What we first learned at Baekdamsa Temple is how to bow and the meaning of the bow. The Buddhist bow is ascetic training to gain peace of mind by lowering oneself and throwing away the selfish mind. One of the self disciplines is bowing 108 times, which controls 108 worldly desires through the bowing. Bowing 108 times from the ‘Hapjang’ posture, which strongly represents etiquette, to the ‘Godubae’ posture, which expresses respect of mind to Buddha, is a concrete practice of ascetic exercise.
Every day at Baekdamsa started with the bowing at dawn and it freshened my half-conscious state. Whenever I bowed with the monk’s sign, I could feel calmness and look at myself. This is why I would like to recommend it to people who do not have mental composure.
Hapjang: 합장   / Godubae: 고두배