<Academic Background>

• 1984-1987: Studied Eastern and Western philosophy at the Department of Philosophy, College of Humanities, Dongguk University.
• 1991-1992: Studied Buddhist philosophy in the Master's program at the Department of Philosophy, Busan National University.
• February 1993: Received an M.A. in Philosophy; thesis: Nagasena's View of Buddhism in the Milinda Panha.
• 1993-1995: Studied Patriarchal Seon (祖師禪) in the Doctoral program at the Department of Philosophy, Busan National University.
• February 2000: Received a Ph.D. in Philosophy; dissertation: A Study of Chinese Patriarchal Seon.
• 1992-2004: Published 15 academic papers on Buddhist philosophy and Seon.
• 1992-2004: Read Classical Chinese Buddhist scriptures (佛典) and Seon records (禪語錄) weekly with the Buddhist Text Reading Group at Busan National University.
• 1995-2005: Taught courses in Eastern philosophy and Classical Chinese (漢文) at Busan National University, Silla University, Dong-eui University, and Gyeongsang National University.

<Journey in the Study of the Mind>

• 1993: Began attending Dharma talks by his teacher, Layman Hunsan Park Hong-young.
• 1996 (approx.): One summer day, he heard his teacher tap the floor with a finger and say, "This is Seon." In that moment, he had a sudden experience of awakening. (The exact year is unclear, as he has long avoided placing focus on time and space, seeking instead to abide in the non-dual reality of Dharma. The following is his recollection of that moment.)

"One summer day, just a few minutes into my teacher’s Dharma talk, he said, 'Seon is none other than this!' and tapped the floor with his finger. At that moment, something that had been tightly blocked within me suddenly burst open—like a flash of light streaking across my vision. As it passed, I thought, 'Ah, this! This is it!' And everything suddenly clicked. 'So this is what he’s been talking about all along!' It was as if everything he had ever said had been recorded in my mind, but until that instant, none of it had truly registered. Then, all at once, it came pouring out—like a tangled cassette tape suddenly unwinding and playing back clearly. Because it was so sudden, I said nothing at the time. But from that moment on, I understood what he was saying."

• 1998: Began leading informal Seon discussions after class with students interested in Seon, among those taking his Buddhist philosophy courses.
• February 2001 - January 2002: Published a monthly column titled Seon Study Through Letters (書狀) in the Hyundae Bulgyo newspaper.
• February 2002 - January 2003: Continued with a follow-up column, Seon Study Through the Linji Lu (臨濟錄), in the same publication.
• December 2001: Readers of Seon Study Through Letters in the Hyundae Bulgyo newspaper began visiting him to discuss Seon study together.
• January 2002: Began weekly dharma talks for dozens of people who visited after reading "<Seon Study Through Letters>" in the Hyundae Bulgyo Newspaper, using texts such as Dahui Shuzhuang (大慧書狀), Yuanwu Xinyao (圓悟心要), Linji Lu (臨濟錄), Chuanxin Fayao (傳心法要), Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (六祖壇經), and Mazu Yulu (馬祖語錄).
• March 2002: Began giving monthly Dharma talks in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province.
• August 2002: Founded Musim Seon Center (無心禪院) in Namsan-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, with the encouragement and support of his teacher, Layman Hunsan Park Hong-young.
• January 2003: Relocated the Gwangju (Gyeonggi Province) Dharma talks to the Suwon Buddhist Culture Center in Gyeonggi Province, where he began offering them twice monthly.
• January 2003 - December 2004: Published a serialized commentary on Sengcan's Xinxin Ming (信心銘), interpreted through the lens of Seon, in Seonwon (禪苑), the monthly journal of the Seon Academy Foundation.
• Spring 2005 (approx.): While walking by the river one evening, he suddenly experienced the disappearance of "mind." (Below is his recollection of that moment.)

“One evening, I was taking a walk, as usual, immersed in the Dharma. As I passed beneath a rainbow-shaped bridge called Yeonsan, my mind suddenly vanished. With no mind, there was no Dharma to be found either. Suddenly, there was nothing—just empty space. My body kept walking as before. Seeing, hearing, feeling, and thinking all continued as usual. But body, senses, sensations, and thoughts were all just like empty space— completely free, without hindrance or obstruction. Only then did I realize that the focus had finally settled precisely, the gap had vanished, and everything had become completely one. 

With no mind and no dharma, there was nothing in the world—no object, no circumstance —that could obstruct or entangle. That evening, when I arrived home and saw my wife and children, there was no sense of burden—it was completely different from before. Even when I was with others, I felt utterly free, as if no one were really there. There were no people, no self, no mind, no world. Even thoughts of 'study' or 'Dharma' didn't arise. It was deeply refreshing. 

Only when the mind disappeared was I finally released from all constraints. In truth, I had always been awake right here (he taps the table), in this very spot. But because there was still mind, the desires arising from it—and the circumstances it encountered—were always bothersome, always things to overcome. There were entanglements and obstructions. But now, with no mind, there were no people, no world, no truth, no study, no enlightenment. Truly, not a single speck of dust remained to cling to. 

Only now did I understand Layman Pang's words: 'Not a single speck of dust is seen on mountains and rivers.' And the line from the scriptures: 'If there is no Buddha who attains enlightenment, then what enlightenment is there?'"

• January 2008: Relocated the Busan Seon Center from Namsan-dong (Geumjeong-gu) to U-dong (Haeundae-gu).
• July 2008: Moved the Suwon Dharma meetings to Seoul, where weekly Sunday gatherings have been held ever since.
• March 2017: Began holding weekly Tuesday Dharma meetings at the Daegu Buddhist Hall in Daegu Metropolitan City.
• November 2017: Relocated the Busan Haeundae Seon Center to Hanil Officetel in Munhyeon-dong (Nam-gu), where weekly Saturday Dharma meetings have continued to the present.

< Writings and Translations >

1. Writings (著書)

• February 2001: His doctoral dissertation, A Study of Chinese Patriarchal Seon, was published under the title The Practice and Thought of Patriarchal Seon (Janggyeonggak).
• November 2002: Collected the columns serialized in the Hyundae Bulgyo newspaper on Seon Study Through Letters and published them as a standalone volume titled Studying Letters by Yeosiamun Publishing.
• April 2004: Published Dharma talks on the Diamond Sutra, an interpretation of the Diamond Sutra (金剛經) from a Seon perspective, by Goyoachim Publishing.
• May 2005: Collected his serialized commentary on the Xinxin Ming (信心銘, Faith in Mind) from the journal Seonwon and published it as a standalone volume titled Just This!— Dharma Talks on Faith in Mind (Chimmukbooks).
• January 2008: Published Dharma Talks on Great Vehicle Seon, an interpretation of Great Vehicle Seon (Mahāyāna Chan) by Great Master Jigong (Chimmukbooks).
• June 2008: Revised Studying Letters and published it under the new title A Guide to Participating in Seon (Chimmukbooks).
• April 2010: Published Dharma Talks on Faith in Mind (Chimmukbooks).
• September 2011: Published Dharma Talks on the Heart Sutra (Chimmukbooks).
• December 2011: Published The Seon of the Founder of Ganhwa Seon (2 volumes) (Chimmukbooks).
• June 2014: Published Universe in a Speck of Dust (Dharma Talk Collection Vol. 1), Introduction to the Study of the Mind (Vol. 2), What is Seon? (Vol. 3), and A Guide to Participating in Seon (Vol. 4, revised edition) by Il-eomneun Saram.
• July 2015: Published Dharma Talks on the Diamond Sutra (Revised Edition) (Chimmukbooks).
• December 2015: Published Dharma Talks on the Song of Mahamudra (Chimmukbooks).
• June 2016: Published Dharma Talks on the Song of Enlightenment, Vol. 1 (Chimmukbooks).
• July 2016: Published Dharma Talks on the Song of Enlightenment, Vol. 2 (Chimmukbooks).
• June 2017: Published Dharma Talks on the Songs of Saraha (Chimmukbooks).
• December 2018: Published Dharma Talks on Bodhidharma (Chimmukbooks).
• May 2021: Published Accounts from the Study of the Mind (Chimmukbooks).
• Spring 2022: Published Studying the Mind? Ask Anything! Introduction Volume (Chimmukbooks).
• Autumn 2022: Published Studying the Mind? Ask Anything! Advanced Volume (Chimmukbooks).

2. Translated Works (譯書)

• April 2005: Published 100 Shouts of Linji—an annotated translation of the Sayings of Linji (Janggyeonggak).
• July 2005: Published The Sayings of Mazu—an annotated translation of the same text  (Chimmukbooks).
• June 2008: Published The Diamond Sutra and The Song of Enlightenment—annotated Translations.
• September 2009: Published Seon Koan Anthology with Verse and Commentary (10 vols.)—an annotated translation of Seonmun Yeomsong Yeomsong Seolhwa (Yuil Munhwasa).
• March 2011: Published The Sayings of Great Seon Master Dahui Pujue—annotated translation in 6 volumes (Somyeong Publishing). Selected as an Outstanding Academic Book by the National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Korea in June 2012.
• August 2012: Published The Sayings of Mazu (Revised Annotated Edition, Chimmukbooks).
• December 2012: Published The Sayings of Bodhidharma (Annotated Translation, Chimmukbooks).
• April 2013: Published The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (Annotated Translation, Chimmukbooks).
• August 2013: Published The Sayings of Huangbo (Annotated Translation, Chimmukbooks).
• October 2013: Published Anthology of Seon Koans, Vol. 1 (Il-eomneun Saram).
• June 2014: Published The Vimalakirti Sutra (Annotated Translation, Chimmukbooks).
• February 2015: Published The Record of Linji (Revised Annotated Edition) (Chimmukbooks).
• April 2015: Published The Gateless Gate (Annotated Translation, Chimmukbooks).
• December 2015: Published The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (Huawen Publishing House, China).
• September 2016: Published The Sayings of Baizhang (Chimmukbooks).
• April 2017: Published Diamond Prajna Sutra & Manjusri Prajna Sutra (Chimmukbooks).
• February 2018: Published Dahui's Letters (Chimmukbooks).
• February 2020: Published Dahui's Dharma Words (Chimmukbooks).
• February 2021: Published Dahui Supplementary Teachings (Chimmukbooks).