Doseon

Doseon
Portrait of Doseon Guksa in Seonamsa Temple
Korean name
Hangul	도선 국사
Revised Romanization	Doseon Guksa
McCune–Reischauer	Tosǒn Kuksa

Doseon Guksa (a.k.a. Yogong Seonsa, Yeongi Doseon) was a Korean Buddhist monk (826-898) who lived during the decline of the Silla Dynasty, just prior to the foundation of the Goryeo Dynasty. At least 70 temples, monasteries and hermitages are claimed to have been founded either under Doseon's supervision and direction, or by orders of Taejo Wang Geon following Doseon's recommendations.

Doseon Guksa remains one of the Silla Dynasty's most well-known and oft cited figures, remaining extremely influential throughout the remainder of Korean history up to the present.

Doseon Guksa came from the Gurim Village in Gunseomyeon District of Yeongamgun, Jeollanamdo, on the western slopes of Wolchulsan. Although Doseon's family name was Kim records indicate there was a rumor that Doseon was a descendent of a secondary son of Silla's Great King Taejong Muyeol (664-681). Legend has it Doseon's mother had a conception-dream where she swallowed a beautiful pearl (a symbol of pure wisdom), and during her first month of pregnancy chanted Buddhist scriptures, all the time abstaining from meat, onions and garlic.

From infancy on, Doseon was considered a Buddhist prodigy, learning the chants of basic Sutras soon after he could talk.

Doseon spent part of his childhood, around 835, at Munsuam (Bodhisattva of Wisdom Hermitage}

In 841 Doseon left Yeongam to become a monk at the age of 15, and was accepted to study in Hwaeomsa in Gurye County. Within a month Doseon attained "the ineffable wisdom of Munsubosal and the mystic gate of Bohyeonbosal, penetrating the Great Meaning of the Hwaeomgyeong Sutra". Doseon was awarded a great honor by being given the name "Yeongi", which was the name of the master-monk who founded Hwaeomsa in 544.

In 846 at the age of 20 Doseon became recognized as a highly respected Daoist master. He began studying Seon under the great Master and Sect Founder Hyecheol Jeoginseonsa at Dongnisan Taeansa Monastery.