Author: Chong Go Sunim

Through one mind I take refuge in Buddha,
who watches over and takes care of
all material and nonmaterial realms.

유무세상 관하시어 보살피며 건지시는 부처님께 한마음으로 귀의하리라.

This is an interesting verse! Instead of saying “such and such will save me,” it’s a request that we be able to learn what we need to know to help ourself. In this case, it’s the truth of nonduality. If I want to be free from anger, desire, greed, jealousy, then I need to learn the truth of nonduality. That’s it. Just learn the truth of nonduality.

When we see other’s success as our own, when we feel their pain as our own, when we see the negative things they’re doing, and feel the suffering that’s going to cause for themselves and others, all of our hate, resentment, jealousy, and so on, just vanish. They just disappear as if they were a vague rumor from a hundred years ago. But we still have to do that one thing -Learn the truth of nonduality. And we can do that by practicing returning everything to our foundation.

Should the mind of an animal arise within me,
let me learn the truth of nonduality
through the deep wisdom of one mind.

만약에 축생의 마음 일으킨다면 스스로 큰 지혜로 둘 아닌 도리를 알게 하소서.

It took a while, but we’ve finished the subtitles for a new Dharma talk by Daehaeng Kun Sunim. She’s pretty direct in this one, but they’re great contents!

The word used here for “angry spirit” is actually “asura,” which is awkward to translate, particularly in a chanted text. In some texts, they are good beings, but in general, they’re considered very powerful beings who have a strong tendency towards anger, fighting, and jealousy. Some texts consider their realm to be higher than human beings, some list it as being lower. It doesn’t really matter, because we have the potential for every kind of state of being within use, depending upon how wisely (or not!) we use our minds.

But in reciting the truths of this sutra, we are educating the consciousnesses that make up our bodies, and showing (or reminding) them of wiser ways of being. As well as showing them the path to growing and developing.

When I rely upon my one mind for everything,
should the mind of an angry spirit arise within me,
it will willingly surrender to my one mind.

만약에 아수라의 마음 일으킨다면 스스로 내 마음에 조복되리.

When my mind acts like a hungry ghost,
my one mind can embrace that consciousness.
Experiencing oneness, it is truly fulfilled.

내 마음이 귀신행을 한다면 내 한마음이 귀신 항복 받아 충만하리.

All of the hell realms within my mind vanish
as the thoughts that gave rise to them
are extinguished.

내 마음의 지옥도 한 생각이 스스로 꺼지어 저절로 무너지네.

I can’t lay claim to understanding all the implications of this verse, but it certainly sounds logical: When the conditions that give rise to something disappear, everything they’ve been causing also disappears.

A single thought causes my mind to fall into the hell of boiling water,
but when that thought is dissolved,
this hell also collapses.

내 마음에 화탕지옥 일으킬 때 한 생각이 스스로 꺼지어 저절로 무너지네.

This section of The Thousand Hands Sutra is a part I call the Hell Realms, because aside from sounding a bit gruesome, on the surface, it’s telling us how to escape from hellish states of existence.

Should the hell of knives arise within my mind,
let the all embracing energy of one mind
cause this hell to collapse.

내 마음에 칼산지옥도 한마음 능력 두루 하여 스스로 무너지게 하소서.

Today is Thanksgiving in the US, the day when people give thanks to all those who’ve blessed us, helped us, and guided us. May you all find your way along the bright path.

Mind freely manifests and functions everywhere,
unhindered and omnipresent,
let me discover that all enlightened teachers are my one mind.

마음은 고정됨이 하나 없이 평등하니 일체의 법성신이
내 한마음인 줄 알게 하소서.

There is a place where all Buddhas have practiced, and it’s not in some higher realm. It’s the same place they’ve all attained enlightenment.

Let me know that all Buddhas exist
within my one mind,
the place where enlightenment is attained.

원하건대 일체제불이 도량의 집 내 한마음에 계시옴을 알게 하소서.