The Principles of the Taego Order

A) Definition of Taego Order
Our order’s name is Korean Buddhist Taego Order (Taego Order Constitution #1)
1. Korea – the name of the home country
2. Buddhism – a school that follows Shakyamuni’s teachings
3. Taego Order – Since Shakyamuni Buddha expired, Masters and Patriarchs continue to transmit his teachings through the present day. This Dharma transmission has grown continuously over the last 1,600 years in Korea. Before 1945 all Korean Buddhist Sanghas were descended from Master Taego Bowoo, especially the Chogye order, which was founded at the end of the Korye Dynasty.

This unified order continued until 1954, when President Lee Seoung Man and a number of Bikkhus ordered a separation of the Chogye order into two orders, one comprised of celibate monks and the other of those who had families (which would be known later as the Taego Order). The old group changed the color of the Kasa to brown, despite the fact that the traditional color of a Korean kasa was red. This was done to create a visual distinction between the orders. After the separation of the orders, the Bikkhu Sanghas as well as the government suppressed the Taego Order, so traditional monks had to establish a new order that would carry the characteristics of the original Chogye Order, including the use of the original red Kasa.

In 1970 a new order was officially founded, named after Master Taego Bowoo. The Korean Buddhist Taego Order promotes not segregation, but instead, a Buddhism that fits the mundane world.

B) Tenets of the Taego Order
The Tenets are the foundations of our Order, which are manifested in the characteristics of the teachings and ideas. The Korean Buddhist Taego Order respects the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, especially those of self-enlightenment, teaching the path of enlightenment to others, and using wise conduct paired with amicable sense. The Order also pursues the principles of Master Taego Bowoo, which revolve around selfenlightenment and rescuing suffering people in the mundane world (Taego Constitution paragraph #3). Self-enlightenment refers not just to one person achieving enlightenment and then aiding others in finding it, but instead, it refers to the sharing of the Buddha-Dharma so that all beings might simultaneously achieve enlightenment and freedom from the mundane world of suffering.

Using wise conduct paired with amicable sense means the attainment of frictionless cultivation and suffering-free awakening. Observing the nature and obtaining the Buddha stage refers to discovering the Buddha nature within oneself and also to developing the Buddha seed that will grow and choke out all ignorance and doubt. This is what we call enlightenment. Our mission is to spread the Buddha’s teaching as well as other Masters’ teachings to disciples or mundane peoples in order to guide suffering people to the right path.