Author: Chong Go Sunim

 

  

 

In her regular Dharma talks, Daehaeng Kun Sunim often took questions afterwards. Some of these, and the answers, are quite useful to practitioners. We’ve been working on putting some of these into a small ebook edition called, Find the Treasure Within. We’re not quite finished, but I’ll go ahead and post slightly condensed versions of these. Some of what she says is so striking that I’ve highlighted it.

 
Question: 
I had always hoped that my children would grow up happily because my childhood was not so good. Yet, no matter how hard I try, my life doesn’t seem to be turning out the way I wanted.
         I read in some book that Shakyamuni Buddha once told people, “Life is suffering.” Is that true? Does this mean there’s nothing I can do about these things?
 
 Answer:
Every one of us experiences many things during our life, such as illness and poverty, joy and happiness. It might seem like some of those things happened by accident. However, because you were at that place and time, those things occurred and you experienced them. In fact, all the things that we experience are the result of what we have done over a great number of eons. It’s just that when they return to us, they tend to have a different appearance, so we don’t recognize them.

What we receive today is the outcome of what we did in the past, but how we react to this determines what our future will be. So don’t think that the difficulties you’re facing happened by chance.

However, even hardships are another face of your true self, which is trying to teach you. So, don’t blame others or the era for the difficult situation you are in. Instead, you should be grateful to your true self, which is giving you another chance to change things. Forgetting about your inner self and being depressed because of difficult circumstances cannot be excused.

When some hardship occurs, you can get angry and complain about it, or you can think of it as a good opportunity to complete yourself. Which way you approach things is entirely up to you. But your future depends upon the decisions you make.

It’s true Shakyamuni Buddha said, “The world is full of suffering,” and, “the world is like a burning house.” However, these were warnings given to people who chased after only material things, to people who never reflected upon the truth. 
 
Most people move through their life dragging their difficulties behind them. Thus they suffer twice: once when the difficulties come to them, and once more as they try to carry them along.  Every single Buddha has also experienced hardships because those things are the results of what one has made in the past,  and this applies to everyone. However,  without clinging to anything, Buddhas release everything to the fundamental place, the inner self, and by doing that, whatever they encounter becomes one with the inner self and so dissolves and melts away.

Once those bad situations have arisen, there’s not much that can be done about them. But, if you let go of all those difficulties to your inner self without holding on to them and without making discriminations about them, then you will not have to suffer from carrying them with you. You will also be freeing yourself from future suffering. When you keep doing this, you will gradually attain calmness and your suffering will dissolve,  and finally you will see your inner self, the truth.  

However, releasing everything like this isn’t easy if you’ve never tried it before. So, first, you should firmly believe that the truth is within you. In other words, know that your fundamental mind has the ability to take care of everything.  Next, you should understand that everything you confront is not suffering, but rather just another aspect of yourself.  Entrust it completely to your inner self.  Afterwards, the things you entrusted will dissolve because your inner self, your foundation, is the source of everything and the source of infinite energy.  
 
As I said before, the best way to solve the things you face is to truly let go of everything to your inner self with firm faith, because this is where everything arises from. This is true virtue and is the only way to live truly free. 

 
  
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 copyright 2010, The Hanmaum Seonwon Foundation

  

Do you notice anything wrong with this painting? 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If you grew up on a farm, chances are you noticed that he’s following the hoof prints in the wrong direction!

The painter may have been a city boy, but, this also may have been deliberately painted like this.
As a warning. 

In the Tex Ox Herding pictures, the hoof prints are the traces of our fundamental mind. These are the deeper, transcendent experiences that arise as we make efforts to put our understanding into practice. 

The danger is that if we aren’t careful, these experiences can become footholds for ‘me’ and ‘I’. Look what I experienced. Now I know….  Not to let go of these is to put our neck in the noose.

The antidote is not to cling to even the magnificent and sublime experiences we have. We have to step forward, letting go of everything we think we know, and even the things we are worried we don’t know. We have to go forward with empty hands, trusting in the inherent Buddha essence within us all.
 
Genju, over at 108 Zen Books, posted a great painting by Hakuin that really speaks to this. 
It’s called “Blind Men Crossing a Log.”    

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Walking in the dark,
on this narrow and dangerous path,
what would you depend on to guide you?
Ordinary knowledge
and mistaking the desires of the body for your true essence
will surely lead to missteps
and disaster.
 
Carefully, carefully now.
Though stepping forward into darkness,
the light of this fundamental mind,
this divinity, this Buddha essence,
guides each step
and shows the way.
 
 
 
 

(Thanks to Jack for the photo of the ox herding image.)

Don’t feel that you are superior to others, and don’t look down upon others.[i]

Humility and modesty are the source of all good human qualities. Friendship arises from respect and trust. Without humility, the false ideas of self[ii] form a mountain that becomes higher and higher. And the ocean of the three evil rebirths,[iii] becomes deeper and deeper. Outward solemnity seems noble, but if there is no inner attainment, then it’s like a rotten ship.

As officials increase in position, their minds become smaller. As the spiritual cultivation of a practitioner deepens, they become more humble. When the distinction between you and I disappears, the supreme path is naturally achieved. Endless blessings flow naturally to those who are humble.

                      Wisdom is buried by arrogance,
                      ignorance feeds upon distinctions
                      of you and I.
                      While looking down on others
                      and not practicing,
                      you grow old and sick.
                     Moaning and sighing,
                     what can you do now?

There’s a very interesting group meeting for three days this week in Seoul (Wednesday- Friday, Nov. 10-12), The Global Peace Initiative of Women  http://gpiw.org/

To be honest, most of the religious conferences I’ve been to have basically consisted of people waiting to speak. Few came to listen, few were interested in a dialogue or sharing of ideas and experiences. That’s what sets this conference apart. The organizers are very focused on creating a real dialogue. To this end, there are no prepared papers, and those with large egos haven’t been invited. Following brief opening remarks, the moderator sets the tone, and facilitates honest discussion among those who feel called to speak. It reminds me a lot of a Society of Friends Meeting. I’ve had a chance to talk with some of the organizers and have been very impressed with them as people, as practitioners, and with the spirit that they are approaching this with. If you want to hang out with some just plain good people, stop by if you have time. (And it isn’t just about women, there will also be many male participants.)

From their website:

The Global Peace Initiative of Women was founded to help awaken and mobilize spiritual energies in places of great need with the goal of aiding in healing and unifying the world community. GPIW facilitates this by seeking to gather together those of great insight, wisdom, compassion and dedication, many of whom are working quietly for the upliftment of the world. A major focus of GPIW’s work is to aid in building a global network of contemplative leaders who through their inner work can help transform the causes and conditions that lead to suffering at both the individual and collective level.

 Re-Envisioning Prosperity:
A Spiritual Forum during the G20 Summit

While political leaders come together to discuss ways to stimulate the global economy, a parallel discussion will be taking place among spiritual leaders on a new economic paradigm that takes into consideration the need for greater and greater consideration for the health and wellbeing of the global ecosystems on which we depend for life. Can we have true prosperity without these?  What new framework is emerging that can guide us to a more inclusive, balanced, and life-sustaining understanding of prosperity?

 Wednesday, November 10^th

8:00am     Depart for De-Militarized Zone (South / North border area) Cheorwon Peace observatory of the DMZ (1½ hours from Seoul)

 Global Prayers for Peace between South and North Korea

 Moderated by: Dr. Mary-Faeth Chenery, The Global Peace Initiative of Women Country Coordinator, Australia

 Welcome by:

Dr. Insook Kim, Founder, Women of Wisdom, South Korea

Dena Merriam, Founder and Convener, The Global Peace Initiative of Women, USA

 Religious leaders offer individual prayers or chants of 1-3 minutes each 

 2:00pm-4:00pm     Opening Session:

Re-Envisioning Prosperity for Greater Balance Between Our Material and Spiritual Aspirations 

There is a common misperception that material wealth brings greater happiness.   While there is a base line of human needs that must be satisfied, there is another base line, not much discussed, above which additional material accumulation does not contribute to happiness.  It is the work of all religions to help people turn inward for a sense of wellbeing and “happiness.”  Should this not be worked into the common understanding of “prosperity?”  How do our spiritual traditions define “prosperity” and how can this apply to our current time?

 Setting the Context: Prof. Dr. Phra Dharmakosajarn, Rector, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Thailand

 Moderated by: Dena Merriam, Founder and Convener, The Global Peace Initiative
of Women, USA

 Opening Remarks by:

• Sraddhalu Ranade, Spiritual Teacher/Scientist, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, India
• Bishop Bärbel Wartenberg-Potter, Former Bishop, Northelbien Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Germany
• Dr. Doudou Diene, Former Director of the Interreligious Dialogue, UNESCO, Senegal/France
• Rabbi Warren Stone, Temple Emanuel, USA

 Followed by Open Discussion of the Topic

 Thursday, November 11^th 

The Venerable Ya-un’s Admonitions to Beginners (continued)

Okay, I have to admit that this admonition doesn’t seem to apply to our modern societies. I don’t know if it’s the residue of the protestant work ethic or not, but these days it may be a lack of sleep that hinders people. Perhaps, the modern situation requires us to ask ourselves to what are devoting so much time that fatigue is actually taking years off our lives? Is this just busy-ness as a form of intoxication? Is this also a form of anesthetizing ourselves?
       About the cultural context of this admonition, I have noticed a monk or two from other asian countries who have been able to sleep at the drop of a hat, and who spent most of their free time napping. It seemed like this was  common in their home countries. It was probably habits like this that the Venerable Ya-un had in mind when he wrote this admonition.

Don’t sleep outside of the fixed hours for sleeping.

Ever since ancient times, sleep has been considered the greatest hindrance to spiritual cultivation. For the entire day, keep the hwadu with a clear mind and don’t allow yourself to become dull. Whether you are sitting, standing, lying, or moving, always return to the bright light within you and carefully examine your mind. If you pass your life idly, grief will follow you for a thousand kalpas. Time passes in an instant, everyday you should be alarmed at where the time went. Even though it is said that life is short, in fact nobody can guarantee whether they will be alive even an instant from now. If you still haven’t penetrated the great meaning of the Patriarchs, how can you sleep peacefully?

                           Worse than a poisonous snake,
                           sleepiness clouds the moon of mind
                          practitioners forget which way to go
                          when they reach this point.
                          If you hold up a sharp-edged sword,
                          the clouds vanish,
                         revealing the brightly shining moon.

Here’s a guest post by Barry Briggs of Ox Herding

Recently someone new to Buddhism asked how it was that the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Quanyin, could serve as the “patron” of both vegetarians and fishermen.

There was an aggrieved tone in the person’s voice:  How could she?

I replied that true compassion does not depend on conditions.

Without hesitation, Quanyin offers unstinting compassion to vegetarians and carnivores, fishermen and farmers, and saints and murderers.

That’s because Quanyin has laid down the mind that picks and chooses based on like and dislike. She only responds to what is.

Indeed, love can only arise in response to what is. Everything else is fantasy.

These are easy words to write, but to live without dependence on conditions . . . well, that’s something else. That’s why clear-eyed direction is so important.

Here’s a nice mantra posted by Nathan at Dangerous Harvests a while back.

Repeat it out loud three times, and see how you feel! 😉

Here’s a translation of a short but powerful Dharma talk by Daehaeng Kun Sunim.

Everything that confronts you-
take it all and entrust it to one place, one hole,
change negative things into wholesome things
by firmly entrusting them to that one place.

Do this with everything that confronts you.
Even when something arises from within you,
even when something confronts you from outside,
remember that all of those things are your foundation
testing you,
to see how you react.

Even when things seem overwhelming,
don’t be afraid.
Without dwelling on like or dislike,
just silently entrust it all.
Take what confronts you, and know
“This is what I have to do,”
and silently take care of it.

Answer others gently,
speak gently, think gently,
think gently,
and trust that one place with everything.

If you keep doing this,
if you become adept at this,
then the time will come when
your true self makes itself known to you.
This will absolutely happen.

I have personally confirmed and verified this.
There is the core inside of an electric cable
that makes it possible for energy, for light, to go back and forth.
Likewise, there is a core that underlies this shell of ours.
Taking everything and returning it to this core  
is the path of completing yourself.

                                              -Daehaeng Kun Sunim

 
 
copyright 2010, The Hanmaum Seonwon Foundation

An exhibit of Goryeo dynasty (918-1392) Buddhist paintings is being held at the National Museum of Korea until November 21. There are only 160 of these paintings in the world, and 61 are displayed here. Chances to see these paintings are very rare, so don’t miss this exhibition if you’re interested. These tend to be wall-size paintings, and are quite old, so the photos here really don’t do them justice. 
      Here’s the info from the museum’s webpage:http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/Special.do?cmd=1001&gc_no=580 There’s a small entrance fee, and the museum is closed Mondays.

Masterpieces of Goryeo Buddhist Painting – A Long Lost Look after 700 Years

This exhibition brings together Goryeo Buddhist paintings from all over the world in the largest exhibition of these works in history. Goryeo Buddhist paintings are widely seen as some of the most beautiful religious art in the world. Their delicate and graceful forms indicative of the high aesthetic standards of the Goryeo people, their brilliant primary colors and resplendent gold pigment, and their beautiful yet powerful flowing lines combined to create an unparalleled world of beauty in the East Asia of the day. 

 Currently, there are known to be approximately 160 Goryeo Buddhist paintings around the world. Of these, a total of 61 are to be included in this exhibition, including Hyeheo’s Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara, currently housed at Japan’s Senso-ji temple. These 61 paintings include 27 from Japanese collections, ten from U.S. collections, five from European collections, and nineteen from Korean collections. In addition, the exhibition will feature 20 Buddhist paintings from China’s Southern Song and Yuan Dynasties and Japan’s Kamakura period, allowing visitors to examine trends in East Asian Buddhist painting over a similar time period. Also on display will be five Buddhist paintings from the early Joseon era, inheritors to the tradition of Goryeo Buddhist painting, along with 22 statues of the Buddha and metal crafts from the Goryeo era, for a total of 108 paintings and other artworks.

61 Goryeo Buddhist paintings including Hyeheo’s Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara (middle) will be on display.

 The exhibition has been organized by theme.

The introductory section, “Goryeo Buddhist Paintings: The Flower of Truth,” provides information about the historical background and themes of Goryeo Buddhist paintings, helping visitors to more fully appreciate these works.

 The first section, “Buddha: The Enlightened One,” features those works of Goryeo Buddhist painting that focus primarily on depicting the Buddha. Many of them depict Amitabha, in what is perhaps a reflection of the flourishing of Sukhavati belief in the Goryeo era. The Amitabha from the collection of Japan’s Shobo-ji temple is an example of the “descent of Amitabha” form, showing Amitabha approaching the departed to welcome them into paradise, and evokes wonder with its vivid primary colors and beautiful, intricate patterns, which survive intact to this day.

 The second section, “Bodhisattva: Savior of Sentient Beings,” features paintings of Avalokiteshvara and Kshitigarbha, familiar figures to adherents of Buddhism. The Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara from the collection of Japan’s Danzan-jinja shrine depicts a solemn and graceful Avalokiteshvara sitting on a rocky outcrop of Mount Potalaka and greeting Prince Sudhana, who has come seeking the wisdom of the Buddha.

The third section, “Arhat: Paragon of Spiritual Practitioners,” includes the Five Hundred Arhats series painted in the years 1235 and 1236 during the Goryeo era. Painted as a plea for peace in the kingdom and the well-being of the royal family, this series contains around 14 known works, seven of which are housed at the National Museum of Korea. All seven of these are to be shown at the exhibition, along with three others on loan from the U.S. and Japan. Through these ten works, viewers will be able to see the majority of extant paintings from this series.

 The fourth section, “Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Neighboring Countries,” features works of Chinese and Japanese Buddhist painting that were painted during the same time period as the Goryeo Buddhist works, affording visitors a broader perspective in appreciating the era’s East Asian Buddhist culture and painting. In particular, it features three Western Xia Buddhist paintings from the 12th and 13th centuries, excavated at Khara-Khoto in 1909 and currently housed at the State Hermitage Museum in Russia. These works are well known among academics to have a strong affinity with Buddhist painting, but this marks the first time the actual works have been shown in Korea.

 The final section, “Succession of the Tradition,” examines the ways in which the tradition of Buddhist painting was carried on in subsequent eras, with a primary focus on Buddhist paintings commissioned by the royal house during the early Joseon era. The works on display include two pieces from the Medicine Buddha Triad, part of a commission of 400 Buddhist paintings by Queen Munjeong to honor the rebuilding of Hoeam Temple in 1565.

 * Paintings are alternated during the exhibition period, so exhibition times for the different works may vary.

A while back, Barry at Ox Herding had a great cartoon about spiritual swag that reminded me of an amazing street in Seoul. It’s the street in front of the main Buddhist temple in Seoul, Jogye Temple.

What I love is the variety of stuff that’s available. When I was practicing in the US (twenty years ago), if one wanted a mala, incense, or a Buddha statue, you had to look through a catalogue, (Shasta Abbey and Dharma Crafts were the best), and then mail in your order. Four or five weeks later, it would arrive, and you’d hope it was what you wanted. You had to order from a catalogue description or tiny picture, so you could never be quite sure.

 

 

Of course, none of this makes practice any easier, and we shouldn’t mistake this stuff for the essence that we have to uncover, but, sometimes, it is kind of fun to wander through here and see what’s new and check out the different varieties of incense. And when you get tired, there’s always a very nice tea shop nearby.