February 18, 2025 – Day 2 of 100-Day Dharma Talk, Open Dharma Assembly Lecture 2

Hello. Today is the second day of Venerable Pomnyun Sunim’s 100-Day Dharma Talk. The first lecture topic is the “Yebulmun” (Homage to the Buddha), which is fundamental knowledge for all Buddhist practitioners. Yesterday, Sunim explained the meaning of the title “Yebulmun,” and today he continuest with an explanation of its first verse.



After completing the morning practice and meditation, Sunim headed to the third-floor Dharma hall of the Jungto Social and Cultural Center to deliver his lecture.



At 9 AM, he diligently performed the Mid-Morning Buddhist Service, and at 10:15 AM, he began the second lecture of the Open Dharma Assembly.



With about 250 people in attendance, they recited the Three Refuges and the Heart Sutra, then respectfully requested the Dharma teaching from Sunim with three bows. Sunim spoke in detail about the meaning of offering the Five Incenses, which is the first verse of the Yebulmun.



“When we devote ourselves sincerely, one of the most representative methods is to light incense and offer it while praying. Following this tradition, we also burn incense when making offerings to the Buddha. In India and China, there are traditionally many good incenses. So, they burn different types of incense or use specific incense for particular events. You know how there are various fragrances in the cosmetics you apply to your face or body, right? Likewise, the incense offered to the Buddha is even more diverse.

A Buddhist practitioner (佛子) is not a believer (信者) who asks or prays to the Buddha for something. A Buddhist practitioner is someone who practices to awaken from their ignorance and attain liberation and nirvana. Therefore, the most important offering to the Buddha is the fragrance of one’s character obtained through diligent practice.

It is said that through practice, our body can attain five types of bodies. This is called the ‘Five Aspects of the Dharmakaya’ (五分法身). Our physical body becomes the body of Dharma through practice, which is called the Dharmakaya, and this Dharmakaya has five aspects.

The Fragrance of Precepts, Concentration, Wisdom, Liberation, and the Knowledge and Vision of Liberation

戒香 定香 慧香 解脫香 解脫知見香

First, one must become a person who purely observes the precepts. When one purely observes the precepts, that body is called the ‘Body of Precepts’ (戒身). The fragrance emanating from the Body of Precepts is called the ‘Fragrance of Precepts’ (戒香). So, what does it mean to purely observe the precepts according to the Buddha’s teachings? It means not hitting or killing other living beings, but rather saving dying lives. It means not taking or stealing from others, but giving instead. It means not sexually harassing or assaulting, but cherishing and loving. It means not using abusive language or lying, but speaking truthfully and compassionately. It means not causing trouble while drunk, but always maintaining a clear mind. It means living frugally, not extravagantly. It means being humble, not arrogant. It means maintaining equanimity, not being overly excited. We feel comfortable and fearless when we are with such people. This is the Body of Precepts of a person who purely observes the precepts. The fragrance emanating from the body that purely observes the precepts is called the Fragrance of Precepts. Therefore, when paying homage, we first offer the Fragrance of Precepts to the Buddha.

A person who purely observes precepts can be considered a good person who does not harm others. However, even among good people, there are those who are emotionally unstable or excitable. Being around such people can be somewhat draining for us. That’s why the next phrase mentions ‘Jeonghyang’ (定香, the fragrance of concentration).

What Kind of Person Makes You Feel at Ease When You’re with Them?

Second, one should become a person with a calm mind. If you’re excited by pleasure, anxious, or depressed, you’re not in a calm state. Your mind should be at peace regardless of what happens. When a young son comes crying to his mother, clutching her skirt and saying, “Mom, he hit me. Scold him,” what should you do? Instead of getting excited and scolding the friend who hit your son, a practitioner should comfort the child: “Oh, is that so? That friend did that to you. My son, you must have been upset.” If you do this, after a while, your son will go back to playing with that friend. While adults might hold a grudge for days, children usually don’t even take five minutes.

We need to calm our minds. In a house with young children, if the mother wakes up at 5 AM to practice, the child will feel at ease seeing their mother’s composure. Children’s emotions may fluctuate, but parents should always maintain a peaceful mind. This is called equanimity. We should remain calm in all situations, but we often become agitated. That’s why we need to cultivate meditation to maintain inner peace. The fragrance that emanates from this state is called Jeonghyang (定香, the fragrance of meditation).

In one of Buddha’s anecdotes, a person who was angry and suffering came to see the Buddha. However, seeing the Buddha in deep meditation, he couldn’t bring himself to ask his question and just sat quietly beside him. Eventually, his suffering was resolved on its own.

A hired assassin, instigated by Devadatta, came to kill the Buddha at night with a sword. However, upon seeing the Buddha in meditation, he hesitated, unsure whether to strike or not. In his anxiety, he accidentally dropped the sword with a clang. The Buddha then said, “Come out. Don’t be afraid. Escape this way.” In fact, two more assassins had been placed to eliminate evidence by killing the first assassin as he came down after harming the Buddha. And to kill those two, four more assassins had been positioned. Nevertheless, the Buddha saved the life of the one who had come to kill him.

There’s an old story about Seon masters. One day, a thief broke into a temple and was caught stealing by the senior monk. As the thief tried to escape, he was captured by the disciples. The senior monk told his disciples, “He is not a thief. I gave him those things because he was in need. Let him go.” The disciples were puzzled but released him. Deeply moved by this act of compassion, the thief returned to the temple years later to become a monk. While no one else remembered the incident, he sought out the senior monk and confessed, “I was actually that thief from back then.”

Maintaining inner peace is crucial. We often seek fleeting pleasures, which can lead to depression when things don’t go our way. Cultivating a calm mind is known as ‘jeongsin’ (定身), and the fragrance that emanates from this state of mind is called ‘jeonghyang’ (定香, the fragrance of concentration).

Some people may be kind and calm, but when you live with them, they can be frustrating. There are those who don’t understand what’s being said to them or lack practical skills. That’s why wisdom is essential.

Third, we must become wise individuals. There are principles in everything we do. When we follow these principles, tasks become easier and require less effort. However, if we don’t understand these principles, we exert unnecessary effort and still fail to accomplish our goals. It’s like when someone lacks intelligence, their body suffers. Therefore, whether it’s about objects or people’s minds, understanding the principles and solving problems accordingly is called ‘wisdom.’ In pure Korean, it’s expressed as ‘being wise’ or ‘having many tricks up one’s sleeve.’ While ‘having many tricks’ is often misunderstood negatively, that’s not the intended meaning here. Being wise doesn’t necessarily mean having a lot of knowledge. In fact, many knowledgeable people can be frustratingly rigid due to their own thoughts. So while knowledge can be beneficial to wisdom, when it hinders wisdom, it’s worse than having no knowledge at all. Wisdom means understanding the principles of things and seeing facts as they are. In Buddhist terms, this can be expressed as ‘knowing that all phenomena are empty,’ ‘understanding that Everything in the world is related.‘ or ‘recognizing impermanence and non-self.’ With wisdom, attachments decrease. The body of such a wise person is called ‘Hyesin’ (慧身), and the fragrance emanating from it is called ‘Hyehyang’ (慧香, the fragrance of wisdom).

Fourth, we must become free individuals. The state of being unhindered and free is called liberation. When conversing with people, if you ask, “How about doing it this way?” some people constantly refuse, saying, “That won’t work.” Instead of lightly accepting others’ words or situations and responding with, “Oh, really? Let’s consider it,” they frequently say, “That won’t work!” However, there are many records of the Buddha granting permission through silence in response to requests. If there was no answer, it meant he approved. This implies that the Buddha accepted most proposals. But in our daily lives, if there’s no response, does it mean permission is granted or not?”

“It means permission is not granted.”

“Permission always requires a ‘yes’ or ‘okay’ response. No answer means no permission. This indicates that in our daily lives, we rarely accept others’ words as they are. However, the Buddha accepted almost everything unless it was a special case. When someone said, ‘I’d like to offer this,’ if the Buddha gave no response, it meant he granted permission through silence. Around us, there are many people who are quite rigid. They initially say no to any proposal.

The state of liberation requires more than just understanding the principle that all phenomena are empty. One must also understand that emptiness is form. Understanding both principles is called ‘the state of a bodhisattva.’ Knowing that phenomena are empty eliminates our own suffering. However, understanding that emptiness is form allows us to teach in ways that address the diverse concerns of sentient beings. Each instance of suffering that beings experience unfolds uniquely in real situations. It would be fortunate if sentient beings could immediately understand when told ‘Know that all phenomena are empty,’ but this is often not the case. Therefore, we shouldn’t always just talk about the emptiness of phenomena. People suffer because they’re caught up in their own karmic conditions, so teaching according to these conditions is what’s called the Buddha’s ‘teaching according to karmic affinities.’ The body of such an unhindered and free person is called ‘Haetalshin,’ and the fragrance emanating from it is called ‘Haetalhyang.’ (解脫香, the fragrance of liberation)

I Offer the Fragrance of Character Gained Through Diligent Practice

Fifth, encompassing all four previous aspects, one must realize that they have liberated themselves from all afflictions. The view of liberation includes all four previous elements: maintaining pure precepts, having a calm mind, being wise, and being free. Going a step further, it’s about recognizing that one has freed oneself from all afflictions. Therefore, there’s no need for recognition from others. It’s a state where one is aware of being free from all afflictions. This state is called Buddha-body (佛身). The view of liberation (解脫知見) refers to the wisdom of the Buddha.

Have we perfected these five fragrances? We haven’t even taken the first step. However, we must progress towards these five goals. That’s why when we pay homage, we aim for these five objectives and clearly visualize them in our minds as we make offerings to the Buddha. The reason we chant with sincerity, “The fragrance of precepts, the fragrance of concentration, the fragrance of wisdom…” during our homage is to fully embrace this mindset. In our hearts, we are making vows: ‘I will keep the precepts pure’, ‘I will cultivate meditative concentration’, ‘I will attain wisdom’, ‘I will achieve liberation’, and ‘I will enter the view of liberation’. When the lead chanter recites the first line of the homage text, we quietly join our palms and cultivate these intentions.

Sunim continued to explain the second and third verses of the Buddhist chant before concluding the Dharma talk.

While the members gathered in groups for sharing their thoughts, Sunim immediately headed to the dining hall on the basement floor to have lunch with a guest who had come to visit the Peace Foundation.

Professor Park Jin-do, an honorary professor at Chungnam National University and former chairman of the Special Committee on Rural Areas, visited Sunim. Professor Park has long been researching how to apply Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) concept to Korean society and has published a book titled “The Secret of Bhutan’s Happiness.” After having lunch together, they moved to the Peace Foundation’s conference room to continue their conversation.

Sunim shared his experiences from his visits to Bhutan in December and February, then listened attentively to the opinions of Professor Park, an expert on Bhutan.

“After visiting Bhutan this time, I have developed a three-stage plan for sustainable development projects. The first stage involves improving living conditions through house repairs, irrigation systems, and securing drinking water. The second stage focuses on increasing income through livestock and fruit farming. The third stage aims to ensure fair prices in the processing and distribution stages.

When I first surveyed the Zhemgang region, I estimated that there were only one or two households without homes in each village, so I thought JTS could build about 100 houses. However, when we went deeper into the mountain valleys during this recent visit, we found that there were 10 households without homes in each chiwog. After recalculating, it seems we need to build a total of 200 houses. There are also about 700 houses that need interior repairs. In the Trongsa region, there are about 50 households without homes and about 300 houses that need repairs.

We can start improving living conditions right away, but increasing income will take more time. Especially for fruit farming and agriculture, we need experts to live in Bhutan and teach directly for it to be truly helpful. Currently, it’s difficult to find people who can do that. Brief visits are not enough for effective technology transfer.”

“I believe that since Sunim is doing this, it will go well. I will also help in any way I can.”

Professor Park Jin-do mentioned the need to share culinary techniques with Bhutan, highlighting that improving agricultural processing and cooking methods could be beneficial. He also suggested creating a cooperative. He informed Sunim that he is preparing to operate a school to train local leaders and requested Sunim to give a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony. Sunim agreed to make time for this, and the meeting concluded.

Soon after, at 2 PM, Sunim met with politicians who came seeking wisdom on how to achieve national integration. After engaging in a deep conversation with them for two hours, he exchanged views with the chairman of the Asia Foundation at 5 PM.

As the sun set after consecutive meetings, Sunim conducted the second lecture of the Open Dharma Assembly for evening members at 7:30 PM.

With about 350 people gathered in the third-floor Dharma hall, Sunim began his Dharma talk.

He continued his explanation of the Buddhist prayer text, following the same theme as the morning assembly.

With All My Heart I Take Refuge in the Teacher of the Three Realms, the Compassionate Father of All Beings, My Original Teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha

至心歸命禮 三界導師 四生慈父 是我本師 釋迦牟尼佛

“至心歸命禮 (With all my heart I take refuge) means ‘With utmost sincerity, I return to the Buddha and bow with my life.’ 三界導師 (Teacher of the Three Realms) means the great teacher of the three realms, 四生慈父 means the compassionate parent of all living beings, and 是我本師 means my original teacher. These three descriptors precede Shakyamuni Buddha, explaining who he is.

The Three Realms (三界): A Term Encompassing All Worlds

In the Three Realms (三界), 界 (realm) refers to the boundaries separating worlds of different dimensions. In traditional Indian cosmology, this world is not seen as a single entity but as a combination of three worlds of different dimensions. They viewed this world as a combination of the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm. Therefore, the Three Realms is a term that encompasses all worlds.

Modern science also explains this world by dividing it into three realms. There is the material world, the living world based on the material world, and the mental world based on the living world. Natural scientists are those who study the material world. Chemistry investigates how matter is composed, while physics studies the principles by which matter moves. Biologists and doctors are those who study the living world. Biology is the study of how life carries out metabolic processes. Doctors mainly study life phenomena occurring in the human body. The currently popular field of biotechnology is the study of life, while chemistry and physics are all fields that study the material world. So what did the Buddha study? He studied the mental world.

People in the past thought that there were fundamental particles in the material world. So they called the fundamental particles of water, iron, and so on, atoms. Dalton defined in his atomic theory that “atoms are indivisible and unchangeable.” In the realm of life, there was the concept of species, and it was thought that one species could never change into another. And in the mental world, it was believed that there was an atman, or self.

However, the Buddha proclaimed anatman (non-self), saying “There is nothing that can be called a self.” According to modern life science research, species ultimately refer to genes. Genes can be modified. And when genes are modified, the species changes. It has been revealed that the immutability of species is not true. Atoms have also been found to be divided into smaller units of nuclei and electrons, and nuclei are composed of protons, neutrons, and mesons. Atoms are made up of elementary particles, and elementary particles are made up of even smaller quarks. In this way, it has been revealed that even in the material world, there is nothing that can be called “the origin of matter.”

Non-self is a concept that came from the Buddha’s study of the mental world, but it applies equally to the living world and the material world. Therefore, the Buddha’s teachings do not reveal logical contradictions even as modern science develops. This is sometimes referred to as “Buddhism is science,” but the Buddha did not study matter. Nor did he see through matter with supernatural powers. It can be said that the law he realized by studying the mind is consistent with the material world.

According to modern scientists, there are four fundamental forces that govern our universe. First, gravity is the dominant force in the macroscopic world. Gravity is the force of attraction between masses. Second, the most common force in our daily lives is the electromagnetic force. There is an attractive force between positive and negative electric charges. Opposite charges attract each other, as do north and south magnetic poles. One is the electric force, and the other is the magnetic force. Together, they form the electromagnetic force. Third, in the microscopic world, we find protons and neutrons inside the atomic nucleus. For example, an oxygen nucleus consists of eight protons and eight neutrons. Since protons carry a positive charge (+), they naturally repel each other due to electrostatic force. However, the strong force (strong interaction) overcomes this repulsion and holds the nucleus together, ensuring its stability. While electromagnetic force alone cannot explain the binding of protons within the nucleus, the strong force accounts for this nuclear cohesion. Meanwhile, the weak force (weak interaction) plays a crucial role in processes such as radioactive decay. Third, in the microscopic world, we find protons and neutrons inside the atomic nucleus. For example, an oxygen nucleus consists of eight protons and eight neutrons. The strong force (strong interaction) is the fundamental force that binds protons and neutrons together within the nucleus. Since protons carry a positive charge (+), they naturally repel each other due to electrostatic force. However, the strong force overcomes this repulsion, providing a powerful attractive force that stabilizes the atomic nucleus. The weak force (weak interaction) plays a crucial role in processes such as radioactive decay and particle transformation. For example, in beta decay (β-decay), the weak force enables the transformation of a neutron into a proton. Thus, the strong and weak forces explain the interactions within the atomic nucleus that cannot be accounted for by electromagnetic force alone. In this world, there are four fundamental forces: gravity, electromagnetic force, strong force, and weak force. 

In the material world, there are various physical and chemical laws that explain the changes in matter. These include the law of conservation of mass, the law of multiple proportions, and the law of definite proportions. However, in nuclear changes, the law of conservation of mass does not hold. Instead, there is a decrease in mass, and this decreased mass is converted into energy. Einstein’s E=mc² energy equation explains this phenomenon. As we move to different dimensions, the laws change. Laws that apply in one dimension may not hold in another.

On a plane, only one shortest distance can be drawn between two points. The sum of the interior angles of a triangle on a plane is 180 degrees. This definition holds true in the planar dimension. But what happens on a curved surface? There can be countless shortest distances between two points. On a curved surface, the sum of the interior angles of a triangle can be greater or less than 180 degrees, depending on how it’s curved. Laws change depending on whether the world is one-dimensional, two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or four-dimensional. In a three-dimensional space, one cannot go outside without breaking through a wall or opening a door. However, in a four-dimensional world, one can freely move in and out through the axis of time.

Ancient Indians also conceived of worlds in different dimensions. The first world is the Desire Realm. The Desire Realm is a world driven by desires such as “I want to eat” or “I want to go.” The second world is the Form Realm. The Form Realm is a world where only forms exist without desires or cravings. The third world is the Formless Realm. The Formless Realm is a world without even the shape of existence or desire. These three together are called the Three Realms. In other words, the Three Realms represent all worlds. Another term for this is “the entire universe.” Therefore, Samgye Dosa (Guide of the Three Realms) means “the teacher of the entire universe.” Why does the Buddha serve as the teacher of the entire universe? It’s because he possesses bright wisdom. Thus, this phrase also means “full of wisdom.” The Buddha, with his wisdom, acts as a teacher helping us cross the sea of suffering.

The Buddha, One Who Possesses Wisdom and Compassion

In “Compassionate Father of the Four Types of Birth(四生慈父),” the “four types of birth(四生)” refers to all living beings in this world. When we refer to all people sitting here, we use the term “men, women, old, and young.” Men, women, old people, young people ultimately refer to “all people.” Similarly, all living beings were classified into four types of birth based on how they are born: viviparous (born from the womb, 胎生), oviparous (born from eggs, 卵生), moisture-born(濕生), and spontaneous birth(化生). Viviparous refers to mammals, oviparous refers to birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Indians included insects in the moisture-born category. Strictly speaking, insects are born from eggs, but ancient Indians thought that insects were generated from moisture. Spontaneous birth refers to life forms that don’t come from male and female, but are created by splitting into two. This refers to single-celled organisms like amoebae. One cell becomes two, which then further divides and reproduces. Therefore, “Compassionate Father of the Four Types of Birth” means the compassionate parent of all living beings.

The Buddha is said to have “perfected wisdom and compassion” because he not only serves as a teacher with wisdom but also as a compassionate parent. The phrase “Si-a-bon-sa” (是我本師) is a modifier meaning “my original teacher,” who has fully embodied both wisdom and compassion.

Therefore, “Jisim-guimyeong-rye samgye-dosa sasaeng-jabu si-a-bon-sa Seokgamoniburr” means “With utmost sincerity, I bow to Shakyamuni Buddha, the teacher of the three realms, the parent of all living beings, and my original teacher.

Jisim-Guimyeong-Rye Sibang-Samse Jemang-Chalhae Sangju-Ilche Bulta-Yajung

至心歸命禮 十方三世 帝網刹海 常住一切 佛陀耶衆

Sibang” (十方) refers to the countless Buddhas present throughout the universe, and “Samse” (三世) means the past, present, and future. “Jemang” (帝網) refers to Indra’s net. In Indra’s palace, there is an enormous net made of jewels covering the entire palace. Each knot of this vast net is said to be made of diamonds. Not only is the net connected by countless jewels, but when you look at one jewel, you can see all the other jewels reflected within it. This phenomenon of each jewel in Indra’s net reflecting all other jewels is called “infinite interpenetration of cause and effect” (重重無盡 緣起). Some might dismiss this as mere fantasy, but we can find a similar concept in our cells today. Our bodies are composed of trillions of cells, and each tiny cell contains all the information of our entire body. This is called DNA. If we extract just one cell out of these trillions and clone it, an identical human being can be created. As we continue to study these concepts, we might start to wonder, “Is Buddhism a science?”

Chung-chung mujin yeongi refers to the interconnectedness of all things, like Indra’s net. This interconnectedness is not just horizontal or vertical, but all-encompassing without any gaps. This net-like structure is called chalhae((刹海), which includes both land and sea. It means “everywhere, without even a space to insert a needle,” referring to every place in the world.

All Buddhas Who Are Always Present Everywhere

Sangju ilche(常住一切) means “always present everywhere.” Who is present? It refers to the presence of the Buddha. This world is like Indra’s net, and in each of the beads that form the net, a Buddha is present.

In Bulta-ya-jung(佛陀耶衆), Bulta-ya is the same as Bul (佛, Buddha). Jung(衆) means “group,” so Bulta-ya-jung means “Buddhas.” Therefore, “Jisim gwimyeong rye sipang samse jemang chalhae sangju ilche bulta-ya-jung” means “I take refuge in all the Buddhas who are always present everywhere, like Indra’s net, in all ten directions and three times.”

The first sentence is about taking refuge in Shakyamuni Buddha, and the second sentence is about taking refuge in all Buddhas throughout the universe, whether they are in other worlds or in the past, present, or future. Both sentences express the meaning of taking refuge in the Buddha (Bul).

After delivering a Dharma talk for an hour and a half, Sunim concluded the second session of the Dharma assembly, which ended after 9 PM.

Tomorrow, Sunim’s schedule includes attending a morning meeting of religious leaders for national reconciliation and peace, followed by a live broadcast of the Weekly Dharma Assembly from the third-floor Dharma hall. In the afternoon, he will participate in a research seminar at the Peace Foundation and attend a planning committee meeting. In the evening, Sunim will conduct a Weekly Dharma Assembly for evening session members.