Moon Jae-in: "'Musoyu' is really good... but I can't do it because of greed"

"Work Includes Study"... Introduction to Seongpa Monk's Book
"Is It Okay to Harbor Good Desires in the Heart?"

Former President Moon Jae-in candidly expressed, quoting a famous passage from a Jogye Order monk, "Telling me to let go of greed is all good advice, but I just can't do it."

On the 27th, Moon wrote on his Facebook, "'Working while studying, studying while working' is the story of the life, art, and study of Seongpa Sunim, the head monk of Tongdosa Temple and the Jogye Order's Supreme Patriarch," he said.

He explained about the book by Seongpa Sunim, "The monk does not speak of enlightenment or kensho (見性, the state of awakening attained through study), which are like Zen riddles that are difficult for ordinary people to understand," adding, "He shares his experiences in a way that matches the public's perspective, saying that there is study within work, and work within study."

Former President Moon Jae-in is speaking at the 5th anniversary event of the 'September 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration' on the 19th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He continued, "The monk has expanded his artistic achievements through calligraphy, traditional Chinese poetry, landscape painting, ceramics, wildflowers, traditional natural dyeing, traditional Onggi pottery, traditional doenjang (fermented soybean paste), folk painting, and lacquer art," adding, "'Did one person really do all those things?' is a natural expression of admiration. The secret, he says, lies in the earnestness and sincerity toward work."

Former President Moon confessed, "If I were to quote the monk's words exactly, 'non-possession, letting go of greed, emptying the mind' are all good sayings," but added, "I just can't do that. Even now, I have so many things I want to do, and as long as I can work, I have the greed to keep trying things I haven't done yet."

He concluded, "No one can live like the monk," and said, "However, we also think about studying as we live, and living as we study. Perhaps we too can live while harboring at least one good desire in our hearts."

The book introduced by former President Moon is Working While Studying, Studying While Working, compiled by Seongpa Sunim, the 15th Supreme Patriarch of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Earlier, in March last year, Moon had met Seongpa Sunim and said, "I would like to seek your teachings."

Meanwhile, after his retirement, former President Moon opened and operates the 'Pyeongsan Bookstore' near his residence in Pyeongsan Village, Yangsan, Gyeongnam. On the 19th, he visited Seoul for the first time since his retirement to pay a get-well visit to Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who was fasting at the time, and on the same day, he also attended the 5th anniversary event of the 'September 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration' held at the 63 Building.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.