K Dharma

Former Buddhist Monk

대한불교조계종 • Full-time

Apr 2009 - Apr 2026 • 17 yrs

For more than a decade I lived and trained as a Buddhist monk in Korean temples. My days followed the monastic schedule: pre-dawn chanting, long hours of sitting meditation, communal work, and the strict seniority that shapes every part of temple life. During those years I also earned a university degree in Buddhist studies and spent a year in a graduate program in meditation. I saw both sides of that life. The discipline was real. So were the quiet contradictions that never make it into the brochures: silence used to avoid hard questions, hierarchy shaping how people think, and how easy it is to hide from life while looking spiritually advanced. In the end I found I was better at observing the path than embodying it. So I left. Leaving was not a rejection of Buddhism. I kept the books, the curiosity, and the habit of careful observation. I let go of the performance. What this experience gives my clients: - First-hand knowledge of Korean temple routines, ceremonies, etiquette, and training culture - Honest answers about the gap between Buddhist theory and everyday practice - Practical help for writers, researchers, and travelers preparing for a temple stay Today I write about this life in English on Medium, in a series called Notes from a Failed Monk.