Sariam

About this place

Sariam is a hermitage of Unmunsa, a temple for Buddhist nuns and a place of prayer to Naban-jonja (the Lonely Saint). It was first founded in 930 by the eminent monk National Preceptor Boryang in the early Goryeo period, and rebuilt in 1845 (11th year of King Heonjong of Joseon) by Great Master Jeongam-dang Hyowon. It was later expanded in 1924 and repaired in 1935. This place is widely known as a place of prayer to Naban-jonja. Naban-jonja is the one who, after the Buddha's passing and until the appearance of the Maitreya Buddha, made a vow to save sentient beings during the time when no Buddha is present; having received the Buddha's entrustment in the Buddha's own day, he always cultivated meditation alone on Mount Cheontae, and, without entering nirvana, became a field of merit for the degenerate age while awaiting the Maitreya Buddha. Sari Cave is one of the caves of Unmunsa, and a legend is handed down that in the old days, if one person lived here, rice for one person came forth, if two people lived, rice for two came forth, and if ten people lived, rice for ten came forth; but one day, out of greed to make more rice come forth, someone widened the hole, after which no more rice came forth and water came out instead. The Cheontaegak, also called Dokseonggak, was first built in 1845 (11th year of King Heonjong of Joseon) by Great Master Sinpa, who enshrined a statue of Naban-jonja there. Behind this Naban-jonja are enshrined together the Dokseong painting enshrined in 1851 (2nd year of King Cheoljong of Joseon) and the mountain-spirit painting consecrated by the monk Gyeongbong in 1965. The monument beneath the Cheontaegak is a restoration monument erected by the monk Geumho-dang.