What are the practice methods of Seon Buddhism?

Hello. Today is the second day of Sunim’s visit to Vietnam at the invitation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Council.

After completing his morning practice and meditation, Sunim began his day with breakfast at the lodging at 6:20 AM. At 7:30 AM, he left for Phuoc Son Monastery, located on the eastern outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City. Once again, an endless stream of motorcycles filled the morning commute.

After a 1 hour and 20 minute drive, he arrived at Phuoc Son Monastery at 8:40 AM. The monks of Phuoc Son Monastery greeted Sunim, walking in a line holding flowers and bells.

Following the guidance of the Phuoc Son monks, Sunim walked to the main hall. In the hall, they welcomed Sunim’s group with the ringing of bells and beating of drums.

First, they paid respects at the main hall. Vietnam is a multi-ethnic country with 54 ethnic groups living together. Among them, the largest ethnic group, accounting for 86 percent of the entire Vietnamese population, is the Viet (Kinh) people. Phuoc Son Monastery is a Theravada temple built by the Kinh people, not the Khmer.

Before the Dharma talk, they had a tea conversation. First, Venerable Phuoc Tri, the attendant of the abbot, asked for understanding.

“The abbot is away today because Venerable Pomnyun Sunim was originally scheduled to visit on July 3rd. We apologize.”

“That’s alright.”

Sunim asked about the overall operation of Phuoc Son Monastery, and the attendant monk provided a detailed introduction. Sunim showed particular interest in the bhikkhunis visible throughout the monastery.

“I heard that Theravada doesn’t recognize bhikkhunis, but I see many bhikkhunis here. Does this monastery recognize bhikkhunis?”

The attendant monk replied.

“The abbot has neither forbidden nor explicitly allowed it. However, he is allowing all women who wish to practice to come and do so.”

“That’s wise.”

After the tea conversation, they moved to start the Dharma talk.

The bhikkhus were seated on the right, and the bhikkhunis on the left. It was truly impressive to see bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, Theravada, and Mahayana all gathered in one place. The sight of monks in different robes sitting together was particularly striking.

Sunim began the conversation by introducing himself, sharing how he encountered Buddhism, and talking about Korean Buddhism.

“It’s nice to meet you all. I’m grateful for your warm welcome despite the change in schedule. This gathering today is wonderful. We have bhikkhunis, bhikkhus, Theravada, and Mahayana. We also have Koreans and Vietnamese. It’s truly global. (Laughter)

I’m from Korea. The Buddhism I belong to is Seon Buddhism. There are four types of Buddhism in the world: Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Seon Buddhism. Korean Buddhism inherited Mahayana Buddhism, and Seon Buddhism, which further developed from it, forms the core.

I understand that most of Vietnamese Buddhism is also Mahayana. I’ve heard that in the south, there’s Khmer Theravada and Kinh Theravada, to which you belong. I’ve visited a Khmer Theravada Buddhist temple before, but I didn’t know until I came here today that the Kinh people also built such a large temple with so many practitioners. Theravada Buddhism doesn’t recognize bhikkhunis, but it’s good to see so many bhikkhunis here. (Laughter)

“The Jungto Society, to which I belong, has a Seon Buddhist tradition but also places great importance on Theravada Buddhism. This is because we highly value the life and teachings of Gautama Buddha, our teacher who came 2,600 years ago. That’s why we often go on pilgrimages to sacred sites in India. We consider it very important to learn on-site, visiting places where the Buddha was born, practiced, and taught. I hope you can also visit India and Nepal for this kind of on-site learning if possible. We also engage in many social activities. We conduct environmental movements, provide relief aid to those in need, and promote peace, as there is an ongoing risk of war on the Korean Peninsula. We practice not only individual cultivation but also these social activities together.”

Sunim then invited anyone with questions or concerns to freely ask. Over the course of two hours, five people raised their hands and engaged in dialogue with Sunim.

One bhikkhu raised his hand and asked about Seon Buddhist practice methods.

What Are the Practice Methods of Seon Buddhism?

“You mentioned that you belong to Seon Buddhism. What are the practice methods of Seon Buddhism? I’m curious if they are similar to the practices of Thich Nhat Hanh.”

“In Seon Buddhism, there are seven different schools known as the Five Houses and Seven Schools (Ogachiljong). Among these, we follow the Imje (Linji) lineage, which practices hwadu Seon, investigating ‘What is this?’ (Imwotgo). We constantly live saying ‘I’, ‘I’, ‘me’. But we investigate what this ‘I’ really refers to. In English, it would be expressed as ‘Who am I?’ We investigate ‘What is this?’ in the sense of what this ‘I’ is. In Chinese, it’s expressed as ‘Shi san ma? (是什么？)’, and in Korean, we say ‘I mwotgo?’ Thinking ‘I know what I am’ based on what we already know is delusion. Instead of thinking, we only maintain a state of questioning. We investigate the state before thoughts arise, rather than learning doctrines, memorizing knowledge, or reading scriptures. We explore the moment before thoughts occur. We think we know a lot. However, after just three or four questions, we often end up saying ‘I don’t know’. Everything we think we know is delusion. It’s all thoughts and knowledge. So, true study begins when we reach the point of saying ‘I really don’t know’. Because we receive questions from a state of not knowing, we must now investigate. We’re not looking for answers among what we already know, but starting anew. If we investigate like this, we can reach a state where thoughts cease.

The principle is the same as Vipassana. When practicing Vipassana, thinking becomes a delusion. When breathing in, one simply notices the breath coming in. When breathing out, one simply notices the breath going out. Even thinking of the Buddha becomes a distraction. One simply notices the present moment. This is called ‘sati’ in Pali. We tend to think about many things, but awareness should exist in a state where thoughts have ceased.

Similarly, contemplating a hwadu is not about thinking, but about investigating in a state where thoughts have stopped. Reading books or acquiring knowledge is of no help. One must return to the state before thoughts arise and investigate, asking “What is this?” Do you understand?

“YES!”

The questions continued.

Sunim, you are ordained but engage in many social practices. I am ordained but write poetry. People around me don’t understand. How should I practice?
In Mahayana Buddhism, people pray to be reborn in the Pure Land. What is rebirth in the Pure Land?

The last monk to ask a question expressed his lack of confidence in studying Buddhism due to limited education before ordination, and sought Sunim’s advice.

I Lack Confidence in Myself

“I love studying Buddhism. However, I didn’t have much education in society, so I don’t have much knowledge. Therefore, I lack confidence in my Buddhist studies. I doubt myself, thinking, ‘I haven’t learned much, can I really learn the Buddha’s teachings properly?’ Please teach me how to have the right faith in my Buddhist studies.”

“Here we have a Buddha statue, a bell, and a clock. Let me ask you a question. Is the Buddha statue bigger or is the bell bigger?”

“The Buddha statue is bigger.”

“The bell is smaller than the Buddha statue. Is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Now, let’s compare the clock and the bell. Is the bell bigger or is the clock bigger?”

“The bell is bigger.”

“So we can say that the bell is smaller than the Buddha statue but bigger than the clock, right? Now, let’s remove the Buddha statue and the clock, and I’ll ask you about just this bell. Is this bell big or small?”

“It’s neither big nor small.”

“That’s right. When we say ‘the bell is big’ or ‘the bell is small,’ we think ‘it’s big because it’s actually big’ or ‘it’s small because it’s actually small.’ But that’s not the truth. This bell is neither big nor small. It just is. However, when we perceive it, sometimes we perceive it as big, and sometimes we perceive it as small. Big or small is not a matter of existence, but a matter of perception. That’s why the Buddha said, ‘Everything in this world is created by the mind.’

When we look at things in this world and say ‘big,’ ‘small,’ ‘narrow,’ ‘wide,’ ‘long,’ ‘short,’ ‘new,’ ‘old,’ ‘expensive,’ ‘cheap,’ ‘noble,’ ‘humble,’ ‘right,’ ‘wrong,’ none of these are facts. These are all matters of perception. In reality, things are neither right nor wrong, neither big nor small; they simply are what they are.

In Mahayana Buddhism, this is called ’emptiness’ (空). Depending on conditions, something is called big under certain conditions and small under others. Originally, it is nothing in particular, but it becomes this or that according to conditions. The Diamond Sutra refers to this as ‘No Everlasting Abiding Dharma’ (無有定法).

The questioner feels inadequate because they compare themselves to others. In reality, no person is higher or lower, more noble or more base than another. Everyone simply is as they are. This is why we are all equal. The reason you feel inadequate is that you desire to be superior. If you let go of this desire to be superior, you will find that who you are right now, right here, is perfectly fine. Every person is complete just as they are. Every being is already a Buddha. Therefore, you must recognize how precious you are. It’s not that you need to make an effort to become a Buddha. We are already Buddhas. However, we are entangled in afflictions and don’t realize our own preciousness, so we wander in suffering. All of us can live without suffering in any situation. This is nirvana, this is enlightenment.

The goal of Buddhist practice is not to go to paradise after death, nor to be reborn in a better place in the next life, nor to receive blessings now. The aim of Buddhist practice is to reach a state free from suffering while being present here and now. A state without afflictions, fears, or stress is attainable by anyone. Of course, it’s not easy. But difficulty doesn’t mean impossibility. It’s possible for everyone, though challenging; challenging, yet possible for everyone. That’s why the Buddha said to practice diligently, like water droplets piercing a rock. This was the Buddha’s final teaching. So, believe in yourself and continue to practice diligently. The various knowledge one can learn in the world is not necessary to eliminate one’s suffering. However, it is needed to help others. Knowledge is not necessary for attaining enlightenment. But all kinds of knowledge are needed to teach or help others. The reason Sunim can engage in many teaching activities is that he knows a bit about many things in the world. However, this knowledge is only necessary for teaching. No worldly knowledge is needed to reach a state free from suffering. So, have faith in yourself and continue to practice.

As Sunim finished his answer, thunderous applause erupted. All the monks seemed deeply moved.

After concluding the conversation, Sunim gave a closing remark, looking forward to the next opportunity.

“It was a pleasure meeting you all today. Our conversation time was short. If another opportunity arises, I will have more dialogue with you. Originally, the Buddha also had many conversations with the public like this. The sutras are records of these dialogues collected and written down. This is not a new method, but one that the Buddha himself practiced. Let’s conclude by paying homage to the Buddha together.”

All the monks chanted the homage in Pali together.

“Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa”

After the Dharma talk, everyone gathered for a group photo. The harmony of various colored robes resembled a flower garden in bloom.

Next, lunch was served with food prepared by Phuoc Son Temple. All the monks received offerings from the devotees in their alms bowls before eating.

Afterwards, we took a tour of the temple. As the temple was quite large, a novice monk drove an electric cart to guide us. The living spaces for the monks varied, including single rooms and shared rooms.

There was a very large Dharma hall and many outdoor spaces for meditation.

After touring the temple, we said our goodbyes.

“Sunim, if there were any shortcomings in my reception of you, please forgive me.”

“There was no inconvenience at all. Thank you.”

“When you come to Vietnam next time, please visit our temple again. Then, I will provide you with a private meditation space.” (Laughter)

We got back in the car and moved to the next Dharma talk location.

After an hour’s drive, we arrived at Quang Duc Temple in Ho Chi Minh City at 1:30 PM.

At Quang Duc Temple, Venerable Thich Phuoc Nguyen, the current Deputy Secretary-General of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Council, is conducting a summer retreat program for ordained monks. He visited Korea last fall when Jungto Society invited the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Council. As Sunim got out of the car, the Deputy Secretary-General and several other monks warmly welcomed him.

Quang Duc Temple houses the Second Secretariat of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Council. We moved to the reception room and had tea with the senior monks of the Second Secretariat.

First, the Deputy Secretary-General gave a welcome speech. Due to the social atmosphere in Vietnam, the Dharma talk was suddenly reduced and changed. The Deputy Secretary-General repeatedly expressed his apologies.

“We invited Venerable Pomnyun Sunim to share Dharma talks with the monks who are in summer retreat. This is Venerable Pomnyun Sunim’s third visit to Vietnam. Recently, there have been some unfortunate incidents in Vietnamese Buddhism. Issues related to religion have arisen, affecting Buddhism and society, and we were unable to carry out our planned publicity and volunteer activities properly. We hope Venerable Pomnyun Sunim understands and forgives this situation.

Not only myself but everyone knows who Venerable Pomnyun Sunim is in Korea. We are well aware of Sunim’s merits not only in Korea but worldwide. Our monks and young practitioners want to emulate what Sunim has done, not just in Korea but in other countries as well. Many of us monks have visited Korea, but we saw that Venerable Pomnyun Sunim doesn’t just work indoors but goes into the fields to plant and cultivate vegetables directly. He always proves himself through actions, not just words. We will always strive to follow Sunim’s life and philosophy.”

Then Sunim gave his greeting.

“I thank the Deputy Secretary-General and all of you for your warm welcome. In life, plans can sometimes change a little. It’s just a slight change, and there’s no problem at all. Even someone as excellent as the Buddha faced criticism and many difficulties. We are not as great as the Buddha, so how can we live without criticism? When faced with criticism, the Buddha said: ‘If we are on the right path, we just need to wait. It will disappear on its own if we wait.’

The Buddha was not concerned whether people welcomed or rejected him. If no one offered food, he simply returned with an empty bowl. The world may welcome or criticize us. But we don’t need to be bound by that. We just continue on our path. We might have planned for 100 people to gather, but only 10 might come, or we might not be able to meet due to rain. However, we continue to walk the path of spreading the Dharma.

“Two days ago, we were informed that we couldn’t hold a large-scale Dharma assembly. Whatever the reason, that’s their issue. We thought it would be good to proceed with our plans, so I came here anyway. That’s why we’re meeting like this. It doesn’t matter whether we meet many people or few. In fact, meeting fewer people allows us to have deeper conversations, which is a good thing. I’m always busy, so this extra time is actually nice. So there’s no need to feel sorry or disappointed. I’m not bothered at all. I’m glad to meet you all. Let’s rejoice together.” (Laughter)

Even before Sunim finished speaking, the Vietnamese monks applauded loudly, showing their agreement with his words.

After the tea talk and taking commemorative photos, a meeting was held with the monks observing the summer retreat from 2 PM.

Fifty monks observing the summer retreat gathered in the hall. It was reported that these 50 monks, representing 19 provinces, were participating in the summer retreat. Most of them were young monks.

Then, while encouraging the monks in their summer retreat, Sunim spoke about the three activities that practitioners should engage in.

“If I were to meet each of you individually, I would have to visit 19 temples. I’m even more delighted to be able to see you all at once like this.

“The ‘retreat’ (ango) began during the time of the Buddha. As practitioners must let go of attachments, they need to leave their homes. Even when living away from home, they didn’t stay in one place but kept moving. However, India has a rainy season. For three months in summer, it rains a lot, making it difficult to travel. So, they were allowed to stay in one village for those three months. During that time, instead of wandering, they spent three months staying in one village. This is called the ‘rainy season retreat’ (u-ango). Now it has become the ‘summer retreat’ (ka-ango). As Buddhism spread to China and Korea, where the weather became much colder, a three-month winter retreat (dong-ango) was also established. However, originally there was only one rainy season retreat. It seems that Vietnam is following this past tradition in observing the retreat. During the retreat period, one shouldn’t talk this much. You should meditate in silence. I hope I haven’t broken the rules of the retreat by coming here and having this conversation with you all.

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Council invited Sunim to hold several Dharma assemblies, but they were all at risk of being canceled. While the large-scale assemblies were canceled, Sunim and his group are proceeding as planned with smaller, adjusted gatherings. In life, sometimes things go as we wish, and sometimes they don’t. There are times when we receive praise and times when we face criticism. In any case, we simply continue on our path. The same applies when you meditate during the retreat period. Sometimes your mindfulness is well-maintained, and other times many afflictions arise. There’s no need to be elated or dejected, thinking “I’m doing well” or “I’m not doing well.” Just continue practicing. Then, an excited mind may settle down, and afflictions that arise may disappear. This is how practice is steadily maintained.

Three Activities a Practitioner Should Engage In

Sunim believes that those who follow the Buddha’s teachings should focus on three things. First is practice. Practice means maintaining a state free from afflictions and suffering in one’s mind. The goal of practice is to attain Nirvana. We should always maintain a state free from suffering. If there is suffering, we should be aware of it, thinking, “There is suffering.” With awareness, the mind settles again. We should maintain equanimity while maintaining awareness. The goal is to reach a state free from suffering. When doing any task, the body may get a little tired, but we shouldn’t be mentally stressed. If we can work without stress, we can continue that work.

Second, we should help others encounter this good Dharma and live without suffering. Since we have met this Dharma and been freed from suffering, we should help others experience this goodness. This is called “spreading the Dharma” or “propagating the Dharma.” We don’t spread the Dharma to build Buddhist power or to make money. We do it to make people happy. Whether people value this connection or not, we shouldn’t get tired because it’s for their benefit. There are various methods to spread the Dharma: we can demonstrate it through our actions, convey it through books or writings, and nowadays, even through videos. We should use all available methods to help others know this good Dharma.

Third is social practice. In this world, many people suffer from survival hardships unrelated to the Buddha’s teachings. Some are starving due to lack of food, some are sick but can’t receive treatment due to lack of medicine, some have become refugees due to war, and some children can’t go to school due to poverty. It’s not appropriate to tell such people to believe in the Buddha’s teachings. We should first give water to the thirsty, food to the hungry, medicine to the sick, and ensure children can go to school and learn. Only after that should we spread the Dharma. Therefore, we must practice helping those in need.

Moreover, excessive human desires are now causing a climate crisis. Many people mistakenly believe that consuming more means living well. We need to awaken people to the fact that such desires are leading humanity to destruction. So, we need to demonstrate that we can live happily while being frugal. In this era of climate crisis, we should engage in environmental movements to reduce consumption and promote recycling.

Both Korea and Vietnam have experienced war. How devastating were the effects of these wars? Even now, wars continue to occur in various parts of the world. We must put an end to these conflicts. To achieve this, anger must disappear from people’s hearts. Among the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, anger is the second. Anger leads to violence, and violence leads to war. We must work towards peace not only through spiritual practice but also through social movements. We shouldn’t think passively, like ‘As long as I’m comfortable, it’s fine.’ From the perspective that ‘I and the people of the world are not separate,’ we must act for world peace.

I hope you will adopt this perspective in your practice, in spreading the Dharma, and in your social engagement activities. Right now, you’re in the middle of your summer retreat, so you should focus on your practice. When the retreat ends, I hope you will engage in spreading the Dharma and social activities. Whatever you need, I will be there with you. Although we are from different countries and have different nationalities, we are all disciples of one Buddha (一佛弟子). We are disciples of the same Buddha. Therefore, we are Dharma friends and brothers and sisters in the Dharma.”

After that, Sunim received questions about various topics. After Sunim answered, the Deputy Secretary-General asked additional questions, and then other monks inquired about their curiosities, leading to a free-flowing conversation.
One of the monks mentioned that he had learned about the declining Buddhist population in Korea and asked for Sunim’s advice on how to develop Buddhism further.

How Can We Develop Buddhism as the Buddhist Population Declines?

“I haven’t been to Korea yet, but I learned through social media that the Buddhist population in Korea is gradually decreasing. It seems that young people, in particular, hardly believe in Buddhism. I would like to know the reasons for this. How do you think we can consistently develop Korean Buddhism?”

“Don’t you think young people don’t believe in Buddhism because it doesn’t solve the difficulties they face in life? That’s why I believe we should focus on ‘how Buddhism can solve the difficulties young people face’ rather than setting a goal to increase the Buddhist population.

Young people mainly worry about studies, employment, dating, and marriage. When they have various difficult problems, we need to create spaces where they can receive counseling or some kind of help and find solutions. After marriage, many difficulties arise, such as raising children, workplace issues, and marital conflicts. We need to provide help on how to overcome these issues. If we can help solve these problems, young people will gather regardless of the religion. If we can’t do that, no matter how hard we try, people will gradually leave that religion. In the past, poor people relied on religion to try to live better lives. They believed that if they went to temples or churches and prayed, they would receive blessings. This became a factor in attracting people to religion. However, for today’s young people, this doesn’t offer much benefit.

Also, people used to rely heavily on religion when facing death. We all have a fear of death. So, people would perform ancestral rites or hold memorial services. This acted as a factor in bringing people to temples. However, for today’s young people, this also doesn’t offer much benefit.

Therefore, we need to start with a completely different approach to spreading the Dharma and propagating Buddhism than we have been doing so far. I believe we should return to the fundamental teachings of the Buddha to find solutions. The Buddha directly met many suffering people of his time. He listened to their stories, engaged in dialogue, and helped resolve their concerns. This method of dialogue is very much needed today. This is why I conduct Dharma Q&A sessions. I visit universities, listen to students’ anguish, and converse with them like a friend. It’s not just about offering comfort. By awakening them from their ignorance and delusion, I help them break free from their suffering. I want to emphasize that you too should approach this with new methods.

We must return to the original teachings of the Buddha. The original teaching of the Buddha is to reach a state without suffering, that is, nirvana. The ultimate goal of practice is to attain nirvana. Nirvana is not impossible. If we practice according to the Buddha’s teachings, we can live without suffering. We need to open the door for people in the world to practice these teachings in their daily lives. The original teaching of Buddhism is to help all people break free from suffering.

“Here, we don’t need various worldly knowledge. What’s important is that we accurately understand the Buddha’s original teachings. We need a deep understanding of who the Buddha was and how he lived. We should try to emulate his life as much as possible. Even if we can’t live exactly like him, we should at least try to resemble him in some way.”

After two hours of conversation, the Dharma talk concluded at 4 PM.

Leaving the hall, Sunim took a commemorative photo with the attending monastics.

Sunim gifted each of the participating monastics a copy of his book translated into Vietnamese, then left Quang Duc Temple with a promise to meet again.

He then boarded the car to return to the lodging. After a 50-minute drive, he arrived at the accommodation at 5 PM, concluding the day’s schedule.

After having dinner at the lodging, the group discussed the next day’s schedule, and Sunim retired early.

Tomorrow’s plan includes having lunch with Jungto Society members living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, visiting a traditional market in the afternoon, and having a conversation with practitioners at Giac Ngo Temple in the evening.