15. 2002 International Open Zen Conference in Haeunjeong-sa

[Ascending the high rostrum, and hitting the table with the Zen staff once.]

Heaven, earth and I have the same root,

Ten thousand things and I are one body.

Though this may be true, there is still one more barrier to pass.

[Hitting the table with the Zen staff once again.]

During spring all things are born, summer is a time of growth, autumn is the season together, and the winter is for putting all things in good order.

Lack of wisdom causes many to lead a life of poverty,

When the horse is thin, it’s hair is long.

If you say that Zen is just Zen, then this is just like piling more shit on top of shit. If you say that Zen is not just Zen, then you will receive thirty blows from this stick.

What can you do?

In a big furnace, the finest gold is molten metal,

On a clear pond the moon’s reflection is bright.

All Sangha members:

For enjoying success and happiness world after world, life after life, you should stay in search of your true self in every day life, when awake or asleep, keeping the hwadu (word-head, before speech), 'What was my original face before I was born by my parents?’ Asking this great question, you should work to attain one mindedness with all your strength in the midst of doubt. There are many different ways to practice meditation, but the way to cut through obstacles and attain enlightenment correctly is the ‘Live Word’ Zen method. If everyone would practice the hwadu in the midst of their every day lives, then it would be possible to sit down only just once and get up as a Buddha!

The true beauty of hwadu Zen lies in penetrating one word of a thousand teacher’s foreheads. If this is accomplished then you can rub shoulders with the one-thousand eminent teachers and rest in the knowledge of your great Nirvana in the future. If you attain the Great Enlightenment, though you may be born again in thousands of lives through millions of years you will never lose your bright discerning eye and will always function freely.

This Zen meditation developing the highest wisdom should be practiced by all Sangha members in every day life in order to find great wisdom, and get happiness and distinction.

During the Tsang Dynasty in China, Joju Zen Master left his home before he was even ten years old, went to a hermitage, cut his hair, and became a novice very soon.

The senior monk who lived in the hermitage prided himself on having been a good monk, but when he tried to teach the young Joju, he soon realized that this student’s wisdom was already beyond his abilities.

At that time the famous teacher and great Master Nam Cheon was living in China. The young novice Joju went to the place of the great Master Nam Cheon in order to request instruction. The novice entered the Master’s room, and the Master asked him:

“Where are you coming from?”  

“From Seo Sang Won” replied the novice.

“Since you came from Seo Sang Won, did you view the holy image there?”

“I did not see the holy image, but I saw a reclining Buddha”, said Joju.

The great Master Nam Cheon suddenly got up from his seat and asked:

“Are you a novice with a Master, or a novice without one?”

“I have a Master.” replied the novice.

"What is the novice with a Master?” asked Nam Cheon.

"Zen Master, since the winter is still cold please take good care of your body." answered Joju. Hearing this wonderful reply, Nam Cheon called the Temple House-Master and said: "Take care and give this novice a bright and clean room."

Sangha members! From where did this novice’s wonderful answer so easily appear?  In the true light of Buddha’s Dharma if you see your nature and open your wisdom eye, it will be bright eternally.

(After a pause)

In the question there is an answer,

and in the answer there is a question.

At that time in the place where Nam Cheon Do In stayed, there were about six or seven hundred Sangha members who had gathered to practice Zen. One day, the monks of the Eastern and Western halls were arguing over a cat. A loud dispute occurred as the monks argued over who the cat belonged to. Master Nam Cheon asked his attendant to ring the bell. When all the people in the temple were gathered, he proceeded to go up on the high rostrum.

He then asked the attendant to bring him the cat and a knife. Holding up the cat in one hand and the knife in another he shouted: “Because of this cat you have all been fighting. You! Give me one word and I will save this cat. If nobody can I will kill it.”

“Quickly! Give me one word!” Three times he asked but nobody could answer. Of all the seven hundred Sangha members assembled there, not one could understand his true meaning. Finally, Nam Cheon cut the cat in two and returned to his room.

In the evening, when Joju returned from outside the temple, Nam Cheon told him of the incident. “If you had been there, what could you have done?” he asked him. Joju took off his shoes, put them on his head and walked away.

Sangha members! Do you understand? What is Nam Cheon’s true meaning? What is the meaning of Joju putting his shoes on his head and walking away?

(After a pause)

The peace of the world  is realized by the general,

But the general is not allowed to enjoy the peace of the world.

Cheong Won Haeng Sa was the best disciple of the Sixth Patriarch. Seok Du was a monk who had practiced for many years while taking care of Cheong Won Zen Master in his Assembly.

One day Cheong Won Zen Master called Seok Du to his room and gave him a letter saying:

“Give this to Nam Ak Hae Yang Zen Master, and when you return I will give you a dull axe which you can take to another mountain to make your own.”

Seok Du left and went to Hae Yang Zen Master’s place where he gave the Master three formal prostrations. Quickly, he asked the Master,

“How is it when one does not serve any Buddhas nor take any interest in the salvation of one’s own soul?” Hae Yang Zen Master replied:

“Why is it that you ask the deepest question only, not asking the normal inquiry?”

Seok Du said: “For millions of years while deep in the ocean of life and death I could not find the liberation of all the Patriarchs.”

After Seok Du said this, Hae Yang Zen Master sat the other way round.

If I had been Hae Yang Zen Master at that time, I would rather have not sat the other way round, but would have said to the monk:

“Venerable Sir! Take up a plank of wood and go see all lands under heaven!”

Seok Du soon went back to his temple and, addressing Cheong Won Zen Master:

“I have returned, Sir.” The the Zen Master said:

“Did you deliver the letter?” Seok Du then spoke:

“Not only could I not deliver it, but I also could not ‘pass the faith’.”

Then he said: “Zen Master, you told me that when I returned you would give me an axe and send me to a different mountain. Please, Sir, give me the axe.”

At this Cheong Won Zen Master stretched out his leg, and while he held up one foot Seok Du prostrated himself.

Sangha members! ‘Give me the axe, please!’ Why did Cheong Won raise up one foot at this? If there is someone here who understands clearly, I will give him my staff. Do you understand the action of Cheong Won Zen Master and Venerable Seok Du?

(After a pause)

The highest truth and the lowest truth can both be used freely,

In heaven above and on the earth below this one is unsurpassed.

[Hitting the table with the Zen staff one time, the Master descends from the high rostrum.]

[the 20th of October, 2002]

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