The Dharma Master Chǒngsan of Won Buddhism: Analects and Writings

Chapter Eight: Rest

Chapter Eight Rest I. On Rest There is the order of four seasons in heaven and earth; there are proper times in the human life span. Just as myriad things bud, grow, bear fruit, and are harvested when heaven and earth do not violate their orders, humanity can achieve perfection in life and the cycle of birth and death only if the proper times are not missed. Therefore, Grand Master Sot’aesan said, “Except for special circumstances , one shall learn letters during childhood; learn principles of morality and exert oneself in the work of deliverance during the prime of life; then one shall enter a scenic and quiet place to train oneself in the great task of birth and death, severing attachments to the worldly things of love and desire during one’s old age.”7 One should cultivate the foundation of personality with studies during one’s youth, demonstrate the value of human life by engaging in an undertaking during the prime of life, and grow the sound spiritual seed of eternal life by spiritual cultivation during one’s old age. Hence, one needs adequate rest at the right time while doing business during one’s youth; during one’s old age one needs more concentrated rest. The spiritual and physical life in the eternal world will be without defect only if one follows the proper ways of rest and emancipation. 73 74 / The Dharma Master Chŏngsan of Won Buddhism II. The Way of Rest As one reaches the time for rest, one should realize the urgency and importance of the great task of birth and death and spiritual concentration , thus devoting oneself to the cultivation of spiritual concentration (samādhi) in daily life. The ways of rest are as follows. (1) Do not obstinately try to look at what is not in your line of vision. (2) Do not try to listen to what you do not hear. (3) Do not interfere with what is none of your concern even if you see or hear it. (4) Entrust your son, daughter, or other person in charge of matters of livelihood (food, clothes, and expenditure ) and do not mind their treatment of you, whether it is generous or stingy. (5) Do not deplore the condition of old age, remembering the days of your youth. (6) Do not attach yourself to your property, your children, or other matters of your concern. (7) Free your mind from thoughts of resentment and regret of the past or present. (8) Do not be dragged by the right and the wrong of your past. (9) Practice seated meditation and the recitation of the name of Buddha (Amitābha) more diligently. (10) Continue the practice of timeless Zen. III. The Way of Emancipation There is no limit to worldly affairs and attachments to them. If one tries to handle worldly affairs with attachment, one will find no limit to attachment ; if, however, one tries to handle them with an emancipated state of mind, one will experience neither suffering nor hindrance in all situations, whether favorable or unfavorable. Therefore, in order to emancipate oneself from troublesome worldly affairs, one should first reflect on the origin of all truths and next apply the truth in all mental spheres. The ways of emancipation are as follows. The first is to emancipate oneself from the cycle of birth and death by reflecting thoroughly on the fundamental truth of no birth and no death and applying that truth to the situations of birth and death. The second is to emancipate oneself from the situations of suffering and pleasure by reflecting thoroughly on the principle of one’s original nature, which is utterly devoid of suffering and pleasure, and applying that truth to the situations of suffering and pleasure. The third is to emancipate oneself from discriminations and gain or loss. For this, one must reflect thoroughly on the truth that the causal law of karmic retribution occurs in Rest / 75 the realm that is originally devoid of discrimination and gain or loss. One must then apply this truth to situations of discriminations and gain or loss. Thus the statement in the Heart Sutra “by seeing clearly that the five aggregates (skandha) are all empty, thus securing his deliverance from all suffering and distress,”8 is the general principle of emancipation. ...