Here at the Seon Center, we have a lot of Dharma songs. (Koreans *love* to sing, lol.) These are essentially short Dharma talks set to music. They were usually poems spontaneously given during Dharma talks by Daehaeng Kun Sunim, and then later set to music. (Sometimes they had a few changes to them to fit the music, but the composers got Kun Sunim’s approval on those.)
These get sung all the time. After Dharma talks, after dedications, at closing ceremonies for weekend retreats, you name it, they get sung, lol. But one place we use them is as part of memorial ceremonies, because at their core, these songs are teachings. Aside from being really good teachings, I admire them because they are such a clever way of helping people to learn important points. As we sing these, we’re repeating them over and over, and the meanings and implications percolate down within us.
Here is one of my favorites that we use as part of the memorial ceremonies.
It’s a beautiful day here in Korea, following all the rain we had for Chuseok, (Korean Thanksgiving). It’s like everything has been cleaned, and now it’s time for the sun to come out!
I realized that there isn’t an online version of the English translation of Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of the Thousand Hands Sutra, so I decided to add one here, in addition to the wonderful audio on YouTube of Bowon Sunim chanting it in Korean.
A mantra for realizing inherently bright nature, speaking truthfully, and completely letting go of delusions such as good karma and bad karma, like and dislike, defiled and pure: Speak from the truth and each word becomes a mantra, speak outside of the truth and each word becomes karma.
All Buddhas throughout all realms exist at this very moment within my one mind. Sincerely relying upon my one mind is itself a true mantra.
My one mind, present throughout every realm, ceaselessly I follow it, earnestly I trust it.
This world we live in is none other than the realm of Buddha.
Here it is forever Spring, flowers bloom without end, and the fragrant path is ever open.
The minds of all Buddhas are fully present within my one mind.
Buddha’s mind is realized in an instant.
Not knowing this instant causes an eternity of suffering.
The minds of all Buddhas are my mind.
Nothing I see, hear, or do exists apart from the truth they realized.
My one mind itself is the Buddha-dharma, present throughout all aspects of my life.
If I truly awaken, all directions burst open and everything is utterly complete just as it is.
All things that arise, all that I do, I will entrust to my one mind for it does everything.
The minds of all Buddhas are my one mind, so I ask my one mind to take care of everything in my life.
Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, who hears the cries of all the world, resides within my one mind.
How can I express my gratitude?
The great saving power of all Buddhas becomes the saving power of my one mind.
With it I can live every day free of entanglements. So wonderful!
The compassionate hands of all Buddhas are the hands of my one mind. Their touch harmonizes all seen and unseen realms. How can words express my gratitude?
The bright eyes of all Buddhas are the eyes of my one mind.
Through their vision see the entire universe as it truly is, and by clearly seeing the dead, fully understand the living.
The deep sincerity of all Buddhas is the sincerity of my one mind.
It always brightly leads me using all manner of seen and unseen methods.
With infinite compassion it reveals the precious truth of how everything in the universe flows.
The mind of all Buddhas functions together with my one mind. Endowed with everything, encompassing everything, it is utterly complete.
My past, present, and future consciousness all become one. Completely let go of everything, and even this “one” disappears.
The foundation of the Earth is my one mind, The foundation of the sun is my one mind, How could there be something not taken care of by my one mind?
The source of the entire universe is my one mind; it guides every single thing in this interconnected world.
All minds are one mind, it manifests every moment and shows me the path.
The foundation of the universe is my one mind. It manifests every instant illuminating the path for all beings, both those with life and without.
My one mind is the root of all things. All things arise from it, so all things I completely entrust to it.
This letting go fills my heart with light.
Inherently there is no path to find, nor obstacles to overcome. One mind is the foundation, so just as it is, it is truth and fully present throughout my life.
Knowing that the wisdom and enlightenment of all Buddhas is my one mind, I fully trust my one mind and follow its compassionate guidance.
Believing in my one mind and following its profound truth, I will become free from all attachments and able to use the infinite ability within me.
My one mind is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, so I return to my one mind and rely upon it.
Believe and believe in this one mind, give rise to firm intention, and everything will be accomplished.
My one mind is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, so I return to my one mind and rely upon it.
If I believe and believe, and follow my one mind, wisdom will burst forth and the path to freedom will become clear.
My one mind is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, so I return to my one mind and rely upon it.
If I believe and follow only my one mind, I can become one with continuously arising unenlightened beings, and in so doing, save them all.
My one mind is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, so I return to my one mind and rely upon it.
If I entrust all of the vows I have made to my one mind, I will surely become a Buddha.
My one mind is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, so I return to my one mind and rely upon it.
If I entrust everything I’m searching for to my one mind, I will realize that the path I seek is in everything around me, and that inherently “I” does not exist, so there is no need to obtain something else.
I will find the one who says there is no need to obtain something else.
My one mind is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, so I return to my one mind and rely upon it.
That which “lives” and “dies” is not my true essence. Thus I will achieve one mind, which transcends all distinctions such as realms of the living and realms of the dead.
My one mind is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, so I return to my one mind and rely upon it.
Virtue, precepts, and actions in harmony with the Dharma are all done through mind.
I vow to attain these without delay.
My one mind is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, so I return to my one mind and rely upon it.
One mind, the Way that isn’t a fixed path, its inherent brightness is never troubled by birth and death.
I vow to realize one mind without delay.
My one mind is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, so I return to my one mind and rely upon it.
Let me know that all Buddhas exist within my one mind, the place where enlightenment is attained.
My one mind hears and answers all the cries of the world, so I return to my one mind and rely upon it.
Mind freely manifests and functions everywhere.
Let me discover that all enlightened teachers are my one mind.
Should the hell of knives arise within my mind, let the all embracing energy of one mind cause this hell to collapse.
A single thought causes my mind to fall into the hell of boiling water, but when that thought is dissolved, this hell also collapses.
All of the hell realms within my mind vanish as the thoughts that gave rise to them are extinguished.
When my mind acts like a hungry ghost, my one mind can embrace that consciousness.
Experiencing oneness, it is truly fulfilled.
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.
Should the mind of an animal arise within me, let me learn the truth of non-duality through the deep wisdom of one mind.
Through one mind I take refuge in Buddha, who watches over and takes care of all material and nonmaterial realms.
I take refuge in Buddha and one mind, which encompasses the endless universe and all things with life and without.
I take refuge in one mind, with a thousand hands it ceaselessly takes care of all things.
I take refuge in one mind, remaining just as it is it ceaselessly takes care of all things.
I take refuge in one mind, with all-embracing harmony it saves all beings everywhere.
I take refuge in one mind, which completely looks after all beings throughout the world and universe.
I take refuge in one mind, with a single thought transcending time and space, it nurtures all.
I take refuge in one mind, endlessly giving light to all.
I take refuge in one mind, it guides all life to the bright path, which is neither far away nor near, sooner nor later.
I take refuge in one mind, always protecting us, it enriches us and gives us the taste of the Dharma.
I take refuge in one mind, free of all forms and shapes it is able to become anything.
Like the love of a Bodhisattva, the thoughts one mind gives rise to embrace everything throughout all realms.
I take refuge in one mind, the all embracing treasure of compassion.
I take refuge in Buddha-nature, my center, foundation, and teacher, which transcends existence and nonexistence, and through which enlightenment is attained.
The Great Compassion Dharani
The profound ability within me is awakened not by words, but by the determination to save all beings.
I and my true self, together as one. At this stage freely coming and going without a trace, able to apply great unshakable wisdom, using it without the least hindrance, as vast as an ocean. Truly understand what this means.
Like quietly flowing water, may my heart always flow towards one mind.
All things arising or disappearing, coming or going are done through the foundation.
With a quietly flowing mind, I will become one with my foundation.
The sounds of our reciting spread throughout all realms.
Hearing this, may the one mind of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas look after us.
Please guide me so that my mind becomes one with the mind of all Buddhas.
With the wisdom of the eye that’s not an eye, please make this happen and look after me.
Without eyes keep watching and watching, diligently watching. Going and going, changing and changing, meeting this great truth of emptiness all suffering and disasters fall away and disappear disappear.
Deluded thoughts of every kind, when entrusted to our great unshakable mind, will all melt away, will all melt away.
Through mind, determination, and diligence let me brighten and deepen my wisdom and realize this great unshakable mind.
May the bright eye of wisdom fill the universe with light shining brightly, illuminating all.
May all beings become one, become one one with all Buddhas one mind, one mind one body, one body.
May all beings escape together escape from suffering and become free.
May I see the world as it truly is.
May I awaken to the great truth.
May I uphold the principles of the unseen realms, as well as the rules of society.
May I become one hand.
May I let go of my greed and desire.
May I develop the power to dissolve all habits of the body.
May I develop great spiritual ability and take care of the nation.
May I realize that all spirits of the dead though shapeless and unseen, are not separate from this realm of form and matter.
May everything that arises in my life surrender to and follow my inherent nature.
All Buddhas, may ten thousand flowers bloom, and ten thousand fruits ripen. Let me know their true taste!
In Praise of One Mind
All places of energy and inspiration, all places where enlightenment can be realized, are found within one mind.
Just thoroughly entrust one mind with everything that confronts me, such that all discriminations and views about myself and the world utterly disappear.
At that instant I combine with my inherent nature and the past, present, and future are all the Buddha’s Pure Land.
If my mind is thus empty and pure, I will be at ease in whatever place or time I find myself.
In praise of the truth that my past, present, and future consciousness always functions together as one.
The one mind of all Buddhas is my one mind, inherently free of stained or pure.
My past consciousness as an unenlightened being, my present consciousness as a being striving for enlightenment, and my future consciousness as an enlightened Buddha will all become one,
and everything in the universe, just as it is, will be the continuous flowing of my one mind.
Inherently free of all labels such as dirty or clean, my one mind is utterly complete.
Just as it is, it is the underlying truth that supports everything in the universe.
Buddha’s one mind holds all laws of both the visible and the invisible realms, and gives infinite compassion to all beings.
The Poem of Repentance
All harmful deeds I have committed, all unwise actions arising from greed and desire, al harm done through my body, speech, and thought, I now repent of this and all other harm I have caused.
Homage to the Twelve Buddhas who Dissolve All Karma
The Buddha whose deep humility gives rise to virtue, upright behavior, and actions grounded in the Dharma.
The Buddha who uses the treasure of one mind to gently observe and take care of all beings.
The Buddha endowed with every kind of fragrant and gentle compassion.
The Buddha who makes decisions of vast and inconceivable importance.
The Buddha endowed with the virtue and merit arising from a broad and harmonious mind.
The Buddha of great determination, who subdues all obstacles, and destroys mountains of karma.
The Buddha who venerates the Dharma, transmitting the truth of bright and wide one mind.
The Buddha whose bright and joyful mind touches every place.
The Buddha who is infused with the fragrance of limitless and omnipresent mind.
The Buddha who thoroughly knows all states of existence and nonexistence.
The Supreme Buddha who takes bright and bright mind as his center, and so is never entangled by anything.
The Supreme Buddha one with everything who applies the treasure of one mind to all things without the least discrimination.
Repenting of the Ten Evil Actions
I now deeply repent of having killed.
I now deeply repent of having stolen.
I now deeply repent of sexually improper thoughts and behavior.
I now deeply repent of having lied.
I now deeply repent of having spoken manipulating words.
I now deeply repent of having spoken ill of others and caused discord among people.
I now deeply repent of having spoken harshly.
I now deeply repent of having been overcome with desire and attachments.
I now deeply repent of having been angry.
I now deeply repent of having been ignorant and deluded.
With one thought, evil karma accumulated over endless eons disappears, leaving nothing behind, like dry grass in a fire.
Evil thoughts and actions do not just appear on their own. They emerge according to the thoughts I give rise to. Thus, when those thoughts disappear bad karma also vanishes.
While letting go of all wrong behaviors and deluded thoughts, if my mind becomes completely empty, this can be called true repentance.
The Mantra of Repentance
Let us awaken to how we should live.
If I am always aware of and rely upon the great virtue and merit of one mind, no disasters of this world can touch me, and I will receive the blessings of all Buddhas.
Whether a heavenly being or a human being, anyone who meets this treasure, this one mind, obtains the supreme Dharma.
I take refuge in one mind, the mother of heaven and earth, the giver of life to all things.
The Mantra for Purifying Mind
I’ll be upright and sincere in my behavior.
The Dharma protectors of mind take care of my body
Entrusting and letting go, the truly limitless path.
The mantra showing the profound and subtle functioning of one mind
Using mind, may I completely dispel all evil.
The mantra for relying upon one mind, Juingong, which is itself the mind of all Buddhas
Mind, with uncountable stages that are not fixed stages. I will pass through these and truly turn the great jewel of mind.
Sincerely entrusting everything to one mind, determined to know the real and help all beings, raising these great wishes:
May my samadhi wisdom swiftly brighten. May I attain every kind of virtue. May the blessings arising from my virtue guide and sustain all beings. May all beings together attain Buddhahood.
The Ten Vows made by all Tathagatas
Using mind, through mind, I vow to never again to be seduced by the three evil states of consciousness.[1]
Greed, anger, and ignorance existing within my mind, I vow to dissolve without delay.
Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha all live within my mind, I vow to always listen to them.
Precepts, meditation, and wisdom are all found within my mind, I vow to ceaselessly cultivate them.
The truth of non-duality, taught by all Buddhas, I vow to ceaselessly learn and practice.
I will know the real and attain enlightenment. I vow to always sustain and cultivate this determination.
Paradise is found within my mind, I vow to attain it.
Amita Buddha existing within my mind, I vow to hurry and meet.
I vow to manifest throughout the entire world.
I vow to save all beings.
Raising the Four Great Vows
Unenlightened beings beyond number, I will save.
Continuously arising delusions and defilements, I will dissolve.
The infinite teachings of the Dharma, I will learn.
Incomparable enlightenment, I will attain.
All unenlightened beings existing within me, I vow to save.
All delusions and defilements existing within me, I vow to dissolve.
All teachings of the Dharma, ever-present within me, I vow to learn.
Supreme enlightenment, inherent within me, I vow to attain.
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.
I take refuge in the truth, ever-present throughout every realm.
I take refuge in the place for learning the truth. Which is every place.
The Heart Sutra (뜻으로푼반야심경)
Everything is interconnected and functioning as one, with the deep, all-embracing wisdom of this one mind shining forth, seeing everything throughout all realms of the living and the dead, responding as one with everything. Its light reveals the truth of all realms seen and unseen:
Inherently, all beings are connected through this one mind, sharing the same life, the same mind, the same body. They work together as one, freely giving and receiving whatever is needed, ceaselessly manifesting and changing. But because they don’t know this, they walk the path of suffering.
Sariputra, matter and mind are not separate, mind and all the events of the world are not separate, for all of it, without exception, is the manifestation of one mind. Likewise, feelings, thoughts, actions, and consciousnesses, too, are the manifestation of one mind.
Sariputra, fundamentally, all the universe and the lives and things within it, have never come into existence, nor have they ever disappeared. There is no pure or impure, nor anything that increases or decreases.
Thus, all the material of these ceaselessly changing realms is likewise not two, and has never existed apart from one mind.
Sensation, perception, volitional action, and the process of cognition, too, do not exist apart from one mind.
Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and intellect are not limited to physical organs.
Sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, and perceptions are ceaselessly transforming.
The visible world and the realm of consciousness, too, are ceaselessly flowing and changing.
So too, in this nondual one mind, there is no separate living and dying, there is no aging or death nor cycle of birth and death to escape.
The causes of suffering, and methods to escape from suffering, also do not exist, thus there is neither wisdom nor enlightenment to attain.
There is nothing to attain because everything is the manifestation of one mind, with only ceaseless flowing and transformation.
The mind of a person who has become one with everything flows together with this deep, unseen world and is free of all hindrances.
Because this mind has no hindrances, it has no fear and leaves behind upside-down pointless dreams, at last stepping into eternally bright supreme enlightenment.
All Buddhas, too, of the nondual past, present, and future, have awoken to this one mind, obtained the highest and brightest wisdom,
overcame birth and death, and attained the state of being able to freely manifest and respond to all beings throughout all realms.
You must know this: one mind, with deep and unknown wisdom, is the most profound, the most bright the most high the most upright, the unsurpassed state.
Hear now the mantra that awakens this deep one mind, the profound mantra of one mind that is true beyond all doubt, and which will lead us forward, the mantra that will free us from all suffering:
Take the path that’s no fixed path, leave no traces behind, hurry and become free, let’s all become free. Let go of discriminations between realms of the living and realms of the dead, let’s hurry and become free. The enlightenment of one mind is always shining brightly, so let’s all become free, hurry and become free, all become free.
We’ve started the Autumn series of lectures on the Diamond Sutra at the Anyang Hanmaum Seon Center. (We’re using Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s edition, “The Diamond Sutra: The Great Unfolding.”) It’s every Wednesday at 7:30pm, with about 30 minutes of me talking in English about the text, followed by 20 minutes of small group discussion in Korean or English, with 5-10 minutes of me answering questions.
We’re recording the whole thing, but only posting the first part that’s all in English. (Me switching back and forth between English and Korean makes for awkward viewing!)
We also have a Kakao Talk group for announcements and information. So far the only members are the people who’ve been able to come to the Anyang live talks, but if you have a Kakao account and would like to join, send me a message and I’ll add you to the group.
We’re starting up the Diamond Sutra classes again!
They’ll begin next week, September 3 (9월 3일), at the Anyang Hanmaum Seon Center, at 7:30pm, in the 3rd floor Dharma hall. They’ll run for 8 weeks, with a week off for Korean Thanksgiving.
We’ll be picking up on chapter 10, where the Spring series left off in the Diamond Sutra.
We’re working to make these online again, and so they’ll be 30 minutes of me talking about highlights and important aspects of each chapter, followed by 20 minutes of discussion in small groups, and then 10 minutes or so of questions. Because we’re putting the lecture part on Youtube, that will be all in English, with the discussion in whatever language you like!
The lanterns for Ullambana, a day for remembering the dead
Yesterday was August 15, which in Korea used to be called “Liberation Day,” because it was the day that the Japanese surrendered in 1945. (It was changed many years ago to 광복절, “The day the light returned.”) “Liberation Day” is the old name, and was changed for good reasons, but it still seemed appropriate when I read this short Dharma talk by Daehaeng Kun Sunim:
When you take the various thoughts and feelings stirred up by the consciousnesses of the living beings within yourself and return them to this fundamental mind so that they merge into one within your foundation, they will no longer appear as if they were something separate from you. When there is no longer duality, in that moment, you become free from fixed concepts, and are able to treat others as one with yourself.
Using your mind like this is the source of true virtue and merit, and benefits you and others in ways beyond imagining.
Further, you have to be able to lead the consciousnesses within your own body to this true, living virtue and merit, and only then will you be able to do the same for the karmic states of consciousness within other people.
This is the truth of one mind, the reality of the interconnected and interacting whole, where your mind and other’s minds are not separate ̶ they are merely a single point united as one.
This is an excerpt from a Dharma talk given by Daehaeng Kun Sunim on May 5, 1991, at the Anyang Hanmaum Seon Center. The talk is published in English in the book, “Sharing the Same Heart”(2017), and in a Korean-English edition, “Inherent Connections/진짜 통하게 되면”
Going forward, we all have to develop this practice of relying upon our fundamental mind to the extent that we can take care of whatever confronts us, including even problems of a global scale. We also need to share this practice with others and help them to develop their own inherent ability so that they can use it for themselves. This is something most serious and urgent.
I’m not sure if you’re aware of it, but this inherent nature of ours, which is also the fundamental nature of reality, functions without hindrance or limitation. Truly!
The essence of this is right before your very eyes. It’s in everything you do, and is fundamental to every aspect of your ordinary, daily life. This marrow, this Buddha essence is right there with you, so stop thinking it’s somewhere far away. This mysterious functioning is always right in front of us, and is so profound.
Sometimes, when I encounter a critical situation or someone in great need, a great determination arises within me – “No! Absolutely not!” Everything in this visible world begins in the unseen realms. Raising up a firm and absolute “No! Never!” is like driving a nail into the problem in the unseen realms, so that it can’t manifest. [Holding up a clenched fist.] I do this because I feel heartbroken when I see people suffering; it doesn’t matter who they are or what they believe. Raising this kind of firm intention takes the energy of the universe and nails the problem in place, so that it can’t move in a harmful direction.
If you are able to truly know how things work, then when you raise intentions in this way, you will naturally be fulfilling the role of a Buddha and manifesting the Dharma. Here, there are no words such as “sufficient” or “lacking,” “right” or “wrong,” “rich” or “poor,” “noble” or “lowly.” Words, labels, and theories have no place here.
To reach this point, you have to gather together all of your sincerity and keep gathering it into your foundation again and again, as if you were trying to squeeze blood from your own bones. When this ocean of sincerity has been gathered together into a single drop, well, words just can’t describe that. Something came up recently that left me so heartbroken that I’ve wanted to cry for the last three days; but from this ocean, a single harmonious thought arose like an iron pillar and became one with the whole. As that great energy began to burst forth, my eyes became bright and strong.
We are coming to a time when it will be desperately important that you all know how to work through the unseen realms. If practitioners can raise thoughts from their foundation and take care of things harmoniously and non-dualistically, then this world of ours will survive and truly flourish.
Of course, as you practice, you should be careful not to overstep your ability; otherwise, your efforts can end up causing all kinds of negative effects and chaotic situations. If a small bowl tries to hold too much, its contents will overflow and cause countless problems. Similarly, don’t try to force timetables onto your practice or attainment.
We need true practitioners who can go forward practicing through mind in this way, which is the true tradition of Seon, and who can help raise the future generations of practitioners that the world is going to need.
Hi everyone! Buddha’s birthday will be this Monday, May 5. The main ceremony will be starting at Anyang Hanmaum Seon Center at 10:30am, with the evening lantern lighting ceremony happening after the 7pm evening ceremony for three nights in a row.
For Buddha’s birthday, the Hanmaum International Culture Institute will be holding a sale at the Anyang center, where all our publications will be 30% off.
Here are this year’s smaller lanterns, but for some reason the tiger at the back came out blue in this photo. It’s actually just white with black stripes. And very cute! All of the girls loved carrying this lantern, but the young guys were a bit embarrassed, lol.
Last night we had the lantern unveiling for the Buddha’s birthday parade (May 26 in Seoul)! The weather was wonderful this year, and the lanterns and performances were even better. It’s all in Korean, but even if you don’t understand it, you might have fun!
We’re about three weeks away from Buddha’s Birthday (May 5), and I came across this verse from Daehaeng Kun Sunim from some years ago. It’s a little early yet, but it’s such a good verse, so I thought, “Why wait?”
Buddha’s Birthday~
Everyone I meet is another shape of myself, everywhere I go is a temple in the mountains. Within each of us is a very sincere place that is connected to all. Here we are one with the saving power of all Buddhas, let us light this candle and let it shine brightly giving light to all beings.
Hye An Sunim, from the Ulsan Hanmaum Seon Center
A temple guardian with a fondness for ear scratches!
We have the video for the first three talks up on YouTube. They’re on the English language channel for Hanmaum Seon Center. And thank you so much to all the people who helped with this!!
We found that my usual format of switching between Korean and English didn’t work well as a YouTube video, so for the classes I keep it all in English for the first 30 minutes or so, and then we switch to a small group discussion format that’s all in Korean. Then we have a Q&A period in Korean or English, whichever people prefer. For the sake of the video, though, only the first 30 minutes of English are here.
We’re meeting Wednesdays at 7:30pm, for the next 4 weeks as well, and then we’ll start up again either in the summer or the fall.
We’re covering Daehaeng Kun Sunim’s translation of the Diamond Sutra, and going over 1-2 chapters a time, looking at some of the important points. If I tried to talk about everything, it would take me years, lol, so for even the longer chapters, I’ll stick to just one class.
Wake Up and Laugh! 