\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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"};

\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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

<\/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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

<\/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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

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

<\/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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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

<\/a><\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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

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

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

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<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

<\/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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\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

<\/a><\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

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

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

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

<\/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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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

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

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

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

<\/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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

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

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

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

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

<\/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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

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

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

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

<\/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

<\/a><\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

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

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<\/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] \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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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

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

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<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

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

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

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

<\/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

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

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

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

<\/a><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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><\/gwmw><\/p>\n\n\n\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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

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

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

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

<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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

<\/a><\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

\"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

\"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

\"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

<\/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] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

<\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

Not everyone's questions could be addressed due to time constraints, and the Dharma Q&A concluded as scheduled at 9 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

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

Not everyone's questions could be addressed due to time constraints, and the Dharma Q&A concluded as scheduled at 9 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","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 – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

It is okay to fail.
Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
just because it might result in
some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

\"\"<\/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

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

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

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<\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

  • It seems that suffering arises both from external circumstances and internal reasons. I wonder if desire is always bad. Sometimes, it seems that desire helps me improve, achieve more, and be more productive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Not everyone's questions could be addressed due to time constraints, and the Dharma Q&A concluded as scheduled at 9 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    <\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

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

    <\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

    It is okay to fail.
    Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
    just because it might result in
    some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

    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

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

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

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

    <\/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

    <\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

  • How can we balance economic growth with environmental protection?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • It seems that suffering arises both from external circumstances and internal reasons. I wonder if desire is always bad. Sometimes, it seems that desire helps me improve, achieve more, and be more productive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Not everyone's questions could be addressed due to time constraints, and the Dharma Q&A concluded as scheduled at 9 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    <\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

    <\/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><\/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] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

    It is okay to fail.
    Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
    just because it might result in
    some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

    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

    <\/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] \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

    <\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

  • I was subject to severe bullying in middle and high school. I want to live without suffering and forgive those who hurt me, but I find it hard to function in society, and I often can't sleep. Medication doesn't seem to help. What should I do?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How can we balance economic growth with environmental protection?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • It seems that suffering arises both from external circumstances and internal reasons. I wonder if desire is always bad. Sometimes, it seems that desire helps me improve, achieve more, and be more productive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Not everyone's questions could be addressed due to time constraints, and the Dharma Q&A concluded as scheduled at 9 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    <\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

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

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

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    <\/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] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

    It is okay to fail.
    Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
    just because it might result in
    some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

    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

    <\/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] \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

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

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    <\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

  • I have so much to do, like schoolwork and club activities, that I often work late into the night and don\u2019t get enough sleep, which makes me miserable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • I was subject to severe bullying in middle and high school. I want to live without suffering and forgive those who hurt me, but I find it hard to function in society, and I often can't sleep. Medication doesn't seem to help. What should I do?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How can we balance economic growth with environmental protection?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • It seems that suffering arises both from external circumstances and internal reasons. I wonder if desire is always bad. Sometimes, it seems that desire helps me improve, achieve more, and be more productive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Not everyone's questions could be addressed due to time constraints, and the Dharma Q&A concluded as scheduled at 9 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    <\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

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

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

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

    <\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

    It is okay to fail.
    Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
    just because it might result in
    some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

    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

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

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

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

    <\/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

    <\/a><\/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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

  • How is Buddhism different from nihilism? What is the meaning of life?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • I have so much to do, like schoolwork and club activities, that I often work late into the night and don\u2019t get enough sleep, which makes me miserable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • I was subject to severe bullying in middle and high school. I want to live without suffering and forgive those who hurt me, but I find it hard to function in society, and I often can't sleep. Medication doesn't seem to help. What should I do?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How can we balance economic growth with environmental protection?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • It seems that suffering arises both from external circumstances and internal reasons. I wonder if desire is always bad. Sometimes, it seems that desire helps me improve, achieve more, and be more productive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Not everyone's questions could be addressed due to time constraints, and the Dharma Q&A concluded as scheduled at 9 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    <\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

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

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

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

    <\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"[Meditation Q&A] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

    It is okay to fail.
    Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
    just because it might result in
    some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

    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

    <\/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] \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

    <\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

  • What causes our suffering? Is it because we truly don't know who we are? How can we explain ourselves beyond the physical and mental realm?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How is Buddhism different from nihilism? What is the meaning of life?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • I have so much to do, like schoolwork and club activities, that I often work late into the night and don\u2019t get enough sleep, which makes me miserable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • I was subject to severe bullying in middle and high school. I want to live without suffering and forgive those who hurt me, but I find it hard to function in society, and I often can't sleep. Medication doesn't seem to help. What should I do?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How can we balance economic growth with environmental protection?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • It seems that suffering arises both from external circumstances and internal reasons. I wonder if desire is always bad. Sometimes, it seems that desire helps me improve, achieve more, and be more productive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Not everyone's questions could be addressed due to time constraints, and the Dharma Q&A concluded as scheduled at 9 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    <\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

    <\/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><\/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] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

    It is okay to fail.
    Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
    just because it might result in
    some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

    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

    <\/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] \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

    <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n

  • What is the essence of the mind? Does the mind have a substance?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • What causes our suffering? Is it because we truly don't know who we are? How can we explain ourselves beyond the physical and mental realm?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How is Buddhism different from nihilism? What is the meaning of life?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • I have so much to do, like schoolwork and club activities, that I often work late into the night and don\u2019t get enough sleep, which makes me miserable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • I was subject to severe bullying in middle and high school. I want to live without suffering and forgive those who hurt me, but I find it hard to function in society, and I often can't sleep. Medication doesn't seem to help. What should I do?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How can we balance economic growth with environmental protection?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • It seems that suffering arises both from external circumstances and internal reasons. I wonder if desire is always bad. Sometimes, it seems that desire helps me improve, achieve more, and be more productive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Not everyone's questions could be addressed due to time constraints, and the Dharma Q&A concluded as scheduled at 9 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    At the conclusion of the Dharma Q&A, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim asked a Thai monk sitting in the front row, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Did you understand the things I said?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I didn't catch everything, but I grasped the essence.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A foreign monk with blue eyes also came forward, thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and showed his respect by touching his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma talk.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At Venerable Gowoo Sunim's request, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim participated in the ritual to bathe the baby Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After the ritual, many people came forward to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I really appreciated today's Dharma Q&A. I'm a graduate of the English Jungto Dharma School. I'm really looking forward to the Sutra Course.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another attendee thanked Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, \"Your Dharma talk was a great help during these tough times. Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    People lined up to take photos with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a long session of taking photos, the monks and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim conversed about the current state of nearby temples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Thank you. I should be going now.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim followed him out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"I can show myself out. Please wrap things up here with the students.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"No, let me accompany you to the entrance.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim expressed her gratitude to the Venerable Pomnyun Sunim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    \"Today\u2019s talk was wonderful. I really wanted the Columbia students to hear your teachings. I'm glad I could realize this dream before graduating. It was even more meaningful since the event coincided with the protests at the school.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Although questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict were anticipated, no one brought it up during the Dharma Q&A, maybe because the topic was too sensitive. Venerable Gowoo Sunim attempted to offer a donation to Venerable Pomnyun Sunim as a token of gratitude, but he respectfully declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Please use it for the Buddhist Student Association. First, I don't accept monetary compensation after Dharma Q&As. Secondly, since the Jungto Society has transitioned online, the contributions from our members alone are sufficient. We can manage without this money.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Venerable Gowoo Sunim ended up accompanying him to the parking lot to say goodbye. They parted ways, and Venerable Pomnyun Sunim left Columbia University for his accommodation at 10 PM, arriving close to 11 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    After a late dinner and further conversation, we concluded the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tomorrow, the second Dharma Q&A of the North American East Coast Tour will take place in Boston. Sunim will travel by car for six hours to Boston to meet Professor Park Gibum at Harvard Medical School and then proceed to Harvard University for a Dharma Q&A with English interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    <\/p>\n","post_title":"A Day of Sunim, Columbia University, New York(April 29, 2024)","post_excerpt":"\"I am afraid of the swift passage of time.\"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"a-day-of-sunim-columbia-university-new-york","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-04 01:07:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-04 06:07:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18498","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18488,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-05-03 00:51:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-03 05:51:00","post_content":"\n

    <\/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><\/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] \u201cDo we have to give up pleasure to live without suffering?\u201d – Duplicate – [#18475]","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-duplicate-18475","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-04-28 13:08:04","post_modified_gmt":"2024-04-28 18:08:04","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18488","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18493,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2024-05-01 22:48:53","post_date_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:53","post_content":"\n

    It is okay to fail.
    Don\u2019t be afraid to move forward
    just because it might result in
    some bruised feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

    Illustration by Maseol <\/p>\n","post_title":"Fail","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"fail","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-05-01 22:48:54","post_modified_gmt":"2024-05-02 03:48:54","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.jungtosociety.org\/?p=18493","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":18485,"post_author":"40","post_date":"2024-04-30 00:45:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 05:45:00","post_content":"\n

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

    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

    <\/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] \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

    <\/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] \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"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_36"}; \n