The Taego Order’s lineage traces from Master Do-Yi (King of Hun-Duk in Silla Dynasty) and Master Taego Bowoo (King Gong-min in Korye Dynasty) who integrated the teaching schools and Zen schools into one amicable tradition. This lineage continues on to Master Chung-Huh and Master Boo-Hyu (both from the Cho Sun Dynasty). Refer to Taego Order Constitution #7.
All Korean Buddhists respectfully believe that they are descendants of Master Taego Bowoo, the only exception being one main order, which changed its lineage to Master Bojo in 1970. Despite that order’s switch to Master Bojo, the Taego Order’s lineage has remained authentic and constant with Master Taego Bowoo.
The Characteristics of the Taego Order
The Korean Buddhist Taego Order is comprised of the Priests and the lay people who practice the following conducts:
a. Understanding the profound teachings
b. Understanding compassionate harmony
For individuals, understanding pratitya samutpada (the law of dependent origination) and having appreciation for the wisdom of the teaching is key to attaining prajna-samadhi.
For the Order, the key is to adapt to changing times so as to stay current with that which connects to the people, to engage in practical participation in the mundane world, and to share in the emotional affectation of the people as well as in their suffering. All of this participation is in order to establish the Buddhist World; this is the main characteristic of the Taego Order.
The Main Sutras of the Taego Order (According to Taego Order Constitution #4)
In the Taego Order Constitution’s fourth paragraph “this order’s main sutras are the Diamond Sutra (Prajna-Paramita Sutra) and the Flower Ornament Sutra (Avatamsaka Sutra)”. Individuals as well as the Order as a whole rely on these sutras for guidance on faithful actions as well as for Dharma study. This notion of selecting one or two sutras to focus on is unique to Buddhism, for unlike other main, world religions that only have a handful of sacred texts, Buddhism has over 600 sacred texts. As a result, only one or two main texts can be completely committed to the minds of the faithful in any given school. And, in fact, no Buddhist was ever meant to understand or embrace every sutra, for each teaching of Shakymuni Buddha was dedicated to a different mind set and was specific to the person with whom he was talking. Therefore, a Buddhist need only search out that which applies to himself or herself and that which resonates with his or her being.
The Diamond Sutra teaches a bold wisdom (prajna) that aims at the attainment of enlightenment and states that whoever passes beyond the threshold of emptiness (sunyata) can approach the boundary of Bodhisattvahood. Many Patriarchs and Zen Masters use the Diamond Sutra in order to educate mundane people on how to avoid excessive attachment.
The Flower Ornament Sutra (Buddhavatamsaka Maha Vaipulya Sutra) teaches that the whole is selfless (sarva-anatman). Therefore, whoever understands the notion that all existence has no self, is in tune to the law of pratitya-samutpada and the continuous cycle of rebirth in which nothing is permanent. Despite this apparent focus on immaterialism, however, the true focus of this sutra is on the Dharma-Dhatu (our universe) and it underscores the unhindered nature of all things. Ultimately, it attempts to teach the individual how to incorporate this unhindered existence into his or her everyday life in this world.
The Taego Order depends upon these utmost sutras as guidance for obtaining the ultimate stage (nirvana).
