Chapter Three : Practice 11

During the conversation period, Chŏn Ŭmgwang was talking about the issue of the differences between those who practice and those who don’t: “Even people who don’t engage in our practice end up using all aspects of our Threefold Study in various situations; but once those situations pass, they become careless and indifferent, and therefore make no progress in their practice over their entire lifetimes. However, because we practitioners continue to practice in the Threefold Study regardless of whether it is a time of action or rest and whether we have work to do or not, if we diligently continue in accord with the dharma, we are sure to perfect great personal character.” The Founding Master listened to him and said, “What Ŭmgwang has said makes sense, but let me now elucidate this point more explicitly. Suppose three people are sitting here, one inquiring into machines, one doing sitting meditation, and the last one just sitting idly. From outside, there may be no difference in their seated appearance, but after much time has passed, great differences will appear between them. The one who was inquiring into machines would have invented something; the one who was doing sitting meditation would have attained the power of absorption with regard to his spirit; the one who was passing the days idly would have accomplished nothing. In this wise, there are great differences in the results forthcoming from working continuously on something. I will give you another example. There was a boy with whom I studied together for a while as a child. He had little interest in studying but he liked to sing the music of kwangdae (traditional entertainers), and sang even while his books were open before him or when walking down the street. He didn’t stop singing even after his hair turned gray, and had become a locally acclaimed singer when I saw him a few years ago. On the other hand, from early in my youth I somehow began to have an interest in the matters of truth and had little interest in reading books; day and night my thoughts were on the one abstruse principle, to the point that I would forget to eat or sleep and was often absorbed in meditation. Ever since then my dedicated efforts have never flagged, and as a result I have to this day led a life of truth. Looking at these examples, the most important element in a person’s life is choosing a direction; and, once you have decided on a direction and taken the right stance, continuously exerting yourself toward that goal without any selfish motives will be the foundation of success.”

The Threefold Study

[ Section One : Cultivating the Spirit (Chŏngsin Suyang) ]

A. The Essential Purport of Cultivating the Spirit
“Spirit” (chŏngsin) means that state in which the mind, being clear and round, calm and tranquil, is free from a tendency toward discrimination and a penchant toward attachment. “Cultivating” (suyang) means nourishing that spirit which is clear and round, calm and tranquil, by internally letting go of a tendency toward discrimination and a penchant toward attachment and externally not being enticed by distracting sensory conditions.

B. The Objective of Cultivating the Spirit
Sentient creatures instinctively have a congenital ability to know and a desire to do certain things. Humans, the most intelligent of beings, have a tendency to know in their seeing, hearing, and learning and a desire to do certain things that is many times greater than that of other animals. So, if they decide to seek out those things they know and want to do, then, while satisfying themselves through their own prerogatives, skills, and might, regardless of etiquette, shame, and just laws, they ultimately will destroy their families and ruin themselves; they may feel a pessimistic disgust toward the world, through their distress and idle thoughts and their wrath and anxiety; they may become weak of nerve, lose touch with reality, or, in the most extreme of cases, some might even commit suicide. Therefore, our aim is to engage in cultivation that nurtures our autonomous power by removing this desire that spreads its tendrils widely and attaining a sound spirit.

C. The Consequences of Cultivating the Spirit
If we continue for a long time with the work of Cultivating the Spirit, our spirit will become as solid as iron or stone, and, in applying ourselves to the myriad sensory conditions, autonomous power will arise in the mind, and ultimately we will gain the power of Cultivation.

[ Section Two : Inquiry into Human Affairs and Universal Principles (Sari Yŏn’gu) ]

A. The Essential Purport of Inquiry into Human Affairs and Universal Principles
“Human affairs” (sa) means the right and wrong, benefit and harm, among human beings. “Universal principles” (ri) means the great and small, being and nonbeing, of heavenly creation. “Great” means the original essence of all things in the universe. “Small” means that the myriad phenomena are distinguished by their shapes and forms. “Being and nonbeing” means the cycle of nature’s four seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter, as well as wind, clouds, rains, dew, frost, and snow; the birth, aging, sickness, and death of all things; and the transformations of creation and destruction, prosperity and decay. “Inquiry” (yŏn’gu) means studying and mastering human affairs and universal principles.

B. The Objective of Inquiry into Human Affairs and Universal Principles
This world is constructed through the principles of great and small, being and nonbeing, and is driven by the affairs of right and wrong, benefit and harm. Therefore, as the world is vast, there are infinite types of principles; as there are many people, there are limitless types of human affairs. However, the suffering and happiness that might inadvertently occur and the suffering and happiness that we create for ourselves are the consequences of our own making through the operation of the six sense organs. If we act whenever we please and stop whenever we please, ignorant of the right and wrong, benefit and harm, of our actions, then the activities of our six sense organs at every instant will turn into transgressions and suffering, so that our future will become a boundless sea of suffering.
If we live ignorant of the principles of great and small, being and nonbeing, we will not understand the causes of the suffering and happiness that might inadvertently occur; our thoughts being myopic and precipitous, and our minds being biased and narrow, we will not understand the principles of birth, aging, illness, and death and the retribution and response of cause and effect; unable to distinguish the factual and true from the false and spurious, we constantly would fall into falsity and wishful thinking, until ultimately we face the destruction of our families and the ruin of ourselves. Therefore, our aim is, by inquiring in advance into the unfathomable principles of heavenly creation and the multifarious affairs of humanity, to know them through clear analysis and quick adjudication when confronted by them in real life.

C. The Consequences of Inquiry into Human Affairs and Universal Principles
If we continue for a long time with the work of Inquiry into Human Affairs and Universal Principles, we will generate the power of wisdom that knows without obstructions in analyzing and adjudicating the myriad human affairs and universal principles, and ultimately will gain the power of Inquiry.

[ Section Three : Choice in Action (Chagŏp Ch’wisa) ]

A. The Essential Purport of Choice in Action
“Action” (chagŏp) means the functioning of the six sense organs of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind in whatever one does. “Choice” (ch’wisa) means choosing what is right and forsaking what is wrong.

B. The Objective of Choice in Action
Even if we have gained the power of Cultivation that comes from Cultivating the Spirit and the power of Inquiry that comes from Inquiry into Human Affairs and Universal Principles, Cultivation and Inquiry will come to naught and will hardly gain any real efficacy, if we cannot put them into practice in actual operations. This would be like a tree that has a good trunk, branches, flowers, and leaves, but that bears no fruit.
As a rule, why is it that we human beings do not practice the good even while knowing the good and do not put an end to evil even while knowing the evil, so that we forsake the tranquil paradise and fall into the perilous sea of suffering? This is because we either are deficient in our practice because of ignorance of right or wrong in actual situations, or, even though we know what is right or wrong, we cannot control our desires, which flare up like a fire; or, we are enticed by habits that are solid like iron or stone, so that we do not put into practice our choice of the good and forsaking of the evil. Therefore, our aim is to work at putting into practice the choice of the right at all costs and the forsaking of the wrong at all costs, so that we may avoid the odious sea of suffering and welcome the yearned-for paradise.

C. The Consequences of Choice in Action
If we continue for a long time with the work of Choice in Action, we will gain the power of putting into practice the valiant choice of the right and the valiant forsaking of the wrong in applying ourselves in any situation, and ultimately will gain the power of Choice.

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