Chapter Three : Practice 61

The Founding Master addressed the congregation at a meditation hall,
“I have spoken a lot during this Sŏn-retreat period, and will be speaking again today. I don’t know whether some of you may be tired of it, but the reason I keep speaking over and over again in this way is because those who have insufficient understanding of the Way and its virtue need to be told again and again before all human affairs and universal principles naturally become clear and can put them into practice. Thus, when all the sages and saints in the past were edifying and instructing neophytes, they first tried to help them understand human affairs and universal principles and then proceeded accordingly to have them gradually put their knowledge into practice. After attending just one or two Sŏn-retreat, don’t be anxious or frustrated if your own knowledge and conduct are still not in accordance, and also don’t ridicule or criticize other people who are like that. Hence, just because you keep hearing the same teaching over and over again, do not regard it as easy; and just because you have still not been able to put it into practice, do not become discouraged. If you listen and practice over and over again, then you will eventually attain a fully rounded human character, in which knowledge and conduct are in perfect harmony.”

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