What is Mind Study?

Mind Study is the study of liberation, freeing oneself from the discomforts of the mind and the

suffering of entanglement.

Mind Study is the study of enlightenment, awakening from an ignorant and dark mind.

Mind Study is a religious study that seeks religious salvation.

Mind Study is the study of wisdom, uncovering the secrets of human existence.

Mind Study is the study of Nirvana, where all things disappear.

Mind Study is the study of great freedom, fundamentally breaking free from human limitations and attaining eternal liberty.

Mind Study is the study of returning to the origin, escaping the shackles of thought and going back to the source of the world.

Mind Study is an essential study that anyone who seriously reflects on their life must undertake.

Here are answers to all sorts of questions asked by those on the path of mind Study.

The path of mind Study is a subtle one, where the future is unknown, like searching for an unfamiliar place you've never been to before.

A Seonjishik (wise guide) is someone who leads and guides others along such a path.

The best way to embark on the path of mind Study is to follow a proper guide.

We hope that the questions and answers in this book will serve as a good guide for those walking the path of mind Study.

September 2021

Kim Tae-wan, Musim Seon Center

People talk about "mind study," but what exactly is it, and why should we do it?

Answer:

Mind Study is about realizing the truth of the mind to break free from mental suffering.

It's about realizing the truth of life to break free from the suffering of life.

When you realize the truth of the mind, you escape from a difficult and painful life.

The truth of life we are born into is not one of hardship and suffering, but rather a light, comfortable, and satisfying life—free from attachments, burdens, and worries.

Engaging in mind Study to realize the truth of the mind is synonymous with realizing the truth of

life. When the truth of life is realized, the truth of a worry-free, free, comfortable, and satisfying life is manifested.

The reason life is difficult and painful is because we are bound by attachments and unable to break free from them.

Attachment refers to attachment to "myself," attachment to "my life," attachment to "my possessions," and attachment to "my world."

The idea that I must carry my own life and live in this world is precisely what constitutes attachment.

We consider the thought that "I must carry my own life and live painstakingly in this world" to be common sense, but this thought is our mistaken attachment, not the truth of our life.

The effect of mind Study is liberation (해탈), which means breaking free from everything.

Through mind Study, you break free from "I," from "my life," and from "the world I live in."

Mind Study allows you to be free from everything, attaining endless freedom and eternal peace.

Therefore, mind Study is a religion that leads to eternal salvation.

The achievements of mind Study are called enlightenment (깨달음), liberation (해탈), and Nirvana (열반) in Buddhism.

It is called enlightenment because it involves realizing the truth of the mind; it is called liberation because it means breaking free from painful attachments; and it is called Nirvana (cessation) because attachments and suffering disappear.

Buddhism is mind study, and among the forms of mind study within Buddhism, Seon (禪) is called the shortcut to enlightenment, boasting the most outstanding effectiveness.

The mind Study taught here is precisely Seon (禪).

If Seon is the most effective form of mind study, how does one study it? What method should be used to study Seon to realize the true nature of the mind and attain salvation?

Answer:

There is no fixed method for Seon, the king of mind study.

In mind study, enlightenment is an experience of connecting with the truth of the mind, which we cannot consciously perceive, discriminate, or know.

If it were about verifying something we can consciously perceive, discriminate, and know, there would be a method. But since it's about verifying something unknowable, naturally, nothing can be known.

Mind study is a direct experience of the truth of the mind, which cannot be thought of or known.

This truth can never be known until one experiences it directly oneself.

Because the truth of the mind cannot be discriminated, thought of, or known, it naturally cannot be explained in words.

No one can know or describe a fixed path to enlightenment.

As the Prajnaparamita Sutra states, "Far beyond dream-like delusions lies Ultimate Nirvana, "Enlightenment is similar to waking up from a dream.

What can someone having a bad dream do when trying to wake up from it?

Whatever actions they take are all within the dream, so they don't help in waking up.

Only when the earnest desire to wake up reaches its peak will one finally open their eyes and awaken naturally.

Anyone who has experienced a nightmare will understand this.

Only the desperation to wake up becomes the power to awaken from the dream; there are no methods or tricks.

Similarly, a person who wishes to attain enlightenment, which is waking up from dream-like delusions, only has the earnest desire to attain enlightenment and the desperation that comes when that desire reaches its peak. There is nothing they can do to achieve enlightenment.

Since one can do absolutely nothing on their own, they must ultimately receive guidance from someone who has already attained enlightenment.

Therefore, a person who has decided to attain enlightenment must seek out a true master who has already attained enlightenment and is guiding those who wish to attain it.

This has always been the case.

Shakyamuni Buddha's disciples came to him, listened to his teachings, and attained enlightenment.

In Seon too, a person who has made up their mind to attain enlightenment – which is called balsim (發心) – seeks out a master with true insight, listens to their teachings, and then attains enlightenment.

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, which records the teachings of Huineng (the de facto founder of Chan Buddhism in China), contains the following:

"Sentient beings come and sow the seeds of enlightenment in the mind-ground;

From the mind-ground, the sprouts of enlightenment emerge, and finally, the fruit ripens.

If there were no mind of sentient beings, the seeds of enlightenment could not be sown,

And if there were no inherent nature to attain enlightenment (Buddha-nature), enlightenment

would not arise."

"My present teaching of the Dharma is like a timely rain that thoroughly moistens the great earth, and your Buddha-nature is like all kinds of seeds. When they meet this rain and are moistened, all will sprout."

"The mind-ground holds the seeds of enlightenment,

And with the universally falling rain, all sprout.

When the flower of enlightenment suddenly blooms,

The fruit of enlightenment will naturally come to fruition."

Sowing the seeds of enlightenment in the mind-ground of sentient beings refers to balsim, the resolve to attain enlightenment.

For seeds sown in the ground to sprout, rain must fall. The rain falling on the mind-ground is the master's teaching.

Just as seeds sprout when rain falls on the ground, when a person who has resolved to attain enlightenment listens to the master's teachings, the sprout of enlightenment finally emerges.

Therefore, for enlightenment to be achieved, at least two things are necessary: balsim, the resolve to attain enlightenment, and seeking out a master and listening to their teachings.

What is the reason Seon is called the most effective shortcut to enlightenment among all forms of mind study in Buddhism?

Answer:

When describing the characteristics of Seon, the following terms are often used:

Bulipmunja (不立文字), Gyooe Byeoljeon (敎外別傳), Isim Jeonsim (以心傳心), Jikji Insim (直指人心), and Gyeonseong Seongbul (見性成佛).

Bulipmunja means "not establishing words or letters," implying that the practice does not rely on explanation and understanding through language or written characters. This is because language and written characters belong to discriminatory delusions.

Gyooe Byeoljeon means "a separate transmission outside the scriptures (teachings)." Here, "scriptures" refers to teachings expressed in language and written characters, specifically Buddhist sutras.

So, how is it transmitted separately, outside of language and written characters?

It is transmitted directly from mind to mind, which is called Isim Jeonsim. This means that the enlightened mind awakens and guides the unenlightened mind to attain enlightenment.

How does this Isim Jeonsim occur?

Jikji Insim means "directly pointing to the human mind." And Gyeonseong Seongbul is the immediate realization of the mind's undiscriminating true nature upon receiving this Jikji Insim teaching, rather  than understanding it through discrimination. This is how Isim Jeonsim is achieved.

In this way, Seon is a shortcut to enlightenment that enters directly into realization, "with a single sword," without going through any specific procedures of practice.

The core of enlightenment is to be free from discriminatory delusions (分別妄想), that is, from thought.

The shortcut to freedom from thought is to block thought, rendering it useless.

It's not about stopping thought, but about making thought useless so that it surrenders on its own.

Not thinking is not the same as being free from thought.

Enlightenment is being free from thought even while thinking.

Therefore, such enlightenment is not something we can intentionally achieve with our thoughts.

It is a profound and subtle phenomenon that the mind spontaneously brings about when thought becomes useless.

A true master knows how to guide disciples along this subtle path.

This teaching can only be given by someone who is free from thought.

That teaching points directly to the mind that is free from thought.

This is what is called Jikji Insim in Seon.

It means directly pointing to the unthinkable mind that is free from the futile delusions of thought.

When a disciple encounters the Jikji Insim teaching that points to the unthinkable mind, their thoughts become completely blocked, as if facing an insurmountable wall.

This is sometimes called Eunsancheolbyeok (銀山鐵壁 - Silver Mountain, Iron Wall), or Uidang (疑團 - Ball of Doubt), implying that one is filled only with questions.

As their thoughts become completely blocked and they continue to encounter the Jikji Insim teaching,  the disciple's mind becomes increasingly frustrated and desperate. Then, upon crossing a certain  threshold, everything suddenly and spontaneously concludes, and they finally break free from thought  with a sense of clarity.

This is called Gyeonseong (見性), "seeing the nature of the mind." The nature of the mind is not something that can be known through discrimination, but rather a living reality that must be directly experienced.

This direct experience of connecting with the nature of the mind is called Seongbul (成佛), which means attaining Buddhahood or achieving enlightenment.

If realizing the truth of the mind frees one from all attachments and suffering, then how does one go about realizing this truth?

Answer:

The truth of the mind cannot be known through colors or shapes.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through sounds.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through smells.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through tastes.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through touch.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through thoughts.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through feelings.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through desires.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through diligent training.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through careful contemplation.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through deep research.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through sudden insight.

The truth of the mind cannot be known through sharp intuition.

The truth of the mind cannot be known in any way.

The truth of the mind reveals itself spontaneously from the unknowable.

If the habit of trying to know ceases, the truth of the mind will naturally appear.

If one isn't clinging to the desire to know, the truth of the mind is inherently revealed.

The truth of the mind has always been revealed, everywhere and at all times, but it hides because we try to know it.

How is the truth of the mind revealed?

The weather was cloudy, and now raindrops are falling.

It's said that in mind study, Balsim (發心), the initial resolve to attain enlightenment, is the most crucial element. What exactly is Balsim? How should one generate it?

Answer:

The direction and success of this study are determined by your Balsim.

Balsim is simply following what your heart truly thirsts for.

Do you thirst for honor?

Then you have generated Balsim for honor.

Ultimately, you will pursue honor.

Do you thirst for wealth?

Then you have generated Balsim for wealth.

Ultimately, you will pursue wealth.

Do you thirst for affection?

Then you have generated Balsim for affection.

Ultimately, you will pursue affection.

Do you thirst for power?

Then you have generated Balsim for power.

Ultimately, you will pursue power.

Do you thirst for knowledge?

Then you have generated Balsim for knowledge.

Ultimately, you will pursue knowledge.

All these types of Balsim are worldly and have no relation to mind study.

Do you thirst for the truth of the mind, the true nature of your own existence?

Then you have now generated Balsim for mind study.

Ultimately, you will realize the true nature of your own mind.

If you are truly thirsty, and if you have enough courage to respond to your inner thirst, you will surely achieve enlightenment.

If you genuinely thirst for the true nature of your own existence, do not anticipate, expect, or calculate any kind of outcome.

Simply follow your inner thirst.

This is what mind study is all about.

Yesterday, I had a company dinner. Even though I was socializing with people, I always come home feeling empty and hollow. What should I live for? What is true life? I tell myself I shouldn't want anything, but I can't fully possess or let go of anything. I feel like I'm just aimlessly drifting through each day, meaninglessly. Everything feels pointless. My heart feels empty and hollow.

Answer:

Everyone probably thinks they have their own reasons for living. However, if you were to ask them what that reason is, many thoughts might come to mind, but they'd likely lack confidence in whether those thoughts truly are their reason for living.

Your heart feels empty and hollow? You don't know what to live for? You don't know what true life is? Everything feels meaningless?

In fact, if you examine life closely, it is inherently empty, hollow, meaningless, and unknowable.

We constantly struggle to fill this life and give it meaning. We even consider that struggle to be life itself. Pursuing knowledge, honor, wealth, establishing values, judging right and wrong to pursue what's right, striving for noble causes, serving others—these are all part of that struggle.

Everyone lives that way. Yet, life will likely remain unfilled and without meaning. So, people twist their thoughts to rationalize themselves and brainwash themselves into trying to live with some level of satisfaction. However, if you honestly look at yourself, it's still unfilled, meaningless, and unknowable. It's difficult to admit that it remains so no matter how much you struggle, but that's the truth.

This is because life is fundamentally something that cannot be filled, has no inherent meaning, and cannot be fully known. Life is precisely something that doesn't need to be filled, has no inherent meaning, and has nothing to be known. The reason we feel empty, struggle with meaninglessness, and are frustrated by the unknowable is precisely because we try to fill it, find meaning, and try to know. We fail and don't achieve what we desire because we want what cannot be achieved.

But you don't want to live a life that is empty, hollow, meaningless, and unknowable?

The true nature of life is neither empty, nor hollow, nor meaningless, nor unknowable. It only feels empty, meaningless, and unknowable because you try to fill it, find meaning, and try to know. When you suddenly awaken one day and open your eyes to the true nature of life, life is neither empty nor full, neither meaningless nor meaningful, neither unknowable nor knowable.

Therefore, you must experience and taste the true nature of life to finally be free from these various problems. The true nature of life is the true nature of yourself, and it is the realization of the truth of your own mind. Ultimately, only mind study can save you.

What is the truth of the mind?

"Thump!" (Sound of hitting the table)

I feel like I'm not truly earnest, yet I can't bring myself to quit this study. It seems I'm trapped in the dichotomy of faith and "this is all there is!" To believe, there must be a subject who believes and also an object of belief. Shouldn't I simply consider "this is all there is!" without even thinking about the word "faith"?

Answer:

When faith is complete, there's no thought of "I am believing in someone." When "this is all there is!" is clear, there's no thought of "it's merely this."

If you don't follow distinctions and don't rely on thoughts, distinctions and thoughts won't pose any problem. Don't even think that you're not earnest enough. Thinking, "I am a certain type of person, and this is how I should study," is precisely empty delusion.

Don't think about how you should practice; instead, listen to the Dharma talk. Don't try to analyze, interpret, or understand; just listen to the Dharma talk.

What is a Dharma talk?

Even with an umbrella, raindrops still hit the back of your hand.