Returning things inwardly makes your mind harmonious. Harmony gives rise to compassion, and compassion can melt down anything.

I was cleaning my office, and I found a printout of one of Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s poems that was used as a Dharma song. Just this part towards the end of the poem stands on it’s own, I felt, so I’m putting it here. (The poem began with essentially what I put in the title of this page.)

When everything has been put down
when there’s nothing left to hold onto,
not even the thought
that you have to put something down,
this is empty mind.

When you have such a complete and
harmonious mind,
you can become one with all life,
one with the whole universe.

This mind can make even rough things
harmonious and generous,
and can find a use for them.

Not a single thing is thrown away!
This mind becomes one with all life.
Not a single thing is thrown away!
This is true compassion!

일체를 다 내려놓고 더 이상 쥘 것도
내려놓을 것도 없는 마음이
텅 빈 마음.

이렇게 둥근 마음이라야 전 우주와 함께 하고
모든 생명과 하나가 될 수 있다.

둥근 마음은 모난 것도 둥글게 쓰게 되니
버릴 것이 하나 없다.
모든 생명과 하나가 될 수 있다.
둥근 마음은 모난 것도 둥글게 쓰게 되니
버릴 것이 하나 없다.
이런 마음을 가리켜 자비심이라 한다.