Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n

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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Doing what you want to do is enjoyable even though it may be demanding and difficult. Climbing a mountain for military exercise is just as physically taxing as climbing the same mountain for leisure. But climbing for military exercise is agonizing while climbing for leisure is enjoyable. At times, I find it exhausting to travel around the country and around the world to give talks, but I am happy because spreading the teachings of Buddha gives me great satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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It\u2019s not really important what type of work you do. If there is something you want to do, you can just do it. It may be rewarding to research new farming techniques, to run a small shop, or to work for the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing what you want to do is enjoyable even though it may be demanding and difficult. Climbing a mountain for military exercise is just as physically taxing as climbing the same mountain for leisure. But climbing for military exercise is agonizing while climbing for leisure is enjoyable. At times, I find it exhausting to travel around the country and around the world to give talks, but I am happy because spreading the teachings of Buddha gives me great satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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You are leading a good life if you are satisfied with your life today and are not postponing happiness until tomorrow. You can be happy when you realize, \u201cYou can\u2019t eat five or six meals a day nor wear dozens of clothes or drive several cars simultaneously. Living modestly and being free from worries is the best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not really important what type of work you do. If there is something you want to do, you can just do it. It may be rewarding to research new farming techniques, to run a small shop, or to work for the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing what you want to do is enjoyable even though it may be demanding and difficult. Climbing a mountain for military exercise is just as physically taxing as climbing the same mountain for leisure. But climbing for military exercise is agonizing while climbing for leisure is enjoyable. At times, I find it exhausting to travel around the country and around the world to give talks, but I am happy because spreading the teachings of Buddha gives me great satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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What then is a truly successful or good life? When you feel satisfied with your life regardless of societal views of success, your life can be considered to be successful. Generally, people who have earned a lot of money and live in a big apartment in the city are viewed as successful. However, people who are running a farm in the countryside are also leading successful lives when they feel content and think, \u201cI am happy to be able to breathe fresh air, drink clean water, eat organic produce, and enjoy freedom in my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are leading a good life if you are satisfied with your life today and are not postponing happiness until tomorrow. You can be happy when you realize, \u201cYou can\u2019t eat five or six meals a day nor wear dozens of clothes or drive several cars simultaneously. Living modestly and being free from worries is the best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not really important what type of work you do. If there is something you want to do, you can just do it. It may be rewarding to research new farming techniques, to run a small shop, or to work for the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing what you want to do is enjoyable even though it may be demanding and difficult. Climbing a mountain for military exercise is just as physically taxing as climbing the same mountain for leisure. But climbing for military exercise is agonizing while climbing for leisure is enjoyable. At times, I find it exhausting to travel around the country and around the world to give talks, but I am happy because spreading the teachings of Buddha gives me great satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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In terms of success in society, there is sometimes a discrepancy between the evaluation of others and that of oneself. For instance, a person who may be regarded as successful by others, may actually feel like a failure. Perhaps that is why there seem to be more elderly people who are regretful and feel they wasted their lives than those who feel that their lives were rewarding and that they would do the same work again if they were reborn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What then is a truly successful or good life? When you feel satisfied with your life regardless of societal views of success, your life can be considered to be successful. Generally, people who have earned a lot of money and live in a big apartment in the city are viewed as successful. However, people who are running a farm in the countryside are also leading successful lives when they feel content and think, \u201cI am happy to be able to breathe fresh air, drink clean water, eat organic produce, and enjoy freedom in my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are leading a good life if you are satisfied with your life today and are not postponing happiness until tomorrow. You can be happy when you realize, \u201cYou can\u2019t eat five or six meals a day nor wear dozens of clothes or drive several cars simultaneously. Living modestly and being free from worries is the best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not really important what type of work you do. If there is something you want to do, you can just do it. It may be rewarding to research new farming techniques, to run a small shop, or to work for the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing what you want to do is enjoyable even though it may be demanding and difficult. Climbing a mountain for military exercise is just as physically taxing as climbing the same mountain for leisure. But climbing for military exercise is agonizing while climbing for leisure is enjoyable. At times, I find it exhausting to travel around the country and around the world to give talks, but I am happy because spreading the teachings of Buddha gives me great satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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Let\u2019s talk about money. People think that they will be happy when they save the amount of money they aim for. Those without money think that people with money don\u2019t have any worries. Is this true? On the contrary, the rich may have more to worry about than the poor. For example, they worry about protecting their wealth and want to increase it since they always feel lacking in money in comparison with those richer than they are. There is a saying that goes, \u201cA person with 99 rice paddies demands that a person with one rice paddy hand over the land.\u201d It means that a rich person, instead of being satisfied with what he has will want to keep on accumulating more wealth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of success in society, there is sometimes a discrepancy between the evaluation of others and that of oneself. For instance, a person who may be regarded as successful by others, may actually feel like a failure. Perhaps that is why there seem to be more elderly people who are regretful and feel they wasted their lives than those who feel that their lives were rewarding and that they would do the same work again if they were reborn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What then is a truly successful or good life? When you feel satisfied with your life regardless of societal views of success, your life can be considered to be successful. Generally, people who have earned a lot of money and live in a big apartment in the city are viewed as successful. However, people who are running a farm in the countryside are also leading successful lives when they feel content and think, \u201cI am happy to be able to breathe fresh air, drink clean water, eat organic produce, and enjoy freedom in my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are leading a good life if you are satisfied with your life today and are not postponing happiness until tomorrow. You can be happy when you realize, \u201cYou can\u2019t eat five or six meals a day nor wear dozens of clothes or drive several cars simultaneously. Living modestly and being free from worries is the best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not really important what type of work you do. If there is something you want to do, you can just do it. It may be rewarding to research new farming techniques, to run a small shop, or to work for the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing what you want to do is enjoyable even though it may be demanding and difficult. Climbing a mountain for military exercise is just as physically taxing as climbing the same mountain for leisure. But climbing for military exercise is agonizing while climbing for leisure is enjoyable. At times, I find it exhausting to travel around the country and around the world to give talks, but I am happy because spreading the teachings of Buddha gives me great satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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These kinds of secular successes cannot last forever. Because everyone wants to succeed, even those who have failed will keep on trying to achieve success, so it looks like people are playing a seesaw game. Going up and down, they alternate between success and failure. Can such unsustainable success be called true success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s talk about money. People think that they will be happy when they save the amount of money they aim for. Those without money think that people with money don\u2019t have any worries. Is this true? On the contrary, the rich may have more to worry about than the poor. For example, they worry about protecting their wealth and want to increase it since they always feel lacking in money in comparison with those richer than they are. There is a saying that goes, \u201cA person with 99 rice paddies demands that a person with one rice paddy hand over the land.\u201d It means that a rich person, instead of being satisfied with what he has will want to keep on accumulating more wealth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of success in society, there is sometimes a discrepancy between the evaluation of others and that of oneself. For instance, a person who may be regarded as successful by others, may actually feel like a failure. Perhaps that is why there seem to be more elderly people who are regretful and feel they wasted their lives than those who feel that their lives were rewarding and that they would do the same work again if they were reborn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What then is a truly successful or good life? When you feel satisfied with your life regardless of societal views of success, your life can be considered to be successful. Generally, people who have earned a lot of money and live in a big apartment in the city are viewed as successful. However, people who are running a farm in the countryside are also leading successful lives when they feel content and think, \u201cI am happy to be able to breathe fresh air, drink clean water, eat organic produce, and enjoy freedom in my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are leading a good life if you are satisfied with your life today and are not postponing happiness until tomorrow. You can be happy when you realize, \u201cYou can\u2019t eat five or six meals a day nor wear dozens of clothes or drive several cars simultaneously. Living modestly and being free from worries is the best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not really important what type of work you do. If there is something you want to do, you can just do it. It may be rewarding to research new farming techniques, to run a small shop, or to work for the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing what you want to do is enjoyable even though it may be demanding and difficult. Climbing a mountain for military exercise is just as physically taxing as climbing the same mountain for leisure. But climbing for military exercise is agonizing while climbing for leisure is enjoyable. At times, I find it exhausting to travel around the country and around the world to give talks, but I am happy because spreading the teachings of Buddha gives me great satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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We first need to ask the question, \u201cWhat is \u201csuccess\u201d? Success can be broadly defined as achieving one\u2019s goal. Many believe that making a lot of money is success. Also, they think, gaining high status, power, or fame is success. However, everything is relative. A person with one hundred thousand dollars is considered to be rich among those who only have ten thousand dollars. However, the same person is considered to be poor when he is among millionaires. Being \u201crich\u201d or \u201cpoor\u201d is relative and is dependent on the object of comparison. The same rule applies to a person\u2019s status. In the military, a sergeant has a higher rank when compared to a private, but he has a lower rank when compared to a lieutenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These kinds of secular successes cannot last forever. Because everyone wants to succeed, even those who have failed will keep on trying to achieve success, so it looks like people are playing a seesaw game. Going up and down, they alternate between success and failure. Can such unsustainable success be called true success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s talk about money. People think that they will be happy when they save the amount of money they aim for. Those without money think that people with money don\u2019t have any worries. Is this true? On the contrary, the rich may have more to worry about than the poor. For example, they worry about protecting their wealth and want to increase it since they always feel lacking in money in comparison with those richer than they are. There is a saying that goes, \u201cA person with 99 rice paddies demands that a person with one rice paddy hand over the land.\u201d It means that a rich person, instead of being satisfied with what he has will want to keep on accumulating more wealth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of success in society, there is sometimes a discrepancy between the evaluation of others and that of oneself. For instance, a person who may be regarded as successful by others, may actually feel like a failure. Perhaps that is why there seem to be more elderly people who are regretful and feel they wasted their lives than those who feel that their lives were rewarding and that they would do the same work again if they were reborn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What then is a truly successful or good life? When you feel satisfied with your life regardless of societal views of success, your life can be considered to be successful. Generally, people who have earned a lot of money and live in a big apartment in the city are viewed as successful. However, people who are running a farm in the countryside are also leading successful lives when they feel content and think, \u201cI am happy to be able to breathe fresh air, drink clean water, eat organic produce, and enjoy freedom in my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are leading a good life if you are satisfied with your life today and are not postponing happiness until tomorrow. You can be happy when you realize, \u201cYou can\u2019t eat five or six meals a day nor wear dozens of clothes or drive several cars simultaneously. Living modestly and being free from worries is the best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not really important what type of work you do. If there is something you want to do, you can just do it. It may be rewarding to research new farming techniques, to run a small shop, or to work for the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing what you want to do is enjoyable even though it may be demanding and difficult. Climbing a mountain for military exercise is just as physically taxing as climbing the same mountain for leisure. But climbing for military exercise is agonizing while climbing for leisure is enjoyable. At times, I find it exhausting to travel around the country and around the world to give talks, but I am happy because spreading the teachings of Buddha gives me great satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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P<\/strong>: A child may think, \u201cI will be happy when I\u2019m all grown up.\u201d Before college, a student may think, \u201cI will be happy when get into a college.\u201d Later, the college student waits for tomorrow thinking, \u201cI will be happy when I graduate from college, \u2026 when I get married, \u2026 when I have a child.\u201d We endure the difficulties of today hoping that we will be happy sometime in the future. As we get older, however, we question whether it is alright to live this way. One person asked me, \u201cWhat is a successful and good life?\u201d In his field of work, this person was perceived as successful, but he was unsure whether his life was indeed successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We first need to ask the question, \u201cWhat is \u201csuccess\u201d? Success can be broadly defined as achieving one\u2019s goal. Many believe that making a lot of money is success. Also, they think, gaining high status, power, or fame is success. However, everything is relative. A person with one hundred thousand dollars is considered to be rich among those who only have ten thousand dollars. However, the same person is considered to be poor when he is among millionaires. Being \u201crich\u201d or \u201cpoor\u201d is relative and is dependent on the object of comparison. The same rule applies to a person\u2019s status. In the military, a sergeant has a higher rank when compared to a private, but he has a lower rank when compared to a lieutenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These kinds of secular successes cannot last forever. Because everyone wants to succeed, even those who have failed will keep on trying to achieve success, so it looks like people are playing a seesaw game. Going up and down, they alternate between success and failure. Can such unsustainable success be called true success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s talk about money. People think that they will be happy when they save the amount of money they aim for. Those without money think that people with money don\u2019t have any worries. Is this true? On the contrary, the rich may have more to worry about than the poor. For example, they worry about protecting their wealth and want to increase it since they always feel lacking in money in comparison with those richer than they are. There is a saying that goes, \u201cA person with 99 rice paddies demands that a person with one rice paddy hand over the land.\u201d It means that a rich person, instead of being satisfied with what he has will want to keep on accumulating more wealth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of success in society, there is sometimes a discrepancy between the evaluation of others and that of oneself. For instance, a person who may be regarded as successful by others, may actually feel like a failure. Perhaps that is why there seem to be more elderly people who are regretful and feel they wasted their lives than those who feel that their lives were rewarding and that they would do the same work again if they were reborn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What then is a truly successful or good life? When you feel satisfied with your life regardless of societal views of success, your life can be considered to be successful. Generally, people who have earned a lot of money and live in a big apartment in the city are viewed as successful. However, people who are running a farm in the countryside are also leading successful lives when they feel content and think, \u201cI am happy to be able to breathe fresh air, drink clean water, eat organic produce, and enjoy freedom in my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are leading a good life if you are satisfied with your life today and are not postponing happiness until tomorrow. You can be happy when you realize, \u201cYou can\u2019t eat five or six meals a day nor wear dozens of clothes or drive several cars simultaneously. Living modestly and being free from worries is the best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not really important what type of work you do. If there is something you want to do, you can just do it. It may be rewarding to research new farming techniques, to run a small shop, or to work for the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing what you want to do is enjoyable even though it may be demanding and difficult. Climbing a mountain for military exercise is just as physically taxing as climbing the same mountain for leisure. But climbing for military exercise is agonizing while climbing for leisure is enjoyable. At times, I find it exhausting to travel around the country and around the world to give talks, but I am happy because spreading the teachings of Buddha gives me great satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
you become a special being
and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

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The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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P<\/strong>: A child may think, \u201cI will be happy when I\u2019m all grown up.\u201d Before college, a student may think, \u201cI will be happy when get into a college.\u201d Later, the college student waits for tomorrow thinking, \u201cI will be happy when I graduate from college, \u2026 when I get married, \u2026 when I have a child.\u201d We endure the difficulties of today hoping that we will be happy sometime in the future. As we get older, however, we question whether it is alright to live this way. One person asked me, \u201cWhat is a successful and good life?\u201d In his field of work, this person was perceived as successful, but he was unsure whether his life was indeed successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We first need to ask the question, \u201cWhat is \u201csuccess\u201d? Success can be broadly defined as achieving one\u2019s goal. Many believe that making a lot of money is success. Also, they think, gaining high status, power, or fame is success. However, everything is relative. A person with one hundred thousand dollars is considered to be rich among those who only have ten thousand dollars. However, the same person is considered to be poor when he is among millionaires. Being \u201crich\u201d or \u201cpoor\u201d is relative and is dependent on the object of comparison. The same rule applies to a person\u2019s status. In the military, a sergeant has a higher rank when compared to a private, but he has a lower rank when compared to a lieutenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These kinds of secular successes cannot last forever. Because everyone wants to succeed, even those who have failed will keep on trying to achieve success, so it looks like people are playing a seesaw game. Going up and down, they alternate between success and failure. Can such unsustainable success be called true success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s talk about money. People think that they will be happy when they save the amount of money they aim for. Those without money think that people with money don\u2019t have any worries. Is this true? On the contrary, the rich may have more to worry about than the poor. For example, they worry about protecting their wealth and want to increase it since they always feel lacking in money in comparison with those richer than they are. There is a saying that goes, \u201cA person with 99 rice paddies demands that a person with one rice paddy hand over the land.\u201d It means that a rich person, instead of being satisfied with what he has will want to keep on accumulating more wealth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of success in society, there is sometimes a discrepancy between the evaluation of others and that of oneself. For instance, a person who may be regarded as successful by others, may actually feel like a failure. Perhaps that is why there seem to be more elderly people who are regretful and feel they wasted their lives than those who feel that their lives were rewarding and that they would do the same work again if they were reborn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What then is a truly successful or good life? When you feel satisfied with your life regardless of societal views of success, your life can be considered to be successful. Generally, people who have earned a lot of money and live in a big apartment in the city are viewed as successful. However, people who are running a farm in the countryside are also leading successful lives when they feel content and think, \u201cI am happy to be able to breathe fresh air, drink clean water, eat organic produce, and enjoy freedom in my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are leading a good life if you are satisfied with your life today and are not postponing happiness until tomorrow. You can be happy when you realize, \u201cYou can\u2019t eat five or six meals a day nor wear dozens of clothes or drive several cars simultaneously. Living modestly and being free from worries is the best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not really important what type of work you do. If there is something you want to do, you can just do it. It may be rewarding to research new farming techniques, to run a small shop, or to work for the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing what you want to do is enjoyable even though it may be demanding and difficult. Climbing a mountain for military exercise is just as physically taxing as climbing the same mountain for leisure. But climbing for military exercise is agonizing while climbing for leisure is enjoyable. At times, I find it exhausting to travel around the country and around the world to give talks, but I am happy because spreading the teachings of Buddha gives me great satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was late for a dharma talk, so I took a cab. I noticed the cab driver was driving very aggressively. Curious as to why the man was so angry and temperamental, I asked the driver, \u201cAre you having a very bad day?\u201d The driver let out a big sigh and said, \u201cMy wife left me and my seven-year-old son.\u201d Then, I asked him, \u201cHow much do you make an hour?\u201d He responded, \u201cAbout eight dollars per hour.\u201d I told him that I would give him forty dollars for five hours of his time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I got out of the cab in front of the temple where I was giving the dharma talk, I gave the cab driver forty dollars and told him to park the cab and come inside to listen to my dharma talk. Driving so aggressively, the driver could have caused a horrific accident, injuring himself and others. Also, his constant anger would have been a very bad influence on his son. I wanted to give him an opportunity to calm down and reflect on his situation. Think about the benefits of his coming to terms with his situation so that he could be happy despite being without his wife? The possibility of his wife coming back may increase while the chances of his getting into a car accident would decrease, thereby saving lives of others as well as his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I had just invited him to the dharma talk, he would have refused. But since I paid him, he had no choice but to attend my dharma talk. Come to think of it, I must say that I am happy that so many people come to listen to my dharma talks even though I don\u2019t pay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failing to reach your goal should not necessarily lead to unhappiness. If you do your best and don\u2019t obsess about the result, the process itself will make you happy. However, when you are not centered and rely on the evaluation of others to define success, your life will seem futile when you fail to \u201csucceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the majority of people tend to be pretentious and waste their lives pursuing futile desires. Also, they torture themselves by constantly comparing themselves to others. Some lead apathetic lives believing that they are \u201cincompetent\u201d and others live in misery resenting others. They keep blaming others instead of looking inward and finding contentment. Since they laugh and cry according to the changing circumstances and conditions in their surroundings, they inevitably continue to lead unstable lives. Therefore, you must keep in mind that achieving success as dictated by society and satisfying your desires will not necessarily make you happy. On the contrary, the more you let go of your desires and lower your expectations, the happier and more satisfied you will be.<\/p>\n","post_title":"What Is A Successful Life?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"what-is-a-successful-life","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 12:50:55","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 17:50:55","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18485","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18475,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-26 05:14:09","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 10:14:09","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-do-we-have-to-give-up-pleasure-to-live-without-suffering","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:24:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:24:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18475","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18479,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-25 22:25:16","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:16","post_content":"\n

Be grateful you are alive and have a job.
When you are content with your life,
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and today becomes a special day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Gratitude","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"gratitude","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-25 22:25:17","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-26 03:25:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18479","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18472,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-23 05:06:38","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-23 10:06:38","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: The young are flexible and resilient. They have vitality, which enables them to recover quickly from sickness or injury. However, when you get old, even one bout of illness will age you significantly. This is why the old should not work as strenuously as they did when they were young. Overworking is a sign of greed since you are forcing yourself to work beyond a reasonable limit. When you get old, you should only work up to the point that your body is not strained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmers who have overworked since they were young tend to keep overworking even in old age. When the sun sets while they are planting rice seedlings in the rice fields, they should stop and resume working the next day. However, they continue working in the darkness until all the seedlings are planted and end up suffering from aches and pains all night. Therefore, people should not be greedy about working and should make a habit of ending work when the work day is over and resuming the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working moderately is beneficial to our health, working excessively and strenuously will likely shorten our lives. Extreme athletes tend to have a shorter life expectancy than the average person because they place enormous strain on their bodies for a certain period in their lives. To take cars as an example, we measure the lifespan of cars by their mileage, not by the years owned. Moreover, if we speed or drive them excessively during a short time period, the lifespan is significantly reduced. Therefore, if we drive moderately without exceeding the speed of 55 to 65 miles per hour, a car will last for good two to three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which job do you think gives people the longest and healthiest lives in the world? Most people believe it\u2019s farming, but that\u2019s not actually true. Farmers tend to overwork, so it is very rare for them to live past the age of one hundred. Those who are slightly lazy don\u2019t overly exert themselves, so they may enjoy longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of occupation, shepherds tend to live the longest. They walk a great deal every day but do not engage in arduous activities that can be taxing on the body. Besides, grazing pastures tend to be located roughly between 1,640ft and 3,300ft above the sea level, and the air quality is purest at approximately 2,300ft. The combination of good air and moderate exercise enable the shepherds to be healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moderate exercise is good for your health. Also, rather than exercising in a gym, it is best to engage in modest labor in your everyday life such as washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and farming if you live in the countryside. Spending excessive time in bed because you don\u2019t feel well can in fact also be detrimental to your health. Even though it may be hard, it is best to keep moving to some extent. You need to keep walking, though your legs may hurt, so that your leg muscles don\u2019t become stiff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise and overexertion are both harmful to your health. Even machines tend to break down easily either when left unused for a long period of time or used excessively. Modest usage will make them last the longest. Houses will be damaged from both overuse and underuse, so they should be used moderately to maintain them in good shape and prolong their lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are instances in which people who have not had a sick day in their lives die suddenly. It usually happens because these people were overly confident about their health and taxed their bodies beyond a certain limit. Especially, when people reach beyond the age of sixty, they need to be careful about their health, but those who have never been ill are not prepared slowdown in their old age. As a result, they overexert themselves without taking into account their physical condition and may experience an incident like a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a saying that goes, \u201cHe who suffers from a chronic illness lives to be 80.\u201d It means that people with poor health usually take good care of their bodies and end up living longer than healthy people. Of course living longer is not necessarily a good thing. However, as people get older, their bodies weaken, so they need to be wise about adjusting their activity level to that appropriate for their age.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Live Like A Shepherd, Not A Farmer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"live-like-a-shepherd-not-a-farmer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-19 05:13:52","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-19 10:13:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18472","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18461,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-19 06:29:46","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-19 11:29:46","post_content":"\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cWhat is so good about Bodhi Samadhi that monks aim to obtain it?\u201d","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-what-is-so-good-about-bodhi-samadhi-that-monks-aim-to-obtain-it","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:37:23","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:37:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18461","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18466,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-17 21:22:40","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:40","post_content":"\n

If your child suffers from a chronic disease,
you can pray the following:
\u201cI\u2019m grateful for this child.
I\u2019m thankful it is not as bad as it could be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Having a child with a chronic disease","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"having-a-child-with-a-chronic-disease","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-17 21:22:41","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-18 02:22:41","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18466","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18452,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-16 06:08:25","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-16 11:08:25","post_content":"\n

P<\/strong>: We work enthusiastically when we are young, but there are times when we suddenly feel bored with the work we do. We go to work habitually, so sometimes we feel apathetic and feel that life is dull. At such times, we need to ponder about ways to obtain energy and enjoyment from our jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways for people to become happy. One way is by doing work that they enjoy. However, although this may be fun, it may feel meaningless when they look back on it later on. For example, drinking and hanging out every day with your friends may have been a lot of fun, but when you look back on it in 10 years you will feel like you wasted your time. When you go to a bar, you have a great time, talking loudly and laughing hard, but when you leave the bar, you feel kind of empty. You may feel that way because there are no benefits to spending your time on such pursuits. When you focus too much on having fun in life, you fall into the danger of feeling empty and regretful later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way is helping others. As human beings, we feel happy when we are useful to others or do something beneficial for others. Although doing something that helped others may have been very hard at the time, when we look back on it, we feel proud. We feel that what we did was meaningful and beneficial, so we believe we did the right thing even if it took a lot of effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people feel that pleasure of life only comes from having fun. However, when people only focus on having fun, they will inevitably end up feeling regretful and empty later on. On the other hand, if we focus too much on finding meaning in life, we are likely to feel stressed and exhausted and end up feeling that life is hard. It is best to balance these two appropriately, so that helping others becomes equivalent to having fun. Then, we will be in the most harmonious state. However, for most people, helping others and having fun are two very different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, social activists do meaningful work, but they usually suffer from a lot of stress. Therefore, when they get exhausted and want to give up, they need to get some rest and pursue some of their own desires. They need to spend enough time fulfilling their own wishes. After that, they may get revitalized and, in time, regain their interest in social causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, when those who have only focused their energy on their personal affairs feel a little weary, they may become reenergized when they volunteer their time for others and experience a greater meaning in their lives. They may come to feel that their existence means something in this world. In other words, it may be a good idea for those who are feeling empty from pursuing only fun and enjoyment in their lives to engage in some meaningful work. For example, they can volunteer their talents for those who need them or volunteer their time for work that is very different from what they have been doing all their lives. By doing so, they may be able to overcome their weariness or emptiness and become revitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my twenties, I used to fast whenever I was in a slump. I would shut myself in my bedroom and fast for a week. When a living organism starves, it feels a strong desire to live, an instinct which I think helped me become mentally reenergized. When your work feels dull and you feel apathetic, doing something new that breaks your regular routine can help you revitalize your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, giving talks is a pleasurable pastime. This is why work and play are the same for me. What would happen if I charged money for my talks? If my fee was 1 million won (1000 US dollars) per hour and I gave an hour-and-half talk, I should receive 1.5 million won. If I give talks for money and I receive less than what I expect, I would feel unhappy, which means that money would control my life. The reason I do not charge a fee for my talks is that when I don\u2019t get paid, I can do them for my enjoyment. This is why I don't get tired even when I give three to four talks on the same day. When we are doing something for fun, the more time we spend doing it, the better. From time to time, I do not accept certain requests to give talks. For instance, I don\u2019t accept requests to give talks at broadcasting stations because each member of the audience gets paid 30,000 won to attend. While people who pay to listen to talks are very attentive, those who are paid to attend are distracted and get restless when the talk runs longer than scheduled. They may demand overtime pay since listening to the talk is a job for them. This kind of audience fails to take away anything positive from my talks. They pretend to be interested and take notes when the camera is pointed at them but they get distracted when the camera turns toward another direction. It is very hard to interact actively with such an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other types of talks I usually decline to do are special lectures held at military bases, government offices or large companies, where everyone is required to attend. Since the organizers of such lectures check attendance, people are forced to attend. Finally, refuse to do special lectures at schools. Once, when I held a talk at a university, I saw someone calling the roll of all the students. The students attended my talk as a requirement for a grade, not because they wanted to, so they were distracted and showed poor reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best audience for my talks are those who pay a fee to attend. Since, they come on their own volition and even pay a fee, they come ready to catch every word I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, our criterion for choosing a job shouldn't be how much we get paid but what kind of contribution we can make. If the work itself is fun, work becomes play, so we don\u2019t need to find something that will reenergize us outside of work.<\/p>\n","post_title":"The Way To Energize Our Lives With Our Jobs","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"the-way-to-energize-our-lives-with-our-jobs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:20:16","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:20:16","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18452","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18455,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-12 06:20:56","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-12 11:20:56","post_content":"\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cFarming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"meditation-qa-farming-gives-me-great-peace-and-satisfaction-how-can-we-incorporate-the-routine","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-13 06:28:35","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-13 11:28:35","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18455","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18445,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-04-10 23:06:55","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:55","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (<\/em>\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.<\/em> The following teaching was given in New York City on 18 September 2023. This article is the 18th in a special series taken from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s Dharma tour of Europe and North America\u2014his first overseas tour since the pandemic. Titled \u201cCasual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Come Talk about Life, Wisdom, and Happiness,\u201d the Dharma tour ran from 1\u201322 September 2023, taking in 21 cities: six in Europe and 15 in North America.**<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fundamental solution to the climate crisis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When plastic was first introduced, many people welcomed it as a durable new raw material that greatly improved our lives in terms of convenience. However non-biodegradable microplastics are beginning to pose a significant threat to humanity that is almost as serious as the climate crisis. Microplastics do not decompose, so they flow into the oceans in the form of tiny particles that are invisible to the naked eye. Marine animals ingest these particles, which accumulate in their bodies. When humans consume these fish, the microplastics enter our bodies as well. The long-term health consequences of this accumulation of microplastics in the human body are still unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as the 20,000 components that make up a typical car are intricately connected according to a detailed design to allow the car to move, so too the intricate interconnectedness of all beings in the universe allows many forms of life to thrive. The climate crisis, brought about by human overconsumption, is leading to the extinction of numerous species and is a stark warning of the impending threat of human extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although technology can be helpful in these crisis situations, it can only alleviates symptoms and does not offer a fundamental cure. The fundamental treatment is to reduce consumption. But can we, who are addicted to consumption, really reduce our consumption?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unless we reduce consumption, humanity is inevitably headed toward extinction. It\u2019s a matter of time only\u2014whether it takes 50 years or 100 years. Therefore, those who indulge in consumer luxuries and overconsumption are not to be envied but can be considered adversaries of humanity. In this era of climate crisis, your values need to undergo significant changes. We must adopt the perspective that those who over-consume are enemies of humanity, not people to be envied, and that we need to work toward reducing consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living a simple life and finding satisfaction there can lead individuals to contentment, making them happier without constantly craving more. Additionally, as economic disparities decrease, the overall happiness of society can improve. In this way, we can collectively work toward overcoming the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who first presented this path and set an example by walking it is what I consider to be the Buddha. He willingly gave up a position of potential kingship, forsook a life of wealth and abundance, and instead scavenged for food, wore cast-off clothing, and slept under trees. Despite this, he found happiness within himself and led others onto the path of happiness. The teachings of the Buddha were not about praying for blessings in order to reach a better place after death; they were about showing humanity a new path to follow\u2014especially relevant in the era of the climate crisis. In this regard, I like to call the Buddhadharma \u201cthe ancient path for the future\u201d because it teaches us how to live a life free from suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing his opening address, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received questions from the audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n

\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Connecting with my colleagues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Q: I am a Korean who has been living in the United States for 21 years now. Working with Americans at my job often feels challenging. I frequently feel disheartened by my inability to communicate in English as fluently as someone born here. I also worry that my coworkers might ignore me. When company meetings don\u2019t go as planned or my opinions aren\u2019t well-received, I tend to automatically blame my language limitations, which undermines my confidence. I got married here and I consider the US to be the foundation of my life. Assuming that I won\u2019t be returning to Korea in the foreseeable future, how can I approach this situation with a mindset that will help me overcome the distress and challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Do you have children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: No, not yet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>If a child is born in the United States, would there still be language issues if they physically look Korean? Or would there not be any language issues?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: There would not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>However, you spoke Korean in Korea before coming to the US, so there might naturally be some language limitations. Similarly, someone from Gyeongsang Province may continue to use their regional dialect even after living in Seoul for a long time\u2014isn\u2019t this something that it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It happens.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>Even within the same country, such language limitations can arise. For instance, if a North Korean or someone from Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China were to come and live in Seoul, would their regional dialect and accent completely disappear just because they\u2019ve lived there for 20 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It won\u2019t go away.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: <\/strong>When you emigrate at a young age, you can usually overcome language limitations fairly easily, but if you emigrate as an adult, it can be challenging to fully overcome such language limitations. Similarly, even if you have lived in the US for a long time, the fact that you came here as an adult means that your accent may not change significantly. So shouldn\u2019t you accept this to some extent and live with it? There may not be any other viable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: It seems like I have high expectations for myself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Published by BDG on April 10, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25b6\ufe0f Read more: <\/a>https:\/\/www.buddhistdoor.net\/features\/leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","post_title":"Leaving the Door to Opportunity Open","post_excerpt":"The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (\ubc95\ub95c\uc2a4\ub2d8) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few. As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.\n\nThis column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim\u2019s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.\n","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"leaving-the-door-to-opportunity-open","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-10 23:06:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-11 04:06:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18445","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_3"};

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

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[Meditation Q&A] “Farming gives me great peace and satisfaction.How can we incorporate the routine?”

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April 10, 2024

The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (법륜스님) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist,...

About Sunim’s Day

In Sunim’s Day, you can see the daily life of Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. Through the way he lives day by day, we can get inspiration for how to live a life as a practitioner. The original text is provided on the official Korean website of Jungto Society.

Jungto Society is a community of Buddhist practitioners who seek to free themselves of suffering in their daily lives and to make the world a better place.

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