Fixed-Term Training and Daily Training
Section One : The Dharma of Fixed-Term Training
In order to have practitioners receive training in the dharma for fixed terms, the following subjects of fixed-term training are established: reciting the Buddha’s name, seated meditation, scripture, lecturing, conversation, cases for questioning (ŭidu), the principle of the nature, keeping a fixed-term diary, keeping a daily diary, heedfulness, and deportment, and so forth. Reciting the Buddha’s name and seated meditation are the training subjects for Cultivating the Spirit; scripture, lecturing, conversation, cases for questioning, the principle of the nature, and keeping a fixed-term diary are the training subjects for Inquiry into Human Affairs and Universal Principles; keeping a daily diary, heedfulness, and deportment are the training subjects for Choice in Action.
“Reciting the Buddha’s name” means to recite repeatedly the single incantatory phrase we have designated, in order to concentrate our spirits that are distracted in myriad directions on this single incantatory phrase and to transform the myriad thoughts into but a single thought.
“Seated meditation” means to settle both the mind and the energy on the elixir field (tanjŏn) in order to correct the energy and guard the mind and yet, letting go even of the attachment to abiding in a single thought, to rest only in that genuine realm of consummate quiescence and nondiscrimination. This is the method for nurturing the pristine, fundamental spirit of human beings.
“Scripture” refers to our designated texts and other scriptures used for reference, so that practitioners may know the road that goes in the right direction of practice. “Lecturing” refers to settling on a certain issue regarding human affairs or universal principles and expounding on its significance, so that practitioners may hone their wisdom while exchanging opinions in front of the congregation with due formality.
“Conversation” means to allow practitioners to talk freely about the impressions they have each received from among the various things they have seen and heard, so that they may hone their wisdom while exchanging opinions vigorously and without restriction.
“Cases for questioning” means to inquire into, and be evaluated on, topics that create doubt regarding the universal principles of great and small, being and nonbeing, and the human affairs of right and wrong, benefit and harm, as well as regarding the hwadus (keywords) enunciated by past buddhas and enlightened masters. This is intended for practitioners who are engaged in a profound stage of inquiry to attain a clear analysis of human affairs or universal principles.
“The principle of the nature” means to enable us to resolve and understand the original principle of all things in the universe and the fundamental principle of our self-nature.
“Keeping a fixed-term diary” means having practitioners record for that day their hours of work, income and expenditures, the specific handling of the functioning of their bodies and minds, and their awakenings and impressions.
“Keeping a daily diary” means having practitioners record whether that day their handling of affairs was mindful or unmindful, the state of their study, and whether or not they transgressed the precepts.
“Heedfulness” means that state of mind in which we do not forget in each situation to do what we have resolved to do and not to do what we have resolved not to do, when our six sense organs are active.
“Deportment” means that human conduct incumbent on human beings. This is all intended to enable practitioners to gain the real effect of practice by constantly assessing (taejo) practice and carrying it out.
Section Two : The Dharma of Daily Training
In order that practitioners may train themselves daily in their practice, six items of heedfulness in daily applications and six items of heedfulness regarding temple visits are established.
A. Items of Heedfulness in Daily Applications
1. In all your applications, be heedful to make choices with sound thought.
2. Before engaging in an application, be heedful to study for it in advance by observing the circumstances of the application.
3. If you have free time, be heedful to deepen your acquaintance with the scriptures and the regulations.
4. People who have substantially achieved a deepened acquaintance with the scriptures and regulations should be heedful to study cases for questioning.
5. Be heedful to practice reciting the Buddha’s name or seated meditation in order to cultivate the spirit either during the time that is left before going to sleep and after completing any remaining household affairs after supper, or else in the early morning.
6. After handling any matter, while thinking about how you handled it, be heedful to assess whether or not you have carried out the items that you resolved both to do and not to do.
B. Items of Heedfulness Regarding Temple Visits
1. Whenever you come to temple while practicing the items of heedfulness in daily applications, be heedful to engage in questions and answers about each and every aspect of those activities.
2. If you have awakened to some matter, be heedful to report that awakening to a spiritual mentor and to obtain his or her appraisal.
3. If you encounter a matter that raises a special doubt, be heedful to submit it to a spiritual mentor and gain the awakening of understanding.
4. Be heedful to set aside in advance each year the training fees for Sŏn-retreat (meditation-retreat), so that you may pursue specialized practice in a Sŏn center.
5. On the days of the regular dharma meeting, be heedful to come to temple and dedicate yourself exclusively to practice that day, after settling in advance any outstanding matters.
6. Once you have returned from temple, and after reflecting on whether or not you had some sort of awakening or had any specific doubt clarified, be heedful actively to utilize without fail those lessons in real life.
Section Three : The Relationship between the Dharmas of Fixed-Term Training and Daily Training
If we were to explain the relationship between the dharmas of fixed-term training and daily training, the former, as the practice for times of quietude, is the dharma of practice that, taking as its main subjects Cultivation and Inquiry, prepares the material for daily practice; the latter, as the practice for times of activity, is the dharma of practice that, taking as its main subject Choice, prepares the material for fixed-term training. These two dharmas of training thus assist and ground each other and become a road that enables both lay and ordained practitioners not to leave practice for even a moment.
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