Brief History
*Was born in Nam Hae, Kyung Sang Nam-do province 1924
*Graduated from a specialized college in Industrial technology in Japan
*Became a monk under Juck-um sunim`s teaching at Ho kuk-sa temple in Seoul
*Graduated the Master course at Yeuk kyung Won
*Became the Chief of Affairs of the Chogye Order
*Became the chairman of the Committee of Dong Kuk Academy 68-73
*A member of the General Administrative committee of the Chogye Order
*A senior member of the Committee of the Chogye Order
Buddha came to us on the 8th of April ( Chinese calendar).
He showed himself to this world to save all beings. It was a holy
day when he came near us to look after and teach us what he had
attained already. He convinced our true selves what we had but
didn`t know about. We could have known that we should bemutually
respected and are equal and we should be generous. He taught us
how we should live and why we live. So,like a compass, weare
dorected by his coming . Is there anything else more important
than this?
After Buddhism was propagated to us, the day of Buddha`s
birthday has been one of the most important festival days. People
have enlightened our wisdom by lightening lanterns of wisdom and they
offered for the poor and to those who have difficulties. People
circled around the pagodas with the wish to be like Buddha
himself. But this festival has been withered by the invasion of
western culture and religion. People`s spirit has been devastated by
materialism. But no matter how much the form changes, the basis is
always same without changing. He was born as a human, he did 6
years` penance, achived enlightenement at last and taught for 45
years. This is his life and a constant truth. But, depending on
their own effort, knowing the truth and ability ,some can realize
Buddha`s teaching and others can`t.
They are virtuous, who realize Buddha`s teaching in his/her
mind and carry it on throughout his life everyday. But they're not
virtuous who never hear about Buddha`s teaching and only pass
away to the darkness. Most people are as such.
Verochana Buddha exists constantly neither coming nor going.
Everything in the world exist inside him and everything is helped by
him. The life in the water gets benefits from the water. The life
on Earth gets benefits from Earth. The life in the air gets benefits
from the air. Then why do we celebrate Buddha`s birthday?
Because he came to us as an incarnate Buddha.
When Sakyamuni was doing his practice in the past, he was
appointed to be an incarnate Buddha. " You will be incarnated as a
human to be a buddha and save all beings. After that he practiced
as much as he could, He taught all human and just proir to this he
came as Sykyamuni Buddha, he was a bodhisattva in Dusita heaven and
taught the people there. And just on time, he descended to this
world riding on the elephant and chose the princess Maya as his
mother. He, a benevolent father of four forms of life and a
teacher of three kinds of realm came to us just like this.
We, humans, could be humaninzed by his coming. We could
realize that everybody has a Buddha Nature inside him and we were
bone to be equal. Everybody is unique being just like Buddha. We,
human society could realize benevolence and equality between people
2,620 years ago when Buddha came to us. All of us wish to live well.
How can we live well? Does it mean eating good food and an easy
life? Add easy station of mind also? I don`t think so. Living well
means the accomplishment of the humanization nature to be Buddha.
So when we pray, we should wish to "Buddha soon." Some may think
this case is for only monks, not for common people. I speak clearly
of this kind wish, which is good according to the cause and effect,
the main teaching in Buddhism.
Lots of people wonder. " Why are some cruel, some poor,
some rich?" The answer: The effects come after the cause.
If I see the mirror, there will be a reflection of my face. If a
lotus flower comes, there will be a reflection of lotus flower in the
mirror. According to the subject, the reflection will be changed. A
bean sprout comes from a bean. This is Karma. Everybody makes
his condition by his thought and actions. karma sometimes comes
from the past life. Bad karma comes from bad action. Without
cause we can not get any effects. That is Karma.
How strong is Karma? The Hell Bodhisattva said one time.
Karma is so strong, it is as high as the Sumi mountain, as deep as
the ocean, it is an obstacle in the way to be Buddha. So we
should keep in mind clearly and should not neglect little sins.
Everybody should pay his debt-even to the minutest thing.
After death, everybody goes after his own Karma so even if
they meet together but father can`t pay back son`s debts instead.
Karma is great, equal and clear. There`s no way to escape without
paying back. But we don`t need to be desperate. I don`t mean that
Karma is destined or unchangeable. Good and bad comes from moment
to moment depending on our minds situation. There`s nothing in the
world that changes as swiftly as the human minds.
To live well is to know the cause and effects clearly. It is
not wrong that we are infronted the difficulties. It is necessary to
consider how we have met such difficulties and what`s the cause. It
is a true wisdom. The knowledge and the wisdom are different. No
matter how much we learned but we can`t be wise. Wisdom is to
know the cause and effect clearly. The wise can find the way even
if they are in difficulties which come from past bad karma. So they
can solve the any kinds of difficulties. The stupid put on airs. "The
great wise are the great stupid." Those who are very wise seem to
be as very stupid.
The ties energy comes from Karma, the cause and effect, is
really strong. That means karma becomes an obstacle to the way to
be Buddha. It is the bad karma. So we can accomplish our true
selves only after we melt the bad karma. How is it fine to solve the
karma just same as the snow. But it is not impossible. Repent
every day, and pray for the extinction of karma. We circulate six
way of life and three realms of world. Greed, anger, stupidness
makes us to rebirth in the circle of suffering. Let`s do mantra of
dependance even when we are sick. It is a great vow to repent
what we have done with our bodies, mouths, and minds. Buddha said
if we determine not to do evil then we can extinct all sins by one
thought. Just same as the fire burns the dry grass.
But it is more important not think even single evil thought.
It is not easy. Because every thing goes tangled with others. So
always do with the good cause. Then it becomes good karma. That
is like saving of good karma. Then it cleans bad karma automatically.
Don`t be a slave of karma, be the creator of karma during our lives