Hoo Nam Seelmann: Most Korean Buddhist temples are deep within the mountains, and the snims [a title used for Korean Buddhist nuns and monks] reside in seclusion. So, temple meals—which has a convention going again greater than 1,500 years—stays fairly hidden from the view of the general public and above all of the world. Is there one thing that has brought about this to vary?
Venerable Jeongkwan Snim: When the Summer season Olympic Video games have been coming to South Korea in 1988, there was a dialog about what components of our tradition and traditions we needed to point out guests. Since Buddhism has a protracted historical past, constitutes a residing custom, and has a wealthy cultural heritage, the federal government requested the Buddhist orders to open the temples to the general public. A program referred to as Temple Keep was deliberate and step by step applied. Nevertheless, this required renovations and new development, as a result of as much as that time, the temples weren’t ready to obtain visitors. Opening them was meant to provide a glimpse into the lives of the snims. Meditation programs have been additionally supplied.
At first, solely among the bigger temples have been chosen for this initiative, however extra have been step by step added. The closed world of Buddhism opened up extensive. And if visitors have been coming, after all there needed to be meals. We organized a giant temple meals competition, and many individuals took half and noticed what types of previous traditions there have been.
One other necessary yr was 2007. The federal government at the moment needed to advertise conventional Korean meals and convey it to the remainder of the world. I went to organize temple meals in different nations, and I used to be met with nice enthusiasm. I introduced a tea grasp together with me and held tea ceremonies.
On this method, temple meals step by step grew to become higher identified to the general public. In 2012, I went with some snims to New York for the primary time and made temple meals. 300 folks got here to see us. Then I went to France and different nations. I wasn’t alone, although—others have been there. Jeok Mun Snim, a person, Seonje Snim, Dae-Ahn Snim, and Wookwan Snim all cooperated with me to compile, arrange, and publicize the traditions of temple meals. There have been lectures on temple meals and cooking programs. Everybody labored collectively to additional develop and due to this fact protect the previous traditions.
— Korean Temple Cooking”, picture by Véronique Hoegger.
HNS: Who determines what temple meals needs to be? What’s it primarily based on?
VJS: Throughout his lifetime, the Buddha already stipulated fairly a bit relating to what a member of a monastic order ought to eat and what they need to be aware of. So, for instance, he stated that we should always eat solely as soon as every day, and the meal needs to be calm and silent.
The okwangae formulation was already identified. It says that we should always thank all residing beings and folks earlier than we start to eat. We should always take into consideration the place the meals comes from and the way nature makes it attainable for us.
The Buddha might have stipulated that we should always eat solely as soon as per day, however he allowed for exceptions when somebody is sick or weak. He left behind a variety of guidelines relating to particulars.
Temple meals in the present day is considered in another way than it was up to now. Nevertheless, the fundamental concept that we should always take into consideration the place the elements come from and who now we have to thank for the meals—not solely ought to we thank all the farmers who work within the fields but additionally all the residing creatures, together with bugs, who’re harmed or killed within the course of. You will need to shield life as a lot as attainable and to attempt to coexist. All of this was already there within the Buddha’s time. That is really the place the fantastic thing about temple meals comes from.
HNS: What do you concentrate on temple meals aligning with vegan ideas? This time period is new, however it has based a brand new meals custom.
VJS: Temple meals was not vegan to start with, and you need to ask whether or not you’ll be able to routinely equate it with fashionable veganism. The Buddha himself wasn’t vegan since he lived on donated meals. In lots of Buddhist nations, consumption of meat is permitted. The temple meals custom that developed in Mahayana Buddhism grew to become more and more vegetarian after which vegan as a result of prohibition of killing. There may be completely different opinions on whether or not or not we should always eat meat. Nevertheless, what is de facto necessary is considering why you need to resign meat. Is life one thing that needs to be revered and never destroyed? It’s value occupied with why the temple meals custom grew to become vegan and why this way is important.
Earlier than I got here to the temple, after all I ate all the pieces. My mom was a very good cook dinner, of each meat and fish, and I emulated her. I nonetheless bear in mind the style of it.
HNS: Temple meals has develop into well-known and excites curiosity all around the world. How do folks in different components of the world react to it?
VJS: It will be significant that I really feel fulfilled inside so as to have the ability to give. My mission additionally requires internal preparedness, as a result of solely then can I really face my mission. Meals offers me the vitality I want to do that.
Meals and the self—the 2 are inseparably linked collectively. Nevertheless, folks see them as being separate: consuming right here and the self there, the physique right here and the spirit there. They don’t replicate sufficient on what we have to reside and to behave. Curiosity in meals and vitamin is just not nice, and lots of have no idea learn how to cook dinner—slightly, many individuals deal with enjoyment and cultivating their palates. However isn’t one thing lacking after we strategy meals that method? If folks ready meals collectively in a neighborhood, they’d suppose extra about it.
You may ponder the place the meals comes from, what occurs to it in our our bodies, and the way it turns into one with the physique within the digestive organs. It’s also possible to ponder how the meals transforms contained in the physique, the way it turns into a part of the physique, and the way it permits life. Lastly, meals helps with the formation of identification. It is because it turns into a part of the immune system, the spirit, and the physique. This permits me to do all the pieces that I need to—by way of meals, the world exterior merges with the world inside me into one. It is sort of a murals that, created from varied elements, brings the physique and soul collectively, creates stability, and gives us with vitality. What we eat is necessary, as a result of meals is life, and it types the persona.
You must take note of concord, as a result of not each meals is sweet for us. Even when I’ve a robust digestive system, meals could make me sick if I don’t take note of the small print. I have to listen to what’s good for me in spring, summer time, autumn, and winter, and which flavorings are good for me. One also needs to take note of the fantastic thing about issues. All of those facets are necessary for me, and I might be completely happy to share my data and expertise with many individuals. After we have a look at our meals, we should always really feel pleasure. This makes it simpler for it to remodel into very important drive. Once I put together the temple meals, I like to do that along with others and share. As a result of I give my finest every time, I’m content material and might begin anew the subsequent time. If extra folks sat joyfully round their meals, it might be good for the world.
21/2 cups (500 g) short-grain rice (ssal)
1/2 cup (100 g) yellow millet (gijang)
4 white button mushrooms
4 contemporary Korean shiitake mushrooms (pyogo beoseot)
2 king oyster mushrooms (saesongi beoseot)
1/2 pound (200 g) oyster mushrooms (neutari beoseot)
1/4 pound (100 g) dried wooden ear mushrooms (mogi beoseot)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (ganjang)
Salt for seasoning
1 tablespoon sesame oil (chamgireum)
Rinse the rice and the millet and soak them in water for 20 minutes.
Take away the stalks from the white button mushrooms and the shiitakes and slice the caps into 1/8 inch (3 mm) slices. Halve the king oyster mushrooms lengthwise and minimize the items into slices of the identical thickness. Tear the oyster mushrooms into bite-sized items. Soak the wooden ear mushrooms in heat water for 20 minutes, then tear them into bite-sized items as nicely. Combine all of the mushrooms collectively and season them with soy sauce and salt.
Add the rice and millet to a pot with an equal amount of water. Layer the mushrooms excessive and drizzle them with sesame oil.
Carry the mushrooms to a boil. When the water bubbles, cut back the warmth, cowl the pot, and simmer till the mushrooms have absorbed the liquid.