The Mirror of Seon (4)*

Young-eui Park (Translator)1

Abstract “There is One-thing that is pure and sublime from its birthless birth, and as it has neither beginning nor end, there is no way to be named or described.” This is the opening line of ‘The Mirror of Seon’ by the Most Venerable Seosan. He then asks himself, “What is it that is the One-thing called?” and answers his own question quoting a passage from an ancient sage: “There was a circle even before the arrival of Buddha, which not even Sakyamuni could describe. How then was it possible for Mahakasyapa to transmit it?” This is the theme and the essence of the work: finding our true nature and original face, which is without form and indescribable.

Key words: Great-circle, Silence, -body, Simultaneous cultivation of meditation and doctrine, Great exertion.

Young-eui Park is a Professor Emeritus, Chungnam National Univ. ([email protected])

*This is the English translation of Seonga Gwigam (禪家龜鑑) by Venerable Cheongheo Hyujeong (淸虛 休靜). This is the 4th part of it (H. 7, 640b‒43a).

International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culturer February 2012, vol. 18, pp. 171‒87. ⓒ 2012 International Association for Buddhist Thought & Culture

The day of submission: 2011.12.15 / Completion of review: 2012.1.4 / Final decision for acceptance: 2012.1.28 172 Young-eui Park (Translator): The Mirror of Seon (4)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 51. Prayer Chanting Should Be Devotional

“Prayer chanting should be humble and devotional. Devotion comes from true nature, And humility is to subjugate ignorance.” You might transcend the world If your body, tongue, and concept are bright and clean.

52. The Buddha Prayer

“The true Buddha prayer is calling the name of Buddha Followed by heart to find our true nature. You call Buddha with your tongue, But if you don’t find Buddha by heart, you will never find the Way.”

The six syllable , NA MU A MI TA BUL1 is the shortcut. To be free from the karmic transmigration. If you are not confused when you call Buddha with your tongue and heart, That is the conjugation of tongue and heart, Which we call true Buddha prayer.

Comments: The Fifth Patriarch Hongren (602‑75) said, “It is better to keep the original true mind than thinking of all the Buddhas in the ten directions of the world.” The Sixth Patriarch Huineng (638‑713) also said, “Thinking only of the Buddha outside of oneself can never free oneself from the wheel of birth and death. On the other hand, the surest way to cross over to the other shore is keeping one’s original true mind.” Again he said, “Do not seek Buddha outside of oneself; Buddha resides in one’s own self-nature.

1 It means “I take in Amitabha Buddha.” International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 173

Ignorant people wish to live a happy life through chanting the names of Buddha but the enlightened maintain only their pure mind.” He also said, “It is sentient beings themselves who deliver them by awakening, not by Buddha.”

What the Buddha and sages said were only pointing to the self-nature, nothing extraordinary like expediencies. They were right in principle. But there also exist the Land of Utmost Bliss, Amitabha Buddha, and the Forty Eight Great Vows of Ksitigarbha. Chanting the name of Buddha just ten times will also help one be reborn in the Land of Utmost Bliss, free from the karmic wheel of . These are also the words of all the Buddhas of the past, present, and future, and where all the in the ten directions of the world earnestly wished to be born. Moreover, there is unrefutable evidence of such rebirth of ancient sages. Why not then strive ever so hard without any doubt?

Amitabha in means “the eternal life and light,” an incomparable name in the three ages and in the ten directions of the world. His former name when he was practicing was bhikku Dharmakara (the storehouse of dharma), and he made forty-eight great vows in front of Lokesvararaja (the self-existent King of Buddha): “When I attain , I will not only deliver all the heavenly and human beings in the ten directions of the world, but also tiny insects if they only chant my name ten times so that they can be reborn in the pure Land of the West without fail. Until my vows are accomplished, I will not attain Buddhahood.”

The ancient sages said, “Even a single chanting of the name of Buddha not only frightens the heart of the maras in the Heaven but also cancel the names in the book of the netherworld. Moreover, the lotus flower will bloom in the golden pond as well.”

The Penitence says, “There are two powers: self-power (自力) and 174 Young-eui Park (Translator): The Mirror of Seon (4)

others’ power (他力). The former is slow while the latter is quick in effecting the result. If one plants a tree to build a ship to cross the ocean, it takes time, which can be the example of the self-power. But if one borrows someone else’s boat, one can cross the ocean forthwith, which can be the case of borrowing Buddha’s power.

As the parents will rush out and save their child upon hearing the cry of their child frightened by either the deep water or fire, Buddha will surely save the dying man who chants the name of Buddha at the deathbed. Such is the love and compassion of the Buddha, greater than any other love and compassion, and there is no greater suffering than the suffering of birth and death.

Someone says, “Since my mind is the Pure Land, there cannot be another Pure Land where I am to be born; and since my self-nature is Amitabha, there is no other Amitabha to find.” It sounds fair and reasonable, but it is not. Buddha has no mind of craving and anger. Now, could anyone say, “So have I, no craving mind or anger?”

Buddha could transfer hell to the land of lotus flower easier than turning one’s palm over. What about us? Could we, who are scared of hell due to our karma, transform hell to the Land of Lotus Flower? Buddha could perceive the infinite world as if it is right in front of him. However, we cannot even perceive what is behind the wall, let alone perceiving the infinite world. Of course, we all possess Buddha-nature, but, in actuality, we are still sentient beings. There is a great abyss between the logic and actuality as wide as between heaven and earth.

Master Guifeng (780‑841)2 was right when he said, “Even if you have attained sudden enlightenment, a gradual cultivation after awakening is inevitable.” I want to ask the man who said, “My self-nature is Amitabha.”

2 A great Chinese Seon (Chan) master. International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 175

Will there be a heavenly Tathagata, or a self-born Amitabha? You will know if you truly reflect upon yourself. See if you could be free without any hindrance when you are in pain at the deathbed. If you are not sure of yourself, you will surely fall into the evil path for your arrogance.

Even great Patriarchs such as Aśvaghosha,3 and Bodhisattva Nagarjuna4 strongly recommended the path of rebirth. Then who is this “I” refusing cultivation of the path of rebirth? Buddha said, “The Pure Land in the West is very far away; it is infinitely far away from here, and one must overcome ten evils and ten misconducts during the long passage,” and it is to warn the deluded lesser minded to strive hard. Of course, Buddha also said, “The Pure Land in the West is not far from here,” and he also said, “The mind is Buddha and sentient beings are Amitabha.” But they are all addressed to the high minded, not to the lesser minded.

There are two expediencies: improvised and authentic ones. There also are expressive saying and confidential saying. If people are in accord in their knowledge and action, there is no misunderstanding whether they are near or far apart. That was the reason why Huiyuan (334‑416) had to chant Amitabha all the time, and then there was a man like Ruiyuan who talked to himself all the time, “Master (our true mind) where are you?” “Yes, here I am.”

53. Listening to the Sutra

“Listening to the sutra or lending an ear to sutra is Already a sign of good causal condition. Congratulations! This empty body will be gone one day, But the fruit of good conduct will never be gone.”

3 A great Buddhist scholar and the author of the Awakening of Faith in the . He is the first expounder of the Mahayana doctrine. 4 The founder of the Madhyamika school, which was based on the Prajnaparamita teachings, and which he is said to have received from the Dragon King under the sea. He is also a famous Buddhist philosopher who wrote a commentary on the Aśvaghosha’s work. He is a principal philosopher of Mahayana emptiness. 176 Young-eui Park (Translator): The Mirror of Seon (4)

A sound study is like eating a diamond, And the reward will be greater than Receiving a cartful of seven precious treasures. A verse by Master Yanshou: Even if you don’t believe what you hear, You already have sown a seed of Buddha. Even if you might not be able to reap the crop of your study, Your will be more than enough to cover the entire heaven and earth.

54. The True Way of Study

“If you don’t study your mind when you read sutra, Studying thousands of sutra will not avail.” The foolish study is like chirping of birds in spring, Or crying of bugs in fall. A verse by Master Guifeng:5 Studying the words and reading sutra themselves are not enlightenment. Understanding the words and translating the meaning Only promote lust, anger, and deluded views.

55. A Man Painting the Public Lavatory

“If anyone wants to be praised, or compete with others By eloquence without having attained enlightenment, He is like a man who is painting the public lavatory.”

This is to warn the study in the last era of the world.

5 The patriarch of a major branch of the Chan sect as well as the Fifth Patriarch of the Huayan Sect. International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 177

Studying is originally realizing the self-nature. Yet some people are only conscious of others in their practice.

56. Cutting the Mud with a Knife

If a monk who has left the mundane world behind Studies secular scholarship, He is like a man who is cutting the mud with a knife; It only blunts the knife without any benefit to the mud. “A boy of a noble family who was playing outdoor Is returning to the house on fire.”

57. A Practitioner Who Has Left The Secular World Behind

It is not a small enterprise to leave the secular world behind to be a monk. It means to disregard physical comfort, To forget about good clothes and tasty food, To leave personal profit and fame behind.

His only objective is to be free from birth and death, Only to be free from defilement, Only to obtain the wisdom of Buddha So that he could deliver sentient beings. Such a man deserves to be called a great man, equal to an Archangel.

58. As If the Fire Were on One’s Head

Buddha said, “The whole world is on fire for meaningless life.” He also said, “The whole world is set on fire by the afflictions of people.” He also said, “All the worldly passions turned to thieves 178 Young-eui Park (Translator): The Mirror of Seon (4)

To kill the living beings.”

If so, all practitioners should beware As if the fire were on one’s own head to attain enlightenment. Birth, old age, sickness, and death: this is our life. Arising, abiding, and then extinction: This is the principle of the phenomenal world. Arising, abiding, transmutation, and then annihilation: This is the principle of the state of mind.

What all this means is that the fire Of and suffering is raging In all directions at the same moment. If so, how can a truth seeker waste his time?

59. A Wild Goose Flew Away

“If there is anyone who longs for fame, Isn’t it like injuring his own body? If there is anyone whose only interest is profit and gain, Isn’t it like dumping the oil on the karmic fire?”

Here is a verse for the one who longs for worldly fame: A wild goose flew away leaving only a footprint on the sand; A man has gone to the other world leaving only a name in the house.

Here is another verse for the one whose only interest is profit and gain: A bee was busy collecting honey From all the flowers in the garden. But who is the one that will enjoy the prize? International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 179

The laborer himself, or someone else?

If there is anyone who frets and injures his own body, It’s like carving a figure on the block of ice. It would not last long. If there is anyone who dumps oil on the karmic fire, It’s like burning dirty incense, or heating a vacant house.

60. People in the Last Era of the World

“The practitioner who is engrossed in fame and worldly means Is inferior even to a poor farmer in a tattered garment.” The reason the Buddha went into the snow mountain Renouncing the seat of King was to find the everlasting truth, The principle which will never change Even if thousands of Buddha are to appear.

The sheep in the skin of a tiger In the last era of the world are roaming around, Riding the fashion and the power of the time, Trying to win the favor of the world.

Beware! You will be a laughing stock of the people If you don’t stop chasing after the worldly fashion, Degrading yourself by playing a brown nose to the authority. Such examples abound, almost impossible to count.

61. Thieves in the Garment of a Practitioner

The Buddha said, You thieves! What is it? Committing all kinds of bad karmic practices In my garment and even in my name? 180 Young-eui Park (Translator): The Mirror of Seon (4)

There are numerous nicknames for the monk. In the last era of the world. A bat-monk and a dumb-goat-monk, Or a baldheaded-sage and a Hellish-leftover; They are the thieves in the garment of Buddha.

Alas! They are the ones who are, Denying the truth of cause-effect And the reality of sin and reward, Committing karmic practices with body and tongue, Arousing affection and hatred at the same time. These are the sins they are committing in the name of Buddha. Aren’t they truly deplorable?

“One who is neither a monk nor a layman, that man is a bat-monk; One who doesn’t testify truth, that man is a dumb-goat-monk; An empty bag with worldly mind, that man is a baldheaded-sage; One who doesn’t correct one’s sins, that man is a Hellish-leftover; One who manages one’s daily life in the name of Buddha, That man is a thief in the garment of Buddha.” All these nicknames derive from the thieves who are in the garment of Buddha.

62. Benefit of

“Ah! You, the followers of Buddha! A piece of your garment, a bowl of rice, They all come from the blood of the farmers, From the sweat of the female weavers. There is no way for the unawakened to understand.”

A quotation from the Record of Transmission of the Lamp: International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 181

Once there was an unawakened practitioner Who was reborn in the form of mushroom To repay his indebtedness to the benefactor.

63. Five Grains of Millet Seed

There is another saying: Do you know how a cow happened to have The furry hide and a horn on her forehead? It is because, in her former life, she misappropriated The offerings of the benefactors.

Some people take food when they are not hungry, Put on clothes when they are not cold. How could such a thing happen? They don’t seem to know that the present pleasure Is the pain in the next life.

A quotation from the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra: Because of five small grains of millet seed, A man was reborn in the form of a cow And had to work hard when alive And then gave her hide and meat for repayment. Misappropriation of offering is like an echo; It returns to its origination with interest on the principle.

64. The Sin of Misconduct

An ancient sage said, Hence even if you have to cover your body with a sheet of hot iron, Do not take the clothes offered by devotees. 182 Young-eui Park (Translator): The Mirror of Seon (4)

Even if you have to swallow fiery molten iron, Do not take the food offered by devotees. Even if you have to jump into a burning furnace, Do not take the house offered by devotees.

A quotation from the Brahamajala Sutra: One who has violated the vow should not take Anything that is offered by devotees. If one does not follow the warning, That man is committing the sin of misconduct.

65. The Poison and Alms

An ancient sage said, Hence practitioners should take food as if it were poison. Take offerings as if you were being hit by a poisoned arrow. Thus, beware of a sumptuous reception and pleasant words. “Taking food is like taking poison” Is to warn lest one should get lost; “Receiving the offering is like being hit by a poisoned arrow.” Is to warn lest one should lose the fruit of practice.

66. The Whetstone Life

An ancient sage said, Is a practitioner’s life that of a whetstone? Everyone, coming and going, is using it as if it were one’s own. They get their knives sharpened, but what about my life? It’s getting thinner every time.6 On the other hand, a certain practitioner complains

6 Sharpening the knife means cultivation of virtue and merit by offerings to the Buddha and monks. They will surely receive their reward but their offerings will be a heavy debt for the whetstone-monk. International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 183

That people are not using his stone. What this practitioner wants for all his life is Perhaps a warm and bellyfull easy life, not practicing himself.

67. Harder Life than Three Evil Ways

A quotation from an ancient sage: People think that the three evil ways are the world of hard life, But the real hard life is the life of a monk Who is not doing his proper duty. The ancient sage warns again, If you can’t attain enlightenment in this life, You won’t be able to drink a drop of water. What is the reason? It’s because he didn’t do his proper duty. Do you wish to be awakened? Do you wish to be awakened? Then strive! Strive hard!

68. A Piece of Thin Hide

“Isn’t it funny? What is this body? What are the things that come out of those nine outlets? Foul things! All kinds of tumors are under this thin skin of the body. What’s more, more foul things are inside the skin bag, Such as excrements, blood, all kinds of pus, etc. Are they all worth loving and craving for? Suppose you have nurtured them with kindly care all your life. What do you think is your reward when you come to die?”

All those karmas mentioned above derive from this unworthy body. When I said, “Isn’t it funny?” It was a warning. This body is, in fact, the source of all kinds of affection. 184 Young-eui Park (Translator): The Mirror of Seon (4)

If you once realize they are all delusions, All affections will recede by their own account. But there will be no end to mishaps and worries if you cling to them. This is my admonition and warning to open the eyes of the practitioners.

Comments: The body that is composed of four-elements has no master, wherefore four enemies rush in to betray themselves and then raise four serpents. Being ignorant of the impermanence of things, people get angry and slander one another among themselves. It is like ghosts fighting over a dead body. The dead body means that it is a mass of bubbles, dreams, sufferings, and excrement. It decays every moment, the most foul thing.

From the seven outlets in the upper part of body drip tears and snivels; from the lower part of body, flow out excrement and urine all the time. This is why we must keep our body clean before joining the assembly. Those who are untidy and unwholesome will be deserted by the friendly .

Cause and Effect Sutra warns: “Those who touch the sutra with dirty hand, or those who show tears and snivel in front of the Buddha will surely become maggots in the next life.” Manjusri Sutra also says, “One should not talk or make noise just like stones and trees; should not scrawl or draw pictures on the wall of the toilet; should not spit when one urinates or makes excrement. One should not also sit and meditate or enter the dharma hall before cleaning the body after returning from the toilet.

In the Book of Precept, it states: “Before entering the toilet, one should snap fingers downward three times to forewarn evil spirits of the toilet. One also should recite the following seven times each in silence: 1) “Om harodaya sabhaha” when entering the toilet. 2) “Om hanamarije sabhaha” when cleaning the anus with the ring International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 185

finger of the left hand with water from the bottle in the right hand. 3) “Om jugaraya sabhaha” when washing hands. 4) “Om siriye bahe sabhaha” when all the cleaning job is finished. 5) “Om bara noigadak sabhaha” when one promises to maintain the body clean.

These five mantras have great dignity and virtue. When all the evil spirits hear these mantras, they will meekly retract their evil hands. If anyone does not follow these rules, even cleaning the body like washing the diamond in the seven branches of the river until it wears out would not avail.

There is another warning in the Sutra: When cleaning the anus, one must use cold water, and when cleaning the hands, one must use the stone powder or the kaustic soda made from burnt wood. If one does not use such material, dirty element will remain in the hand, and if anyone observes prayer chanting or reads with such unwholesome hands, one is committing an evil doing. As cleaning the body after returning from the toilet is a part of daily life of the practitioners, with quotations from the sutra, I have enumerated, in brief, a list of rules.

69. Penitence

“Repent at once for your faults. Take shame upon yourself for your mistakes. That is the way of a valiant man. If you correct your fault and become a new man, Sins will recede according to your mind.”

Repentance is to reflect upon oneself to prevent its happening again. Taking shame upon oneself is to upbraid oneself And to reveal the shame, not hiding. If you follow my advice, 186 Young-eui Park (Translator): The Mirror of Seon (4)

There will be no foothold for the sins to gain. Why? Because mind is originally empty and serene.

60. An Honest Mind

“The practitioner of the Way should be just, simple, and upright. He should be free of all kinds of hindrances In a suit of tattered garment with a begging bowl Like a rustic rambling wayfarer.”

The Buddha said, The mind of a practitioner must be like Tight strings of a musical instrument, And such must be also the mind of Bodhi-. Thus one will be free of hindrance if one is not attached to one’s body. International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 187

Glossary (C=Chinese)

Brahamajala Sutra 梵網經 Cause and Effect Sutra 因緣經 Guifeng (C) 圭峯 Hongren (C) 弘忍 Huineng (C) 慧能 Huiyuan (C) 慧遠 Yanshou (C) 延壽

References Seok, Hyujeong Seonga Gwigam 禪家龜鑑. H. 7, 640b―43a. (Cheongheo Hyujeong) 1979 1984 Seonga Gwigam 禪家龜鑑. Korean trans. (with notes) Association of the Publications of Seon Studies. 2003a Seonga Gwigam 禪家龜鑑. Korean trans. (with annotations) Park, Jae-yang and Gyubeom Bae. 2003b Seonga Gwigam 禪家龜鑑. Korean trans. (with annotations) Park, Hyeon.