Won Buddhism of Manhattan

Let us renew ourselves with our wise mind in the manner of a sage.

As we enter New Year of 2010, Wonki 95, the 95th year of Won-Buddhism, it is my sincere wish and prayer that you be fully protected and blessed by the Dharmakaya Buddha Fourfold Grace. Throughout the year, may this grace shine always on all dharma friends and families, on all humanity, and all sentient beings.

In the last year, we experienced difficulty and suffering on account of a worldwide economic crisis and the threat of swine flu. I hope this will show us that suffering originates in our material greed and selfishness. However, I am grateful that we also take these challenges as a lesson to remind us of the preciousness and interconnectedness of life.

When I see the many conflicts in our world, all caused by lack of understanding and thoughtfulness, my heart feels heavy. However, I take hope because there are leaders and citizens who are concerned about social justice and morality.

Over the last year in our Won-Buddhism community, we began gathering wise and creative ideas for the Won-Buddhism Centennial celebration project. Also, ordained and lay practitioners reinforced their dharma spirits through outreach work in the fields of missions, education, and charity. Our Sangha shines more brightly because so many sincere lay practitioners have reached higher dharma stages through their practice and outreach work.

In our world, there are still many conflicts and crises, which are rooted in materialism and our neglect of a spiritual life. So, our society urgently needs a stronger morality, and based on that, more ethical deeds. This can happen, if we open ourselves to the true spirit, which will allow us to live a life full of gratitude and mutual support. This is the goal that Grate Master. Sotaesan envisioned, and this will be the basis for creating a paradise in this world.

At the beginning of this New Year, I invite you to resolve to be more aware of the wise mind, the mind of a wise person or sage, and to live by it. Let me introduce three ways to connect ourselves to this wise mind.

First, from time to time, let us reflect on our empty mind as pure consciousness.

The founding master, Ven. Sotaesan said, "Work hard to gain the dharma realm of empty space, which is formless." Master Chongsan, the second head dharma master said, "Regulate yourself, your family, and your country with an empty mind that is pure consciousness. Treat your friends and all fellow beings with this empty (pure) mind."

Our mind is originally pure and empty, so it does not abide anywhere. In other words, our original mind is perfect and complete, impartial and selfless. This is the mind of Buddha. The dharma realm of empty space is ours if we utilize this empty mind. By doing so, we will create a life of harmony for our individual selves, our family, and all fellow beings. Leaders, too, can lead countries in harmony if they act with awareness of this dharma realm of empty space.

So, let us exert ourselves to keep and utilize this empty original mind as a spiritual resource to maintain our boundless life. At the same time, let us do our best to guide others toward an enriched and greater life, not bound only to self.

Second, live like a true master, a true owner, no matter what we do and no matter where we are.

All we living beings are noble. As the Buddha said, and as we may say of our own buddha nature, "I alone am honored." There are many treasures and valuables in the world, but they are useless if we are not aware of the value of our true and honorable being. May we search for the noble and honorable "I" and live as the master of our lives.

The true master lives with much passion and has a sense of ownership and personal responsibility in all circumstances. When facing challenges and bad situations, such a person will transform conditions without blaming others. Such masters are not caught by short-sighted benefits, but rather envision the future, and consider the triple worlds in the ten directions as their own true home.

True masters do not carry an ego-sign that they are in charge. Instead they treat others as their masters. The world is looking for such people who will work as selfless masters and acknowledge their own responsibilities. May we all become such selfless masters that we return the graces we have received.

Third, let us cultivate a spirit of gratitude, no matter what we do.

In our work, we face many different tasks and changing conditions, and according to the outcomes, we may become happy or unhappy. However, the worth and value of being able to work is incomparable.

Master Sotaesan said, "Sentient beings seem smart when they focus solely on their own concerns, but ultimately they end up injuring themselves. Buddhas and Boddhisttvas seem foolish because they do things only for others, but ultimately they do end up benefiting themselves." This message tells us to let grace spring forth and fill the world with gratitude as we engage in numerous and different works.

When our spirit of gratitude dries up, our community and the world function badly and become miserable. But, if we produce grace and let the spirit of gratitude flow freely, we will have a happier self, family, society, and nation. And the world will become a grand paradise.

May whatever we do be beneficial to others. May not only the outcome, but also each aspect of our endeavors, be fair and just. In this way, may we produce grace, and therefore renew ourselves with the spirit of the sages.

Our founding dharma master, Sotaesan, said, "It is crucial that you transmit my dharma to posterity by writing it down and explaining it orally. However, it is even more important to ensure that, by practicing it with your bodies and realizing it with your minds, this dharma lineage is never severed. If you practice accordingly, the merit will be incalculable."

In this New Year, it is my wish that we live up to this message. We must become sages who make great changes in this world by recovering our original true mind, by becoming the masters and true owners of whatever we do, thereby creating a more grateful and harmonious world.

New Year's Day of 2010, Wonki 95

Ven. Kyongsan, Head Dharma Master of Won-Buddhism