Essays

"Let’s take the real one, even if it is only 1 cent!" by Clear Mind

The whole world, our global village, is in chaos these days with racial and religious tensions as well as disasters killing hundreds of thousands of people. Peace and love are slowly fading away while conflict and confrontation are increasing. Living in such tough times, we seriously need a spiritual leader to give us direction and show us “what true life is.” Therefore Harim Sunim and some members of the ClearMind staff visited Venerable Gou Su..# 2006.03.31

The Buddhist Purification Movement in Korea by Gwangsik Kim

The Buddhist Purification Movement among the fading Korean Buddhism under the Japanese colonial period was the major historical event for the development of modern Korean Buddhism as well as a significant moment of history for the Jogye Order, the major Buddhist religion of Korea. The movement was led by ideas such as Bhiksuni taking the leadership, exclusion of married Buddhist priests, folk or traditional Buddhism rehabilitation and modernizat..# 2006.03.29

The Buddha, the first patriarch of the Seon School by Woncheol

One of the first great challenges for Seon historians that the new Seon School faced when it was first introduced was how to put the Buddha into the hall. The writers of the Records of the Transmission of the Lamp wrestled long and hard with this problem. Why did they put so much effort into it? # 2006.03.23

Vow to Bow by Sumi Loundon

Past New Year's resolutions since adult consciousness: floss, stop gossiping, eat a salad a day, floss (I needed to recommit). This year's resolution: 108 bows a day for 90 days.# 2006.03.13

The Artistry of Every Day Life by Martine Batchelor

As a human being it is essential for us to create not out of duty but out of inspiration and joy. This brings something different in us, a dimension of imagination, intuition and creation that nurtures us and invigorates us. A few years ago, I was feeling that something was missing. A certain something within me was not being fulfilled. So I decided to do woodworking. The first lesson was so exhausting that I nearly gave up, thinking that this w..# 2006.03.09

Who are you? by Beopjeong

Having come down with a cold, I couldn’t properly smell or taste anything. Even though I hadn’t eaten seaweed soup (miyeokguk) for a long time, I was completely unable to know whether it was too salty or too bland. Feeling like that one bright morning, listening to the call of the the cuckoo from the forest nearby, I drank the nectar of the new tea sent from the Gwangju Tea Company, but it seemed like I could only taste the fragrance.   I set ..# 2006.03.06

Dharma sermon on the closing of the winter retreat by Dorim Beopjeon

A man once asked Chan Master Fengxue Yanzhao, “If you speak, you become ‘function’, if you don’t speak, you become ‘essence’. What must I do in order to be freed from both essence and function?” The Chan Master replied, “I always think of the March scenery of Jiangnan[2], steeped in the fragrance of multi-colored flowers and the sounds of singing birds.”   The completion of the winter retreat, bringing us to the point where spring is now righ..# 2006.02.27

To Become Truly Human by Sungbae Park

1. Preface: The True Human 　 I think we all agree that the current International Conference on Korean Seon Buddhism is an extremely important event. It provides a rare opportunity to gather together many thinkers of diverse backgrounds and points of view. Some are scholars and some are monks, some are Koreans and some are non-Koreans. What this diverse group holds in common is the desire to clarify the meanings of Josaseon, or "Seon of the Awake..# 2006.02.24

Feeling the Path of Seon Masters by Woncheol

“Shout and Hit” are two methods used by masters to encourage practitioners in their practice. They also help to identify the stage reached in meditation beyond words. Sometimes masters strike practitioners in order to break their ignorance.# 2006.02.21

Hwadu Meditation and Contemporary Society by Sungbae Park

I have read many articles recently, and have had quite a few discussions with various knowledgeable people as well, regarding the topic of hwadu meditation. What I have observed from my readings and discussions is that people’s opinions about the hwadu fall into two distinct categories: pro and con.# 2006.02.13