The Maitreya Immortal Flower, Misirang, and the Master Jinja彌勒仙花 未尸郎 眞慈師

King Jinheung, the twenty-fourth ruler, had the surname Kim and the name Sammaekjong (彡麥宗), also written Simmaekjong (深麥宗). He ascended the throne in the sixth year of Datong of Liang, the gyeongsin year.

Admiring the will of his uncle King Beopheung, he served the Buddha with a single heart, raised temples widely, and let people become monks and nuns.

Also, by nature he loved refinement and honored the immortals, and he chose the beautiful among the daughters of good families and honored them as wonhwa (原花). The aim was to gather followers, select men of talent, and teach them filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, and trust, which is also a great essential in governing a country.

So he chose two wonhwa, Nammorang (南毛娘) and Gyojeongnang (峧貞娘), and their followers numbered three or four hundred.

Gyojeong was jealous of Morang. She laid out much wine and made Morang drink, and when she was drunk, secretly carried her off to the middle of the Bukcheon (北川) river, lifted stones over her, and buried her, killing her.

Her followers did not know where she had gone, and they wept in grief and scattered.

Someone who knew of the plot composed a song and coaxed the street children to sing it in the streets. When the followers heard it, they found her body in the Bukcheon and killed Gyojeongnang.

At this the great king issued an order and abolished the wonhwa.

Several years later the king thought again that to raise up the country the Way of Wind and Moon (風月道) must first be established.

He issued a new order to select men of good families who had virtuous conduct, and changed the name to hwarang (花郎).

Seorwollang (薛原郎) was the first to be honored as gukseon (國仙), and this was the beginning of the hwarang gukseon. Therefore a stele was raised at Myeongju (溟州).

From this, people repented of evil and turned to good, revered those above and followed those below, and the five constants, the six arts, the three teachers, and the six upright ones were widely practiced in that age.〔The National History says the hwarang were first honored in the eighth year of Dajian under King Jinji, the gyeongsin year, but the history's account is probably mistaken.〕

In the reign of King Jinji there was a monk at Heungnyunsa named Jinja (眞慈).〔Also written Jeongja.〕

He always went before the image of Maitreya, the main buddha of the hall, and made this vow: "I pray that our great sage will take the form of a hwarang and appear in the world, so that I may always attend on your radiant face and serve you."

His devotion was earnest, and the heart of his prayer grew deeper by the day.

One evening a monk appeared in a dream and said, "Go to Suwonsa (水源寺) in Ungcheon (熊川)〔Gongju today〕 and you will see the Maitreya Immortal Flower."

Jinja woke, startled and glad, and set out to find that temple, a ten days' journey, bowing once at every step.

When he reached the temple, outside the gate was a young man whose grace and beauty were without flaw. He welcomed him with smiling eyes, led him in through a small gate, and seated him in the guest room.

Jinja went up, bowed with joined hands, and said, "Young sir, we have never known each other. Why do you receive me with such warmth?"

The young man said, "I too am from the capital. I saw the master coming so far with such a lofty purpose, and only wished to comfort you."

Then he went out the gate, and no one knew where he had gone.

Jinja took it for chance and did not think it very strange. He only told the temple monks about his dream and the purpose of his coming, and said, "I would like to stay a while in the lowest seat and wait for the Maitreya Immortal Flower. How would that be?"

The temple monks thought his heart was set on something vain, but seeing his sincerity they said, "South of here, next door, is Cheonsan (千山), where since ancient times wise and enlightened men have stayed and had many mysterious responses. Why not go there?"

Jinja followed their word and came to the foot of the mountain, and the mountain spirit, changed into an old man, came out to meet him and said, "What have you come here for?"

He answered, "I wish to see the Maitreya Immortal Flower."

The old man said, "You already saw the Maitreya Immortal Flower outside the gate of Suwonsa. What do you come here seeking again?"

When Jinja heard this he was startled, broke into a sweat, and hurried back to his own temple.

A little over a month later, King Jinji heard of it, summoned him, asked the reason, and said, "The young man himself said he was from the capital, and a sage does not speak in vain. Why not search for him within the city?"

Jinja, following the king's wish, gathered his followers and went all through the villages searching.

There was a young lad with a fine complexion and beautiful brows, strolling and playing under a tree by the roadside northeast of Yeongmyosa.

Jinja went to meet him and said in astonishment, "This is the Maitreya Immortal Flower."

He went up and asked, "Young sir, where is your home? I wish to hear your family name."

The lad answered, "My name is Misi (未尸). I lost both my parents when I was a child, and I do not know what my surname is."

So they carried him in a palanquin and brought him in to see the king, and the king honored and loved him and made him gukseon.

The way he brought harmony among the young men and taught them by propriety was unlike anyone else. His refinement shone in the world for some seven years, and then suddenly no one knew where he had gone.

Jinja grieved and longed for him exceedingly. But having been steeped in that compassionate grace and having closely received that pure teaching, he repented and reformed himself and practiced the Way with devotion. In his old age, no one knows where he too ended.

Those who speak of it say this:

"Mi (未) is close in sound to mi (彌), and si (尸) is similar in shape to ryeok (力). Leaning on that resemblance, the name was hidden. The great sage did not only respond to Jinja's sincerity; he had an affinity with this land, and so he showed himself here again and again."

To this day the people of the country call an immortal a Maitreya Immortal Flower, and call one who acts as a go-between for others a misi; all of this is a custom left by the Compassionate One (慈氏).

The roadside tree is still called Gyeollang (見郎), and in the vernacular it is also called sayeosu (似如樹).〔Also called inyeosu.〕

In praise it is said:

Seeking the fragrant one, at every step he looked up to the wind, Wherever he went, the merit of his tending was the same. The spring that covered the earth went home and could not be found, Who would have known that in a moment the grove would turn red?