realize, until this trip the significance of the number 3 in Buddhism and blessings in general in South Korea. Let me explain….

Hyowon’s Bell

My first introduction to the number 3 for a blessing occurred on my 2nd day in South Korea. My tour guide Mr. Brian Lee picked me up for the day and our first destination was Hwaseong Fortress in Suwan. As we walked the grounds and I was listening to the history lesson of this amazing place, we came into a heavily wooded area that as we followed the path opened up to a side alcove. When I looked to my right, I saw this huge bell. It was encased in an old Asian structure and Mr. Lee said I could ring the bell as it was a blessings bell, but it would cost me a little money. I jumped at the chance, paid the money and was instructed to stand on the platform that held this heavy wooden log suspended by straps. I would be asked to pull it back and when I released it, I would hold the intention of blessing prayers in my mind for my ancestors, my loved ones and then myself.

So, I pulled back the log as high as I could, hoping it would make the biggest gong. When I released it, and the log hit the bell, it made the most beautiful deep tone whose vibrations went right through me. It was at this time I said my prayers for all those that had gone before me in my family and paved my way for being here and thank them for all their hard work.

I then pulled the log back again as high as I could and released and waited for the vibrations to move through me. I started my second set of prayers for my immediate family and to all those my path had already crossed, am going to pass today, and those I will pass in the future…… I held all of them in my mind as the tone of the bell continued to vibrate my whole being.

The third time, I pulled the log back, and this time I prayed for myself and what I was asking to be manifested in my life. When I was done, Mr. Lee put his hand on the bell, and told me to do the same. The feel of the vibrations going directly in my skin caused my body to feel like it was on a teeter totter and I felt dizzy. I held it there as Mr. Lee gave me the extra blessing of saying that now all that I have asked to be blessed will be manifested and it will all come true because I deserved this. What a beautiful blissing for me!

Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

I arrived in Buson after a beautiful train ride through the countryside from Seoul. My second part of the tour with a new tour guide was to start on my first full day. It was on my first full day in Buson, that I met my new tour guide Jade Kim, who I considered another blessing for me in Busan. I consider people a blessing as well and felt his calming energy during my time with him. He introduced me to the significance of 3 in the Buddhist faith. It was during our first day exploring sites that he introduced me to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple where I received my next blessing.

In this temple stood a beautiful statue of a standing Buddha. The statue sat in a large font like bowl as a center piece with this mote of water and a large dipper to the side of the bowl. Jade instructed me I was to take the dipper and pour the water over the Buddha statue 3 times while asking for my wishes to be granted. By pouring the water over the statue, I would be purifying my past from all evil, removing all bad luck that had entered my life and to welcome only the good that is coming into my life for the coming months. I was so excited to have another opportunity to take part in a blessing energy.

It has been said that when a monk asked Buddha the significance of why pouring water over the statue was important, he said “those who believe in the three jewels of Buddhism- Lord Buddha, Dharma and monks- will have their desires fulfilled.” Jade told me that there is a motto held at this temple that says, “at least one of your wishes will be answered here through sincere prayers.” How beautiful is knowing that!

Gyeongju Bulguksa Temple

The last of my most significant number 3 connections occurred at Bulguksa Temple. It was my last day in Busan and my tour guide Jade took me to see this amazing Buddhist Temple. The energy there was so peaceful and calm that it felt like a warm blanket being wrapped around you on a cold autumn morning. I was enveloped in this embrace as Jade walked me to the beginning of the path that led to the temple, we started to discuss the meaning of all the gates I was seeing. All Buddhist Temples have 3 gates that a devotee will walk through before entering the holy sanctuary of Nirvana. At this temple, you can see three of the gates you must pass through as you slowly come up the walk.

As I approached the first gate, Jade called this Ibjumin. Although it has two pillars holding up this gate, it is referred as the “one pillar gate” as it is viewed as absolute truth and beginning the journey to Buddha land.

The second gate is called the “Four Guardian Kings Gate”. These guardians are considered celestial and tower over the pilgrims with very imposing looks. These celestial beings guard the 4 directions- North, South, East and West. It is said for one to enter through this gate you must be humble and pure of mind or they will not let you pass.

The third and final gate is called Buli-mun and is known as the “Gate of Duality” or “Haetal-mun”- the Gate of Liberation.

If you are able to pass through this gate it means you have released this with complete emptiness, formlessness and wish lessness and your reward is Nirvana/Heaven/Total Bliss.

The last gate is called the Buli-mun or the “Gate of Duality” or “Haetal-mun Gate of Liberation”. It is said if you passed through this door, you have reached Nirvana because you have been able to obtain emptiness, formlessness and wishlessness. In other words, you have made it!

The last connection in the temple to the number 3 is the Dharmachakra or Wheel of Darma.)

In this temple it was located at the beginning of our walk towards the 3 gates. The Dharmachakra is to Buddhism as the cross is to Christians, or the Star of David is to Judaism. It is the symbol of Buddhism. The wheel is made of 3 major parts- the hub, the rim and the spokes which represent the three higher trainings of the Buddha. The hub is circle shaped and represents perfection of Dharma which is the basis of Buddha’s teaching. The rim represents the 2nd higher teaching which is concentration and attainment of mindfulness in mediation. Lastly the spokes represent the moral discipline and the 3 swirls in the middle of the spikes represent the 3 jewels- Buddha, Dharma and sangha.

In reading more of how the power of 3 presents in Buddhism, I found that Buddha had 3 bodies- the first was the Dharmakaya (spirit body) which is the highest body to Nirvana in ultimate reality. His second body was Sambhogakaya (energy body) which is the divine incarnation of the Buddha and thirdly is Nirmanakaya (physical body) which is the physical incarnation of the Buddha. Sidartha is said to be a 3rd body of Buddha’s

The blessing of the connection 3 had during my trip was able to bridge another commonality with my Christian upbringing and further solidified for me the importance of seeing the connectedness in all faiths. I firmly believe that all faiths have a ribbon of truth that runs through them all, and I love searching for this thread that says “see beyond the words and the teachings, see what lies underneath it all. I am here in it all. There is no separation. Only those separations that human beings bring to it.”

It is in this author humble opinion, that it was customary for people to be taught and see things in a somewhat narrow perspective. I feel the times they are a changing! Our younger generation, who have gotten a bad rap for some of their beliefs have certainly started to make serious inroads into broadening our minds into other ways to look at things, to perceive them and to question things. Is there really one way something can be perceived? I hope not.

Listening to multiple perspectives with an open mind and open heart is the first step to healing and finding that thread that binds us all. We are all connected on this planet. Every human being, animal and place on planet Earth is interconnected. I was given the opportunity to be blessed in these ancient and time-honored traditions in one of these places, South Korea.

Thank you for traveling with me on receiving a blessing yourself as you visualized these beautiful places. Hold your own intentions as you see the pictures, and may you too find your own blessings. Peace…..

A special Thank you to my two guide tours:

Mr. Lee who was my guide in Seoul and we spent a wet but enjoyable day together!

And Jade who was my tour guide in Busan, who made it fun and informative!