"Non-Possession" Monk Beopjeong and His 100 Billion Won Push-and-Pull with the Owner of One of the Three Major Yojeong

"Non-Possession" Monk Beopjeong and His 100 Billion Won Push-and-Pull with the Owner of One of the Three Major Yojeong

On May 26, KBS 2TV's "Celebrity Soldier's Secret" looks back on the footsteps of Monk Beopjeong, the author of the bestseller "Non-Possession," which caused an unprecedented shortage phenomenon in the publishing world.

Monk Deokjo, the disciple whom Monk Beopjeong accepted as his first eldest sangjwa and who is currently the abbot of Gilsangsa Temple, appears on the program. Monk Deokjo, who served his teacher from the closest distance, reveals Monk Beopjeong's previously unknown battle with lung cancer and an unpublished sickbed diary recorded until just before his death.

The cast members were moved to tears by the account of Monk Beopjeong's fight against lung cancer, which was already stage 4 when discovered, and by the unpublished diary covering the period up to his passing. The hidden reason why the monk, who lived frugally in the mountains, developed lung cancer is also revealed.

The story behind Monk Beopjeong's "Papillon chair," one of the preliminary cultural heritage items recently designated for the first time by the National Heritage Administration and a small chair he made himself from firewood, is also introduced. The simple bier from his 2010 passing, when he departed covered only with a thin monastic robe, is shown again, demonstrating the true value of "non-possession."

In particular, the program reveals the dramatic story of Kim Young-han, the owner of Daewongak, one of the three major yojeong frequented by leading figures in South Korea's political and business circles, and Monk Beopjeong.

It also introduces the anecdote that Kim Young-han, deeply moved after reading Monk Beopjeong's "Non-Possession," expressed her wish to donate the Daewongak site, then worth about 100 billion won at market value, without conditions. Kim pleaded, "Please build a temple here where citizens can come and rest," but Monk Beopjeong firmly declined.

This push-and-pull continued for nearly 10 years, and the temple that was eventually born from it is today's Gilsangsa Temple in Seongbuk-dong.

Comedian Yoon Sung-ho, also known as NewJeansNim and now active as a leading figure in the "hip Buddhism" trend, appears as a guest and shows off his distinctive wit. NewJeansNim expresses deep respect for Monk Beopjeong, saying, "This is a teaching that people of this era need so much."