Jogye Order Supreme Patriarch Seongpa Sunim: "The Light of Buddha in the World Aims to Illuminate the Cause of Problems"

Dharma Talk for the Conclusion of Dongangeo (Winter Retreat)

Seongpa Sunim, the Jogye Order's Supreme Patriarch of Korean Buddhism, stated on the 6th, "Shining the world with an unwavering light is to clarify the root cause of problems."

Jogye Order Supreme Patriarch Seongpa. Provided by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism

In a Dharma talk released on the same day ahead of the conclusion of the winter intensive practice period, Dongangeo (Winter Retreat) on the 12th, Seongpa Sunim said, "Sitting upright on the meditation cushion, unable to sleep and diligently practicing, is to find the profound truth that transforms a world of conflict and confrontation into one of tolerance and harmony."

He emphasized the meaning of practice by saying, "By observing the monastic code, harmonizing with the community, and concentrating single-mindedly on investigating the hwadu (meditation topic), all worldly disturbances naturally fade away, the lamp shines brightly, and even the sound of pine cones falling in front of the courtyard can be heard."

In a verse (Geseung) he also shared, which praises the virtues or teachings of the Buddha, he urged, "Seeing forms and hearing sounds is the very original mind / Why seek gold when you already have it? / There is no other water beyond the waves, do you not know? / The body is the mind itself, so do not seek outside."

According to the Jogye Order, during this retreat that began on November 15 last year, 1,775 monks and nuns practiced diligently at 94 Seonwon (Zen monasteries) nationwide.

Dongangeo (Winter Retreat) refers to the three-month period in winter and summer when ordained monks gather at Seonwon, refrain from going out, and devote themselves to Seon meditation practice.

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