Chogye-jong

Buddhist sect

Also known as: Chogye

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June 24, 2026

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The Chogye-jong (Chogye Sect) is a major Buddhist sect in Korea, derived from the Chinese Ch'an school of Buddhism, known as Seon in Korea and Zen in Japan. It was founded by the Buddhist priest Bojo Guksa in 1200 at Songkwang Temple.1

The Chogye-jong emphasizes the study of the Avatamsaka-sutra and meditation. Bojo Guksa taught that the ultimate goal of Buddhism is to achieve a state of mental calmness, free from external influences. This sect emerged as a response to the elaborate ritualistic practices that had become prevalent in Korean Buddhism. During the Goryeo dynasty, Buddhism was suppressed, and many monks retreated to mountain areas, forming the new Seon sect called Jogye, which became the mainstream of Korean Buddhism.12

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Bojo Guksa
…Buddhist priest who founded the Chogye-jong (Chogye Sect), now one of the largest Buddhist sects in Korea. It is derived from Ch’an, the Chinese form of Buddhism, known as Sŏn in Korea and as Zen in Japan.
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…Buddhist priest who founded the Chogye-jong (Chogye Sect), now one of the largest Buddhist sects in Korea. It is derived from Ch’an, the Chinese form of Buddhism, known as Sŏn in Korea and as Zen in Japan.
Read More

Korea
Military rule
…a new Seon sect called Jogye, which became the mainstream of Korean Buddhism. The underprivileged tenant farmers, stimulated by a general political atmosphere in which subordinates rose against superiors, staged rebellions across the country over a period of 30 years. The upheavals were at first a natural and spontaneous protest…
Read More
…a new Seon sect called Jogye, which became the mainstream of Korean Buddhism. The underprivileged tenant farmers, stimulated by a general political atmosphere in which subordinates rose against superiors, staged rebellions across the country over a period of 30 years. The upheavals were at first a natural and spontaneous protest…
Read More