Chajang Yulsa

Chajang Yulsa was a prominent Buddhist monk who attempted to make Buddhism the Korean state religion. He entered the Buddhist priesthood in Korea and then in 636 went to T'ang-dynasty China, where he spent seven years studying and practicing Buddhist teachings. On returning home, he brought with him some of the supposed remains of the historical Buddha, which he enshrined in a temple that he built on Mount Toham. He also founded several other temples and monasteries, and wrote influential texts on Buddhist doctrine and practice. He is credited with establishing the Nine Mountain Schools of Korean Seon (Zen), which became the dominant form of Buddhism in Korea. He was revered as a national teacher and a patriarch of Korean Buddhism. He died around 713, and his remains were buried at Haeinsa Temple, where he had spent his last years.