A Place of Freedom: The Quiet Fanyu Temple

The mountains and forests of Busan always possess a subtle tranquility.

As the hustle and bustle of the city receded,

I followed the pine wind and stone steps to Beomeosa Temple.

This thousand-year-old temple, nestled in the embrace of the Geumjeong Mountains,

is not as noisy as other tourist attractions.

It stands peacefully,

as if it had never once sought the world's gaze.

The moment I entered the mountain gate, it felt as if something loosened within me.

The air was light, the incense smoke lingered.

With each breath, it was no longer a physiological reaction,

but a pulsation in sync with nature and Zen.

I sat on a stone bench beside the Dharma Hall,

quietly gazing at the motionless Buddha statue in the distance.

The wind was silent, the birds were not startled, and even my heart was no longer agitated.

The silence here is not the loneliness of emptiness,

but the richness of a myriad of sounds.

A monk passed by, his footsteps as light as falling leaves.

Without words, he seemed to be in dialogue with all things. At that moment, I understood.

Freedom isn't about leaving the world,
but about being deeply at peace with the present moment.

Bomeo Temple is tranquil and naturally free.

It taught me that practice isn't about deliberately cultivating.

But being willing to be still, to see your own breath and hear the sound of the wind,
is already walking in the Buddha's light.