This study examines cultivating after sudden enlightenment of the Great Master Bojo Jinul(1158-1210) in the Goryeo dynasty.
Korean Buddhism has continued its own special practice system based on contemplating the Hwadu (Koan) that binds meditation ...
This study examines cultivating after sudden enlightenment of the Great Master Bojo Jinul(1158-1210) in the Goryeo dynasty.
Korean Buddhism has continued its own special practice system based on contemplating the Hwadu (Koan) that binds meditation and doctrine together since Jinul’s time in the Goryeo dynasty. Jinul clarifies, in his writing, the meaning of the correspondence of Seon and Cannon saying, “Seon is the Buddha’s intent and the Cannos are the Buddha’s words. So these two are not different in essential.” and stressed remarkably impotance of practicing contemplating the Hwadu with his teaching and practcing based on the Records of Da-hui(大慧語錄). It is because of it that he, who always reminds us the ‘Samādhi and Prajňā Society’(定慧結社) and the ‘Dual Cultivation of Samādhi and Prajňā’, have been admired as the great master who established the foundation of Korean Seon Buddhism.
We can see these practices well through his writings in Suseon-sa Temple. The ‘Secrets on cultivating the Mind’(Susim-gyeol) and the ‘Excerpts from the Dharma Collection and Special Pracice Record’(Beopjipbyeolhang-rok-jeolyo) concretize the Samādhi and Prajňā Culivation to a practice based on the Sudden Enlightenment and Gradual Cultivation. The practice of the Immdiate Entry by the Use of the Hwadu(徑截門), first seen in the Excerpts from the Dharma Collection and Special Pracice Record’, is made more clear in the ‘Resolving Doubts about Contemplating the Hwadu’(Ganhwagyeoleui-ron), and the initial part of entering the Enlightenment if the Gate of Sudden Enlightenment and Confidence in the Teachings(圓頓信解門) comes to be the ‘Complete and Sudden Attainment of Buddhahood’(Wondonseongbul-ron).
The Sudden Enlightenment and Gradual Cultivation is the core of his thought. It is general that Jinul’s main thought is expressed in the terms of the ‘Dual Cultivation of Samādhi and Prajňā, the ’Sudden Enlightenment and Gradual Cultivation’. But the ‘Dual Cultivation of Samādhi and Prajňā’ is explained as the Gradual Cultivation depending on the Sudden Enlightenment is done by him in the Society in Suseon-sa Temple. Accordingly, the Sudden Enlightenment and Gradual Cultivation must be the core thought embracing all terms. Especially, his serial writings give us confidence that the practice in the Society in Suseon-sa Temple is based on the Sudden Enlighternment and Gradual Cultivation. The Sudden Enlighternment is the awakening one’s mind that never be different with the Buddha’s originally pureness, and Gradual Cultivation is the practice that cultivates one’s mind and becomes the Buddha depending on this awakening.