SEOUL– Ven. Seongpa was chosen to be the spiritual leader of the Jogye Order, South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect, on Monday.
The 82-year-old priest is to start his five-year term as the 15th Supreme Patriarch on March 25 when current leader Ven. Jinje’s second five-year term ends, the Jogye Order said.
The Supreme Patriarch, or “Jongjeong” in Korean, is the highest authority in the Buddhist sect, but does not oversee its administration.
“I will do my job with the spirit of a monk, which means trying to match my words and actions together, while always keeping in mind the teachings of Buddha,” Seongpa said after his election. “In this difficult time, we should always maintain the idea of overcoming a national crisis and defending a country with Buddhism.”
Born in 1939 in Hapcheon, 354 kilometers south of Seoul, Ven. Seongpa became a Buddhist monk at the age of 21. In 2014, he became the Jogye Order’s “Daejongsa,” meaning “most eminent monk,” and the spiritual leader of Tongdo Temple in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province.
He is known for his talents in traditional Korean arts, such as painting, calligraphy and pottery.
According to the Jogye Order’s guidelines, Jongjeong must be selected from among Daejongsa who are aged 70 or older and have 45 or more years of service.
Source: Yonhap News Agency