That day commemorated the day the nine original disciples of Sotaesan left thumb prints of blood although none of their thumbs were cut. It was an event for celebration for the Order that later developed into Dharma Authentication Day, one of the Order’s four greatest occasions for celebration.
In August that year (Won Buddhist year 41
[1956]), the dharma of ancestral tablet arrangement before the Shrine of Eternal Commemoration was partially revised, through which the memorial tablet representing the spirits of those who had attained the title of Jong-Sa [Head Master, recipients of the status of beyond the household or higher in dharma rank or those who had been the Head Dharma Master] was placed in the middle of the shelves directly below Sotaesan’s tablet.
The tablet commemorating those who attained the title of Dae-Bong-Do
[recipients of a dharma merit granted to ordained disciples] was positioned to the left of the Jong-Sa tablet and those with the title of Dae-Ho-Bup [recipients of a dharma merit granted to non-clerical believers] were placed to the right. At the general assembly meeting held in April 1957 (Won Buddhist year 42), the first dharma merit conferment ceremony was performed, through which the Order conferred the title of Jong-Sa on Jusan Song Doseong, the title of Dae-Bong-Do on Palsan Kim Gwangseon and Gutawon Yi Kongju, and the title of Dae-Ho-Bup on Paltawon Hwang Jeongsinhang. In his address of gratitude, Head Dharma Master Chongsan said: “I highly praise these four people, together with all those gathered here, for their performances deserve dharma merits in both study and work.
They contributed largely to the
development of the Order in its early years. I also believe and hope that all the believers, lay and ordained, male and female, will take this occasion to their hearts to infinitely produce for the Order a great many number of Jong-Sa, Dae-Bong-Do, and Dae-Ho-Bup.
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