Alms Bowl Pagoda of Tongdosa Temple, Yangsan

Tongdosa Temple, at Yeongchuksan Mountain, is one of Korea's Three Jewel Temples, revered as the "Buddha-treasure temple", and was founded in 646, the fifteenth year of Queen Seondeok's reign, by the Vinaya Master Jajang. Because Jajang founded it with Buddha relics and a kasaya, a monk's ceremonial robe, that he had brought back from Tang China, together with Korea's first complete Buddhist canon, the temple has been of great importance from its earliest days. This alms-bowl pagoda stands in front of Yonghwajeon Hall at Tongdosa Temple. Its exact purpose is unknown, but it is thought to be a monument symbolising the transmission of Sakyamuni Buddha's robe and alms bowl to Bodhisattva Maitreya. In basic form it has the unusual appearance of a large lidded alms bowl set on a pedestal. The pedestal stone is made up of a lower, middle and upper section, resembling an upright janggu, an hourglass-shaped drum. On top of the pedestal sits a bowl-shaped stone piece with a lid and a tall foot. Judging from the lotus carving and the pillar style of the pedestal, the monument is thought to date from the Goryeo period, though the pedestal and the bowl-shaped piece differ enough in quality that it is uncertain whether they were made at the same time.

AI Translation

Visiting

Opening hours

Open 24 hr

Closed

N/A (Open all year round) [Buddhist Museum] Mondays, Seollal (Lunar New Year's Day) & Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) holidays

Admission

Free

Parking

Available

Information

+82-55-382-7182

Visitor information: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1

Where it is

Region

Yangsan, Gyeongnam

Designation

Treasure · 보물