Today is Buddha's Birthday and a national holiday in Korea. Thankfully, we get the day off from work. So, thank you Buddha for being born and making it possible for me to rest. Earlier this week, Jeff, Markus and I headed over to Samgwangsa Temple. It's one of the most popular temples in Busan and they go all out for Buddha's birthday. The entire complex is filled with colorful lanterns. We planned to go before today in order to beat the crowds and still see the lanterns in all their glory.
As I've said before, most Korean temples look very similar. Samgwangsa had the same look and feel as other temples, but with the lanterns it was transformed into something completely different. There are lanterns in every nook and cranny. Each lantern is placed in the temple for a specific reason and they aren't there just for decoration. Dangling from each one is a wish that someone has made. When they visit the temple, they can find their wish. They then bow and pray before it in the hopes that it will come true. While were there, we saw many people walking around looking for their wishes.
During the day, Samgwangsa was amazing, but at night it was stunning. I can't believe that I've been able to experience something like this. Sometimes, I have to pinch myself because this is my everyday life. It will be over soon, but until then, I will soak in every moment. Later, I'll be posting my photos that I took at night. Until then, happy birthday Buddha!