Brief History
- He was born in October in 1906
- He became a monk under San un sunim`s teaching in 1922.
- He received the Bhikku precept from Oyong sung sunim and he was ordained as a Bhikku.
- He recieved the transmission as the Dharma teacher from Han Ahm sunim.
- He practiced at in the Kum kang san mountain and Odae san mountains.
- He is a member of the elder committee of the Chogye Order.
The new year has come, then I have found my ears and body are not as same as before. I lived more than 90 years, the time has come to leave now. I regret that I haven`t finished my studying. I hope all of you study hard before you become old. I have no mind to be respected. I am serving myself still now. When we are independant, then we can be strong. Enlightenment can be possible only when we are independant by our selves. I try to walk inside and travel alone sometimes. Minds never become old. It becomes be limited by our thoughts. Washing clothes, cooking and celaning... Every day life, itself is a subject of studying.
Cooking seems easy but it needs also widom. When I cooked, I had never made mistakes. With only the steam I can measure the proper time. With all efforts, the cooking itself, goes well. Such food looks well and gives energy to those who eat it also. When we want to get a harmony with people, then eat together. Looking chinese letter of harmony, it is combined with mouth and rice.
When people are starved, there comes trouble and fight.
But when they are full, there comes harmony. I went to Buckghe-sa temple when I was 16 years old with a long hair.
At that time it was very hard to shaved as a monk. So the relatioship between the deciples and their master was very strong. So it was easy to get harmony together. I met Han Ahm sunim at at Bong Eun-sa temple at first. He gave me transmission song and named me as Ko song.
Without the book, without zen
Only sitting, what is this school
Without wind how does the tream of wind come?
On the peak of thousands of years,
An old blue pine tree stands.
There were a lots of students in O dae-san mountain.
We practiced just like that our heads were burning.
Only keep Kong Ahn with one mind, there was no other thoughts.
That is true way to enlighten.
Practitioners should keep in minds the saying"Only keep friends with only the blind terrapins and limb turtles"
Eventhough living in relationship outside but we should search something true inside.
If we are in love, but we should be free from love, and if we are in hatread but we should be free from the hatred. Our own chilren are same. We all are to face to death alone.
I stayed Mahayeon at Kum kang-san mountain long time.
Hwa Eung sunim built a big temple as just same as Hwa um Kung. Man hae sumin was the first abbot. I kept be friends with him. He was the hardest practitioner who I have ever met.
70 zen students started 30 years retreat at Mang wol-sa temple. Among them were Suck-woo, Un-bong sunim, Dong-shan,Yong sung sunim and Sung chul sunim.
Zen starts with what we have already known but ends with what we haven`t known.
People misunderstand that they know everything. Real true selves are unvisibe.
Everything is empty. How can we say we know something eventhough we have never seen our true faces. We must study to find ourselves.
People think future or regret past. But if we live in present clearly then there`s no time for future or past. Are you awaken now? Vainless dreams a lot of dreams of richness or pleasure... After finishing, all in vain. Stupid people try not to sleep to spare time and they dream in day and night.
So we are always in dream not real.
100 years is short just same as 1 second. If we are awake moment to moment then we live forever.
Originally true nature is one, but it is devided into 84,000 thought.. So we should return to the original true nature. Eyes, nose, tongue, body are thieves. Always we are decieved by these six thieves. You and I don`t have time enough.
But attaching to our bodies are serious and endless. Our minds are just same as water. It changes according to the objects very easily. Don`t make mind as solid.
Once upon a time, there was an old monk with good practicing. One time he was presented a well clothing but he reject to take it. With this saying "I have well customed enough from I was born." Later the offer sent a question by his student.
"Then what did you wear just before you were born?"
But he couldn`t answer.
Who said that life is long?
Nosense
It ends without swallowing water only
one time
Just before the death every man wants to swallow water. But without watert his breath would be end. It happens shortly. Awake that there`s no life. Looking back my monk`s life, Buddhism returns to common life. Departing from the daily life, there`s no ture way. 100 years old is just same as 90 years old. There`s no start no end. I was born this moment and I will die this moment, too. Going and coming is just same. We should know everything is impermanent and urgent. So if we want to find true self, we should practice persistently.
If you attain the truth which does not appear no disappear, then you can be cool even if your are in the fire.
In my room, ther`s a calligraphy-"Sun shines every thing" This means a big mirror shows same close or far.
We are the practitioner, so we should shine always to every one.