Kyong Ho Seonsa (; 1849âÂÂ1912) was a famous Korean Sà Ân master, and the 75th Patriarch of Korean Sà Ân. His original name was Song Tonguk (); and his dharma name was Sà ÂngâÂÂu (). He is known as the reviver of modern Korean Sà Ân Buddhism. Song Tonguk was born in southern Korea (Chà Ânju, Chà Âlla province), and entered the sangha at the age of nine in 1857. He ordained at Ch'à Ânggye monastery located at Uiwang, in Kyà Ânggi province. The young monk studied under the tutelage of Kyehà ÂâÂÂsà Ânsa. When he was 14, in 1862, Kyehà ÂâÂÂsà Ânsa disrobed and sent Kyà Ânghà ÂâÂÂsà Ânsa to ManhwaâÂÂsà Ânsa for further study at TonghakâÂÂsa. Kyà Ânghà  soon distinguished himself as a sà «tra-lecturer until a dramatic incident took place in 1879 while Kyà Ânghà  was travelling to Seoul to meet his previous teacher Kyehà ÂâÂÂsà Ânsa. On the way he entered a village looking for shelter from a rainstorm and discovered that every inhabitant of the village had died from an epidemic. Kyà Ânghà  came to understand that his knowledge of Buddhist sà «tras did not help him with the issues of life and death. When Kyà Ânghà  returned to his monastery, he summarily dismissed all of his students and began serious Sà Ân meditation practice. The he worked with was Master LingyunâÂÂs (771-853) âÂÂThe donkey is not yet done and the horse has already arrived.â He suddenly understood the meaning of his when he was reading the words, âÂÂEven though I should become a cow, there will be no nostrils.â Kyà Ânghà  attained enlightenment on November 15, 1887. After his awakening, Kyà Ânghà  wrote:
Upon hearing that there are no nostrils, I realize the whole world is my home; on the path under the YÃ Ânam mountain in June, people in the fields enjoy the day, singing the song of good harvest.
Kyà Ânghà  now devoted himself to teaching Sà Ân at various monasteries including Pà Âmà ÂâÂÂsa, HaeinâÂÂsa and Sà ÂnggwangâÂÂsa until his disappearance in 1905. His activities from 1905 until his death in 1912 are not clear. Some claim that he wandered around in the northern part of Korea as a beggar; and other sources report that he lived a life of a layperson, letting his hair grow and teaching Confucian classics.
Kyà Ânghà Â's role in Korean Buddhism is great because his main disciples, Suwà ÂlâÂÂsà Ânsa (1855âÂÂ1928), Hyewà ÂlâÂÂsà Ânsa (1861âÂÂ1937), ManâÂÂgongâÂÂsà Ânsa (1871âÂÂ1946), and HanamâÂÂsà Ânsa (1876âÂÂ1951) were extremely important in the transmission of the dharma. Kyà Ânghà  is recognized as the founder of modern Korean Sà Ân Buddhism: he revived JinulâÂÂs idea of kanhwa Sà Ân and also lived the life of a bodhisattva with his unobstructed actions, in the manner of his distant predecessor Wà Ânhyo (617-686). Kyà Ânghà  was also a great proponent of teaching lay Buddhists Sà Ân meditation, which was revolutionary because he both devoted himself to meditation in a hermitage and also lived among lay Buddhists in the secular world. Kyà Ânghà ÂâÂÂs unconventional lifestyle and eccentric character brought him some criticism as well as fame amongst the followers of the "wild freedom" style Sà Ân masters.