The Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim (법륜스님) wears many hats: Buddhist monk, teacher, author, environmentalist, and social activist, to name a few.* As a widely respected Dharma teacher and a tireless socially engaged activist in his native South Korea, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous Dharma-based organizations, initiatives, and projects that are active across the world. Among them, Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community founded on the Buddhist teachings and expressing equality, simple living, and sustainability, is dedicated to addressing modern social issues that lead to suffering, including environmental degradation, poverty, and conflict.
This column, shared by Jungto Society, presents a series of highlights from Ven. Pomnyun Sunim’s writings, teachings, public talks, and regular live-streamed Dharma Q+A sessions, which are accessible across the globe.
The following teaching was given at Phuoc Son Monastery, on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, in Vietnam on 30 June 2024, at the invitation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Council.
Phuoc Son Monastery
The monastics of Phuoc Son Monastery, which is affiliated with the Theravada tradition, greeted Ven. Pomnyun Sunim, walking in a ceremonial line and bearing flowers and bells. They accompanied Sunim to the main hall, where the group was welcomed with the ringing of bells and beating of drums.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim and his companions paid their respects to the Buddha image in the main hall, then Sunim asked about the operation of Phuoc Son Monastery. The attendant monk provided a detailed introduction.
“I heard that Theravada doesn’t recognize bhikkhunis, but I see many female monastics here. Does this monastery recognize bhikkhunis?” Sunim enquired.
The monk responded: “The abbot has neither forbidden nor explicitly allowed it. However, he allows all women who wish to practice to come and do so.”
“That’s wise,” Ven. Pomnyun Sunim responded approvingly.
The monastics then assemble for the Dharma talk. The bhikkhus seated on the right and the bhikkhunis on the left created an impressive spectacle, with male and female, Theravada and Mahayana, gathered together in one place.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: It’s nice to meet you all. I’m grateful for your warm welcome. . . . This gathering today is wonderful. We have bhikkhunis and bhikkhus, Theravada and Mahayana. We also have Koreans and Vietnamese. It’s truly global. (Laughter)
I’m from Korea. The Buddhist tradition I belong to is Seon [Zen] 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 Mahayana, forms the core.
I understand that Vietnamese Buddhism is mainly 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 had also built such a large temple with so many practitioners. Theravada Buddhism doesn’t officially recognize bhikkhunis, but it’s good to see so many bhikkhunis here. (Laughter)
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 Shakyamuni 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 onsite, visiting places where the Buddha was born, practiced, and taught. I hope that you can also visit India and Nepal for this kind of onsite 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.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim then invited anyone with questions or concerns to speak freely over the course of two hours.
What Are the Practices of Seon Buddhism?
Q: You mentioned that you belong to Seon Buddhism. What are the practice methods of Seon Buddhism? I’m curious whether they are similar to the practices of Thich Nhat Hanh.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: 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). As people, we constantly live saying “I,” “me,” “mine.” But as Buddhists 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, “Imwotgo?”
Thinking “I know what I am” based on what we already know of conventional wisdom 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 in what we already know; instead we are 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?
Q: YES!
The questions continued. The final monastic to ask a question expressed feeling a lack of confidence in studying Buddhism.
I lack confidence in myself
Q: I love studying Buddhism. However, I didn’t have much education, 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.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: 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?
Q: The Buddha statue is bigger.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: The bell is smaller than the Buddha statue. Is that correct?
Q: Yes, that’s correct.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: Now, let’s compare the clock and the bell. Is the bell bigger or is the clock bigger?
Q: The bell is bigger.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: 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?
Q: It’s neither big nor small.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: 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, although 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 forms of knowledge one can learn in the world are not necessary when it comes to eliminating one’s suffering. However, they are 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 that I can engage in many teaching activities is that I know a little 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 Ven. Pomnyun Sunim concluded his response, enthusiastic applause erupted. All the monastics seemed deeply moved his words. Sunim then gave his closing remarks.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim: It was a pleasure meeting you all today. Our conversation time was short. If another opportunity arises, I will have more dialogues 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 in Pali together.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa
* Buddhist Monk Ven. Pomnyun Sunim Awarded the 37th Niwano Peace Prize (BDG)
See more
Pomnyun
Jungto Society
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