Author: Chong Go Sunim

My one mind is the root of all things.
All things arise from it,
so all things I completely entrust to it.

내 한마음 온갖 것의 근본 되니,
근본에서 나온 것을 근본에다 몰락 놔서

my one mind manifests every instant
illuminating the path for all beings,
both those with life and without.

찰나찰나 나투면서 일체 모든 유생 무생의 길을 밝게 인도하도다.

The foundation of the universe is my one mind,

우주의 근본은 내 한마음이 근본이니

All minds are one mind,
it manifests every moment
and shows me the path.

일체심이 곧 일심이니, 찰나찰나 나투며 길을 밝히도다.

As the political system gathers speed in the US, we see people placing there hope in the idea that the right leader will help people behave correctly. While there’s some truth buried in that, the real thing that will change our world is each of us working at brightening our minds.

When we bring ourselves back into harmony with the way things truly are, then, it’s as if we give off a light, or an incense fragrance, that helps others move in tune with this as well. Without us doing anything else, it helps the people around us feel their connection to others a bit more, and helps them approach the world a bit more harmoniously.

If you want to see the world improve, work on returning everything back to your foundation. The light that gives off will help guide all beings, both living and dead.

Reciting these verses from the Thousand Hands Sutra out loud helps because in so doing, we are teaching ourselves these principles, both our conscious mind as well as all the lives that make up our bodies.

The source of the entire universe is our one mind;
it guides every single thing
in this interconnected world.

온 우주의 근본도 내 한마음이 근본이니,
둘이 아닌 세상을 똑바로 지도하도다.

How could there be something
not taken care of
by our one mind?

어찌 모든 세상 두루 살피지를 못하리오.

The foundation of the sun is my one mind,

태양의 근본도 내 한마음이 근본이라,

Today’s section of The Thousand Hands Sutra is actually the first line of a nice verse, but, each line is so good just by itself that I’ve posted them separately over the next three days. It’s just one simple line, only eight words, but how much power is in there if we begin to connect with the truth of this, and function from that understanding?

The foundation of the Earth is my one mind,

천지의 근본도 내 한마음이 근본이요,

My past, present, and future consciousness all become one.
Completely let go of everything,
and even this “one” disappears.

삼심이 일심되니, 몰락 전부 놓는다면 일심조차 세울 게 없도다.

I hope everyone has been having a nice Autumn! Here in Korea, we’ve had unusually clear and blue skies as the weather has begun to cool. I try to not be too picky, but I could get used to this!
Traditionally, there are two ways to study/memorize a text. One is to recite it over and again, and the other is to mindfully write it out. Either works fines, although reciting is probably easier with these short pieces of text, just because we don’t have to find paper and pen! But the point is that as we do so, we input them deep within us, where they can come back out when we are in need of their message. Just think about today’s, “my one mind is utterly complete”. How often in our day are we looking at things from the base of “I’m incomplete” or “there’s something wrong with me”?
Where there’s always things we can strive to work on, it’s not a bad idea to remember that though I still have room to grow, we are inherently connected to completeness, as it were. Our foundation is completeness, so as our starting point, that’s where we should return all those thoughts that have an underlying air of “I’m incomplete.” Let that completeness address them and then, if something’s necessary, we can start from there.

Endowed with everything,
encompassing everything,
my one mind is utterly complete.

그 만족함 광대무변하도다