Hyegeun (Hanja: 惠勤; birth name: Ahwon-hye; birth name in Hanja: 牙元慧; 24 February 1320 – 2 June 1376) was a Buddhist monk of [[Goryeo]]. His secular name (俗名) was Ahwon-hye (牙元惠 → 牙元慧), and his art name (號) was Naong (Hanja: 懶翁). His dharma name (法號) was Bojae Jonja (Hanja: 普濟 尊者), and his posthumous
Born~Died Feb 24, 1320 ~ Jun 2, 1376Last edited Oct 15, 2026, 2:51 PM
He was the son of a Han Chinese immigrant family from the Yuan dynasty. He was born in Gyeongsang Province of Goryeo, in Yeonghae, on 24 February 1320 (15th day of the 1st lunar month) in the 7th year of . He was the only son of his father, A Seo-gu (牙瑞具), a Goryeo emigrant born in of the , and his mother, of the (延日 鄭氏), who was from (靈山郡) in .
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Seon Master Hyegeun (惠勤), after witnessing the funeral of a childhood friend who died young at about 23 years of age from illness in the spring of 1339 (3rd month, later 7th year of Chungsuk), left secular life at the age of 20. In the first month of the following year, 1340 (later 1st year of Chunghye), he attained enlightenment under a Seon master named Yoyeon (Hanja: 了然) of Myojeok Hermitage.5
In 1344 (year of accession of Chungmok), while sitting in meditation day and night for four years at Hoeamsa in Yangju, Yanggwang Province, he suddenly attained enlightenment.5
In 1347 (3rd year of Chungmok), he traveled to Yanjing (燕京, present-day Beijing in China) in the late Yuan dynasty, where he personally sought out famous monks and received their teachings. In particular, in the following year, 1348 (4th year of Chungmok), he inherited the teachings of the Indian monk Jigong Seonsa (地空禪師), who had briefly stayed at Dunhuang in the Western Regions of the Yuan dynasty and was formerly from the Indian kingdom of Tianzhu (present-day India).5
After that, from 1351 (3rd year of Chungjeong) to 1354 (3rd year of Gongmin), he traveled through various regions of the Yuan dynasty in China.5
From 1354 (3rd year of Gongmin) to the following year, 1355 (4th year of Gongmin), he briefly served as abbot of Guangji Temple (廣濟禪寺) in Jinzhou, Liaoning, Yuan China.5
In 1358 (7th year of Gongmin), he returned to Goryeo, and in 1360 (9th year of Gongmin), he stayed at Odaesan.5
In 1361 (10th year of Gongmin), at the request of the king (Gongmin), the queen dowager (Queen Gongwon), and the palace lady (Princess Deongnyeong), he briefly stayed at Singwangsa in Jangsu, Jeolla Province. In the 11th month of the same year, when the Red Turban Rebellion had been going on for three years, the so-called Red Turban bandits (紅巾徒), driven by misunderstanding, invaded the border of Goryeo in a campaign that was originally aimed at subduing the Yuan dynasty. As the effects of this unintended invasion went beyond limits, he protected the Buddhist temple (Jangsu Singwangsa).5
In 1363 (12th year of Gongmin), he entered Guwolsan, and in 1365 (14th year of Gongmin), he was granted permission to withdraw. After that, he travelled through various mountain temples. In 1366 (15th year of Gongmin), he was at Geumgangsan, and in 1369 (18th year of Gongmin), he re-entered Odaesan.5
In 1370 (19th year of Gongmin), he enshrined the remains of his teacher Yoyeon (了然, born 1299 – died 1370), a Seon master, at Hoeamsa (檜巖寺). On the 10th day of the 9th lunar month of the same year, he held the Gongbu Seon Selection (功夫選).5
In 1371 (20th year of Gongmin), he received a Dharma robe and an alms bowl (鉢盂) as gifts. At the same time, he was granted the titles of royal preceptor (王師), Great Caoxi Sect Master (大曹溪宗師), Chief Administrator of the Seon and Doctrinal Schools (禪敎都摠攝), and Venerable Bojae, Revered Restorer of the Ancestral Wind, Blessing the Nation, Aiding the World, Diligently Cultivating Original Wisdom (勤修本智重興祖風福國祐世普濟尊者). After that, he stayed at Songgwangsa and then became abbot of Hoeamsa. He also rebuilt and expanded temples in various regions.5
In 1376 (2nd year of U), he held a large Dharma assembly to celebrate the completion of the castle walls (落城). Due to impeachment by the censors (臺諫), Hyegeun was moved to Yeongwon Temple (靈源寺) in Miryang. He fell ill at this time. When he reached the Han River, he told Tak Cheom (卓詹), the official escorting him, that his condition was critical and that he wished to travel by boat. He went upstream and, after seven days, arrived at Yeoheung (驪興, present-day Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea) and stayed at Silleuksa. Tak Cheom urged him to set off again, but he decided not to leave and, on the 15th day of the 5th lunar month, at the hour of Jin (辰時, between 7 and 9 a.m.), he quietly entered nirvana (入寂).5
Naong Hwasang Haengjang (懶翁和尙行狀) – held by the Jongno Library. The biography (行狀), recorded sayings (語錄), and hymns (歌頌) of the late-Goryeo Seon master Naong Hwasang Hyegeun (惠勤, 1320–1376), compiled by Gakryeon (覺璉) and revised and published by Honsu (混修); a collection of Seon dharma words and posthumous writings.
Hyegeun (惠勤, born 1320 – died 1376; secular name Ahwon-hye). His father A Seo-gu (Hanja: 牙瑞具, born 1288 – died 1331, originally born in Xianyang, Yuan dynasty). In 1288, in Xianyang, Shaanxi (陝西), of the Yuan dynasty, he was born as a descendant of a Han Chinese family (the only son of an only child). In 1294 (20th year of Chungnyeol), when he was six years old, his two paternal aunts, who had married away to Chengdu in Sichuan and Qingdao in Shandong, were unfortunately left behind in the Yuan dynasty. Only five people (the direct family line) — his parents and grandparents — left their native Xianyang in the Yuan dynasty. In the same year (1294), they left the Yuan dynasty altogether and crossed over to Yeonghae in Gyeongsang Province of Goryeo. Afterwards, they effectively settled in Goryeo. Later, in Yeonghae, Gyeongsang Province, Goryeo, he and his family observed the mourning rites for his grandparents and parents. In 1331 (1st year of Chunghye), he died at Yeonghae in Gyeongsang Province of Goryeo at the age of 44. He was an emigrant from the Yuan dynasty to Goryeo. ↩
He was the son of a Han Chinese immigrant family from the Yuan dynasty. He was born in of , in , on 24 February 1320 (15th day of the 1st lunar month) in the 7th year of . He was the only son of his father, A Seo-gu (牙瑞具), a Goryeo emigrant born in of the , and his mother, of the (延日 鄭氏), who was from (靈山郡) in .
Seon Master Hyegeun (惠勤), after witnessing the funeral of a childhood friend who died young at about 23 years of age from illness in the spring of 1339 (3rd month, later 7th year of Chungsuk), left secular life at the age of 20. In the first month of the following year, 1340 (later 1st year of Chunghye), he attained enlightenment under a Seon master named Yoyeon (Hanja: 了然) of Myojeok Hermitage.5
In 1344 (year of accession of Chungmok), while sitting in meditation day and night for four years at Hoeamsa in Yangju, Yanggwang Province, he suddenly attained enlightenment.5
In 1347 (3rd year of Chungmok), he traveled to Yanjing (燕京, present-day Beijing in China) in the late Yuan dynasty, where he personally sought out famous monks and received their teachings. In particular, in the following year, 1348 (4th year of Chungmok), he inherited the teachings of the Indian monk Jigong Seonsa (地空禪師), who had briefly stayed at Dunhuang in the Western Regions of the Yuan dynasty and was formerly from the Indian kingdom of Tianzhu (present-day India).5
After that, from 1351 (3rd year of Chungjeong) to 1354 (3rd year of Gongmin), he traveled through various regions of the Yuan dynasty in China.5
From 1354 (3rd year of Gongmin) to the following year, 1355 (4th year of Gongmin), he briefly served as abbot of Guangji Temple (廣濟禪寺) in Jinzhou, Liaoning, Yuan China.5
In 1358 (7th year of Gongmin), he returned to Goryeo, and in 1360 (9th year of Gongmin), he stayed at Odaesan.5
In 1361 (10th year of Gongmin), at the request of the king (Gongmin), the queen dowager (Queen Gongwon), and the palace lady (Princess Deongnyeong), he briefly stayed at Singwangsa in Jangsu, Jeolla Province. In the 11th month of the same year, when the Red Turban Rebellion had been going on for three years, the so-called Red Turban bandits (紅巾徒), driven by misunderstanding, invaded the border of Goryeo in a campaign that was originally aimed at subduing the Yuan dynasty. As the effects of this unintended invasion went beyond limits, he protected the Buddhist temple (Jangsu Singwangsa).5
In 1363 (12th year of Gongmin), he entered Guwolsan, and in 1365 (14th year of Gongmin), he was granted permission to withdraw. After that, he travelled through various mountain temples. In 1366 (15th year of Gongmin), he was at Geumgangsan, and in 1369 (18th year of Gongmin), he re-entered Odaesan.5
In 1370 (19th year of Gongmin), he enshrined the remains of his teacher Yoyeon (了然, born 1299 – died 1370), a Seon master, at Hoeamsa (檜巖寺). On the 10th day of the 9th lunar month of the same year, he held the Gongbu Seon Selection (功夫選).5
In 1371 (20th year of Gongmin), he received a Dharma robe and an alms bowl (鉢盂) as gifts. At the same time, he was granted the titles of royal preceptor (王師), Great Caoxi Sect Master (大曹溪宗師), Chief Administrator of the Seon and Doctrinal Schools (禪敎都摠攝), and Venerable Bojae, Revered Restorer of the Ancestral Wind, Blessing the Nation, Aiding the World, Diligently Cultivating Original Wisdom (勤修本智重興祖風福國祐世普濟尊者). After that, he stayed at Songgwangsa and then became abbot of Hoeamsa. He also rebuilt and expanded temples in various regions.5
In 1376 (2nd year of U), he held a large Dharma assembly to celebrate the completion of the castle walls (落城). Due to impeachment by the censors (臺諫), Hyegeun was moved to Yeongwon Temple (靈源寺) in Miryang. He fell ill at this time. When he reached the Han River, he told Tak Cheom (卓詹), the official escorting him, that his condition was critical and that he wished to travel by boat. He went upstream and, after seven days, arrived at Yeoheung (驪興, present-day Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea) and stayed at Silleuksa. Tak Cheom urged him to set off again, but he decided not to leave and, on the 15th day of the 5th lunar month, at the hour of Jin (辰時, between 7 and 9 a.m.), he quietly entered nirvana (入寂).5
Naong Hwasang Haengjang (懶翁和尙行狀) – held by the Jongno Library. The biography (行狀), recorded sayings (語錄), and hymns (歌頌) of the late-Goryeo Seon master Naong Hwasang Hyegeun (惠勤, 1320–1376), compiled by Gakryeon (覺璉) and revised and published by Honsu (混修); a collection of Seon dharma words and posthumous writings.
Hyegeun (惠勤, born 1320 – died 1376; secular name Ahwon-hye). His father A Seo-gu (Hanja: 牙瑞具, born 1288 – died 1331, originally born in Xianyang, Yuan dynasty). In 1288, in Xianyang, Shaanxi (陝西), of the Yuan dynasty, he was born as a descendant of a Han Chinese family (the only son of an only child). In 1294 (20th year of Chungnyeol), when he was six years old, his two paternal aunts, who had married away to Chengdu in Sichuan and Qingdao in Shandong, were unfortunately left behind in the Yuan dynasty. Only five people (the direct family line) — his parents and grandparents — left their native Xianyang in the Yuan dynasty. In the same year (1294), they left the Yuan dynasty altogether and crossed over to Yeonghae in Gyeongsang Province of Goryeo. Afterwards, they effectively settled in Goryeo. Later, in Yeonghae, Gyeongsang Province, Goryeo, he and his family observed the mourning rites for his grandparents and parents. In 1331 (1st year of Chunghye), he died at Yeonghae in Gyeongsang Province of Goryeo at the age of 44. He was an emigrant from the Yuan dynasty to Goryeo.