Won Buddhism

According to Won Buddhism traditions, Pak Chungbin (박중빈 朴重彬, 1891–1943, a.k.a. Sot'aesan) began asking questions about universal phenomenona at age 7 and expanded his inquiries to problems of life and death and existence.[2] After attending sihyangje (時享祭,a ritual of ancestral worship), he heard about the powers of Sansin and prayed in the mountains for four years at "madangbawi (마당바위 trs. yard rock)."[2] From ages 15 to 20 he made great efforts to meet Daoshi.[2]

At age 20, his father, who supported his searching, died, and from age 25, he entered a period of inaction and not thinking of anything.[2] He attained bodhi on April 28th, 1916, at age 26. The day is commemorated as the founding day of the religion.[2] Pak visualized his enlightenment as the shape of a single circle before expressing it in words and described the circle as the origin of everything in the universe, the mark of the heart of all buddhas and saints, and the nature of Sattvas which is based on the eternal Tao and the principle of retribution.[3]

In May,1916, the first "teaching" called 'Choechobeopeo (最初法語)' was given to the 9 disciples of Pak. It is considered the basis of all of the Pak's teachings and the practical methodology of human revolution and mental enlightenment.[4] There are four methods outlined in choechobeopeo. The first is the method of "Training oneself (修身)" for example keeping up with current affairs and information in academics, training the mind and gaining inner peace in order to keep a strong sense of justice, making the right decisions by identifying the good and beneficial or the bad and malicious, and making sure what one thinks is consistent with what one does by doing well in "Jakeopchwisa (作業取捨)."[4] "Jakeop" means the reactions of the human sensory organs, and "chwisa" is the action of choosing justice and discarding the unjust.[5] The first method of self training is often called collectively "Samhak (三學)."[5] The second method is "managing the family (齊家)," living a frugal life, studying and travel, seeing to the education of children, serving elders, leading the young (上奉下率), and achieving harmonious family relationships.[4] The third method is "Jinhwasang" (進化上), essentially strengthening all by helping the weak to become strong and the weak following the strong as their leader.[4] The last method is "Preparing to becoming a leader".[4] These four methods were held to be key in saving the world from the illnesses that afflict societies.[4]

In 1917, Pak founded a savings union with his disciples in his hometown Baeksoo of Yeonggwang County in South Jeolla Province and participated in community labor, which helped the religion earn substantial money.[6] In 1919, "The union to make the Society of the Study of the Buddhadharma (佛法硏究會期成組合)" was established, and in 1924, Pak founded a new religious order by creating the Society of the Study of the Buddhadharma (佛法硏究會) at Iksan, North Jeolla Province, which made him president of the Society and Seo jung An (徐中安) chairman.[6] In 1943, Song Gyu (송규, 1900–1962) became the Second Patriarch, and in 1948, he renamed the order "Wŏn Buddhism."[6]