Address Correction Requested Return Postage Guaranteed \ Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage , PAID Permit #278 Providence. R I RI RY OINT '­ \ e- PUBLISHED BY THE KWAN·UM ZEN SCHOOL " 528 POUND ROAD, CUMBE�LAND, RI02864 (401) 769-6476 VOLUME 2" NUMBER 3 JULY 1985 ' think, "I am' bad,", then you have bad'. (This exchange of questions and answers 'Don't think that, don't be attached to "I which tookplace at Empty Gate Center ?en ,'TIllS UNIVERSE GIVES am bad." Just bring your attention back to in Berkeley in April 1984, is typical of Zen the question "What am I doing?" If you do Master Seung Sahn's teaching style.) a ·bad action or make a big mistake, and US you think, "I am bad," then that.bad never lot us a time to -EVERYTHING ' A of spend lot_of trying Q: disappears." get rid of our bad karma and just end u� The mistake was (made already, so how accumulating more karrna.. do. we make it correct? How to make it correct is a very important point. Don't be SSN: Is karma good or bad? Karma is not 'attached to bad; and soon return to "What good, not bad. If you don't like karma, am'! doing now?" If you do a bad action to then take away your mind and all karma 'someone, say "I am sorry." Then it is all will All karma is from disappear. your finished, Understand? mind. If your mind disappears, your karma Someone told 'me, this story, A man and will disappear. That's the point. When his girlfriend decided to do something to­ mind and k�rma both become empty, that ' gether. In the daytime he wenrtothe office is returning to your true self. and was working' very hard. Time passed. But if I have bad karma, how can. I make He forgot to meet his girlfriend. She was it function correctly? How can I not be at- , very angry. How could he explain so that tached to my bad karma? By helping other his girlfriend would feel good? people. In Korea there is 'a man like Robin 'Someone suggested that he say, "I was so Hood. He' does many bad actions, takes busy I forgot." Or,,"I didn't feel so good, .money and gives it to poor people. So this is so, I didn't go.'! When you are in a situa­ bad action, but hol.v does-it function? Even ' tion like this, many opinions occur to you. if you have pad karma, it it's not for you' You check how your mind was at that time. but, for other people, it becomes good Zen .means don't check your past mind'. karma. Likewise, good karma which is only ' Never check that. Only go straight. Already becomes bact for you , karma. you made a mistake, so you go to yourgirl­ or So it's how -- very important your good ..... friend and say, "I' am sorry, I made a bad karma functions. So don't be attached .mistake. If You don't like me, then kill'me, to it, don't check whether 'you .have good please." She will rrot kill you. But first; you karma or.bad karma.You have karma, so have to'make everything correct, then there how you use.it is very important. The cor- ' , is no good bad. rect function means only helping ether '�nd .� �'l;�!;h ,�;;t: � • � people; making other people-Happy. 'Then r 0': So what you are saying is, we are all it's ok., bound by the law of karma and it's better Once a.man hadvery good music -karma, , , to give thanto receive. That-is very-wonderful, but he used it for bad action: The music was so beautiful that , SSN: Don't 'check on giving and receiving, people would lose consciousness, then an­ .just DO IT! (laughs) Just Do It! is very other man-would take their money. That is important. If you love somebody, then only, using good karma and making' bad action. love is enough. Don't check; If you are So-bad karma is ok. How dp you use it? checking, that's like saying, 'when you like How can 'y�u make it function' correctly? ' somebody, "I love you, why don't you love: Everybody has karma, and any karma is me?"-that's not love. Love is uncondi­ ok. The correct function of karma 'is very tional. as Only giving, only giving, just this _ important.' .' this 'us " earth, universe, gives everything. �. , Every day we breathe 'in, breathe out. do Q: Where good karma and , b<t�'�karllla � Nobody pays money for that. Living in this arise from? ,- � world, food is very important, clothes are :;;: very important, a house is very important. SSN: Good arid bad.' have no self nature. § For all these things we must pay money, If You make the category "good," "so you � for only ten minutes you do not breathe, have good. You make the category "bad," � iyou die. But no one says "THank you very so have bad. Zen is about not 'you practice � much" for their air. making "good" and J'bad." When you, <; ..,. what is face? If "" - .practice, your original you Continued on next page to develop 'Our vision through the organizational struc- portunities - SCHOOL CONGRESS ture 'Of the sch'O'Ol.' . ': This weekend marks 'One 'Of the four prinicipal ceremonies in the - Sch'O'OI, namely, the birthday 'Of 'Our teacher and founder 'Of the JULY 26-28 AND-ZEN Kwan Urn Zen Sch'O'OI, Zen Master Seung Sahn. The ceremony, which will be held Saturday evening, will feature tributes from stu­ dents representing 'the various Zel! centers as well as 'others whose ". lives he has touched 'Over the almost 14 since he came to the '-MASTER SElJNG SAHN'S'. years United States. Following the ceremony will be a party. On-Sunday morning directly .after b'OWS (instead, 'Of the after­ ·BIRTHDAY CEREMONY noon as 'Originally planned), there will be a Precepts Ceremony for . those taking the Five 'Or Ten Precepts, and Tradition- ; , Bodhisattva The Annual Kwan Urn Zen School will be held � Thi;d Congress - ',. al M'Onk''S V'OWS. _ at the Providence Zen Center 'Over the weekend of July 26-28'. Members and friends from all 'Of the Zen centers and affiliates, m­ The oldest living Zen Master in' the eluding such .faraway places as Brazil; Spain and 'Korea, will be Zen Master world, Hae Am Su Nim, died at the age coming to add their energy-and wisdom t'O the common direction of 100 in May at Sudoksah temple in where he had been the Zen 'Of the Sch'O'OI, which is "to understand 'Ourselves and save all, Korea, .Hae Am Master since 1956. Over 5,000 people at- beings from suffering." , <tended the funeral ceremonies "On May will be discussion and 'On Zen in its . There workshops practice ,23, for new Dharma and many aspects, training old.and teachers, 'OP- (1�86-1985) Continued on next page A •.•••••• ••• •••••• •• Wi.nter S.olo, part two .- 3 Poetry of Stephen Mitcbell _. '� 6 � IN THIS ISSUE" " The Dharma Poland •.••••••••• 4 •••••••••• ...... In �. Engaged Buddbism ': 7 f - • I PAGE 2 PRIMARY POINT JULY 1985 Anytime you do not believe in love, you, This Universe die. What is your life? The whole universe gives is only giving, giving to you. We call that love. It has no condition. So us unconditional Everything you must also give to this universe. Loving and helping this universe is necessary. Don't make atom don'r kill ani­ Continuedfrom page I bombs, mals, don't pollute the air or anything . ...Many people have seen the movie, "Never Cry Wolf." Human beings never The universe always gives usthis air. This understand their correct situation. Human air has no hindrance, it connects with beings are the number one bad animal. We everybody, not-just human beings. The air have destroyed much of nature, air, water connects with trees and animals and sky. and trees. Then we say we want 'world Wi are all connected by this breathing in, peace, Not possible. That is, number one breathing 'out. When you sleep, when stupid! you're awake, whether you have good thinking or bad thinking, you breathe in and breathe out. Always. If you stop, you Even you have bad die. So this much is given to you, this air. if This i� love mind. Think about it. karma, if it's not for you Also, i"(we had no sun, we would die. If but for other it we exploded all the missiles that Russia and people, America have, a cloud would cover the becomes good karma. e earth , No sun, could penetrate this cloud. The earth would grow cold-then what? Everything would die: So this sunlight is but no one "Thank very important, says, So that is not so good. Human beings sun." you very much, must just now WAKE UP:-that is impor­ tant. If we do not wake up, we.cannot con­ NIM PRESENTED WITH A WORLD PEACE. SOEN SA . tinue this human world, ok? It will' soon AWAJU> at the Hyatt Hotel in Soeul, Korea on May 13, in ceremonies'attended time not be­ disappear. Any you ao by thousands. The occasion, was the Peaceful Cultural Reunification Festival, the _...' Men' Culture lieve in .. Asian Peace Art Festival, and the convention of of for World Peace" love, you die Q: If all the animals in the world can exist with the support of the government of the Republic of Korea and sponsored by the in peace without human beings, then why International Cultural Federation.