Former head of Jogye Order dies in temple fire

The Ven. Jaseung, a former leader of the Jogye Order, the nation's largest Buddhist sect, has died in a fire at a temple in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, according to the Jogye Order on Thursday.

The Ven. Jaseung was visiting Chiljangsa temple in Anseong when a fire erupted at one of the buildings there at around 6:50 p.m. Wednesday. His body was found after firefighters extinguished the blaze in about three hours. He was 69.

The Jogye Order said during a press conference at the Korea Buddhist History and Cultural Memorial Hall in Jongno-gu in Seoul on Thursday that “he performed self-immolation as a dedicated offering.”

Meanwhile, authorities investigating the incident said they are open to all possibilities. Local media have reported that police and the National Intelligence Service are investigating the cause and circumstances of the Ven. Jaseung’s death.

The Jogye Order also unveiled Ven. Jaseung’s "yeolbansong," or final teaching, that reads: “Though it is said there is no life or death, there is no place without life and death.” The yeolbansong is a message left by a monk before entering nirvana to share the enlightenment gained through practice with followers.

(责任编辑：부모와 아이)