The Laughter of One Mind

The Laughter of One Mind (한마음의 읏음소리)

The heavens, Earth, and human beings,
every kind of thing in the universe,
unfolded in an instant.
In this vast land,
everything is constantly gathering together and then separating,
the flowers and trees,
all follow this rhythm,
spreading its cadence far and wide.
Singing along with this,
a sad sigh
arises from within me
and from every great peak in the universe,

“You have this life,
live it wisely,
generously,
broad-mindedly.”

Every life, every living being
just keeps unfolding together,
on and on, endlessly.

The laughter of my one mind shakes all realms of the universe,
causing every drop of water to give off a sweet fragrance,
and every blossom to transform into fruit,
ripening those who are utterly free of all traces of craving,
as well as those for whom some traces yet remain,
and so each and every life sings this song of endless unfolding,
each according to its level.

You have this life,
and you can choose to live in this way or in that,
but if you can awaken to this unfolding,
interconnected whole,
this unseen whole from which everything in the universe
arises and returns,
where each mind is connected to every other,
if you can keep returning everything here,
and thus awaken,
then forevermore,
you will be free.
Truly free.

— Daehaeng Kun Sunim, August 7, 1993