Verses on the Mind of Faith (신심명)
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Writer Jogye Date17 Aug 2015 Read8,622 Comment0Content
Verses on the Mind of
Faith (信心銘; Xinxin ming)
신심명
Written by the Third Patriarch, Sengcan, Verses on the Mind of Faith is fondly recited at Seon temples. It
is a rather short text, consisting of 148 phrases and 592 characters with four
characters in each phrase. However, it is said to contain all the essentials of
both the Seon and Doctrinal Schools. Verses
on the Mind of Faith also espouses the Middle Way, a basic concept of
Buddhism. As such it is recognized as one of the greatest records of Seon
School, along with the Platform Sutra.
The heart of Verses on the Mind of
Faith is the “Middle Way which is free from the two extremes.” It is a
terse representation of the Middle Way and devoid of the relative concepts
sentient beings hold in their daily lives; concepts such as love and hate,
right and wrong, or like and dislike. Ven. Seongcheol referred to Xinxin ming as a “comprehensive
exposition on the Middle Way” and praised the text by saying, “I marveled at
how it expressed the Middle Way so simply and with such beautiful language, a
concept the Buddha taught all his life.” Following is an excerpt from Xinxin ming.
The Supreme Way is not difficult
If only you do not discriminate.
When love and hate are both bereft,
You will clearly understand.
Make the smallest distinction,
And you are as far apart as heaven from earth.
If you wish to see the truth,
Hold no opinions for or against anything.
- excerpt from Buddhist English (Intermediate 2) published in 2014 by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism
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