I hope the new year has found everyone healthy and happy! That might seem like a lot to ask these days, but one thing I’ve noticed is that we need to choose what we give our attention to. There are always disasters and outrages of every kind, but in a way, those are like leaves swirling around our feet. Deal with them when necessary, but don’t let them steal too much attention or energy from what’s really important – our existence as part of the whole, and learning to recognize this, and to apply it to what’s going on with us and the people in our lives.
Here at the Anyang Hanmaum Seon Center, we’re getting ready for the Lunar New Year, and I should have some extra good news around then, but, in the meanwhile, here is an older Dharma talk Daehaeng Kun Sunim gave years ago at the candlelight service for the Lunar New Year.
Lunar New Year’s Dharma Talk
Having been born with a human body,
you have to be born once more spiritually to become a true person.
If you take all of the stuff that you go through in your life,
and used it as the materials for spiritual practice,
taking it and returning it to your foundation bit by bit,
then your children’s outlook and mentality will transform and change,
and the consciousnesses of the lives that make up your body
will all become more gentle.
In brightening yourself like this,
the spirits of your ancestors will all become brighter with you.
Your practice will naturally become a Cheondo ceremony,
helping them to move forward and grow.
Being able to live and practice like this is so incredible!
Through returning everything to your fundamental mind,
you can take care of your ancestors,
helping them grow and transform through this ever present ability to use and rely upon the functioning of our fundamental mind.
You can take care of the unseen lives that make up your body
by taking the feelings and experiences that come out,
and one by one as they arise,
returning them back to this foundation they are part of.
In doing so, those beings and your daily life will all improve,
and all the people in the land
while still upholding harmony and trust in the greater social setting,
will be able live freely, unbound by circumstances,
able to respond as needed to whatever arises.
Although these candles we hold are just small things,
if we light them with deep sincerity,
such that they touch upon this great circle of energy that connects us all,
then these candles will become one with this,
and able to melt down anything.
We can’t see or hold this vast candle of mind,
yet each of you absolutely has it.
When you can return everything inwardly like this,
when you can return everything harmoniously and generously,
without blaming others for what you experience,
and in so doing, help your parents, your children,
and all the lives within your body,
then you will truly be a treasure of this world,
a great being who is a blessing to all.
Homage to Shakyamuni Buddha
Homage to our inherent Buddha
Homage to the foundation within us that is our teacher and none other than Shakyamuni Buddha
새해맞이 촛불재에 받드는 대행선사 법어
자기 육신이 태어났으면 정신이 다시 태어나야 진짜 사람입니다.
생활을 재료로 삼아서
내 마음의 공부를 하신다면,
자손들은 마음이 화해서 바꿔지고
몸 안에 들어있는 모든 의식들이 착해지고
스스로 밝아짐으로써, 돌아가신 영령들도
자기와 더불어 밝아져서 스스로 천도가 되는 것입니다. 그렇게 되는 그 마음이 얼마나
크고 광대합니까.
사람은 이 마음의 공부를 함으로써
위로는 조상을 받들어서
평등공법으로 이끌어 놓을 수 있는 것이며,
아래로는 자기 몸뚱이 속의 자생중생들이
인과성과 업보성에 의해 차례차례로
나오는 것들을 되입력을 함으로써
모든 생활과 모든 마음을 발전시켜서
사회의 질서나 국민의 화목을
가져오고 자유스럽게 살 수 있습니다.
그래서 이 조그마한 촛불이지만 진심으로 켜든 그 촛불 하나가 삼천대천세계의 모든 것이 거기에 닿기만 하면 녹아 버린다는 것을 아셔야 합니다, 한 덩어리가 돼 버리기 때문입니다. 그 촛불 자체를 볼 수도 쥘 수도 없지만 역력하게 여러분들이 다 가지고 있지 않습니까?
여러분들의 마음이 그렇게 둥글고 자비하고
착한 마음으로써 부모를 위해서 자식을 위해서, 자기 몸뚱이 속의 모든 생명들을 위해서
그렇게 하실 수 있다면
그것은 진짜 이 세상의 보배로서 정말 광대한 물건 아닌 물건이 될 수 있을 것입니다.
나무 서가모니불
나무 자성본래불
나무 시아본사 서가모니불
Wake Up and Laugh! 