Special Report: Jungto Society Hosts Engaged Buddhism Study Tour in South Korea for Leaders and Activists from INEB

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Special Report: Jungto Society Hosts Engaged Buddhism Study Tour in South Korea for Leaders and Activists from INEB

By Craig Lewis
June 26, 2026

Jungto Society, the international Buddhist community founded by the revered Korean Dharma master and social activist Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, this month hosted an intensive nine-day study tour in South Korea for community leaders and social activists affiliated with the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB).

Running from 13–21 June, the “2026 INEB Study Trip to Jungto Society” welcomed seven lay and nine monastic activists from eight nations in Asia—Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam—who gathered in a warm and welcoming atmosphere of kalyana-mitrata.* The unique learning experience offered opportunities for the participants to deepen their knowledge of the Buddha’s teachings, and expand their understanding of engaged Buddhism as expressed in the philosophy and activities of Venerable Pomnyun Sunim and Jungto Society.

INEB is a global network of individuals and organizations who are committed to building compassionate societies and working toward environmental sustainability and world peace. INEB emphasizes the importance of developing ethical, Dharma-based approaches to its work, and encourages members to work collaboratively and respectfully based on a foundation of shared values and aspirations. Headquartered in Bangkok, INEB has established a range of social projects and outreach programs aimed at overcoming suffering and empowering vulnerable communities through the practice of the Dharma, and social programs such as education and training, community development, advocacy and lobbying efforts, and interfaith dialogue.

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim shared some welcoming remarks with the international INEB delegation at the beginning of the program.

“We here today come from different traditions. Although we all call it Buddhism, our robes are different and our Buddha statues look different. The date on which we mark the Buddha’s birth is different, and the scriptures we study are different. Which of these is real, and which is fake?

“They are simply different. First, we need to acknowledge things that differ from our own ways. We need to understand: ‘They have that tradition.’ This is why we have gathered together.

“However, there is something else that requires discussion: what is the Buddhadharma?

“This is something we must discuss; it is not a matter of terminology. Is gender discrimination Buddhadharma? Is caste discrimination Buddhadharma? Is speaking of equality Buddhadharma? . . .

“The idea that people die and are reborn is a belief. We respect that belief and philosophy. But whether that is the Buddhadharma is something we must consider together. It is said that those who do good deeds are reborn in good places and those who do bad deeds are reborn in bad places. Ethically, this is a very good teaching, but is this the Buddhadharma? . . .

“If what we learn today as the Buddhadharma is merely traditional religion, philosophy, and culture mistaken for the Buddhadharma, what is the real Buddhadharma? I think we need to look again at what the Buddha himself awakened to and what he sought to convey:

“The Buddhadharma is that which frees us from suffering. It is that which leads us to nirvana.

“Let’s leave these questions on the table for now and continue our conversation during this days ahead. I hope that raising this issue does not cause confusion regarding your own beliefs and philosophies.”

The delegates engaged in an intensive study schedule and travel itinerary that included field visits to key Korean temples and monasteries, retreat centers, and Dharma communities. These visits providing fruit for Dharma teachings, group discussions, and talks on Korean Buddhist history and culture; expressions of contemporary engaged Buddhism: education and practice for monastics and laypeople; female ordination; sustainable communities and organic farming; poverty alleviation; environmental protection; social programs and initiatives; and plans for future action and cooperation.

All of these programs were aimed at enabling the participants to connect with and learn about Jungto Society and its activities on the Korean Peninsula and overseas—in Bhutan, India, the Philippines, Pakistan, Syria, and elsewhere. They also explored aspects of Jungto’s Dharma-sharing actives, from Happiness School and Jungto Dharma School, to more advanced study and retreat experiences. From this foundation they could cultivate perspectives and ideas for new expressions of engaged Buddhism that could become seeds of change in their own respective communities and societies.

Jungto Society is a volunteer-run community that aspires to embody the Buddhist teachings through social engagement, and by promoting a simple lifestyle centered on sustainable living. The community seeks to address the crises of modern society, such as greed, poverty, conflict, and environmental degradation, by applying a Buddhist worldview of interconnectedness and living in line with the principle that everyone can find happiness through Buddhist practice and active participation in social movements.

“Jungto Society carries out four main areas of social engagement,” Ven. Pomnyun Sunim explained. “The first is addressing environmental issues on a global scale. The second is humanitarian assistance for people whose survival is threatened. The third is the pursuit of peace, free from war and conflict. The fourth is improving human rights, such as gender discrimination, discrimination against minorities, and discrimination against people with disabilities, as well as supporting refugees.

“Based on these four areas, four social activity organizations operate under Jungto Society: EcoBuddha for environmental activities; JTS for humanitarian aid; The Peace Foundation working toward peace on the Korean Peninsula; and Good Friends for human rights and refugee support. . . .

“We do not receive government subsidies, large corporate funding, or foreign funding. Jungto Society started out from the very beginning by being self-reliant. That is why, rather than looking at Jungto Society as it is today, it’s more important ti understand how Jungto Society began and how it has come this far.”

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim led the study tour, which was coordinated by the Dharma teachers and volunteers who make up Jungto Society, and longtime INEB veteran activist from Thailand Anchalee Kurutach.

The exhaustive itinerary included visits to Jungto Center, the headquarters of Jungto Society in downtown Seoul, as well as Jungto retreat centers. There the delegates would learn about training programs and social action initiatives, as well as the activities of affiliated organizations.

The essence of the tour was encapsulated Dharma talks led by Jungto’s Dharma teachers, presentations, and discussions—all aimed at enabling the participants to connect, to present ideas, to learn, and to exchange insights for practicing the Buddhadharma in an increasingly polarized world.

One participant shared: “This experience brought me truly wonderful ideas. JTS is like a big tree full of good fruit, and we have tasted that delicious fruit. Now I want to go back and plant those seeds in our land. Rather than starting only with knowledge, I will create a group that educates people while practicing the Buddhadharma frugally and humbly—just like Jungto Society. I especially want to share the culture of eating without leaving food waste, and live a transformed life through mindfulness and acceptance. Following Jungto Society’s worldview of helping the poor beyond skin color and religion and spreading kindness through action, I will contribute to eliminating suffering so that all living beings can live in harmony.”

Another delegate pledged: “I recognized that we should not wait until our practice becomes perfect, but should practice immediately while learning, and that we can start from small things. We may not be able to do big things right away, but I will start with small practices like basic education or helping children and the elderly. I will encourage young monastics to build a system like Jungto Society’s in our bhikkhuni monastery and introduce Jungto Society to them. Even if only a few monastics participate, this dream will already make something different. Amid the conflicts and environmental problems of modern society, Buddhism must not just meditate in temples but must show the Buddhadharma in our hearts and hands like Jungto Society. Even with limited resources, we will open our hearts in our own way, learn from other organizations, and slowly move forward for society.”

At the end of the study trip, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim shared a final Dharma talk—returning to the theme with which he had begun the study tour—the dharmic thread quietly woven through every teaching, every silence, every temple visit, every shared meal of the journey: what is the Buddhadharma?

“We need to correctly understand the Buddha’s teachings on impermanence and non-self. In other words, we need to correctly understand the law of dependent origination. The Buddha’s law of dependent origination does not contradict any of the laws understood by modern natural sciences, social sciences, or neuroscience. Modern science likewise agrees that matter, life, and mind are interconnected and function together.

“When we understand the law of dependent origination, all suffering disappears. This is called nirvana. But if we do not realize dependent origination, we cannot escape suffering. . . .

“Therefore, impermanence, non-self, and nirvana are called the three marks of Awakening, and impermanence, suffering, and non-self are called the three marks of sentient beings. The teaching that one can attain nirvana by realizing this law of dependent origination, applied to the teaching of sentient beings, is called the Four Noble Truths: there is suffering; the cause of suffering is attachment; when attachment is released, suffering disappears; to sustain the state of being free from suffering, one must be rightly awaken to eight things. This is the Noble Eightfold Path. . . .”

“When Jungto Society says we return to the Buddha’s fundamental teachings, this is not the same as what fundamentalist religious people say. The Buddha’s fundamental teachings are most useful in healing the various pains the world faces today, so we take those teachings as our foundation.

“At the time of the Buddha, many Brahmins adressed people’s problems by saying things like, ‘If someone faces a certain difficult problem, you simply need to recite a certain scripture.’ But the Buddha did not solve problems that way. He investigated the specific cause of each person’s problem and guided them to escape suffering.

“How do today’s monks live? Are they not living in exactly the same way the Brahmins of the past did? When a devotee passes away, they recite scriptures; when a child is born, they offer blessings; when a building is constructed, they perform yet another ritual. Most monks today live in the same way as the Brahmins of the past. This is very far from the Buddha’s original teachings. . . .

“This does not mean religious rituals are unnecessary. Such rituals are needed in the world as a kind of custom and culture. . . . However, if today’s monks live centered only on such rituals, they may not be very different from the Brahmins of the past. In other words, it would not be entirely wrong to call today’s monks New Brahmins. (Laughter)

“Whatever religious rituals we may perform in our lives, our true vocation is that of a practitioner—so let us act while keeping the vocation of a practitioner. In other words, let us return to being practitioners who live by relying on the Buddha’s original teachings. . . .”

“Understanding the Middle Way is very easy. But practicing it is very difficult,” Ven. Pomnyun SUnim emphasized. “Explained in words, it is simple. The Middle Way means going straight without leaning to one side or the other. But when you actually try it, it is not easy. We tend to lean either this way or that way. . . .

“Even the Buddha went through countless trials and errors before realizing the Middle Way. He did not do it well from the start. He tried extreme asceticism and various other practices. After countless failures, he discovered the Middle Way. Following that path with diligence, he finally attained awakening. Later, when countless practitioners and religious people came to question him, he was unmoved by any question. This was because he had already experienced all of those issues himself. So whatever question someone asked, he could explain it in an easily understandable way according to that person’s capacity and circumstances. . . .

“Then did everyone who heard the Buddha’s teaching attain awakening? No. This is because, ultimately, you have to walk the path yourself. Just because you know the way does not mean you automatically arrive at your destination. It requires practice and implementation. But if a person refuses to go, what can be done? . . .

“You must know what the current situation is and what the other person’s thoughts and circumstances are. Only then can you suggest an appropriate direction. Knowing the situation clearly, as it is, is wisdom. That is also understanding dependent origination. . . .

“What is bad is not necessarily bad, and what is good is not necessarily good. Good points and bad points are always together. Precisely speaking, no thing is inherently good or bad. A situation is simply as it is. So in this situation, what should I do? That is the path I must take right now. From the perspective of the Buddhadharma, it is being awake here and now.”

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim, the guiding Dharma teacher of Jungto Society, is a widely respected author and social activist. He has founded numerous organizations, initiatives, and projects across the world. In October 2020, The Niwano Peace Foundation in Japan presented the 37th Niwano Peace Prize to Ven. Pomnyun Sunim in recognition of the revered monk’s international humanitarian work, environmental and social activism, and his tireless efforts to build trust and goodwill between communities of different faiths and cultures, toward the goal of world peace.**

* Kalyana-mitrata (Skt.), Kalyaṇa-mittata (Pali); the Buddhist concept of virtuous spiritual friendship.

** Buddhist Monk Ven. Pomnyun Sunim Awarded the 37th Niwano Peace Prize (BDG)

Craig Lewis

Craig Lewis grew up in a transplanted Scottish family in southern England before setting off against all advice to seek light and wisdom in far-off places, rather than staying put and looking within. After repeated encounters with the Buddhadharma as a journalist working in Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and across Asia, he eventually found refuge as senior editor at BDG, where he reports and writes with a focus on engaged Buddhism and social equity as well as the diversity of contemporary manifestations of the Dharma and Buddhist practice. In his column for BDG, “Chasing Light,” Craig seeks to document encounters, experiences, and epiphanies resulting from his own tentative and faltering path toward liberation. Craig is also a keen mountain trekker and photographer, finding particular inspiration in the peoples, cultures, and Buddhist expressions of the Himalaya. Contact: [email protected]

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