Nov 10, 2024 – Opening Ceremony of the 7th 100-Day Prayer in the 1st 1000-Day Practice of the 2nd 10,000-Day Practice, Happiness Headquarters Day
Hello. These days, as we feel the chilly waether, the beautiful autume leaves that colored the street are already falling. It makes us acutely aware of how quickly time passes.
Today marks the beginning of the 5th 100-Day Prayer in the 1st 1000-Day Practice of the Jungto Society’s 2nd 10,000-Day Practice.
From early morning, the Jungto Social and Cultural Center was bustling with many volunteers preparing for the event. Sunim also took his seat in the basement auditorium, where the event was to be held at 9:30 AM.
After the bell-ringing, Buddhist chanting, and recitation of the Heart Sutra, the 7th 100-Day Prayer opening ceremony began with a vibrant greeting from the MC Kim Byung-jo.
The 2nd 10,000-Day Practice, which began with a great vow to overcome all suffering in this world and practice a pure mind, good friends, and a clean land right here, has already passed 600 days and entered its 700th day. The opening ceremony began with thunderous applause from about 6,000 people connected via live broadcast both domestically and internationally.
First, Jeon Hae-jong, the President of the Jungto Society, stand on the stage to greet the audience.
“The other day, while having dinner, my mother was watching TV and saw news about inter-Korean relations, conflicts between political parties, and wars breaking out around the world. She said, ‘Life is too short. I don’t understand why people fight in this brief moment.’ Seeing my mother’s distress, I felt truly grateful for all of you who practice diligently day by day, making your own minds peaceful and doing things that help the world. That’s why today, when we meet our fellow practitioners every hundred days, feels even more precious.”
Next, we watched a video showcasing the footsteps of the past 100 days. Many activities from around the world were concisely captured in the 15-minute video.
Following this, we listened to a practice testimonial from Lee Sam-soon of the Gyeongnam branch of the Happiness Movement Special Headquarters, who had practiced more diligently than anyone else over the past hundred days.
As we listened to her story, many people in the audience were wiping tears with handkerchiefs. It provided a vivid sense of what practice truly means.
Closing Ceremony of the 6th 100-Day Prayer
Next, we invited Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, the guiding Dharma teacher of Jungto Society, to give a Dharma talk for the closing of the 6th 100-Day Prayer in the 1st 1000-Day Practice. Sunim emphasized that practice is the most important thing above all else.
“Today marks the closing of the 6th 100-Day Prayer in the 1st 1000-Day Practice of the 2nd 10,000-Day Practice. It has been 600 days since Jungto Society began the 2nd 10,000-Day Practice. If we continue to practice diligently for another 400 days, we will complete the first 1000-Day Practice of the 2nd 10,000-Day Practice.
Looking back on the footsteps of the past hundred days, firstly, although not visible, you have all been diligently doing your personal practice every day. Secondly, you have been spreading the Dharma to encourage many people to participate in the Buddhism Course, Sutra Course, and Happiness School, and you have been running these programs. Thirdly, you have been engaging in many practical activities at the main temples, in local areas, and around the world to help those in need, to overcome the climate crisis, and to maintain peace. From outer perspective, people may evaluate Jungto Society as having achieved many results through numerous activities, but internally, we know that these are the results of each and every one of you practicing, spreading the Dharma, and volunteering every day.
Why Jungto Society Can Operate on a Volunteer System
When outsiders observe Jungto Society’s activities, the aspect that impresses them most and makes them want to learn is the ‘volunteer system’. They express their desire to implement a similar volunteer system in their own countries and organizations. In response, Sunim smiled and asked:
It looks good from the outside, doesn’t it? You think that if you introduce a volunteer system, you can get a lot of work done with little money since people come and work hard without pay?
However, can a volunteer system truly thrive if it’s implemented solely as a method? The answer is no. The reason Jungto Society can operate on a volunteer system is that each volunteer is grounded in their own practice. While it’s necessary to establish effective systems and procedures to support people’s volunteer activities, it’s not these systems that sustain the volunteer work. Jungto Society’s volunteer activities are sustained because they are based on practice. Practice means reducing even a little bit of the suffering we’re experiencing now. Whether it’s hatred, resentment, anger, irritation, stress, sadness, loneliness, worry, anxiety, or nervousness – whatever negative psychological state we’re in, we collectively call it ‘suffering’. In Pali, it’s called ‘dukkha’. The state of complete freedom from suffering is ‘nirvana’. The ultimate goal of practice is to reach nirvana, that is, to reach a state free from suffering.
The people who volunteer at Jungto Society do so as practitioners, which is different from ordinary people volunteering. Our goal is not the work itself. Our purpose is to reach a free state without suffering through practice. To progress on this path, we need to cultivate a mind of giving, a mind of service, and to keep precepts. That’s why we keep precepts, cultivate concentration, and attain wisdom.
Many people say that their lives were difficult and painful, but after attending the Jungto Buddhism Course, listening to Dharma Q&A, or participating in the Awakening Retreat, their suffering decreased. While the extent of reduction varies from person to person, most report a decrease in suffering. Some people say their suffering has significantly reduced, changing their lives. How much their lives and though must have changed for them to leave their homes and enter the community as resident practitioners?
After living in suffering, when that suffering is reduced a little, firstly, gratitude arises in the heart. When one feels grateful, the act that comes from the desire to “share something” is called dana (giving). Going further, a more active expression of gratitude is volunteering. Giving is relatively easy, but volunteering can be a bit burdensome. Not everyone who receives help volunteers. That’s why the number of people who give is widespread, but the number of volunteers is comparatively smaller. Jungto Society’s volunteer system operates based on people whose lives have become happier after listening to Dharma talks.
Furthermore, those who volunteer need continuous support for their practice. Jungto Society continues to provide support for the practice of volunteers, which is why people continue to volunteer. Also, the reason why only this many people volunteer out of so many is that Jungto Society is unable to provide continuous support beyond this level. Initially, people volunteer diligently as an expression of gratitude for the help they received, but after a certain amount of giving or volunteering, they feel they have repaid that kindness. Additionally, if they think there’s nothing more to gain in terms of practice, they tend to stop volunteering.
Therefore, in Jungto Society, we don’t give too much meaning on external appearances. Those are merely results. The most important thing is practice. As you experience freedom from suffering through your practice, your acts of giving and service can be sustained. Without progress in practice, service lacks continuity. That’s why I don’t focus on how much Jungto Society has achieved or what results we’ve produced. Those are just outcomes. Results may or may not be there. While outsiders may give awards or praise based on visible results, my focus is always on your practice. Results can be produced by corporations with money or religious organizations promising future blessings. What makes Jungto Society’s results valuable is that they are created by you as a result of your practice, without any expectation of reward. Therefore, comparing quantities with other organizations is meaningless.
As Practice Deepens, Service Becomes Your Own Work
That’s why consistent dedication to practice is most important. Whether you’re deployed overseas, working from home, or living in a community, your personal practice must be the foundation for giving and service to become byproducts of your practice. Without a foundation of personal practice, service becomes a burden and feelings of resentment arise. Thoughts like “I’ve contributed so much to Jungto Society, why am I being treated this way?” emerge, and your mindset shifts to one of transaction. It’s like getting married for love and then feeling resentful and hateful because you’re not receiving what you think you deserve in return for your love. As resentment grows, you eventually lean towards quitting your service. This is especially likely for those who have contributed a lot to Jungto Society. The more one has contributed, the more one unconsciously expects from Jungto Society. When these expectations aren’t met, disappointment and the desire to quit arise.
As your practice deepens, service becomes your own work. It’s not about helping Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, assisting Jungto Society, or working for the country – it should become your own work. When service becomes your own work, you reach the highest level of practice.
When Jungto Society activities become your own work, having Sunim around is a great help. Without Sunim, your work might not go smoothly. So when Jungto Society activities become your own, you feel grateful: “I’m thankful Sunim is here,” “I’m grateful for the Dharma teachers,” and “I’m thankful for my fellow practitioners.” However, if it doesn’t become your own work, you might constantly think, “Why doesn’t Sunim recognize me?” “Why don’t the Dharma teachers acknowledge me?” “Why don’t my fellow practitioners appreciate my efforts?” If you continue to seek recognition from others, you may be volunteering, but you’re doing so as a guest, not as an owner.
This work is not mine. The owners of this work are Jungto Society, Sunim, the Dharma teachers, the branch leaders, the chapter leaders, the team leaders, and the group facilitators. It’s their work, and I’m just helping out now.
If you have such thoughts, you’ve become a guest. As a guest, you keep demanding, “Please give me attention.” However, if you become the owner of this work, you’ll find yourself constantly appreciating those around you and recognizing their hard work.
When you practice, the sense of self-sacrifice disappears. However, without practice, you feel like you’re sacrificing yourself. At first, you might do things out of pure enjoyment, but if no one acknowledges your efforts, thoughts like “What am I doing this for without any pay?” or “Why am I doing this alone when no one appreciates it?” start to creep in. Eventually, you might quit and regret, thinking, “I’ve wasted the last five years doing useless things.” This is when service becomes self-sacrifice. In society, sacrifice is highly valued. People respect those who sacrifice for their country or family. However, from a practice perspective, sacrifice is suffering. Most of you probably think you’ve sacrificed for your family. You feel you’ve supported your spouse or children, so you feel hurt when they don’t show appreciation later.
However, as you learn the Buddha’s teachings, you become the master, not the servant. When you become the master, you can look upon others with compassion. Being the master of your own life is what it means to be a Buddha, while always looking to others, depending on them, and begging is the state of an ordinary being. Ancient Seon masters spoke of “Sucheojagju” (隨處作主), meaning to always maintain the attitude of being the master wherever you go. This should be the foundation for calling ourselves a practice community.
Jungto Society, based on your practice, is helping people in need around the world. The core is service, and the foundation of service is practice. However, if practice crumbles, the volunteer system crumbles, and if the volunteer system crumbles, other activities will also fall apart. This is because Jungto Society is not a system that operates by hiring paid professionals. If you don’t participate, there’s no one else to carry out Jungto’s activities. If you don’t make donations, Jungto’s finances will be depleted. This is because we receive absolutely no support from external sources such as the government or corporations.
I commend you all for your dedication to practice, spreading the Dharma, and various social activities over the past hundred days. If you’ve been a bit negligent in your practice, let’s renew our commitment today as we begin the 7th 100-Day Prayer and continue our practice for another hundred days.”
After internalizing the closing Dharma talk, there was a 20-minute break.
Following this, a resolution ceremony was held for prospective 1000-Day Practice participants as they began a new hundred-day period.
“Jungto practitioners seek both personal transformation for happiness by changing their thoughts and social transformation for happiness by changing society. Through practice, giving, and service, they aim to realize Jungto in this world. To manifest Jungto in this world, Jungto practitioners must make ten promises. First, to become the master of your life, will you practice every day at 5 AM?”
“Yes, I will practice every day at 5 AM.”
……
“You have now joined the 1000-Day Practice to create a pure mind, good friends, and a clean land, and will walk together as Jungto practitioners. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart.”
Existing 1000-Day Practice participants welcomed the prospective participants who have joined the path of practitioners with enthusiastic applause.
Opening Ceremony of the 7th 100-Day Prayer
Next, as we began the 7th 100-Day Prayer, we requested an opening Dharma talk from Sunim.
“Today marks the opening of the 7th 100-Day Prayer of the 1st 1000-Day Practice in the 2nd 10,000-Day Practice of Jungto Society. This 100-day prayer period falls in winter, so there are naturally fewer outdoor activities. While there are some regular activities, they are fewer compared to spring or fall. Therefore, firstly, let’s focus more on our personal practice and sort out our restless minds and indecisive thoughts. The next 100-day prayer period, which runs from February to May next year, will require more active participation. So, let’s put more emphasis on practice during this period to replenish our energy for the next one. If you’ve depleted your energy over the past hundred days, take time to recharge. It’s also good to focus on practice to build up extra energy for future use.
A Hundred Days Focused on Practice
As I always emphasize, practice is the most fundamental. Without practice, we cannot sustain giving and service. Eventually, we’ll end up quitting. The reason I’ve been saying that Jungto Society seems to be stagnating a bit recently is because it appears that you’re neglecting your practice. With all systems moving online during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s become difficult to check individual practice. Without the support of practice, people leave as quickly as they join. Even if Jungto Society as a whole can’t be very active, we need to put more effort into practice to maintain sustainability in our activities. Each of you needs to put more effort into practice to have the strength to overcome difficulties. In this regard, I hope you will maintain steady practice during this hundred-day period. Let’s start with a renewed mindset from today.”
With thunderous applause, Sunim energetically launched the new 100-day practice period.
Next, Sunim announced the commitment that all 1000-Day Practice participants should fulfill together during this 100-day period. They decided to spread the Happiness School program to promote happiness for all citizens over the next 100 days.
Looking back, Jungto Practitioners have walked the paths to create hope in the world. The members of the Happiness Movement Special Headquarters prepared a performance showcasing the many activities of Jungto practitioners who have laughed and cried together to become a beacon of hope for the world.
The performance was filled with both emotion and laughter. After the performance, the host said with a smile,
“I think we’ve witnessed a rare state of non-self in this opening ceremony performance.” (Laughter)
Finally, after hearing the closing remarks from the head of the Dharma teachers’ group, everyone promised to meet again at the next opening ceremony in February, concluding the 5th 100-Day Prayer opening ceremony. Together, they sang the Four Great Vows and the Closing Song with vigor.
After the live broadcast ended, the Happiness Movement Special Headquarters members who attended in person dispersed into small groups and had lunch with their packed meals.
Sunim had lunch with writer Kim Hong-shin, Kim Byung-jo, and Park Gena, the representative of JTS.
After lunch, from 1 PM, Sunim held a meeting with Park Gena, the JTS representative, in the Peace Foundation’s reception room to discuss plans for providing a total of 6.36 million bars of hand and laundry soap to Rohingya refugee camps. They conclude the meeting finalizing the date for the soap delivery ceremony and discussing travel arrangements for Sunim, the representative, and others who would be attending.
At 2 PM, the Happiness Movement Special Headquarters Day event began in the basement auditorium. With all members of the Happiness Movement Special Headquarters gathered, they recited the Three Refuges and the Heart Sutra. After hearing words of encouragement from the President of Jungto Society and the Planning Committee Chairman of the Peace Foundation, the Happiness Headquarters members presented their opening performance.
The Seoul-Jeju Northern Chapter presented a choral performance and a card section performance.
The opening performance heightened the excitement of the Happiness Movement Special Headquarters Day event. After calming their minds, everyone respectfully requested a Dharma talk from Sunim with three bows. Sunim reminded them once again of the purpose behind the creation of the Happiness Movement Special Headquarters.
“The Happiness Movement Special Headquarters originally started as the ‘Unification Special Committee’ during the 9th 1000-Day Practice of Jungto Society’s 1st 10,000-Day Practice. We took on the special mission to be the first to stand up and protect our peace if there was a risk of war on the Korean Peninsula. However, during normal times when there is no emergency, we conduct Happiness School to increase the happiness level of citizens. In fact, in 2017, there was a risk of war on the Korean Peninsula. At that time, 10,000 people gathered in front of Gwanghwamun for a grand march for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Our most important mission is still to protect peace on the Korean Peninsula. Those of you in the Happiness Movement Special Headquarters should not forget this.
War has broken out between Ukraine and Russia, another war has erupted in the Middle East, and tensions in inter-Korean relations are escalating. I sometimes think it might be time to set aside our regular duties and focus on our special mission, but we’ve decided to wait a little longer. Then, in June of this year, marking the 160th anniversary of the birth of Master Yongseong, as the risk of war on the Korean Peninsula was increasing, we held a grand Dharma assembly of 6.13 million people to protect peace on the Korean Peninsula, seeking help not only from human efforts but also from the spirits of heaven and earth and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Fortunately or unfortunately, with the election of President Trump in the U.S. presidential election, the current war crisis seems to be calming down a bit. However, because President-elect Trump will have to wait more than two months until January 20 next year to take office, if the crisis of war escalates before then, we must not hesitate to stand up for peace on the Korean Peninsula. I ask you to watch this period with this mindset.”
After delivering the keynote Dharma talk, Sunim opened the floor for questions about any lingering curiosities. Four individuals had pre-registered to ask questions and engaged in a dialogue with Sunim. One of them sought advice from Sunim, expressing that balancing volunteer work with a full-time job was taking a physical toll, and her husband was complaining. She asked how she should approach the situation as she felt inclined to quit her volunteer activities.
I Feel Like Quitting Because It’s Taking a Physical Toll
“In such situations, you can continue your activities while acknowledging, ‘My leg hurts.’ You can keep going while recognizing, ‘I feel like I don’t want to do this.’ You can carry on while noting, ‘This is a bit tiring.’ You can persist while observing, ‘My husband is nagging.’ What’s so difficult about that?”
“Yes, I’ll just do as you said.” (Laughter)
“You say you’re pushing yourself, but I’m pushing myself too. You’re not the only one. (Laughter) I push myself, but not to the point of risking my life. Even the best activities are done with the intention of living, right? We’re not deliberately trying to worsen our health or plotting to die. We’re doing our best within the limits of what we can handle. These days, my legs have been giving me trouble, so I’m being careful about walking. I’m refraining from pushing myself too hard, like climbing mountains or going on extended hikes as I used to.
Practice is about awareness. For instance, when drowsiness comes, the middle way is to recognize, ‘I’m feeling sleepy.’ It’s neither about forcing yourself to sleep nor gritting your teeth to stay awake. When your legs hurt during meditation, it’s not about stretching them out or enduring the pain with clenched teeth; it’s simply about acknowledging, ‘There’s pain in my legs.’ Try not to overexert yourself, but don’t completely stop either. Adjust as you go along, being aware of your condition. With this gradual awareness, you naturally become more careful.
Also, if a doctor says surgery is absolutely necessary, then you should do it. But if it’s not essential, it’s better to avoid surgery if possible. There’s an old saying, ‘It’s best not to put a knife to your body.’ However, when there’s no alternative, we have to accept surgery. Frequent physical discomfort is a sign of aging, isn’t it? Just as aging brings wrinkles, it also affects our eyesight, turns our hair gray, and makes our knees ache. This is the natural order of things – how can we prevent it? Your leg pain isn’t due to some sudden misfortune. If treatment is necessary, get appropriate care, but try to avoid surgery if possible. However, it’s not the right approach to stubbornly endure pain and refuse surgery either. Conversely, rushing to the hospital for surgery at the slightest discomfort isn’t correct either.
In short, your mind is currently a bit shaken. In the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, there’s a story: When a flag on a pole in the temple courtyard was fluttering in the wind, a debate arose among the assembly. Some said, “The flag is moving because of the wind,” while others argued, “The wind is there because the flag is moving.” The Sixth Patriarch intervened, saying, “It’s neither the wind nor the flag that’s moving. It’s your minds that are moving.” Similarly, your mind is now shaken due to the circumstances you’re facing. Some Happiness Citizens are complaining, there’s more work, your legs hurt, and your husband is nagging. You should recognize that “such thoughts arise in these circumstances.
It’s not the Middle Way to either stop your activities or grit your teeth and endure when such thoughts arise. Instead, continue while acknowledging, “Such thoughts are arising.” If you really become ill or find it impossible to continue for some reason, then you can resign, appeal, or take sick leave. For now, just keep going while noting, “Such thoughts are arising” or “My mind is shaken these days.”
“Thank you. I understand well.”
By the time Sunim finished answering all the questions, it was past 4 PM.
“If there are any issues, we’ll discuss them together next time. Thank you all for your hard work. Please continue to do your best.”
Finally, after taking a commemorative photo together and reciting the Four Great Vows, the Happiness Movement Special Headquarters meeting concluded.
Sunim then met with Park Gena, the representative of JTS, in the Peace Foundation’s reception room to discuss providing soap to Rohingya refugee camps. Following this, he met with the Secretary General of the Peace Foundation to discuss the upcoming 20th anniversary celebration of the Peace Foundation on the 14th.
After finishing the meetings at 5 PM, Sunim departed for the Dubuk Jungto Retreat Center. The sun set as they drove on the highway.
Arriving at the Dubuk Jungto Retreat Center at 9 PM, Sunim concluded his day’s activities.
Tomorrow morning, he will broadcast live online the opening ceremony of the 7th 100-day English prayer for the 1000-Day Practice participants who use foreign languages. In the afternoon, he plans to visit the memorial altar at Bulguksa Temple’s Museoljeon Hall to pay respects to the late Venerable Jongsang, the chief abbot of Bulguksa Temple, who has passed away.
