Vol-3-No-9 by Seonghwan Yu

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CONTENTS

Editorial

...... I

A View of Oriental Religions on Women by Dr. Pal Khn Chon

Maitreya Belief of Korea by Dr. Sam-yong Kim

The Influence of Won Buddhism upon Korean Society by Dr. Byung-du.k Yoo

"Ox-herding" Represented in the Canonical Textbook of Won Buddhism

byDr.Ki-dooHan.

.....

WON BUDDHISM On Symbol and Il-Won-Sang

byProf.Kyung-chonSuh

Published by: Research Institute for Overseas Missions

Iri

Won Kwang UniversitY City, Cholla Pukdo, Korea

On the Law of

Causation

NewsCorner

.....22

..29

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VOL.

The Great Mastersaid, "An ordinary man, if he has worries and anxieties, tries to ged rid of them. Once free from them, however, he causes himself to worry again, and the cycle never cease."

From "Short Sayings" in the Canonical Textbook of Won Buddhism

III NO.9

WON BUDDHISM

1983

EDITORIAL Sacrificed Human Dignity by the Soviet Communist September 1 of 1983 has seen the most tragic and unconceivable accident in human history. The ill-fated Korean Air Lines passenger jetliner was shot down by a Soviet fighter. How barbarous and brutal ! Never did we dream such a violent act in the civilized society of the 20th century. So shocking was the news that no one would beiieve when the earliest news of KAL tragedy was reported. The Soviet claimed they could not but shoot down the jetliner because a Korean airliner had been found violating their territorial air space. But, can the mere fact of trespassing other nation's territory be such a grave violation which deserve death? In civilized countries, straying off course is not recognized as a capital crime, worth penalty by death. Even if the KAL iet had been loaded with spying devices and had deliberately entered Soviet air space, shooting down an unarmed civilian passenger plane without warning can hardly be understood. How could it happen? Who repays those who fell a prey to the cold-blooded massacre in the air? The Soviet act is an open challenge to all human beings and the whole world: Now the international opinion leads a chorus of condemnation of the Soviet action, with the title of "Murder in the Air," "Massacre in the Sky,"

All communications should be address to Miss Pal Khn Chon Director, Ouerseas Missions

Won Buddhism

Won Kwang Uniuersity

Korea

"i\tlid-air Murder by the Reds" in their presses. To be frank, we cannot help feeling that our innocent KAL and 269 people were sacrificed as a scapegoat in superpowers' Cold War. As well demonstrated in other countries such as Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iran and many south American Nations, it is clear and noticeable that weak nations were aiways victimized for the superpowers' interests in every case. The tragedy has taught us many lessons. If it had been an American plane, the Soviets would not have done what they did. But it happened to be a South Korean plane. The fact hints to us a great meaning. In the age of Cold War, a minor power suffered sadness and defeat. The KAL tragedy and Soviet Union's brazen reaction bear eloquent witness to what the reality of current world politics is like. Be strong, or you would suffer humiliation even inclusive of death, by unjust power. That is the metaphysics of the

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Cold War. 68 years ago, the Great Master Sotaesan, founder of Won Buddhism, declared the dignity of human being with the slogan "As material civilization develops, cultivate spiritual civilization accordingly." All other religions in the world also put their much emphasis on human itself than any other thing such as material, power, benefit and so on. Suppose the world in which all the cry for human dignity, human rights, spirituality rather than blind materialism, and the realization of paradise and peace only come to empty words owing to the trend of power-oriented world. Who can survive? Only mutual suicides can exist. A society which is lacking religion is very dangerous. The Soviet Union is a good example, even if Russia was once a religious country-as religious as any country. In the Soviet Union now people, there seems to be no bright future for religion. The Great Master said, "The world in the past was immature and dark; men of power and knowledge were able to live through forceful ettortion. The coming world, however, is sagacious and bright. Even those of high rank will never be able to extort things from the weak." But still is the real case of the world politics far away from this saying of the Great Master. Especially communist countries still often resort to only struggle or terrorism, the conspicuous qualities of the past dark age. The world has become one: it has come so much closer together that local traditions and exteme nationalism cannot continue now. No one is rooted in his local culture now. We have created atomic weapons for the first time simultaneously. Now there are two alternatives: either we will have to learn to live together or we will die together. With atomic war threatening, there seems to be no more time left for the future. The whole planet may be destroyed by the reckless use of it by superpowers. Most of the countries in the world, of course, including communist, believe in materialism. But it

reaches the top. America needs more and more psychologists and psychoanalysis now. The necessity for religion curing our spiritual ailment is increasing day by day. I hope the news about the brutal shooting down of the KAL passenger liner by the Soviet fighter plane would not fade out of the mass media. We and all peace-loving countries should be concerned not only with the ill fate of the downed people but also the prospect of international peace and security. For the 269 victims eventually not to be executed in t ain, we should devote ourselves to the cause of world peace, making every effort to switch the present life-disregarding world to the paradise of fully appreciated and recognized hurnan dignity.

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A View of Oriental Religions on Women Mainly the views of women in Buddhism, confucianism, and Won Buddhism

The following three articles were presented at the 31th International Congress of Human Sciences in Asia and North Africa between August 31 and September 7,1983, in Tokyo and Kyodo, Japan. by

Dr. Pal-Khn, Chon

Preface

As there are two essences of Ying and Yang in the Universe, it is natural that human beings consist of two sexes. However, the treatment of the two has been unequal: Women have been suffering from inequality in various aspects. This report intends to consider the view of women in oriental. religions, mainly Buddhism, confucianism, and won Buddhism.

2. Buddhist View of Women Buddhist view of Women means Buddha's view of Women. Therefore it is natural to survey it from his preachings. First, Sakyamuni Buddha did not seem to intend to alter any of the traditional views of women, that is, a man is superior to a woman which has come down from the ancient Indian society. Generally the thought of the superiority of a man to a woman has heen dominant in the ancient Indian society, and the Hindi view of woman also may be included. Buddha did not intend to renovate greatly the traditional family system of paterfamilias or mancentered tradition to make a society in which a man and a woman was treated equally. He taught people to value the social order in their lives, to learn and practice the Way and to have a peaceful life through religious faith. Second, Buddha instructed women to keep their position and to perform their duties through the religious faith. According to the Buddha's preaching to Sattabhariya it is said that Buddha preached to Yu-Jha that women ought to have five good behaviours (manners): One, a woman should be like a mother to her husband, second, a woman should be like a subject to her husband, third, a woman should be like a sister, fourth, a woman should serve her husband like a servant, fifth, a woman should do her cluty as a wife. These teachings show clearly that Buddha wanted women to do their best to

689 68E WON BUDDHISM 5

4 WON BWDHISM Buddha inserve their husband and to manage her home harmoniously' life in pertheir of values and worth dicates women should try to find out the forming first of all her duties as women' practice Third, Buddha encouraged women to continue their Buddhist showed but while carrying out faithfully her domestic life, as lay followers, According priesthood' unwillingness and hesitation toward women entering law) it is said to Volum eZg,the Mahisasaka Vinava, (or five divisions of the of comrules (the complete that "when a woman pleaded to have kusuma it' no learn mandments to be a buddhist nun), Buddha said, you will never From nun'" Buddhas so far had admitted a woman to become a Buddhist priesthood but entering women against only not was Buddha the fact that a woman as a also mentioned that no buddha from ancient times accepted Namebuddhist nun, we can perceive an aspect of Buddha's view of women' nun' Buddhist a ly, Buddha regarded women to be too inadequate to become Buddha One, Buddha's determinations can be considered from two sides: lives make it might think that a woman's karma (deeds) in her many former about worried have very difficult to attain Buddhahood; two, Buddha might among affairs love the possibility of troubles in his order caused from some in Chu Bhiksu and Bhiksuni. These Buddhas's concerns are well shown to all said "Buddha Ch'an Sutra (the Sutra of Forty-two Chapters), that is, you when woman' Sramana (Ascetics of all kinds), restrain from looking at a keep them, you speak to look at them, restrain from speaking to them, when you, I say, ascetics of all For conduct. right the keep and your mind straight flower i.ind., in this i,ipu.e world, you ought to keep yourself like a lotus Buddha that which never becomes stained in dirt." From this, we are aware stray from the earnestly instructed the Sramana (Ascetics of all kinds) not to Buddha, them' Way bi passion toward women caused by looking at a number of times however, iinally accepted the entreaties made by Ananda or fosterfor entering the guadnist order of Mahaprajapati, Buddha's aunt gave 348 them mother. Bhiksuni appeared from this admittance' Buddha (the First rules including the Eight Parajika and the Yimatisamudghatin as twice Eight of Ten do*-u,dments), which were more strict and almost make a to said was the number of rules given to Bhiksu. Besides, Buddha years would suggestion that the Right Law which might last for a thousand In the Bhiksuni' be shorten for five hundred years due to the appearance of of the some from following Eight Parajika and the vimatisamudghatin, or given to other Commandmen[s in kusuma (the Complete Commandments) more grasped Bhiksuni, the view on women in ancient Indian society can be The Eight Parajik a are as follows: (1) Refrain from committing

clearly.

adultery. (2) Refrain from stealing. (3) Refrain from killing others. (4) Refrain from telling a lie. (5) Refrain from touching the lustful man. (6) Refrain from committing the eight crimes along with the lustful man. (7) Refrain from hiding the other Bhiksuni committing one of the eight Parajika. (8) Refrain from following the Bhiksuni expelled from the Order. And here are the Vimatisamundghatin; (1) a Bhiksuni of one hundred years old ought to make a bow to the ten-year-old bhiksu receiving Sila (Buddhist Commandments) for the first time. (2) Refrain from scolding a bhiksu (Buddhist monk). (3) Refrain from commenting on the faults and sins of monks. (4) Never fail to receive Kusuma (Buddhist Commandments containinS 250 articles for monks, 348 for nuns) from a monk of great virtue. (5) When Bhiksuni committed a crime, she ought to make a confession to a monk. (6) Bhiksuni must receive teachings from a monk every forteenth of the month. (7) Practice Varsa of Varsavasana (Tranquil dwelling) following after Bhiksu. (8) Bhiksuni ought to practice Pravarana (the ceremony of confessing one's sins on the last day of Varsa) before bhinksu and bhiksuni. (9) After receiving commandments, bhiksuni must obtain the authorization from buiksu on the very day. (10) Never practice Varsavasana apart from bhiksu practicing Varsavasana. Even After Buddha's Nirvana, women have been regarded as an object of some obstacles in practicing ascetic practices in the order. Due to the presence of Bhiksuni, we can see the effort of the order to prevent the degradation of monks and maintain the stability of Buddhism by placing many restrictions on the Bhiksuni.

3. Confucian View of lVomen The Confucian view of women can be found mainly in the Confucian Analects and the Book of Primary Learning. Confucius referred to women in Chapter Yang-Ho in the Confucian Aalects as follows: "Of all people, women and narrow-minded men are the most difficult to treat. If you are

familiar with them, they lose their humility. If you maintain a reserve towards them, they are discontented. " In short, it says that it is very difficult to treat a woman as well as an narrow-minded man. Once they are treated intimately they become insolent, being kept at a distance, they cherish grudges. This shows that women were treated on the same level of a narrow-minded man. And also women from ancient times, born either in a higher class or in lower class, was expected to be humble. Women in ancient

times rarely had their own name, being expected to call themselves in a modest way. In Chapter Ke-She in Confucian Analects this may be

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Zan (a recogrizable; "The Wife of the ruler of a state is called by him Fu people of The (the immatured). *itelmaaam). She calls herself Hsiao T'ung people to the and, Lord) (Madam the of the state call her CHUN FU ZAN vitue)' of other states, they catl her 'K'WA HSIAO CHUN (Madam of less Zan." Fu The people of other states also call her chun The Confucian words in the Book of Primary Learning also tell us his basic view of women. He preached the three obediences that women should and be obedient to parents in her childhood, to her husband after marriage, and women of evils to her son in her old age. He also preached the seven home; husband's her leave should if women committed one of them, they jealous, if she that is, a woman must leave if she can not bear a child, if she is not obey her does if she has a bad disease, if she is talkative too much, a woman Besides, steals' she parents-in-1aw, if she commits adultry, or if could not and husband her with clared not share a dress-hanger or a bathtub in the we learn also And him. keep her clothes in the same wardrobe with In women. upon forced rules same book that there were some more strict her for chastity her keeping the past, a widow should remain unmarried, deceased husband. Not to remarry was a virtue for women' Even in Korea law under the same cultural zone, remarriage was forbidden by the national unacwere women remarried from the beginning of the Yi dynasty. The view cepted socia[y andlven her children were ill treated. Such a Confucian pre-confucian In himself. of women is not any specific view of confucius period of China, th; thought of superiority of man to woman was rather ,trong.r. It may be said that Confucius just admitted or accepted the existent view of women in the period without trying to renovate it' Besides, the view of women expressed in the "Thought of Change," in the explanatory diagram of Ying and Yang and in the philosophy of Nature Yang and Reason belongs to the same zote, in whicfi men were expressed as Women' earth' explessing which symboliz.. h.ur.ns and woman as Ying of even to ttris day, have been regarded as subordinate to men. Such a view within area the upon women in Confucianism has been strongly influential the Chinese cultural zone-

4. Won Buddhist View of Women The Won Buddhist view of women will be found in both the Cannonical Textbook of Won Buddhism and the Won Buddhist systems. But,'for this paper, we are going to study it from the Textbook. First, in Won Buddhism men and *orr., ui. ..gurded as the same and equal in its original nature

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and are treated equally. Won Buddhism believes in Won Dharma Buddha (symbolized in the Circle) as the object of the faith and the standard of practice. Il-Won, that is, one circle, which symbolizes well the source of the all beings in the universe, the mind seals of all Buddhas and sages and the

original nature of all living beings, basically proves well the principle of equality. Therefore Won Buddhism teaches people to recognize andpractice

the principle that every one, either lay men or women, or, bhiksuni are originaly equal. Second, In practicing the two chapters of "the Grace of Parents" and "the Grace of Brethren" of the Four Graces in the Textbook there is no discrimination between men and women to requite the graces. And also there is no discrimination between men and women to be requited for what they did and how much they did for the benefit of others. Men and women will be equally requited according to the degree of their beneficial deeds for others. Third, the chapter of "The Cultivation of Self-Ability" which aims at the equality of life of all the human race, present more clearly and concretely how to solve the problems of women. The articles of "the Dependent upon Others in the Past" which are the diseased symptoms in the past society, pointed out the following: "Women depended on parents when young, on husbands after marriage, and on sons and daughters when old. Llnlike men, they were uneducated, owing to unequal rights among men and women; they did not have rights in society nor had they the right to inherit property, and even their minds and bodies were so restricted that they could not behave on their own accord." All these unreasonable problems to a woman in the past are not only pointed out but also are explained clearly and it is shown how to solve these problems in "The Articles Recommended by Those Living on Self-Ability to Those Who Would Depend on Others." that is, "(1) Parents should divide their inheritance equally and indiscriminately among their children, the second son and daughters as weli as the first one, except in the case of one who is unable to keep the property. (2) After marriage the financial life should be managed indenendently; husband and wife should not indulge in love only, but should make it the principle goal to fulfill their duties and obligations. (3) All other affairs should be managed in accordance with the cases involved and the law. Men and women should not be discriminated between, as in the past, but they should be treated well in accordance with what they do." And also the following two articles are included in the Articles of Self-Ability. (1) Women, like men, should be educated enough so that they can work in society. (2) Men and women should work diligently at their occupations so that they may live comfortably. They must be equal in the performance of their duties and obligations to family and na-

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tion. And the article, "The Wise Man First" of the Four Essentials indicates if one in any situation wants to learn, one ought not to be attached to any uneasonable system of discrimination as in the past but ought to regard men or women as one's own teachers to fulfil what one aims at. The unreasonable system of discrimination in the past is expressed as follows in the Cannonical Textbook: (1) Discrimination between men of nobility and the peasantry (2)

Discrimination between a legitimate child and an illegitimate one (3) Discrirnination between the aged and the young (4) Discrimination between men and women (5) Discrimination between races and nationalities. And also, the thirty precepts, or the thirty commandments, in the Canonical Textbook of Won Buddhism show no discrimination between men and women; they are same in their number and in their strictness. This proves that the thirty precepts were made under the principle that the original nature of men and women aie same. In conclusion, in the Textbook of Won Buddhism there is not a word which suggests the discrimination between men and women. There is only one comparison made by Venerable Sotaesan, the founder of Won Buddhism, "Males generally are generous but seem to be insincere and lacking in steadiness, which is their demerit. On the other hand females are generally scrupulous but are also single-minded and lack leniency, which is their demerit." Such a view of women is completely revolutionary in comparison with the traditional view of other religions. Won Buddhism has been practicing this view of women in and out of the order.

Maitreya belief of Korea by

Dr. Sam-Yong, Kirn

I These days, we can often see a Buddhist idol made of stone in a mountain district or plain of Korea, and we call it Lord Maitreya. This shows a characteristic, that is, they have made Maitreya as a stone statue according to the religious principle which means that Lord Maitreya will call itself into existence in this world at a much later day. We, however, can think this means that Maitreya belief has taken a deep root into the masses since old times.

Meanwhile, we can think this tells us that we have believed Lord Maitreya will descend in our country in the near future, attain Buddhahoodand attain Maitreya's three-sermons in Korea because Lord Maitreya has been most closely related with Korea. That is, the following facts can back the above Jin-Pyo Yul-Sa's building three temples, i.e. Keum-San Temple, Beob-Ju Temple, Bal-Yeon Temple one by one, in that Maitreya would appear in The Shilla Dynasty and preach three times in the future. And they built Ik-San Maitreya Temple as Maitreya three-time sermon temple in the Baek-Je Dynasty. Like this, when the Maitreya belief took a deep root in the general populace, the old religion about a dragon had a close relation with the Maitreya belief. That is, the word for dragon was 'Miri' in Korea. Because the tone of 'Miri' has resembled closeiy Maitreya, 'Miri' belief has been sublimed and developeci as the Maitreya belief. And so they have thought that the world of Maitreya was the world of Miri. With these relations, Maitreya belief thought by Korean is as not a Bodhisattva from India but as a Korean national belief from the Three Dynasties Period. And so, these days, not only this Maitreya belief has been penetrated into the physiology of Korean religion but also Maitreya belief has ben thought to attain the Yong Hwa Miri Order of the Buddhism world, the eternal ideal world on earth.

We will trv to investigate the historical position and development of Korean Maitreya belief.

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II Maitreya belief was introduced into Korea in the Three Dynasties Period.

We must give attention to the fact ail the Three Dynasties accepted the Maitreya belief, along with Buddhism. From this trend, we cannot overlook the historical position of Korean Maitreya belief in that the Shilla and BaekJe Dynasty developed more peculiar Maitreya belief than that which was also prevalent in China at the same period. Koguryo Dynasty's Maitreya belief was the one which was confused with the Amitabha Sukkavati belief and which could be said to resemble the religious type of Northern Wi's Buddhism. Maitreya belief of the Shilla, however, can be studied in the relation with Hwa-Rang. In other words, it had the religious type in which Hwa Rang was ah incarnation of Maitreya and Hwa-Rang-Do was protected by Maintreya. On the other hand, BaekJe's Maitreya belief was even more concrete and characteristic. That is, Baek-Je's Maitreya belief was that it erected Maitreya three-Buddhist idols under Yong Hwa and tried to realize three-sermons of the Yong Hwa order. Speaking of the characteristic elements of Shilla and Baek-Je's Maitreya belief like the above, we can say that Shilla's Maitreya belief made moral embodiment as its ideal while Baek-Je's Maitreya made the national embodiment as its ideal. That is proved by the fact that Maitreya appeared as Hwa Rang and the Maitreya was thought to come into existence in the Shilla dynasty. In Baek-Je, this is proved by the fact that they ran such a great Maitreya temple under the Yong-Hwa Order which symbolized the threesermons in the Yong-Hwa Order and headed toward commandmentic Buddhisim based on Maitreya thought. Baek Je's Maitreya belief like this influenced Shilla, furthermore was also introduced into Japan and it became an imprtant basis of their thought in the foundation of the Old State, at the time when Japanese Buddhism ripened through the transmission period.

In addition to this, we must give attention to the fact that, after the Shilla unified the Three Dynasties, the superiority and tradition of Baek-Je's Maitreya though built Geum-San Temple on Old Baek-Je's land and BaekJe's Maitreya belief was expanded and developed. We can investigate the historical position of Baek-Je's Maitreya belief in that Unified Shilla's Maitreya belief which succeeded to the tradition of Maitreya belief in old Baek-Je's land and developed practice movement for the moral embodiment on the basis of Baek-Je's Maitreya. Like this, Baek-Je's Maitreya belief became the guiding principle of our people and nation on the one hand, and became the deep root of popular religion on the other hand. And so, to these

days, Maitreya belief which has had the dream of Maitreya's appearance has been'transmitted as a type of popular religion in old Baek Je's lands. Therefore, Baek Je's Maitreya belief handed down through the Unified Shilla contributed to the construction of a new society of the Unified Shilla and took root as a popular religion just in the old Baek-Je's lands where Maitreva's appeared. It is not an accidental fact that Maitreya belief handed down today as a popular religion is especially concentrated at Geum-San Temple and Gye-Ryong Mountains although it shows national distribution. In other words, we can study the Maitreya belief becuase it has been handed down deeprootedly centering around Baek-Je's old land. Korea Dynasty was the period of popularization of Buddhism. Therefore Korea's Buddhism developed various Buddhism ceremony like YeonDeung-Hoe and Pal-Kwan-Hoe etc. With this situation of Korea Buddhism at that time, Maitreya belief was developed as a more popular religion. According to the statistical data appearing in national field work of the

Maitreya Buddhist idols, Korea's Buddhist idols among existing Buddhist idols occupy more than half of them. This survey proves the above fact. Especially, the fact that these materials spread all over the country shows a good contrast with the fact that Maitreya belief of Three Dynasties Period and Unified Shilla Period was prevalent centering around their capital or a certain peculiar district. In this fact also, we can study the general distribution phenomena of Korea's Maitreya belief. The above-mentioned Baek-Je's realistic Maitreya Buddha's thought and view of nation became again the basis of foundation of Geum-San Temple in old Baek Je's land after Shilla unified Three Dynasties. On the basis of this thought, they added Shilla's Maitreya thought to it and developed it as the thought of Maintreya appearance and attaining Buddhahood for the moral embodiment. This tradition of Maitreya though in Korea Period, was developed as a popular religion broadly, by being indebted to the popularity and the Korea Buddhism's role as Buddhism for the defense of the fatherland. Kwan-Chok Temple's Maitreya Buddhist idol and Gae-Tae Sa's Maitreya Buddhist idol which were made in Korea Period has become good evidences saying the popular development of Korea Maitreya belief and the characteristics of Buddhism for the defense of the fatherland. In Yi Dynasty, with the exclusion of Buddhism by the policy of oppressing Buddhism and encouraging Confucianism, Yi's Maitreya belief was barely conserved as a popular internal belief. And it took the Maitreya Buddh's from of life-giving belief which pursued the embodiment of the Buddha of the future. That is, tt had even stronger characteristic as the

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L2 WON BUDDHISM future's savior of the world by the mankind who were tormented in the end of the Dogma of Buddhism. Therefore, Yi's Maitreya belief was handed down among the populace, because popular belief had a stronger characteristic as the Buddha of the futur on the one hand, and was developed as the form of popular belief such as curing diseases of praying for sons on the other hand. But we must especially pay attention to the fact that, at the end of 19th century when there were continuous social and political confusion, the Maitreya Buddha's form of life-giving belief,which persued the embodiment of Buddha of the future took a deep root into out popular society as a new guiding doctrine of our country. We can recognize the above by the fact that among the various newlyrising religion groups which appeared with the social confusion at the end of the 19th century, the newly-rising religions advocating the arrival of Maitryea were supported more by farmer class. The obvious examples were Dong-Hak and Jeung-San-Kyo. Although Dong-Hak did not advocate the arrival of Maitreya directly, it had Maitreya thought as the potential ability on the basis of its thought. And Jeong-San-Kyo adyocated the arrival of Maitryea superfically. We can study the historical position of Maitreya thought in the popular society at the end of the 19th century, in that JeongSan-Kyo succeeded to the social reform spirit of Dong Hak which failed in social reformation. From the above investigation, we can recognize that Korean Maitreya belief was already accepted in the Three-Dynasties Period when Buddhism was introduced, but it formed as peculiar belief types in Baek-Je and Shilla dynasty and that it was formed as more concrete Maitreya belief type combining Baek-Je's with Shilla's after the Shilla unified Three-Dynasties, and that it took a deep root into Korean traditional society. Since then, Korea Dynasty popularized this more widely, and Yi Dynasty transformed it as a popular belief. At the end of 19th century when there was much soical confusion, the potential power of Maitreya beiief taking a root into populace formed various newly-rising religious groups and appeared as social guiding principles. We must pay attention to the fact that China or Japan showed the same trend. The Maitreya belief was prevalent in the Three-Dynasties Period about the 8-9th century, and since then Korean Maitreya belief had its peculiarity in the early Three Dynasties Period while it declined and was transformed in Japan and China. Especially, we should not overlook that these peculiarities have made the Maitreya belief's tradition handed down by Korean society to this day. Because Japanese Maitreya belief declined by the prevalence of sectarian Buddhism in the Kamakura Period and by the

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in these days its existence has become weak, while Chinese Maitreya belief has been transformed into Laughter Buddha. In Korean, Amitabha Sukkavati belief development of Amitabha Sukkavati belief, and so

andZen Buddhism was prevalent historically and they are believed in these days. We, howevei, can find that Maitreya belief did not decline or transform on account of the influences of these two religious thoughts. When we recognize that the strong stem of Maitreya belief has been preserved in spite of the transformations through long period, we may pay attention to the peculiarity of Korean Maitreya belief.

The Great Master said,

"It

is important that you write

and

preach my Dharma in order to transmit my Law to future generations. But it is more important to practice it and become enlightened to it so that it may never cease. Then your merit will be beyond measure."

From "Words of Commission" in the Cannonical Textbook of Won Buddhism

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ThelnfluenceolWonBuddhismuponKoreanSociety bY

Dr. BYung-Duk, Yoo

discussed here is not what it has The influence of won Buddhism to the wilt do to Korean society and eventually already achieved, but what it social dimensions' world in religio,,", idtulogical and

(1) Religious Influence

Firstly,WonBuddhismisareligoionthe.originofwhichliesinKorea. it "Buddhism from-Korea'" his Great Sotaesan at his age 26 upon won Buddhism was founded by is not Namdo, Korea' As this religion .,a Enlightement ai a viff"g. i" Cf,ofiu Can call Won Buddhism we however, race, Korean confined to the

Hence we can .utt

*"*:#:il,T^ffiguddhism

n"%*Hllur sense that

the salvation emphasizes the balance berween

merits, defective in the guadhism is, in spite of its 'arious aspects of .ufuution f'om within' neglects the

it, emphasizirg

christianity, a religion well har-

il. sarvation from without (tv taitrr),"*t emphasis on salvation from without' puts ciuiliratior, monized with material *iit'in' 1.nii is not true of the real teachings thus neglecting salvation tron. a""sidering from this aspect' Sotaesan of the sages oi it.=. two religi;;;: he had learned u=p..ts of religiorJlif.. Though has well harmonized the t*o izeithe importance of an integrated neither of the two religions, fr.'.*pt'"t main doctrine into the Four faith of the two aspects, thus ;^,til\zingthe GracesandFourEssentialsforsalvationfromwithoutandTripleDiscipline from within' and Eight Ariictes for salvation oken Buddha Dharm^a as its doctrinal Buddhism"i;r; Thirdly, won it' Sotaesan attained the Great origin and has seculariz.a ura^popularized for truth' which he expressed by Enlightenment after twenty

v*."or

Il.won-sang;hetooktheBuddhaDharmaasthecentraltenetofhisnew on the t systematizecl the doctrine based religion. ett.r-tttis declaratio, t popularization and utilizaBuddha Dharmain the =pirit of

,t"'i'*t'ilrltti;.

;;;;ht"'

rzation'

ethics. This rerigious Buddhism has rr5sSnted a religious transcends Budreligion' oI of philosophy (Three ethics, reflected on the dimension B"ddhism has presented Samdong dhist and Christian ethics. W;;

Identical) Ethics. Samdong Ethics consists of three propositions. First, Tongwondori or the ultimate principle of the universe is one; second, Tong' giyon'gte or all living beings are related by one energy; and third, Tongch'oftsaop or the purpose of all enterprises is one. I think that this ethics advocates the possibility for all religions to harmonize.. (2) Idealogical Influence

Won Buddhism was founded by Sotaesan in 1916-the era which is characterized as an extrem e anomie in Korean society. I would like to list a few points of the idealogical movement in such hopeless situation characterized by the absence of idealogy. 1. Sotaesan made an assertion of an ontological importance. We may call his thought the philosophy of ll-won since he symbolized the content of his enlightenment by ll-won-sang. On Sotaesan's enlgithened view was reflected that the universe is fulI of energy vibrant with life. Ijpon his enlightenment after twenty years of search for truth was mirrored the energ"y which made him thus enlightened. 2. Sotaesan has introduced the idea of Grace-requital. This does not merely mean an ethical obligation that one ought to know and requite grace. There is limitless energy full of life in conformity with Principle. The Principle is the law of causality. The Buddha expressed it in terms of "arising from conditional causation" (pratfgasamut\ada), which Sotaesan, receiving it with enlightenment, expressed it in terms of Grace. Grace is found in the fact that my existence as a living being depends on the energy of Heaven and Earth, Parents, Brethren, and Law. 3. Sotaesan emphasized the balance of moality and science. Sotaesan, however, thought it important that both morality and science be integrated and expressed this idea as the founding motto of Won Buddhism: "As matter is about to unfold itself, let us unfold our spirit." By "matter" is meant natural science and by "spirit" morality. 4. Sotaesan had a new historical view. Around the end of World War I the Western hemisphere was influenced by Darwinian evolutionisnr and even ethical theories were in accord with it. Aga'inst this Sotaesan presented "the essential principle of mutual advancement of the strong and the weak." He explained that as long as there is the confrontation consciousness the human history cannot be formed.

700

701

T6 WON BUDDHISM

WON BUDDHISM 17

(3) Social Influence

1. Sotaesan aroused the spirit of cultivation. At the time when Won Buddhism was founded, there were about forty disciples. Sotaesan selected nine out of them and directed them to form a savings association. They rais-

ticles for practice. In Won Buddhism these articles of practice are (1) The Cultivation of Self Reliance, (2) The Wise One First, (3) The Education of the Children of Others, and (4) The Respect for Those who Selflessly Serve for the Public Well-being.

ed fund for the association by diligence and frugality, abstinence from alcoholic drink and smoking, and using idle labor force. He thought it necessary to be economically self supporting in order to open a religious gate. He, thus, aroused the spirit of independent revival, managing various affairs which could hardly be called religious. Three years thereafter, the nine disciples erected a dam to enclose part of a beach to reclaim it into a rice field. 2. Soaesan emphasized the importance on man's moral training. Man of moral training transforms the society. Sotaesan established a religious order in order to train people to be happy, righteous and novel. As part of the moral training, Sotaesan ordered them to do manual labor. 3. Sgtaesan brought about woman's revolution. Due to the traidition of the predominance of man over woman, women were confined within the fence of the household without education at that time, Sotaesan was bold enough to correct such uncivilized tradition; he trained in new morality those women who came to the order. Those trained are ordained to assume the ministerial duty and sent to branch temples. 4. Sotaesan was a precursor of democretization in Korean history. He founded the order in accordance with The Organizing Rules of the Order published by him at that time, which reflects the democratic principles. He made it a rule of the order that the transmission of the Dharma be done, not privately from the master to his appointed heir, but publicly; the constitution of Won Buddhism rules, for this purpose, that the supreme council consist of nine male and nine female members, which makes all the important decisions of Won Buddhism. 5. Sotaesan has reformed the rules of decorum. In order to be freed from the shackle of the traditional obsolete living mode, thought Sotaesan, the society should have to be freed from the Confucian rules of etiquette, which had gripped the upper class of the country for centuries. Advocating the necessity of new and simple systems of etiquette, he has reforrned it. So far we have observed some characteristic points of influence which Won Buddhism exerts on Korean society. As Won Buddhist view of social life are mentioned Four Essentials of social equity. A religion with lofty doctrines must show how it can be applied to social life. It must clarify the ar-

)%-+RsRRKsr

The Great Master_.ri,1, "The master who first makes Dharma, and the disciples who dedicate themselves to the Dharma, transmitting it to the coming generations, and the laymen who respect the Dharma and practice it are a trirrity. The merit of each of them is equal."

From "Words of Commission" in the Cannonical Textbook

of Won Buddhism L*ffi

as*r*i<

'*L%ax{s-L%ax}s**ffi

703

702

WON BUDDHISM 19

18 WON BWDHISM

"Ox.hsrding" represented in the Canonical Textbook of Won Buddhism by

Dr. Ki'doo, Han

,,Ox-herding Paintings (called Mok-udo in Korean)," starting back in for the eight century when i chir"te zen patriarch compared the search its on riding Buddhihood to ih. p"."dox of "searching for an ox while important back," have been ociupying a great position and also playing an painrole in Buddhist doctrine ,t d p.".tice. orginally there were only five usualtingr in the series,but through time different teachers have expanded, of ly to ten pictures, on the fundamental idea of illustrating the Zentrairring the mind by the metaphor of tethering an ox' The concepts of Zen Buddhism (calted Dhyana in Sanskrit, Ch'an in ninth cenChina, Son in Korea and, Zen in Japan) entered Korea during the i"r,. by the 11th century this Zen paradox had been developed by poems .ongs and begUn to be painted as a series, with 10 stages' For the first "rd time, in ttre days of Sung Dynasty of China, 1lth century, Ching-Jei Zen patriarch had begUn to paint the "Ox-herding Paintings," but which was not iranded down. But nowthey are a common temple wall theme in Korea' In the stages of "Ox-herding Series," attainment of enlightment meant realizing one's own Buddha-nature and riding home on the ox. They show, via metaphor, the young students, progress from his first very tentative This series beginning until he rlaches enlightment and then passes beyond' .Vi1Uotir.s the road from ignorance to enligh' nent and then what happendwithin ed afterward. Normatly the first stage suggest the novice's struggles ox inmonastic discipline, *hi.h is stern. The progressive whitening of the dicates the gradual awakening of the ox-herder to his true nature. In the won Buddhist Textbook, the Great Master said to Kim Namof a cow' chun, one of his disciples, "One day I saw a man riding on the back thorny through cow by the taken being was Ero was not leading the cow but fell off he Sometimes a mountain. to even fields, depressionr in the path, and his pieces and to torn were and sometimes tumbled until his clothes -!odY and direct miserably hurt. Watching this, I told him to hold the reins tightly The rider the cow only along the .oid, thus keeping himself safe from harm. to ignorant too been had he that but so, that he *irt.d he could do answered

tame the cow, and had entrusted to the cow all right to determine direction... Now, Nam-chun, I see that you came here riding on your own on its cow, too. Tell me where the cow is." Nam-chun answered, "I am still

back." The Great Master said, "You have already discovered your cow, are acquainted with the way to tame it and, moreover, your cow on the whole is obedient to your orders. Therefore, try to tame the cow further so that it may become more obedient to your words in doing many things." In several parts of Textbook, the Great Master compared training in the intensive regular training session at a monastery to taming a ox or a cow. Like a calf which is tied to a stake, writhing and crying for its mother, a man who leaves his home and comes to a monastery to attend the intensive regular training session tries to observe all regulations and precepts yet still suffers from his old habits and improper and unnecesary thoughts, making him uncomfortable in his study of the Law and work and causing his master to worry about him. The Great Master further went on saving. "Thus, the purpose of a farmer taming his cow is to use it when he ploughs his fields. My purpose in giving you these intensive courses in the training of rnorality is to have you make use of it in your social activities. Therefore, you disciples, do not waste your time but study hard, making use of this opportunity to train, so that you may serve the whole world as a Mind-Cow which is tamed well, and become apostels who can save sentient beings and cure the world." Of the 12 kinds of "Ox-herding Paintings" all told, especially Bomyeong's and Kwak-am's ones have wide circulation in Korea and Japan, or Cho-dong School and Imjae School, respectively. Won Buddhist prefers the one to the other, although in its essentials the meanings make little difference. But of course, there are different viewpoints beteen them. Whereas Cho-dong School and Won Buddhism as well are deeply concerned about drawing the rein and taming a ox until the ox's black hide changes into white one, Imjae Shcool is concentrating on the "Gaining-Ox" from the "LosingOx." The Korean version of paintings end with an empty circle. In an effort to dispel the frequent misunderstanding of Buddhism's "enlightenment" as mere emptiness, or inactivity, later teachers decided to continue the series to include the oxherder's return to the world. So in the latter's paintings of Imjae School, a young student can be seen walking in a mountain landscape in the first scene (Searching for the Ox +'l'), illustrating the separation of the herder and the ox, and the former's seeming violation of his true nature. In scene two (Seeing the Footprints .E rF/tr ), he glimps footprints (of an ox which is metaphorically his own Buddha-nature) on the pathway. He cannot yet distinguish the truth, but he has a preliminary understanding of the orgin of his pain. 'fhough he is unable to see the ox, the ox's presence is known.

701

705

20 WON BUDDHISM

WON BUDDHISM 2L

By stage three (Perceiving the Ox .E *), student-monk has advanced to catching sight of the ox's tail, as the forepart of the animal disappears of is hidden around a cliffside. D.T.Suzuki, a renowned Japanese Zen master, tells us that at this point the ox is perceived in the same way that one knows the presence of salt in the ocean, that it is not distinguishable as an individual entity. Scene four (Catching the Ox i+'+--) reveals the diligent youth as new wrestling with the ox, or his own Buddha-nature, for he still sees the world dualistically as "seif" and "other." He knows his ego to keep it under his control. He knows his ego to be untrue, but the ego (attempting objectification of the self) struggles to control the herder. By stage five (Taming the Ox &,f-) he has progressed to herding the ox with a rope, but must keep his whip ready to prevent the ox from wandering, just as the student of Zen must discipline himself to prevent his mind from wandering. By stage six (Ox Home Vqlf-furt{<) the major part of the struggle is over; the disciple now rides on the ox's back, playing his flute. He is gaining harmony with his intuitive nature. His mind may no longer be deceived, but instead has begun to engage in truly creative activity. He may not be led astray. With a joyful heart, he meanders home. By the seventh scene (The Ox-Herder Alone ,,*-tAA), the ox totally disappeared and the student is now alone, because, after all, he and the ox are one. He is now receptive to the experience of enlightenmeut (tae-o in Kolean, satori in Japanese). The ox was never real. Not only has the ego no chance of gaining control, but there is no longer even a notion of an individual mind to be deluded by the ego. The light of bodhi begins to shine. The eigth stage (The Ox and Herder Transcended Af {EE ) illustrates by the empty circle the closure of the slightest remaining distance, vrhich is yet an infinite separation, between mind and self. With the non-existence of dualism, Buddhism cannot be exclusive. At this point, it is not a path to be followed, but a truth to be lived.

The ninth scene (The Reaching the Origin EAiBiln) is the ultimate

state-the "source" or "origin" of all begins in the universe-in

the

of eternally present, inexhaustible serenity. The last stage (In the World ztl$li#+) has the awakened, enlightened being come down to the earthly world for those who need his care. The biggest difference between Korea and Japan in their representations of "The Ox-Herding Painting" comes at the end. In Japan there are always ten scenes, with number nine being: "All is beauty; the world is at sense

spring." The final scene is termed "Returning to the Marketplace,,' or the eyeryday world. In Korea, the series show the student-monk remaing in his monastery; he may become a bodhisattva, but he doesn't go secular or to the marketplace, whereas in Japan, he does. Although Won Buddhism follows the Bo-myeong's version of Paintings to emphasize the final scene, Il-won-Sang (The one circle), the Dharmakaya Buddha as the object of our faith and the standard of moral training, the Great Master also urged "a return to the marketpl ace," and advocated that Korean monks should leave their monasteries, give up calibacy and mingle with ordinary people, performing socially beneficial works.

707

706

WON BUDDHISM 23

22 WON BUDDHISM On Symbol and ll-Won-Sang by Prof. Kyung-Chun, Suh

Animals struggle with each other for food or for leadership, but they do not, like human beings, struggle with each other for things that stand for food or leadership: such things as our paper symbols of wealth (money, bonds, titles), badges of rank to wear on our clothes, or good-number licience plates, supposed by some people to stand for social precedence. For animals, the relationship in which one thing stand for something else does not appear to exist except in very rudimentary form. Of all forms of symbolism, language is the most highly developed, most subtle, and most complicated. It has been pointed out that human beings, by agreement, can make anything stand for anything. The process by means of which human beings can arbitrarily make certain things stand for other things may be called the symbolic process. One of the current definitions of a symbol is that it is "something that stands for something else." This definition is too general to be useful, unless we can be more specific with regard to the crucial questions concerning the nature of the connection between symbol and that which it symbolizes. According to Erich Fromm, there are three kinds of symbols - the conventional, the accidental, and the universal symbol. The conventional symbol is the best known of the three, since we employ it in every language. If we see the word "table" or hear the sound "table." the letters t-a-b-l-e stand for something else. The thing table has nothing to do with the sound table, and the only reason the word symbolizes the thing is the convention of calling this particular thing by a name. The opposite to the conventional symbol is the uccidental symbol, although they have one thing in common: there is no intrinsic relationship between the symbol and that which it symbolizes. For example, when one hear the name of a certain city, in which he had a saddening experience, he will easily connect the name with a mood of sadness. But it is the individual experience connected with the city that makes it a symbol of a mood. In contrast to the conventional symbol, the accidental symbols are rarely used in myth, religion, or works of art written in symbolic lanzuage because they are not communicable unless the writer adds a lengthy commeni to each symbol he uses.

The universal symbol is one in which there is an intrinsic relationship between the symbol and that which it represents. Take, for instance, the

symbol of fire. We are fascinated by certain qualities continously, it moves all the time, and yet there is constancy in it. It gives the impression of power, of energy, of grace and lightness. It is as if it were dancing, and had an inexhaustible source of energy. The universal symbol is the only one in which the

relationship between the symbol and that which is symbolized is not coincidental but intrinsic. It can be called universal because it is shared by all men, in contrast not only to the accidental symbol, which is by its very nature entirely personal, but also to the conventional symbol, which is restricted to a group of people sharing the same convention. When symbols were first used it was to ct;ncentrate nlan's mind on the Infinite One, so that by keeping his eyes on the symbol no outside sights or sounds might call off his attention from the object of worship. In the beginning three symbols (O,l,A) only were used. Wen these were understood, they were compounded and others added, and as time grew so did the number of symbols, also their complexity. Does religion need symbols? The answer to this question can be given dogmatically. Religion cannot operate without symbols. The question is not whether we use symbols but what kinds of symbols we will employ. A religion cannot do without symbols if it wishes to say certain things in certain way. It is impossible to conceive of a religion that does not need symbols, since the very conception of a religion itself depends on the symbols whereby the conception is contained. The only question that is pertinent, when we set forth to create the setting, the architecture, the adornment, and the rituals of a universal religion, is what kind of symbolism will be most adequate for the task. If we are to seek and creat an adequate symbolism for ourselves, we are faced with a major problem in originality and inventiveness. Since we have made a basic break with the theological understructures of ancient religions, we can not borrow or superficially modify the concepts, symbols, and rites of traditionai religion. We must exploit the freshness and the power of our difference. It is necessary to create a whole new framework of symbols. Concerning only r,r,ith the relationship between r,he traditional Buddhism and W on Buddhism in symbolic aspect, greatly different view can be spelled out. Occasionally, it has been useful to worship the Buddha image as a method of teaching Buddhism, but it will not be so in the future. Won hippers of the Buddha irnage have gradually come to think about the influence of the Buddha image through the experience of worshipping Buddha images over thousands of-years. Yet, when they realize the meaning of worshipping the Buddha image, they can hardly believe in the Buddha image, for such

708

24 WON BUDDHISM worship is useless and is not part of knowing about the great Truth. Sotaesan deplored this and said, "How could Buddhism be prosperous in this way? Moreover, there may be many people who will iake advantage of the majestic Buddha image in order to seek a means of livelihood. What is more regrettable than this? It is with this in mind that we have made the decision to worship Dharm a'kaya Buddha I1-Won-Sang." A Buddha image is a symbol of the body of Buddha, while Il-Won-Sang is a symbol of the mind of Buddha. The bodily form shows nothing but the human shape, while the mind form symbolizes the limitless vastness of the mind which includes all Being and Non-Being, and exists through our three lives: past, present, and future. It is the source of all things in the universe and inexpressible realm of Samadhi. We can also detect the universal aspect of symbol said by Erich Fromm in the following instances. In Confucianism Il-Won-Sang is callecl Tai-Chi, or Wu-Chi (Taegeuk or Mugeuk in Korean), in Taoism nature or the Tao (the Way), and in Buddhism the pure and undefiled Dharma-kaya Buddha. A11 these names are different expression for the common principle of all religions which finally must return to the Truth of Won, whatever the path or direction chosen. Any religion which is not founded on such Truth may be called a false religion. Therefore, Won Buddhism chooses the Il-Won-Sang Symbol as the standard of our real life and as an explanation of the two entrances to the way of faith and the way of moral practice. By the w?y, the most important thing we should not have escaped is that the very form of I1-Won-Sang Symbol itself is not the Truth. The Won-Sang is mereiy a guidpost which indicates the real Truth of Il-Won. It may be comared to a finger pointing at the moon. The finger itself can not be the moon. Therefore, people who practice the Law must see the real Truth of IlWon through the Il-Won-Sang, the symbol of Il-Won. Sotaesan said, "'We worship Dharma-kaya Buddha Il-Won-Sang in order to respect not only the Buddha image as a Buddha but also all things in the universe as Buddhas." These brief words connotate the boundless and profound meanings, directly connecting the symbol of Il-Won-Sang with its realities. Sotaesan continued, saying, "Il-Won-Sang is composed of the Four Graces, and the Four Graces comprise all beings in the universe. A11 things that we see in the universe are nothing but Buddhas. Therefore at all times and in all places we must be very respectful and cautious toward all things, keeping a pure mind and a pious manner, as if we were before the real Buddha. . . . In a word, this is the way to turn a partial faith to a perfect one, and

709 WON BUDDHISM 25

a superstitious belief into an actual one." I think the most abstract truth must be also the most concrete one, and

vice versa. In Won Buddhism, not being the truth itself, Il-Won-Sang Symbol represents nothing but the most concrete Four Graces or all beings in the world, thus establishing the Oneness Principle, which I think is the major aspect of symbolism especially in clearly showing the dqctrines of a religion. Il-won-Sang Symbol (the shape of it is just like the letter "o", or one circle) is not really a discovery to be credited to the Won Buddhism, but only returning to a point of view that was already general in European philosophy and Buddhism. Today we are well on the way to an understanding of symbol, the myth that are of the very substance of the spiritual life, that may become disguised, mutilated or degraded, but are never extirpated. It is difficult to understand the state of the absolute Truth of Il-Won, to practice it in our daily living, and to explain it to the general public by using simple methods so that they may be enlightened to the Truth. In recalling these facts the study of symbolism is not a work of pure and simple erudition. The history of religions abounds in unilateral and therefore aberrant interpretations of symbols. There is noheresy so monstrous or orgy so infernal, no religious cruelty, folly, absurdity, or religious magic so insane, that it may not be "justified" in its very principle by some false because partial and incomplete interpretation of a grandiose symbolism. Il-Won-Sang Symbol will overcome such absurdities well to meet the demands of the times, to be suitable for actual life, and to be popularized,.

7'.lo-1

7to

WON BUDDHISM 27

26 WON BUDDHISM On the Law of Causation

It is the everlasting and unchanging rule of this world that everything

created by a series of causes and conditions and everything disappears by the same rule; everything changes, nothing remains without change. As a net is made up by a series of ties, so everything in this world is connected by a series of ties. If anyone thinks that a mesh of a net is an independent, isolated thing, he is mistaken. In this world there are three wrong viewpoints. If one sticks to these viewpoints, then all things in this world are but to be denied. First, some say that all human experience is based on destiny; second, some hold that everything is created by God and controlled by His Will; third, some say that everything happens by chance without having any cause or condition. If all has been decided by destiny, both good deeds and evil deeds are predestines, nothing exists that has not been predestined. Then all human plans and efforts for improvement and progress would be in vain and humanity would be without hoPe. The same is true of the other viewpoints, for, if everything in the last resort is in the hands of God or of blind chance, what hope has humanity except for submission? Usually some people, who do not completely understand the Casuation Law of Buddhism, denounce Buddhism as a fatalism because of its karma effect, one's deed serving as a determinant factor in one's future. But this is not the case. When the Great Master was supervising the construction of a Won Bulkyo Temple in Seoul, he heard the laborers say to one another that a man cannot succeed by his own effort without some unknown help. Afterward he said to his disciples, "Generally speaking, we human beings do receive some unknown help or hinderance in our lives. Ignorant people may believe that God, Buddha, ancestors, or ghosts are responsible for sending these, but the wise person knows that everything is caused by the effects of his own body and mind, and whatever he receives now is the result of his actions in the past. Whatever he is doing now will have its result in the future, and there is no result without a cause." So in fact, the three conceptions mentioned above are all wrong, everything is a succession of appearances whose source is the succession of cause and conditions. The fallacy lie in the contradiction that the bad are successful; that justice is not done now. But daily life gives the lie to this. All the Buddhas and patriarches and saints were throughly enlightened to the Casusation Law, and unanimously emphasized it to all the people in

every situation. According to the Great Master, the most urgent thing is not to teach people the numerous scriptures or encourage goodness but to let them be aware of and believe in the Causation Law, the Principle of Cause and Effect. By the way, there is one major difference in interpreting the Causation Principle between Won Buddhism and Buddhism. Of course, it's not the fun-

damentally different viewpoint. Briefly speaking, the Great Master recognized the Causation Law as the Alternating Principle of Dualities, Yin and Yang.

According to the Principle of the alternation of two polarities, Yin and Yang, or action and reaction, human beings are rewarded for their deeds, either good or bad, by the Principle of Causation. For example, winter is the time when Yin appears to be greater, Yan is still contained in it, and vice versa. Likewise, human beings are either strong or weak, and are interrelated with each other. According to their good or evil deeds, they will be progressing or retrogressing, and will either be in mutual accord or in conflict as a result, The Greater Master aiso said, "What has been given to others out of benevolence will return as benefit, and what has been taken from others out of'malice will be taken away by malice. The retribution may be multiplied or diminished according to the progressing or retrogressing steps that others are taking in their religious lives, but retribution can never be completely washed away. Even if the other person has no intention retaliating, punishment comes in a natural way, and therefore no one can receive blessedness or punishment for others or give his share of blessedness or punishment to others." To be short, it is that according to the principle of the changing forces of Yin-Yang in the universe, good conduct will doubtlessly be rewarded with mutual prosperity while evil conduct will be punished by mutual conflict. In addition, il is absolutely necessary to apply the Yin-Yang Principle to societies to get on in the worid. "Principles by Which the Inferior and the Superior Can Progress" was suggested by the Great Master to practice what he preached on Yin-Yang Principle. Yin and Yang, we meet in every part of nature: in darkness and light; in heat and cold; in male and female. An inevitable dualism bisects nature, so that each thing is a half and suggests an other thing to make it whole: as, man, woman; in, out; rest, motion. Every sweet has its sour; every evil its good. For everything you have missed, you have gained something else; and for everything you gain. you lose something.

710-2

710

28 WON BUDDHISM The world looks like a mathematical equation. Every secret is told, every crime is punished, every virture rewarded. Although you commit a crime secretly, it reveals as if the track of every fox in the wood covered with snow. By the w?y, here, the most important thing we should not keep escaped out of our mind is the Causation Law is not so much Punishment Law as Changing and Creating and Becoming Law in proportion to whether to use the sound mind or not. In the teaching of Confucius on the doctrine of the "Mean" as well the following words are: Therefore, all things under Heaven inevitably receive the generous dispensation thereof, according to their nature: that which florishes is strengthened, while that which shows weakness is overthrown by Heaven. In the present world made up of Yin-Yang Principle, we should keep it in mind that there is the compensation for the inequalities of condition even after long intervals of time. The Great Master said, "In the past, there have been many people who lived a confortable life even for their generation in spite of their deceitful and evil minds: but in the future such people will find it difficult to live comfortably even for one generation. Before their death, people will receive most of the retribution for whatever they have caused during their lifetimes. Therefore, as the world become brighter, men with trutuful and virtous minds will find everything truthful and virtuous, and their future witl be bright and hopeful; but men with deceitful and evil minds will find everything deceitful and evil, and their futures will be darkened and without promise."

-3

WON BUDDHISM 29

News Corner

Organizing the Commemorating Committee

for

Won Buddhist

Religious Achieuements

The Supreme Council of Won Buddhism inaugurated the

Com-

memorating Committee for Won Buddhist Achievements in commemoration of the Second Generation of Won Buddhism, January 22, L983. A great variety of festivities,will be held on the Great Enlightenment Day in April 28 of.1991 (the 76th Year of Won Buddhism) across all the Won Buddhist Parishes including the overseas temples. Various items of celebration programs such as construction of International Won Buddhist Training Institute, International Religious Convention, and other large scale enterprises are preparing for the Day of 1991 step by step.

2) Forty-one

Neu Won Buddhist

Deuotee's Ordination

41 Won Buddhist Devotees newly observed a vow ceremony to be ordinated, who were graduated from the Won Buddhist College,partly from Dongsan Monastery, at the Memorial HaIl, Won Buddhist Headquarters.

Chon to be Elected as a Standing Mernber of W.A.W.F.

Pal Khn Chon, director of Won Buddhist International Section, was elected as a member of standing committee of W.A.W.F. representing Korea. The convention was held between February 11 and 14, 1983, New Deley, India. Chon suggested the plan of establishment of Unrted Religions firstly advocated by the Prime Master of Won Buddhism for the world peace there.

Celebration Ceremony of the Great Enlightenment Day

In commemoration of the Great Enlightenment of Ven. Sotaesan were colorful celebration programs provided on April 28, 1983. Won Buddhist followers in Chonbuk Province gave medical benefits to the people in doctorless villages. Civil education classes, atheletic meetings, and Won Buddhist Youth Speech Contest are also every year's regular functions. The Great Enlightenment Day of this year was firstly observed based on the changed date from the formerly Day of March 26.

710-5

710- 4

WON BUDDHISM

30 WON BUDDHISM

The 30th Anniuersary of Dong-san Monastery

The Dharma meeting congratulating the 30th anniversary of the founding of Dong-san Monastery was held on May 6, 1983, Dong-san Monastery,

Iri. I)ong-san Monastery is, along with the Won Kwang Won Buddhist College, is a regular school producing Won Buddhist Devotees.

The 19th Won Buddhist Youth Training

A variety of training schedules for the 19th Won Buddhist Youth Training Seession were given in their training camp newly built by the Won Buddhist Youth Association, located on Paemudong, Mt. Chirisan frorn July 22 to 24, 1983. With the Meditation March at the head of their programs, various kinds of exciting plans were thrown including climbing the highest peak of Chonwangbon and night parties. 800 odd young men and women participated in the training meeting.

7) The Yeongmo Cemetry Foundation to be Giaen Authorization

The Prime Minister, Kim Sang I{yup, paid a courtesy call to Won Buddhist Headquarters on July 15, 1983. He (4th from right, front row) took a picture in front of the Enshrining Hall. Next to him is Won Buddhist Prime Master, Ven. Daesan, seated.

The Yeongmo Cemetry Foundation was approved its establishment from Chonbuk Provinciai Government on June 17, 1983. Yeongmo Cemetry Park, covering 100,000 pyong, is scheduled to be completely constructed by 1986 in Wanggung-myon, Chonbuk Province not only to enshrine Won Buddhist followers but to make the best use of- idle land.

8) June 1 Memorinl Day Memorial service was solemnly observed across ihe Won Buddhist Parishes in the country including the overseas temples on June 1, 1983. The number of enshrined souls is 1750 all told.

Two Training Centers to be Established

Two training centers, Nlanduksan and Sonam Training Centers, were founded in Mt. Manduksan and Wando Island, mainly for Chonju Parish and Kwangju Parish, respectively.

Won Buddhist youth are observing a vowing ceremony before the glowing Il-Won-Sang Symbol, joining their hands in their summer camp training.

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710-6 32 WON

WON BUDDHISM 33

BUDDHISMT

located in the The bird's eye view of Won Kwang University Campus, midst of ShinYong Field, Iri CitY

The front view of Sonam Training Center sited in Wando Isiand, Chonnam Province

4. The bird's-eye view of Won Buddhist Headquarters

Kwang University

jsut next to the Won