Book 1V Informal Dharma Talks
1. True Prayer
While everyone prays without rest,
Standing or sitting, it’s always together.
If you don’t believe this; watch it carefully?
What is talking now all this time?
How do we uphold true prayer to the Buddha Statue?
One who bows to the Buddha-Statue must correctly understand from what source that Buddha-Statue comes.
Whence comes the Buddha Statue?
From the radiant twinkle of your own luminous eye-ball.Buddha-Statuebecomesmymind;mymindbe-comesBuddha-Statue;andisnolongerdivided.
How do we correctly bow to the Buddha Statue?
While you bend your body, bowing to the Statue, you should mobilize a great sincerity, not to the Statue, which is the twinkle of radiance from your luminous eye-ball,butdirectlytothemind.
To what do we bow?
You should know to what to bow since the Buddha-Statue is no other than mymind.BowingtotheStatueisbowingtothemind.Buthowisthispossible,themindhasnoform,sizeortrace?
Holy Object does not ex-istandisnotthemind.Therefore,theStatueisnolongeranobjectofprayer.Thusremainstheformlessmind-itself-as-it-is.
How do we uphold prayer to the mind?
A student should bow while within the living doubt of the Hwa-du, “What is this?”ThisisbowingnowtotheStatue.Herethemindistotallyrevealingitselfandcanthusbecalledtrueprayertothemind.Neitherthiscorpsenorthemindcanbow;youcannamenothingintheworldthatcanbow.Wedonotknowwhatbows;therefore,wemustask“Whatisthis?”
By asking this, you obviously do not worship a physical form of Buddha, that is, the Buddha-Statue, but are worshipping the true Buddha. How? Because true worship is beyond the physical eye. If you make contact with outer form, then you do not truly worship. As Bodhidharma warned us, you will thus sow evil seeds and, not only fall into True Hell, but lose your own life.
It is the same when chanting the names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. While keeping in mind the thought, ‘What is this which is chanting?’— whetheritbeAmitabhaBuddha,Avalokita,orKshitigarbhaBodhisattva—itisthesame.Thisistruechantingtothemind.Inthelivingdoubt,‘Whatisthis?’,thechanterbecomesmoresincere,abletoseethetrueBuddhasandBodhisattvasandisthusunhinderedbytheformoftheword‘mind’oroftheBuddhaStatue.
In this way of praying and chanting, and of reading the scriptures, the Hwa-du will also naturally be studied at the same time and so accomplish the Great Tao.
What is This?
Mud-ox from the bottom of the ocean running away, holding the moon in his mouth;
Stone-tiger in front of boulder is sleeping, holding a baby in his arm;
Iron-snake is passing through the Diamond-ball;
Mount-Sumeru riding on elephant’s back, being pulled by the sparrow.
2. The Original Face
True, profound Dharma has never been created nor annihilated. How often have we transformed our bodies; sometimes born in heaven, sometimes born in the human realm and sometimes born in the ghost world? Whatever countenance we possessed has depended on differing transformations and karmic results, while the suffering and pleasure have alternated back and forth accordingly. Good karma results in being born in heaven or in a human body, while bad karma results in the ghost or animal bodies; whichever we have produced at the moment of death. The sufferings from these alternations have never ended throughout this million-kalpas-karmic cycle.
Then, what is the cause?
It is where all indigent-beings have forgotten their own Self-nature. The mind is deluded, so to speak. If Self-nature is originally bright, how did it become deluded? Defilements, delusion, and greed have covered the pure mind and blocked its luminosity. More clearly, using an analogy, it is like the bright moon not being visible because of black clouds. These black clouds are equivalent to defilements and delusion; the bright moon is the pure mind. Therefore, by carefully cultivating ourselves, like one breeze from the West dispersing the clouds, we should disperse the cloud of the mind, so that our bright, transparent, andoriginalmooncanbefound.
How do we find it?
Weseethingsoutsidewiththeeyes,however,thedeadcorpsealsohaseyesbutcannotsee.Thereisonething,independentofthephysicaleyes,whichcanseewhateveritwantstosee.Yet,nomatterhowhardwetrytointrospectuponwhatseeshere,thereisnot even one form that can be seen.
When’notevenoneformcanbeseen’, no matter how hard we try to introspect upon whatsees,rightatthismoment,“TheWestwindhasalreadyblownandscatteredtheblackcloud,andthebrightmoonhasalreadybeenexposed.”
‘When not even one form can be seen’,no matter how hard we try to introspect upon what sees, right at this moment, “Love and hatred have already been annihilated.”
‘When not even one form can be seen’, no matter how hard we try to introspect upon what sees, right at this moment, “Liberation from life-and-death has already been accomplished.”
‘When not even one form can be seen’, no matter how hard we try to introspect upon what sees, right at this moment, “The sea of suffering has already been crossed.”
The indigent-beings’ “Life-and-death’ is derived from contemplating only the physical bodies. Life-and-death, itself, originally does not subsist. Then what kind of delusions create the idea of life-and-death? Birth-death, coming-going, pleasure-suffering,etc., are just names and ideas and, therefore, do not subsist.
While originally they do not subsist, everyone has, rather, one bright, self-divine light of Buddha-nature, which is magnificently luminous in the ten directions in the world of each and every being and of everything.
When and how does it come to be? When color can be seen by the eye, and when sound can be heard by the ear, then right at this moment, it actually comes to be.Now,eventhoughwesaythatcolorcomes to beintheeye,andsoundcomes to beintheear,whatifthereisneithercolorintheeyenorsoundintheear?Thenwheredoesitcome to be?
When there is neither color nor sound, thishasbeentranquil;andthenbysuddenkarmicchance,likethisbookofDharmatalksyouarenowreading,it comes to be.
This disclosure of be-comingitselfcannotbeexpoundedbythethreedifferenttimesofBuddhas.ItcannotevenbetransmittedonetotheotherbytheGood-and-WiseOnes(Master-Mentors).
In this be-comingitself, karmas are also cut off from objects; thus out of the relativities is “the True Essence (Original Face) of every Buddha and Bodhisattva in the Ten Direction World,” of all the Good-and-Wise Ones, and of everyone here. Even though every indigent-being has continuously maintained and used this from ancient time until now, it has never been diminished. This is what is called the TrueOriginalFace,which“eachandeveryindigent-beinghasmaintainedandcarriedfromthebeginning.”
Now listen to my Gatha:
Body is our chamber of right dharma,
Mind is an obstructionless candle.
All Dharma has been disclosed; it is empty.
Everything can be seen very clearly.
3. Re-Examination Is The Faith
In the Sutra, it says,
Faith is the mother of enlightenment.
When you were a fetus, you had ears, eyes, mouth, and nose similar to those of an adult; but, they were sense-organs of limited functioning. You did not hear, see, talk, or smell as well as an adult, and you needed continuous nourishment and maternal protection until mature.
Likewise, when you began to understand the core teaching of Patriarchal Kong-an study, by listening to the Good-and-Wise one, a spiritual transformation ensues, and you are no longer an ordinary human-being, but the fetus of enlightenment. This new fetus, however, is like a seed without soil or water.
As the seed if a saint, the understanding, thinking, speaking, and distinguishing are not as mature as those of an enlightened master. You need ceaseless practice with, great respect for, and careful help from your teacher (Master-Mentor) who is the mother of Tao and a necessary condition of the great enlightenment. Until you become a mature master, you need care. Continuous protection by the master, as well as constant re-examination and respectful practice with the master, are all contents of the teaching of the Patriarchs.
When Chao-Chou was enlightened, for example, Ch’an Master Nam-Chon recommended that he leave and teach in the other mountain. But Chao-Chu said,
I will stay for a while and serve you just until you die.
When the master died, Chao-Chou was already eighty.
Having no teacher for the enlightened student is more critical than having no father for a son. This is the reason Chao-Chou, through his retrea-tless faith, turned down Ch’an Master Nam-Chon’s recommendation to complete his profound work.
One student asked a question of the master,
“How is it when one has just been enlightened?”
The Master said,
“Before the wind of spring, flower didn’t bloom.
Now it’s blooming season, unless the shoots are blown away.”
There is not hope without continuous re-examination. The exercise of re-examination creates the master of wisdom. One should listen to the Good-and-Wise-One very carefully. By this direct dialogue with the master, delivered from the beginning and through this moment, one’s becoming a master is as near and natural as the dawn following a long night’s wandering. With ceaseless examination under your master, and because of retreat-less and strong faith, doubtlessly the flower of enlightenment will bloom and brighten.
One will become a saint;
Because, when the night is fully dark,
The sun has to rise soon.
Without the seed of a saint,
Who could dare expect this wonder?
Therefore, to successfully become a saint, you must follow the dharma-words of the teaching as passed on directly by the Patriarchs. The Dharma-wordsyouareexaminingaretherevelationoftheSelf-nature.Hwa-duitselfbecomesamoreutilized, faithfulandunique,Studybyexaminingthrough dharma-wordsbecausetheceaselessre-examinationnaturallyrequiresgreatfaith, great doubt,andgreatprovocation.But,without,asincere,primaryexamination,Hwa-duismerelyabrain-game.Onlybycontinuousre-examinationdoesitbecomealive,dealingwiththelifeanddeathquestion,andbecomesatruemirrorofSelf-nature.
In order to become a saint, you must continuously protect this fetus to see the blooming season. These are the words of the holy ones; shouldn’t we heed them?
4. What To Love
For the truth-seeker preoccupied with Study, that which must principally be avoided is maintaining the idea that “I have accomplished something” by upholding some format of understanding.
What is the best way to eliminate such a format?
Foremost, one should introspectupononeselfwithvigilantdoubt.Searchingfordifferentexpedientmethodsormeanswillonlyincreasetheconflictionsinthemind.Vigilantdoubtwillvoideverythingl.
The affectionate attachment, as between children and parents, creates the strongest entanglements. At first, affectionate attachment seems best for this lifetime. However, in later life the relationship may become antagonistic, even to the point of committing murder and sending each other to hell. Rather than have such a result, what would be the best way for people to get along with each other and still be born in paradise?
For the one with whom you have a personal relationship, do not relinquish control of your mind to the attachment of love by pursuing that feeling; rather introspect upon yourself with the same living doubt as when praying and chanting. Then, naturally, all the hidden power of goodness will be experienced. This is called true love and is the true way to care for and love someone.
All of you should know that the worldly relationships are nothing but karmic shadows, temporary and apparitional; appearing and disappearing like a movie. If this is not realized, then the so-called suffering from life-and-death,willbeendlesslymaintained.
To love one’s physical body, which is no different from a dead corpse, is illusory.
Then, what is true love? If the body is illusory, then what is not illusory? Should it be mind? Or spirit? Since mind is just a name, it does not subsist.Howcanoneevencallitspiritormind?
So for what should one care?
When someone calls to someone, “Hello,” there isone-thingwhichknowshowtorespond,“Yes.”Whenachildcalls,”Mother,”thereisone-thingwhichknowshowtorespond,“Yes,Dear.”Thisistheone-thingeachofusoriginallypossesses;thisone-thingcanbecalledneitherthemindnorthebody.Ithasnonameandcannotbeknownbyintellect,butitisalsoveryobviouslypresent.
Now this is the onlyone-thingwhichyoushouldloveandcarefor.Tolovethisone-thingistoloveallthings.
Now listen to the Gatha!
Sleeping with Buddha every night,
Even rising together every morning;
Standing and sitting, talking and being silent,
Dwelling and visiting.
It is not separated at all,
Just like your own shadow.
Do you want to know where Buddha has gone?
Just look at the voice of this-one.
5. Buddhist and Christian: “I” and “Self”
The World-Honored-Onewas born a prince, as the son of Suddhodana in Kapila castle. Upon his birth, the story says, he radiated light on the earth in ten directions, and as he walked for seven steps in each direction, golden lotus blossoms sprouted from the ground under his feet: east, west, north, and south. Pointing one finger to heaven and one to earth, he opened his lips and roared:
Upward, downward, and in four directions,
Nobody is more honored than I.
Also, in another Sutra it says:
Above is Heaven and below is Heaven,
Only I am the most honored.
Shakyamuni, the World-Honored Onesaid,“I am the most honored”.Theessenceofthisfragmentisnoteasilyunderstood,andmanypeoplehavedifferingopinionsregardingit.Afterall,Buddhawasoriginallymortallikeanyotherindigent-being.Now,hisbodyhasbeendecomposedforovertwomillenniaandcannotberevived. Then what did he mean by “I”?
Every creature, even an insect or a worm, has the Self, which in itself is the highest and the most honored. Even above Heaven and below Heaven. Every creature possesses the “I,” and this “I” is one and all. People don’t understand this, however, and instead say that the World-Honored Onecametothisworldtomanifestthetruthofhisteaching,whichmadehimpersonallytheonlysuperiorbeing.
In the Bible it says, (John 14:6),
“Jesus said unto him (Thomas), I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
This “I” cannot mean the physical body, suchasJesuscarriedforthirtyyears;ratheritmeansthetrue“I”whicheveryoneobtainsdirectlyfromGodsinceGodisthesourceofhumanbeings’divine nature.Tobeachildof God,is most honored, the best, and the most beloved. Because of this, when a disciple asked Jesus Christ,
“How should I go to the Father?”
Jesus said,
“No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
When he answered, by me, he didn’t mean by his own physical body, but rather to depend upon everyone’s original Self; divine nature itself.
Everyone knows how to call himself “I,” which, as children of God, is the divine nature itself. If one, as a child of God, does not see the “I” which is God’s own divine nature itself, then how can he possibly ‘cometh unto the Father’? When Christians, however, are asked about this, some of them simply say, “Just follow Jesus Christ.” This means that their Selves were stolen by Jesus Christ. This is actually debasing and sacrificing Jesus and God’s divine providence and becoming zombie-like followers.
When the World-Honored One said, “Above is Heaven and below is Heaven, only I am the most honored,” this also indicated everyone’s holy“I”whichweallpossess,justasJesusmeantwhenhesaid,‘no man cometh unto the Father but by me”. Isthereadifferencebetweenthetwostatements?
The true “I” yields no distinction between Christian and Buddhist, but only because of deluded thinking, has contradiction arisen.Forthisreason,ChristianparentsshouldrespectBuddhistchildrenandtrueBuddhistscouldnotcarryhatredtowardChristianneighbors.Conflictsariseamongthoseoffaultythinking.TrueSelfisthecore-teachingofboththeWorld-Honored Oneand of Jesus Christ. Departed from this “I,” no thing can eat, no thing can sleep, and no thing can work. Without “I,” all does not exist.Becauseofthis“I,”allis.
Don’t depend upon form; it’s an apparition.
Don’t hold the truth; it recedes.
Holding the Kong-an very clearly in the eye in front, nothing will hinder.
36,000 days is one hundred years of your life;
Who is this guy?
When the “I” is actualized externally, it discloses, and when the “I” is compacted internally, it conceals. One must respect others while he shines upon himself. When the inner nature of the “I” and the substantiality of the outer forms are in accord, true religion can be born. Only respecting the Buddha-Statue or the Cross without reviewing the Self-nature is true idol-worship.
If one really knows the truth about what the World-Honored One and Jesus Christ spoke, this faith will not obstruct the love between parents and children, or people of other faiths. The outer appearances seem different, but just as water cannot depart from wave and wave cannot depart from water, the truths of Buddhism and Christianity are also the same. Let me show you by analogy the oneness of all religions.
On a bright moonlight night, every dish or bucket of water, every pond or river will reflect the moon; they become the dish-moon, the bucket-moon, the bowl-moon, the cup-moon, the river-moon, or the pond-moon; but the Moon is just one.
The same distinction applies to religion—this is Buddhism, this is Christianity, etc. Yet, everyone’s divine Self-nature is one and the same wherever it is. This must be very clearly understood with a pure mind. By introverting upon the Self,onewillbesubstantiallyfulfilledandthenbeabletoconducthimselfintheworldwithoutpursuingtheouterperspectives.ThisiswhatwecalltheTrueFaith.
In social gatherings people speak about their view of life and of the Universe under the names of philosophy or psychology, trying to explain controversial thought while pursuing and depending upon the ideas of others. That is imitating and borrowing someone else’s loud-voice, which is like empty-thunder. This is not the true voice from the Self after thorough re-examination. Without right understanding of the true “I,” no one can argue about life and the world. Even if some ideas and opinions look good, it is just like one snowflake falling into the fire; it is useless.
Word and utterance cannot solve the question of life; but even if one does not know letters, he should know clearly where he was beforeandwherehewillbe.Ifonetrulysawtheplacefromwherehehadcome,hewouldnaturallyknowwherehewouldgo.Forthefirsttime,therightviewoflifewouldbesettledandthentherewouldbetruephilosophyandtruepsychology;andfinallymenofcharacter.
Buddha’s and Jesus Christ’s original face are
Crystal clear in front of everyone.
It was buried in a shallow grave,
No one knew a blue-eyed One abides in this body.
6. Karmic Cycle of Life and Death
Around 1920, the Reverend Kang and Venerable Master Hye-Am dropped by Hwaam Temple, in Cholla Province. The Abbot of Hwaam Temple was Reverend Kwan-Um Kim. Reverend Kang was the Head Master of the Uisang Shrine, at the Hwaam Temple.
Reverend Kang became a monk at a very young age. When he practiced in the temple, he kept the precepts well, not even eating in the afternoon, and studied the highest level Sutras.
Reverend Kang, from an early age, was invited by the devotees to be a spiritual authority and to certify all kinds of Buddhist works. The offerings given to him for this were, without exception, spent for the poor and beggars.
Once, he was invited to give a speech. Before it took place, however, he died but then came back to life. As soon as he died, Reverend Kang saw French-style, iron-barred windows. He went through the windows but returned when he heard a loud drum (mok-tak) sound.
The morning of the day he died, people tied up his corpse; but by 9 p.m. he had come back to life. Although too weakened by sickness to survive, he tried to say some last words ,
“I have come back to life, but there is no hope for me to live any longer. After I pass away again, please do not hit the mok-tak so loudly, and please be quiet!”
He died a second time, and again went through the iron-barred windows. There were no mok-tak sounds this time but it was still noisy. He was passing through the front garden when someone came before him with a greeting. “Who are you?” asked the Reverend Kang. “Oh, I am Lee from the West. I know that throughout your life you have kept the immaculate precepts and have never eaten in the afternoon; and, that twice you have deeply studied the Mahayana Sutras, for which I am so grateful. I would like to lead you to the Buddha.”
He followed the man for a long way, and then saw a bright and resplendent palace shining with pure gold. Surprised, he asked, “What is the building for? Why is it built only with pure gold?”
The man answered, “That palace is the Nirvanic-Treasure Palace where Buddha stays and teaches.”
Reverend Kang, happily and respectfully said, “Let’s go there and meet the Buddha.”
The man said, “You have completed precepts throughout your life and have created great virtue and merit by studying Mahayana Sutras, but still not enough to go and meet Buddha in that palace.
Reverend Kang complained, “I have practiced precepts, haven’t eaten in the afternoon, and have studied Mahayana scriptures; why did you say that I have not produced enough karmic seeds to be in the palace and see the Buddha?”
He replied, “Fine, then why don’t you follow me and go inside.”
He guided the Reverend Kang to the awesome Treasure Palace. On the way, one man suddenly cried out loudly,“You rat!”
Greatly surprised, Reverend Kang looked back and saw an old monk with his great staff chasing after and scolding him, “You rat! Where are you going? Come back right now!”
Reverend Kang told the guide, “I’ll go and say goodbye to him and come back.” But the guide said, “Don’t worry. Let’s just go into the Nirvanic-Treasure Palace.”
Reverend Kang, however, insisted on seeing the old monk and then returning. He stood in front of that monk and the monk scolded him, saying, “Where do you think you are going? Come back with me?”
He railed at him so strongly that Reverend Kang could not resist. He followed the old monk finally arriving at the road of his original departure from the Temple.
Soon they returned again to the French-style, iron-barred windows and entered. Reverend Kang realized that this was the same shrine, Uisang-Am, where people had come for the five-day funeral service for his own death. Three days had passed, and his corpse was still tied with hemp cloth. The cloth holding his body loosened as the corpse began to wiggle. The gathered people were so surprised, and created a great commotion. They began to untie the hemp cloth and unfold the dharani covers. The dead one had come back to life! Still amazed, several of the people jumped towards him and rubbed his body, while others went out to make soup to feed him. After three days, Reverend Kang began to talk a little. His whole body was aching and he moaned in pain. The other old monks in the temple came and asked him, “You died. Where did you go? How did you return? Tell us.”
After Reverend Kang told them, the old monk who earlier had chased Reverend Kang responded, “If you hadn’t listened to me, you could not have avoided becoming a baby magpie. That golden Nirvanic-Treasure Palace was the Magpie’s nest.”
In front of that temple there was as old tree with a magpie’s nest on the top branch. The old monk pointed to it and said, “Why don’t you go and look at that nest?”
Several people climbed the tree to carefully observe the magpie’s nest. Sure enough they witnessed one dead baby magpie in that nest.
This old monk was the famous Venerable Son Master Moo-Yong who used to stay at the Song-kwang-Sa Temple. He was also a contemporary of Venerable Master Kyung-Ho.
According to Reverend Kang, Master Moo-Yong of Songkwang-Sa and Master Kyung-Ho had once met each other. Together they entered the millhouse by the river and, refusing entrance to anyone, continuously examined together for three days.
After Venerable Master Moo-Yong passed away, Reverend Toong-Gu Kang stayed in Uisang Shrine with his old mother and never traveled, except in the spring and fall. Then he dropped by Junghye-Sa at Sudok-Sa in Dok-Sung Mountain to study under and listen to dharma talks of the Venerable Master Mann-Gong until his own death.
Venerable Master Hye-Am once spent a season with this man, Reverend Kang. Sometimes students brought the Sutras to Reverend Kang and asked him about them, but every time he said, “I do not know the Sutra.” He firmly refused every time and no longer even carried the Sutras with him.
This whole story had been related by Reverend Kang and was later told at Songkwang-Sa to Master Hye-Am, who confirmed it with the 70 and 80 year old monks that had actually been there on that occasion. They said, “We had never heard of one coming back to life twice; but we have really watched the life-and-death karmic cycle. What a surprise!”
7. Inspirational Experience of Avalokita
One hot summer day in 1921, Master Hye-Am was staying at Maha-Yon on Diamond Mountain. He suddenly heard everyone talking and found that a young and very handsome man had arrived at the temple. This young man had several wounds which oozed blood and pus and smelled like a rotting corpse. Even though this was the first time Hye-Am S’nim had met the man, he said to him, “I’m sorry to say this, but why don’t you go to the hospital instead of running around in that condition.”
He replied,” I know, I know. I am a doctor, you see. I studied in England under the financial support of an English lady, Mrs. Sullivan. Eventually, I managed to have a small clinic with her where I could cure anyone’s disease but my own. She could not cure me either, so she told me to go to a scenic resort and rest comfortably for the rest of my life. Even though I have tried all different kinds of medicines, none of them have helped. Now I am a hopeless invalid, as you can see.”
Hye-Am S’nim said, “I really do not know much about the Christian belief, but in the Sutra, Buddha said, ‘When life’s limit is destined, life’s destiny is limited.’ Disease can be cured as long as one has a great sincere faith. Would you like to try?”
He immediately answered, “Since I am at the end, why shouldn’t I try whatever you suggest. My life has already been given up to heaven, so I would not even mind dying.”
Hye-Am S’nim thought to himself, “In addition to that disease, he is also a penniless wanderer, and I don’t have any money. What can I do for him?” After this thought, he considered, “It might be better for him to become a monk.”
Everyone in the sangha scolded, “Why are you so enthusiastic about making someone a monk? You refused all the good ones and now you choose the dead corpse. We can’t stand that stench from him, so why don’t you take him away with you somewhere!”
Hye-Am S’nim endured all of the abusive talk and gossip, emptied out his own room for the man and told him, “It seems impossible for you to survive. I want you to chant the name Avalokita (Kwan Se Um Bosal) sincerely with one mind. Whether it can cure you or not definitely depends on your own effort and determination.”
Whenever dinner time came, Hye-Am S’nim brought food in his bowl from the main hall to give him and watched to see what he was doing. The man didn’t even lie down to sleep but chanted “Kwan Se Um Bosal” continuously with one mind. Hye-Am S’nim reflected, “This man could definitely cure himself.”
One night, about six months later, the man had a dream about a young woman dressed in white holding a baby that was repeatedly chanting “Amitabha Buddha.” In the dream he was surprised and questioned himself, “How could that a baby possibly chant so well?” To that the young woman scolded him, “Why do you bother me?”
Nevertheless, he approached her and asked her and for help in curing his disease. She pressed his neck with her finger and immediately he felt as though two egg-like protrusions were hanging from his neck. When she was about to cut them off, he requested of her, “Would you sterilize the scissors before cutting them?” The woman said, “You ask that out of habit, Doctor, but these scissors originally never had poison on them.” After saying this, she cut them off with the scissors. He requested again, “Please lance that thing in my armpit too.” But she said, “Leave that one alone for now.”
After that he awoke from the dream. Subsequently, the blood and pus of the wounds diminished and then healed completely.
This man was the first one to become a monk under the Venerable Master Hye-Am. His name was Tong-Il, who may still be in North Korea.
Repentance Gatha
Sin is not real in its nature
Only arising when thought arises.
When mind disappears,
Sin will also be destroyed.
After mind disappears and sin is destroyed,
Then originally both are empty.
That is what is called True Repentance.
8. Venerable Master Song-Wol; Is Man Old or is Tao Old?
Venerable Master Hye-Am used to cite the following story to encourage and guide the students in the awakening of right faith:
Master Song-Wol was a hobo-style monk. One day he had to spend the night in the middle of Chong Province, a place of many people learned in Confucianism. He stayed in a guest house where several elders were talking together. In the middle of the conversation, he heard one say, “That kind of monk is not a true monk.”
Although greatly surprised yet not angry, Song-Wol sincerely asked’
“What is a true monk?”
One elder hesitatingly answered, “Behind us, on top of the mountain, there is a temple named Junghye-Sa, where they say many monks sincerely study the Tao.”
Early the next morning, Song-Wol quickly set out for Junghye-Sa. When he arrived at the lobby of the main hall, he could see many monks sitting still in the lotus posture facing the wall.
Lighting his smoking pipe, he wondered with great curiosity, “What are they doing?” Some time passed, puffing smoke in wonder, when, possibly by karmic-predestination, he chanced to meet the Venerable Master Mann-Gong, who had come out and unexpectedly discovered this rugged-featured, rather scary looking, pipe-smoking monk sitting at the edge of the floor.
Gently he asked, “Hello, who are you?”
Song-Wol replied, “I’ve just arrived here. They said this is the place to study; but what kind of study is that, sitting so still facing the wall in a lotus posture?”
“Hush! You shouldn’t make any noise here. Why don’t we go to my room and talk?”
Master Mann-Gong guided him to his room and sat. This monk, unable to wait even a second to hear the answer, asked again, “What kind of study is that, sitting so still facing the wall?”
“It is called studying the Tao.”
“How about meals, are they free?” asked Song-Wol, whose greatest concern had long been a struggle with hunger.
Knowing this very well, the Master answered with a smile, “Yes, of course.”
“How interesting,” Song-Wol began to think, “eating for free and not having to do anything! Hum! Until now, I have just taken food from begging.” Finding this most acceptable, he asked Master Mann-Gong, “Would you feed me, too, if I joined you in sitting still?”
“Of course, of course,” replied the Master.
“Then I’ll stay right now and study with you.”
Even without the customary consultation meeting of the monks, Master Mann-Gong consented to Song-Wol’s stay, and unconventionally announced it to all, “We have a new Ch’an monk with us. You should now all study harder.”
Song-Wol faced the wall and began sitting with the other monks. In just a couple of hours, however, he couldn’t sit still, and it became torturous. He lifted his finger and scratched his head.
From behind, Master Mann-Gong immediately and firmly reprimanded him,
“Don’t even move a hair!”
While Song-Wol S,nim managed to continue sitting for several days, he discovered all the facts about Junghye-Sa including the state of its impoverished treasury, and especially about Master Mann-Gong, who was carrying the direct Dharma lineage from the Venerable Master Kyung-Ho.
Finally Song-Wol S’nim asked a favor of the Master, “Would you let me take a break for several days? I have some place to visit.”
“Go ahead.”
Without explaining specifically that he wanted to collect some noodles for everyone, Song-Wol S’nim left. Everybody believed he had left because it was too hard for such a beginner, when actually he was out begging everywhere in the country for whole wheat grain, having found out earlier that everyone in the temple loved noodles. He collected cartfuls of grain requiring ten people to carry it back to the temple. The whole mountain heard of this and was shocked!
Back at the temple, he began to grind the grain. If anyone offered to help him, he refused, choosing instead to single-handedly grind it all.
“Look at this one,” Master Mann-Gong shouted, pleased to have such a mind among his students, “he may be a great one someday!”
Meanwhile, Song-Wol S’nim was given the Kong-an of “Wu,”
A student asked whether or not a dog has the Buddha-nature.
Chao-Chou answered, “Moo,”(nothing).
Although his study did not go well, retreatlessly he asked himself, “Why did he answer, ‘Wu?’ Why?”ThemoredifficulttheHwa-dubecame,thelouderhisvoicebecamewithtotallyprovokedquestioning.Song-WolSnimactuallychantedtheHwa-du,“Whydidhesay“Wu?”
For everyone in the temple, it was a disaster. It was impossible for them to tolerate such a disturbance. Agreeing unanimously, they sent Son-Wol S’nim to a separate room.
Still, no respite.
Finally, even Mann-Gong S’nim agreed to send him down to the Golden Saint Shrine where he could continue in loud resonance, “Wu, Wu, why did he say ‘Wu’?” He continued to chant the Kong-anin this way for the entire season. As if it was a ceremony.
At last, the Hwa-du (Kong-an) became clear to him.
After this special retreat Song-Wol S’nim decided that he would study even harder if someone else would provide meals. Fortunately the abbot of a shrine near Gap-Sa Temple agreed to this if he would take good care of his shrine for a while. Song-
Wol was glad but also fearful and asked himself, “How dare I expect to accomplish the great enlightenment soon? On the other hand, what luck if I can die while studying!”
In preparation for a long study, he would cook huge amounts of rice and place it in a large serving bowl next to himself. He would sit diligently and, without disturbance, face the wall for days in Study.
One evening, after dinner, he was roused from tranquil stillness by roaring thunder outside. Suddenly before him appeared an immense tiger. In terror he sat, unaware of the passage of time. Trying to rouse himself further, he suddenly noticed the sun in the middle of the sky. One night had already passed in just the snap of a finger. He thought these events were possibly an omen that he should not remain there and he decided to leave.
Preparing for his next journey, he returned the key to the temple and put others in charge of the shrine. But on the way out he questioned himself, “I might be devoured by the tiger while studying, but since time goes by so quickly, there is no reason to worry whether or not it will kill me.” Resolved to study harder, he rejoined the shrine and asked for the return of the key.
After that day, not even the shadow of the tiger appeared again.
When the next retreat season was about to begin, he returned to Junghye-Sa. On the first day of the retreat, Mann-Gong S’nim gave a dharma talk, “A long time ago Master Chi-Mun was enlightened by this Kong-an:
If it is conceived by the sound of the bell,
It will be destroyed by the sound of the drum.
Then he went to the south and became a great Ch’an Master. Is there anyone who can say what this is?”
Everyone was speechless.
“What is this?” Song-Wol S’nim thought to himself, “I have no idea.”
One late autumn day during winter-retreat, while Song-Wol was urinating, he suddenly saw the mountain of Gap-Sa Temple reflected in the bucket before him. Though it was nearly winter, the mountain appeared green with trees. At once he finally broke through the Kong-an of the bell and drum..
Immediately he went to the Master’s room and told him what he had studied. Venerable Master Mann-Gong transmitted the dharma to him and thereafter dharma conversations took place everyday until dawn. So often Song-Wol was beaten by the dharma staff for his own good!
One day, he set out for Diamond Mountain where he had wanted to visit for so long. However, while bearing in mind that he had not become a monk to go “sight-seeing,” and having heard that many Good-and-Wise Ones were at Haein-Sa, he decided to go there for further examination. Po-Kwang S’nim was at the White Lotus Shrine and the Master of Haein-Sa was Je-San S’nim. It was the latter that Song-Wol S’nim decided to study with first.
While at Haein-Sa, Master Song-Wol S’nim stayed and talked with many of the young monks. Whatever they asked and before anyone else could respond, Master Song-Wol had already answered them. Many of the students just talked with Master Song-Wol instead of seeking out the head master.
One of Je-San S’nim’s disciples who was in charge of the main hall thought the situation with Song-Wol was just too much. The whole temple, in fact, acted very coldly toward Song-Wol S’nim which, for him, made the situation most uncomfortable. He thought that before they asked him, he had better just leave. He went to the master to say goodbye,
“I came here to study under you, but now I must leave. Please teach me the good dharma before I go.” He then inquired of the master,
“Ifitisconceivedbythesoundofthebell,
It will be destroyed and the sound of the drum.
“What does this Hwa-du say?”
Upon hearing the question, the master was speechless and his face was in unpredictable turmoil, seemingly trying to think of what to say. Glancing around the room, Song-Wol found a group of people watching him. Pretending great respect for the master, he stood up and said, “I never realized that you would demonstrate the true dharma in such a way. Nothing can be better than Good-Silence, dharma-staff beating or shouting.” Then he left.
The master immediately ordered his disciple, “Do not let Song-Wol S’nim go away.”
Everyone heard about this story including Master Po-Kwang of the White Lotus Shrine who later came down to the main temple. He and Song-Wol bowed to each other when suddenly Master Po-Kwang lifted up a shoe and asked, “Do you know this?”
Master Song-Wol immediately hit the floor with the dharma staff and made a Hal (shout) which totally turned Master Po-Kwang’s face as pale as a ghost.
Master Song-Wol smiled, “This old one just tried. What can I say?”
Master Po-Kwang, now exposed as bereft of resources, in defense questioned unceasingly after this, but didn’t understand whether any answer was correct or not. In wonder, he returned as quickly as possible to the White Lotus Shrine.
Several days later, Master Yong-Song came to the temple. After hearing the story about Song-Wol, he called together the sangha and all of the students for a dharma talk the following day, including the old monk Song-Wol.
With Song-Wol in attendance, the Master Yong-Song began, “This is derived from Ch’an Master Tong-San (Tung-Shan Liang-Chieh, 807-869):
If Tao is mindless, it will harmonize with man.
If man is mindless, it will harmonize with Tao.
If one wishes to realize the meaning of this,
One of them is old, the other one is not old.
Now, at this moment, is man old or is Tao old?
Everyone was speechless including Master Po-Kwang. Master Song-Wol thought it was rather strange and said, “Master, ask me again, please.”
“Is the man old or is Tao old?”
“Fetch me the man and the Tao,” responded Song-Wol.
Calling attention to Master Song-Wol, Yong-Song pointed with his finger and called, “Here, good Monk!”
Song-Wol S’nim immediately responded, “Ancient Buddha has been gone since long ago.”
Master Yong-Song hurriedly stepped down from the podium. Someone later asked him, “How was Song-Wol? Is he really enlightened?”
The master firmly replied, “If you are afraid of the karmic cycle of life-and-death, you should study Tao under him.” Sometime later Song-Wol became the head master of Tongdo-Sa.
Venerable Master Hye-Am’s Comments
If someone asked, “Whatdoes,Ancient Buddha has been gone since long ago, mean?”
I would answer,
Pulling the bow string after the thief has gone.
Another time Hye-Am S’nim sang a Gatha for two great figures under Venerable Master Mann-Gong, Song-Wol and Tae-An during the spring temple ceremony at Junghye-Sa and named it Dharma Milk Pavilion.
Dharma milk is for Ch’an monks.
The spring will solve the thirst of the sangha.
Master would be in the pavilion.
Song-Wol and Tae-An have come.
9. The Turtle and the Dog
Hye-Am S’nim once raised the story ofTheTurtleandtheDog,astoryfromwherethereisnobeginningofastory.
“One time a monk tried to study in a town, but it was too noisy. He went to the temple, but people there were quarrelling too much for him. Finally he entered the deep mountain where there was no sound; but even there the birds and animals were too noisy for him and he left. He spent his life wandering in search of the right place to study.
On his way he met a scrawny-looking dog, searching for food. While the dog was crossing a bridge over a little stream, he spotted a delicious looking turtle. He ran and grabbed it in his mouth and ran to the edge of the road to eat up this wonderful meal.
But when he tried to chew the turtle he could find no meat, only a hard, dried object.
The dog turned it over this way and that way several times, but could not find the delectable meat he thought would be there.
The dog considered, ‘There seems no other choice but to give up,” and he walked away hungry.
Now what should that dog have done to eat the turtle?
That monk realized something when he saw the turtle released, for the turtle stuck out its head and entered the water after the dog had gone. Subsequently that monk went back to the mountain and studied there without wandering for the rest of his life.”
About 50 years ago the Master Hye-Am had a chance to talk about this with Venerable Master Song-Wol and asked, “How can the dog eat the turtle? Would you compose a Gatha for this case?”
As soon as Master Song-Wol heard this, he immediately sang a Gatha”
Yellow Sea is between the white clouds far away.
A single castle looks like a thousand foot mountain.
How could “other-side-of-the-tracks” people
Begrudge the other-side-of-the-tracks?
Spring sunshine hasn’t reached the front entrance of Hell’s gate.
10. The Essence of Searching the Ox
In the mid 1920’s Master Hye-Am was staying in Samil Shrine at Choneun Temple. He had initially planned to study at Seven Buddhas’ Shrine in Ha-Dong Province until he heard someone say that Samil Shrine had, for the first time, invited the Good-and-Wise One, Venerable Master Song-Wol, to hold a Ch’an (Son) retreat. Deciding to study under the great master, he changed his mind and went to Samil Shrine.
Many good Ch’an monks were already gathered in the meditation hall. At that time, one old monk, about seventy years old, resided in the main temple of Choneun-Sa. His name was Ho-Un, and he had been a monk for the previous forty or fifty years; but had been attending only the doctrinal chanting and devotional prayers. He knew a lot about, these things, but of Ch’an meditation he knew nothing.
Just three days before the scheduled beginning of the special winter-retreat, this old monk had come to Samil Shrine and inquired, “This inferior one would like to come daily from the main temple to attend the sitting session and to study with you superior ones.”
The director of the meditation sitting room (Ip-Sung) scolded him, “What are you talking about? Even if you offered to provide food for the whole season, still, in principle, we cannot accept you without a reservation. You shouldn’t even ask.”
The old monk didn’t retreat, however, and requested over and over again. This news spread and finally reached the Venerable Master Song-Wol, who told everyone, “He might disturb our study, but still, we have to accept him. No one can stop him.” So he told the old monk, “Why don’t you come up here and study with us.”
The old monk’s answer was rather disappointing. He said that he could not provide the food he had promised because, “I have to worry about the property deeds and grains and the money I have loaned. , and besides that I cannot leave my sick wife’s bed.”
Everyone, not only Hye-Am S’nim, but also fifty others who had been ready to study, expecting great fruits for this season, upon hearing this, sighed and their faith lowered.
Since the order had come down from the master, no one could complain. The old monk came daily from the main hall to study even though his time was irregular; one day at noon, while on another day he came at dawn with icicles hanging from his beard. When everyone was gathered, talking about the study, he seemed to not understand at all. The monks all laughed at him saying, “Even a monkey can enjoy heavenly pleasure by imitating the meditation postures. Is it possible for that kind of man to have some result?”
On break day, marking the retreat mid-point, the master, after descending the podium following a dharma talk, was drinking tea with several of the monks. For a moment, Hye-Am S’nim remembered one dharma talk which had been delivered at Venerable Master Hye-Wol’s temple about six years earlier, and asked the Venerable Master Song-Wol,
“A young Son monk came to the Venerable Master Hye-Wol and asked,
“What is the essence of ‘Searching the ox while riding the ox’?”
The Venerable Master Hye-Wol looked at that young monk and answered with a question,“Why are you saying these words?”
“Was Venerable Master Hye-Wol’s response to the young Son (Ch’an) monk good or not?”
Venerable Master Song-Wol, as if to use the dharma-staff in criticism of Venerable Master Hye-Wol said, “How could that old man possibly brighten the student’s eye with that?
Hye-Am S’nim had only raised the question casually, but it had accidentally resulted in the staff-beating of Hye-Wol S’nim. It forced him to ask again, “Then Master, what would you have said for that question?”
Master Song-Wol said, “Ask me in exactly the same way as the young Son monk asked Hye-Wol S’nim.”
Hye-Am S’nim put on the kasa over his robe, prostrated three times, and then asked,
“What is the essence of, Searching the ox while riding the ox?”
The Master answered, “You are saying Searching the ox while riding the ox; don’t mention the ox you are searching but fetch me the ox you are riding.”
Hye-Am S’nim sat speechlessly as did the other monks, except for the one who knew nothing about Son meditation, the one who only recently had begun to study, that old monk Ho-Un. He stood up from his seat and danced saying, “You all do not know this, but I got it! I got it”!
Everyone laughed at him, “Just like the old saying, ‘The dizziness finally becomes epilepsy.’ That old monk has finally become insane.” To the laughers, the master said, “Stop it!” Then he called the old monk to his room. He asked him about the Patriarchal Hwa-dus one-by-one. Ho-Un answered them all without hesitation. Finally the Master recognized his enlightenment and gave him In-ga (approval).
When Hye-Am S’nim received this news, he felt great disappointment for several days; even the rice felt like sand in his mouth. Among the monks, one named Chu-Wol Park, upon hearing the news, turned himself to the wall and with no food or sleep sat for sixteen days in strict retreat. He was so tenacious, but his upper and lower teeth chattered and he neared death. Medicine was needed for that monk, for which Hye-Am S’nim walked twenty-five miles to town to obtain.
Who could have known that this inferior old monk would become enlightened that soon. Better than the best students who were so proud of their own excellence.
That old monk, weeping in gratitude, later came to the Venerable Master Song-Wol and said loudly,
“If you had not guided me correctly,
I might have wandered all my life in the exit-less darkness.”
Master Ho-Un later recalled several of his disciples who were studying in the doctrinal school and sent them to study at the Son Center. For his beloved wife, he made appropriate arrangements of financial support for her comfortable life. Even before the retreat had ended, he was invited to Sokwang-Sa in Diamond Mountain as a temple master. Here is his enlightenment Gatha:
Realizing immediately whole universe is nothing but my house.
At abruptly heard, “fetch me the riding ox,”
Wisdom summit which is neither increased nor decreased,
Coming and going by myself singing a song of enchantment.
Venerable Master Hye-Am’s Comments
In Ch’an, there are no levels of priority. One who knows nothing can be awakened by a word of the patriarchs and become a teacher of the men who have studied all their lives.
The most important thing for students is to be careful of self-esteem, pride, and the form-of-doing, such as “I am doing well,” “I am outstanding,” etc. For instance, if one purely upholds the precepts, calls himself, “a man who has greatly attained the Tao,” and has the form of pride, he is the one who actually is raising the thief in his mind and will, without fail, go to hell.
In the Fragments for the Beginner Mind it is said, “If the outside appearances are great, then you will receive great respect from everybody; though if nothing is inside, it is like a rotten pear.” If you are out of the thought of offering when offering, then the merit will naturally be great. We are so used to tightly holding onto an idea of offering, like a cat would hold the thought of a mouse upon which he is preying. When you are not attached to the form, then mind is as that of the saint in great harmony. As the sutra says,
Departing from each and every form
Is called Buddha.
11. Primary Sincere Faith
About sixty years ago, in 1926, Venerable Master Hye-Am was staying at Tongdo-Temple’s Pokwang Son Hall. At that time, the Temple Master was Song-Wol Park.
Even though he trusted the Good-and-Wise One, Hye-Am S’nim used to listen to his dharma talk inattentively and didn’t uphold sincere faith. Instead, he said to himself,
“Whenever the time comes, I will attain the supernatural freedom by the power of meditation; I will be free to choose whether or not to be in this physical body. I would like to gain such a magical technique. Why should I need dharma speeches to awaken my Self-nature?” Because of his stubbornness, he hadn’t listened.
One day the temple master called Hye-Am S’nim, “In my opinion it seems you have some particularly different visions, now, tell me, what do you have in mind?”
Hye-Am S’nim told him what he thought, “I believe dharma talk is not necessary. If I practice the power of meditation, then eventually I should and will gain the supernatural freedom which means I will be free to choose whether or not to be in this physical body. I would like to gain such a magical technique.”
Venerable Master Song-Wol, calmly smiled and said, “Do you really believe so?”
“Yes I do.”
At that moment Master Song-Wol’s voice was transformed into a thunder-bolt, and he boomed, “Son food cannot be spoiled by any means!” He then immediately called the bell ringer, “Send him off with his sack!” and he commanded Hye-Am S’nim, “You get out of here!”
But Master Hye Am could not stay away and returned three times. Upon each departure, he thought to himself, “The Good-and-Wise One should not go that far; it is a little too much. But if he insists, that’s all right with me; this is not the only place to meditate.” But a moment came when everything abruptly became confused :“Should I or should I not return?” He struggled between the two thoughts whether standing or sitting, suffered for a long while as he departed from the temple. At last, he arrived at the Moo-Poong bridge but his indecision was over. He decided to return to the temple.
Hye-Am S’nim repented to the Good-and-Wise One and told the Venerable Master,“Master, please forgive my shallow opinions; with your warmth, guide me in the right direction.”
Hye-Am S’nim wept and wept and asked for help. Finally, Venerable Master told him with his gentle voice, “Welcome. One who wishes to Study should be patient and, after all, sincerely uphold the mind. The student should know how to quickly correct his flaws.” Then he sang a Gatha story for him,
“Once Ku-Bong (Tao-Gon) was an attendant under the Venerable Ch’an Master Suk-Sang.
After Master Suk-Sang entered Nirvana (died).
The Sangha invited one of the Ch’an students
To become abbot.
Ku-Bong was dissatisfied and said,
‘Why don’t you wait until I interview him?
If he understands the essence of the Venerable
Master Suk-Sang’s mind,
Then I will serve him like my own master.’
Ku-Bong turned to the Ch’an student,
‘The Master used to say,
Rest internally.
Be composed externally.
Be cool and chilly.
Let one moment be ten thousand years.
Become cold ash and decayed tree;
Be an incense holder of the old temple;
Be one silk string hanging from on high.’
Now, I wouldn’t ask about all of these,
Just tell me what
‘Being one silk string hanging from on high means.’
The Ch’an student said
‘He is trying to clarify that it is a rare thing.’
Ku-Bong said,
‘You didn’t understand Suk-Sang’s mind yet.’
The Ch’an student said, ‘you don’t believe me?
Burn a piece of incense.’
He sat and burned a piece of incense and said,
‘If I don’t understand our Master’s mind,
I won’t be able to pass away
While this incense is burning.’
As soon as the smoke rose,
He abruptly passed away while sitting.
Ku-Bong rubbed his back and said,
There is a way to enter Nirvana or to die while standing; yetl,
Venerable Master’s mind has never been seen even in a dream.’”
Because of this Gatha, Venerable Master Hye-Am was able to resolve his shallow, narrow, and dogmatic opinions. After that he studied well and listened carefully to the dharma talks.
“After all,” he told us, “What if I had not returned; how could I possible have achieved even what I am now? I might have become a terrible student with the outsiders’ mind.”
12. The Three Refuges in the Self-Nature
The Ancient Patriarch said, “You should take refuge in the three treasures of the Self-nature.”
What is the Buddha? Buddha, the first treasure, is Enlightenment.
What is the Dharma? Dharma, the second treasure, is Righteousness.
What is the Sangha? Sangha, the third treasure, is Purity.
If your mind takes refuge in Enlightenment, does not raise delusion or ignorance and is able to be content with fewer desires, then, when you become free from avarice and indulgence, this is what we call the Greatly Honored Ambi-sufficient Being.
If your mind takes refuge in Righteousness, is not vicious in each and every thought, and is not discriminating between self and other, then, when you become free from greediness and attachment, this is what we call the Greatly Honored Desire-free Being.
If your mind takes refuge in Purity, and your Self-nature is not tainted or clinging to impure things and to the outer perspectives of lust, then this is what we call the Greatly Honored Paramount Being.
If you cultivate these three treasures through realization, then, these are the three refuges in the Self-nature. On the other hand, ordinary beings, without knowing this fact, from dawn till dusk say, “I take refuge in the three treasures.” If you take refuge in the Buddha, where is the Buddha? If the Buddha is not seen, in whom do you take refuge? Therefore, saying, taking refuge is fallacious.
My good people! Introspect upon yourself carefully and do not misuse it. The Sutra has already told us, “Take refuge in the Self-nature,” and never said, “Take refuge in another Buddha.”
Now, if you have already understood this, just take refuge in the three treasures of your mind; you should, internally, be in concord with the nature of the mind. Externally, you should respect others. This is called taking refuge in the Self.
My good people! Since you have already taken refuge in the three treasures, each of you should listen vigilantly. Now, I will tell you about the trinity of Self-Buddha, so that you may clearly see what the three beings (tri-kaya) truly are, and at the same time immediately awaken to your Self-nature.
Recite with me!
I take refuge in the immaculate truth being (dharmakaya) of the Buddha in this physical body.
I take refuge in the myriad epiphany (nirmanakaya) of the Buddha in this physical body.
I take refuge in the omnipresent disclosure being (sambhogakaya) of the Buddha in this physical body.
My good people! This physical body is like a motel to which we cannot say definitely that we will return. Everyone’s Self-nature already has the trinity of the Self-Buddha; but being deluded, and ignorantly not seeing the Self-nature, people instead seek outside for the Three Bodies of Tathagata.
Listen carefully! I will let you see the trinity in your Self-nature. This trinity of Buddha is begotten from your Self-nature, not from outside. What should be the immaculate truth being? The Self-nature of the ordinary being is immaculate; from the Self-nature everything emerges. If bad thoughts are raised, then all bad deeds will result. If good thoughts are raised, then all good deeds will result.
The sun and moon always radiate brightly; but because there are floating clouds that can cover them, it is dark below, yet bright above. If a sudden wind were to disperse the clouds, both the upper and lower sky would be brightly filled with light, and everything in the world would be clearly disclosed. Ordinary ones’ wandering-nature is like the clouds in the sky.
My good people! Wisdom is like the sun and intelligence is like the moon. Although wisdom and intelligence are always radiating, the pursuing and attaching to outer perspectives veils them with the floating cloud of delusion so that Self-nature is not shining brightly.
By meeting the Good-and-Wise One, listening to the valid words of right dharma and thus eliminating the darkness and delusions from your mind, brightness will thoroughly penetrate inside and outside and everything will be begotten from the Self-nature. One who sees the Self-nature is the same. This is what is called the immaculate truth being.
My good people! In your mind, taking refuge in your Self-nature should be called, “taking refuge in the true Buddha (enlightenment).” One who takes refuge in the Self-nature would not allow the envious mind and the jealous mind, the mind which is crooked and twisted, the mind which upholds the ego, “I-ness”, the mind which is deceptive and delusive, the mind which debases others, the mind which humiliates someone, the mind which insists on illusory opinions, the mind which is arrogant and extroverted.. You would always carefully watch out for your own flaws and not mention someone else as being good or bad. This is taking refuge in the Self-nature.
If you are always submissive in mind and thoroughly respectful of others in deed, see the Self-nature in every second and no longer create any hindrance; then, this is so called taking refuge in the Self.
What should by the myriad epiphany?
When no dharma has been thought, the Self-nature is originally like empty space. If a thought has arisen, the Self-nature will beget accordingly. When an evil thought has arisen, it begets hell. When a good thought has arisen, it begets heaven. The poisonous and harmful thought begets a crocodile or a snake. The merciful thought begets the Compassionate Bodhisattva (Avalokita). Wisdom begets the superior world; ignorance and dull-mindedness beget the inferior world. The epiphany of the Self-nature is really manifold. The dull-minded one, without realizing this, raises evil thoughts in each and every second, resulting in karmic attachment for himself. But if the thought is turned around to the good, wisdom will emerge. This is the myriad epiphany Buddha of the Self-nature.
What should be the omnipresent disclosure being?
As a candle-light dispels the thousand-year-old darkness, so wisdom nullifies the ten thousand-year-old ignorance and dull-mindedness. Do not hold only the faulty thought that came before; and do not create the resulting after-thought. Then each and every thought will be fully bright, and Self-nature will be seen naturally. Even though the good and the bad are two different things, their nature is non-dual. This non-duality is the true nature, it cannot be tainted by the good or the bad This is the omnipresent disclosure being of Buddha.
If one bad thought has arisen in the Self-nature, it will destroy the ten thousand kalpas long good seed; if one good thought has arisen, it will result in nullifying sins as many as the sands in the Ganges River. Finally you will attain the highest Bodhi.
Intro-spect upon yourself in each and every thought, without losing the original one thought. This is the so-called omnipresent disclosure being.
(Update time : 2008-03-20 오후 6:25:21, view : 940)
|
