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Staff reporter
Ven. Sugyeong, the chief monk of Hwagye Temple who has been a critic of the contentious four river redevelopment project, offered to resign Monday and relieve himself from the Jogye Order, the nation's mainstream Buddhist sect.
The 61-year-old monk has urged the government to abort its four-river restoration project, while the Jogye Order leadership has largely remained silent over the issue.
In a note to his followers, he said, "I am laying down everything and leaving."
His sudden resignation comes several weeks after Ven. Munsu immolated himself on May 31, leaving a suicide note demanding the suspension of the river restoration project.
Ven. Sugyeong said, "Monk Munsu had the courage of his convictions," indicating that his resignation is closely associated with the suicide.
"I once lived thinking that I had a great cause for everyone, getting involved in environmental and NGO organizations. Even though I stood up against political authority, it didn't take long to realize that it was also one sort of power," he said.
Monk Sugyeong had been the chief of Hwagye Temple in Seoul. Hwagye has 120 temple branches abroad and plays a key role in training foreign monks in Korea.
The Jogye Order, which has been under pressure to break their silence over the Lee Myung-bak administration's river redevelopment project, said last week that it will try to draw a consensus over the project and other contentious public issues.
화계사 주지 4대강 사업논란 속 사임
4대강 사업을 반대해왔던 수경스님은 월요일 화계사 주지직에서 사임하고 조계종 승직을 반납하겠다고 밝혔다.
수경스님은 지금까지 정부에 4대강 사업을 중지하라고 요구해온 반면 조계종은 침묵했다.
스님은 추종자들에게 남긴 쪽지에 “나는 모든 것을 내려두고 떠난다”고 썼다.
이 같은 사임은 문수스님이 지난 5월 31일 4대강 사업 중지를 요구하는 유서를 남기고 분신 자살한 지 2 주 만이다.
