Bulguksa Temple

Bulguksa was designed as a realization of the blissful land of the Buddha in the present world. It was intended to embody the happy land where the mortal being is released from the suffering of life by following the teachings of the Buddha, or the Lotus Land as promised in the Avatamsaka Sutra, which offered the theoretical foundation for construction of the temple. Therefore, the temple had to be not only faithful to the teachings of the Buddha but beautiful as well. It is obvious that prominent monks and artists contributed their thoughts and aesthetic ingeniousness to build the temple under the guidance of Kim Dae-Seong, who was a devoted believer and able administrator with a remarkable eye for beauty. ...from World Heritage

Seokguram Grotto

Seokguram Grotto is reached after an hour-long walk up a steep, winding mountain path. It is a crueling hike at about 45% grade most of the way, about 3.5km from Bulguksa. Or, you can catch a cab. Gyeongju, the capital of the Silla Dynasty and about five miles north of the Bulguksa and Seokguram precinct, rivalled in splendor the Tang capital of Chang'an. It was an international destination when all of East Asia enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity. Buddhism reached Korea in the fourth century and flourished after the court of Silla officially recognized it as the state religion.

The Grotto is a small. The pantheon of divinities symbolize Buddhist philosophy and aestheticism, and the eighth-century cave temple is a structure of sublime beauty culminating religious belief, science and fine arts which flowered in the golden age of Asian art. Seokguram is located near the summit of Mt. Tohamsan, southeast of the Gyeongju, the capital of the Silla dynasty (57B.C.-A.D.935). ...from World Heritage

I have only two images that I took of the Grotto itself because camera use inside the Grotto is prohibited. The other images are of the way to the Grotto and the return. Supplemental images of the Grotto show the inspirational piece of sculpture inside the structure.

On the path up to the Grotto from Bulguksa Temple many of the faithful were returning down the mountain. Several, instead of walking the straight route down the path, walked back and forth, zigzagging down the pathway while reciting a prayer, making their journey longer.

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