The fact that Sambodae Jongsa, who had served as abbot of Beopheungsa Temple in Yeongwol, Gangwon, entered wonjeok (a monk passing away) on the 27th of last month became known belatedly. His beopnap (years counted from becoming a monk) was 61 years, and his age (years lived since birth) was 76.
According to the Buddhist community on the 1st, Venerable Sambodae entered wonjeok at 3:58 p.m. on the 27th of last month. The funeral rite was held as a mountain monastery ceremony at Woljeongsa on the 29th of last month, and the cremation ceremony was solemnly conducted at the Woljeongsa cremation site.
Venerable Sambodae visited Woljeongsa in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon, in 1965, received teachings from Venerable Tanheo, and left home to become a monk. Afterward, he practiced at Woljeongsa and Jeongamsa and served in the order as abbot of Sangwonsa and Woljeongsa on Mount Odae, director of the school corporation Dongguk University, and member of the retrial disciplinary committee. In recognition of his long practice and merits, he was elevated to daejongsa, the highest dharma rank, at the Council of Elders of the Jogye Order in Nov. 2024.
The monk served as a Marine in the Vietnam War in 1970, was discharged due to injuries, and received the Hwarang Order of Military Merit. In 1980, during the Oct. 27 Buddhist Persecution, he was forcibly detained at the Samcheong Reeducation Camp and suffered hardships. He later served as a member of the review committee for restoring the honor of persecution victims.
Venerable Sambodae was also known as a practitioner who lived a life of frugality throughout his life. In 2015, he donated a little over 330 million won to the Jogye Order's project to sanctify its head temple and to the compassion-sharing fund. In 2020, saying he would carry on his teacher Tanheo's educational project, he gave his entire assets of 3 billion won, including lifetime merit pensions, to Woljeongsa.
In 2020, the monk appeared on the EBS program "Korean Journey – The mountain temples of that winter," sharing his daily life with his companion dog Bori and becoming known to the public. A video of Bori licking the monk's head during an interview went viral online at the time, earning him the nickname "Lollipop Monk." Bori died in Mar. 2024 at the age of 10.