Author: Chong Go Sunim

Having given rise to these great vows,
I return to and rely upon the Three Treasures of one mind

I take refuge in Buddha,
who is one with all,
in every place and dimension.

발원이 귀명례삼보 發願已 歸命禮三寶

시방에 항상 한마음으로 계신 부처님께 귀의합니다.

Well, we now find ourselves at the last verses of The Thousand Hands Sutra! (Two more posts after today.) I had thought of doing the same style of posting for Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of The Heart Sutra, but is there something else that people would like to see? More audio Dharma talks? (There was another option that I’d been thinking of, but have completely forgotten, lol.) Go ahead and post your thoughts in the comments if you have any ideas about this. — Chong Go

(The main text is from Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of “The Thousand Hands Sutra”)

(continued – Raising the Four Great Vows)

Supreme enlightenment,
inherent within me,
I vow to attain.

마음속의 모든 불도 맹세코 이루오리다.

Sometimes it’s good to remind ourselves about this truth of enlightenment! We still have to do the work, we still have to struggle to let go of our attachments and fixed views, we still need to cultivate good (nondual) actions, but all this is in the service of awakening to our inherent nature and potential.

(The main text is from Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of “The Thousand Hands Sutra”)

(continued – Raising the Four Great Vows)

All teachings of the Dharma,
ever-present within me,
I vow to learn.

마음속의 모든 법문 맹세코 배우오리다.

(The main text is from Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of “The Thousand Hands Sutra”)

(continued – Raising the Four Great Vows)

All delusions and defilements existing within me,
I vow to dissolve.

마음속의 모든 번뇌 맹세코 녹이오리다.

The word for “delusions and defilements” doesn’t translate easily, in my opinion. In essence, it means the stuff that causes me to do stupid things. This includes things like attachments and desire, but it also includes misguided views and perceptions of the world. People don’t (usually) choose evil courses of action; they’re usually(!) making what seem to them to be logical choices best suited to the circumstances. But what’s sometimes missing is an awareness of their connection to others, and what this means for the results of their actions.

If they understood karma and our connections with other people, they would probably make different choices. Choices less inclined to cause them and other pain, and choices that would lead towards their growth as well as that of others.

The Korean here has two nuances; one is referring that the stuff that’s in me, but it could also be read as saying that all delusions and defilements exist within mind. For most of us, the first meaning is probably more relevant, but be aware that the second one exists as well. Because *all* of those exist within mind, mind can affect them, even when they “belong” to someone else.

(The main text is from Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of “The Thousand Hands Sutra”)

(continued – Raising the Four Great Vows)

All unenlightened beings existing within me,
I vow to save.

마음속의 모든 중생 맹세코 건지리다.

“Wait,” I hear you saying, “didn’t we just cover the Four Great Vows?” Indeed we did. But in Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of the Thousand Hands Sutra, she repeats these, adding an interior twist to them. Now, it’s not “I vow to save all beings,” but rather “I vow to save all beings existing with my mind.” This could be translated as “I vow to save all the unenlightened beings within me” (something that needs doing!), or it could be “All beings exist within my fundamental mind, I vow to save them there.” I suspect the second meaning is actually closer, but I can’t say for certain, and the first is also true and important as well.

(The main text is from Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of “The Thousand Hands Sutra”)

(continued – Raising the Four Great Vows)

Incomparable enlightenment, I will attain.

위없는 불도를 다 이루오리다.

(This text is from Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of “The Thousand Hands Sutra”)

(continued – Raising the Four Great Vows)

The infinite teachings of the Dharma, I will learn.

한량없는 법문을 다 배우오리다.

(This text is from Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of “The Thousand Hands Sutra”)

(continued – Raising the Four Great Vows)

Continuously arising delusions and defilements, I will dissolve.

끝없는 번뇌를 다 녹이오리다.

(This text is from Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of “The Thousand Hands Sutra”)

Raising the Four Great Vows
Unenlightened beings beyond number, I will save.

발사홍서원 發四弘誓願

가없는 중생을 다 건지오리다.

There’s not a lot to say about this one, really. It seems unrealistically ambitious on the surface, but, I think there are two things going on with this. At one level, just vowing to save *all* beings, takes us out of our ordinary, normal discriminations. I’m not vowing to save *some* beings, or just the ones I like, or just the ones I can get to, but all beings. There’s a spirit there that pushes and nudges us towards the unconditional.

Second, who’s to say, that at the fundamental level, that what we do doesn’t actually save all beings? That it doesn’t provide light and nourishment and a push on the path they need to take? The effects may take years or eons to be seen, not instantaneous, like we’d all like, but there’s no telling what we might be putting into motion. And again, even the word “motion” is likely a mistake when viewed from this all-encompassing, nondual place, where everything and time are already present.

(This text is from Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of “The Thousand Hands Sutra”)

(continued – The Ten Vows made by all Tathagatas )

I vow to save all beings.

모든 중생 제도하길 원입니다.

One of the cool things about this image, is that it’s not one person saving all beings. There’s all kinds of “sages” wandering around, each helping out one or two people here and there.

(This text is from Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of “The Thousand Hands Sutra”)