Unconventional Journeys:Rethinking Spiritual Practices for True Enlightenme

[진영]

In Korean
https://cafe.daum.net/enlightenment-k/dcM5/242?svc=cafeapi

YouTube 영상 속 무문관 수행과 수도원의 묵언 수행에 대한 논고

Title: "Unconventional Journeys :
Rethinking Spiritual Practices for True Enlightenment"

This morning, I happened to come across a broadcast from a certain TV broadcasting company on a YouTube channel, where I saw people practicing Buddhist Mumunkwan (Mu-emptiness, mun-door, kwan-school) Practice and Catholic monastery Silent Contemplation Practice as a hermit without talking, sitting down for years apart from others, especially seeking God.  

While each viewer may have different thoughts about what they saw, I encourage them to share their own thoughts about the right path of practice and to have diverse perspectives and judgments about their practices along with many others.

I hope that the broadcasting company, through the big budget, time, and effort, not only shows extreme and narrow methods of practice but also includes explanations and demonstrations of contrasting practices, allowing viewers to have a broader perspective for thinking and judgment.

Personally, I was raised a Buddhist but became a Catholic at age 20s. I mean I hold no prejudice against religions. Through my works, such as the five volume series "The Right Path of Practice" (by Kim Jeong Seong, Maengeunsaem Publisher, the first one of 5 selected as a best book in 2016 in Korea), the English version "Think Out of the Box (2015)", and "Searching for the Forgotten Half in Martial Arts (2021)", and with more publications, I have also talked about the principle of nature and one's own religion better in practical life and so on.

■ Human Life is Practice, and That is the Way (Do)

"Practice" means that human life itself is practice, and it is the way (Do).
Throughout life, it is about making human life more abundant and peaceful, and this has been emphasized by great sages and saints from both the East and the West countless times.

■ The Foundation of Practice

Let's look at the "Foundation of Practice." It has nothing to do with profound, mystical, abstract, or unreal things concerning human innovation or development. A healthy body is essential for a sound mind in practice, just as a healthy mind resides in a healthy body. If the body is sick, the mind becomes clouded and confused.

The human body is like a machine; if it doesn't move or eat, it will rapidly deteriorate and disappear. The foundation for human health, happiness, progress, and maturity lies in communication, where speech, thoughts, and actions become fundamental. Without it, the body can not function properly, slowly decaying, and the mind becomes erratic, leading to its destruction. Thus, the key is to prioritize taking care of the body.

Siddhartha Buddha and Jesus, when teaching people, emphasized healing for proper study because a healthy body was essential. Some scholars have referred to Jesus as a healer in this context, and the practices and healing in each religion become the basis for understanding and cultivating better human life, which are actually inextricably related and crucial points for a correct practice.

■ The Fruits of Practice

Only the two fundamental essences obtained through the process of correct practice are:

○ Thinking out of the Box
○ Recognizing the Reality (Love) of Nature (Kong-emptiness, Mu-nothingness)

Except the two things above, any other best words or good expressions about it can be derived from these fundamental concepts. For centuries, many scriptures have been passed down, and countless people have been entangled in their specialized worlds of misunderstanding within their own studies, often incorporating the thoughts of others or employing endless imagination in their writings.

Thinking out of the box and changing one's consciousness, religiously, it can be called attaining Enlightenment, seeking Truth, or finding the Original Mind, and so on. Ultimately, it refers to the pursuit and development of new values through a change in consciousness.

"Think out of the box and change consciousness, and you will change your life to be fufilled and be well-to-do with better health and happiness," means that throughout life, while encountering various things like people, animals, and food, one falls, stumbles, and awakens, leading to changes in thoughts and shifts in consciousness. It enables self-creation and growth. Human creature created like that.

The transformation of human consciousness and the pursuit of the right values in accordance with the changing times lead to the qualitative improvement of human life and the ultimate goal of spiritual growth. This is why changing one's thoughts is the first step in the right practice.

Recognizing the Reality (Love) of nature - Kong (Emptiness), Mu(Nothingness)

Religiously, it can be referred to as realizing Buddha or God or approaching the reality of the deities one believes in. It can be expressed in various ways.

Recognizing the Reality (Love) of Nature means perceiving the fundamental that moves everything in the universe with one's body and mind and following its energy, which can be considered as "conforming to the present circumstances moment by moment." It can also be described as melting and blending oneself into the surroundings in every moment, striving for harmony and balance, which can be said "Enlightenment" in the Correct Practice.

During this process, one comes to understand why we should live humbly and kindly, love and show compassion to one another, and avoid anger, envy, and jealousy. It is the "Awakening"of the fundamental essence of existence, known as "Enlightenment"

Throughout life, continuously striving to approach the essence or reality of Enlightenment (+E) and understanding it is human life. There are various expressions for this, such as approaching, becoming one with, or forgetting oneself in that essence.

This Essence or Reality of Nature is unseen, unknown, and unknowable; thus, in the appropriate terms of that time, it was expressed as Kong (emptiness) or Mu (nothingness).

Therefore, a "life of awakening" means approaching the deities one believes in within their respective religions and, in everyday life, understanding, forgiving, and caring through words, thoughts, and actions. It involves belief and awakening and is about accumulating "Love."

The practice of finding one's own deity would lead to an individual's death if they do not eat, sit all the time, do not talk, and avoid communication. These are the opposite behaviors of an appropriate human life as I watch it on those Youtube channel. Some say that this world, Earth, is itself a prison; to break free, there are no other methods except the two mentioned above. It is hard to avoid the assumption that those who perform actions on those Youtube channel to slowly kill themselves in any era could be for the benefit of some social, political, or religious privilege or some phenomenon created by some minority authority or ruler that has been handed down for many centuries.  Anyway, is it genuinely a great way for the correct practice (behavior) or not that will advance society to progress and serve as a profound lesson for many people nowadays? I have the audacity to inquire of the majority of the public. 

A Complete Body Brings about True Enlightenment
 
Throughout history, no saint has ever inflicted harm upon their own body or jeopardized their life for the sake of prayer or meditation and so on. Countless sages have consistently emphasized a shared concept: leading a virtuous life, nourishing the body, and seeking health, happiness, serenity, and blessings.
Even figures like Siddhartha Buddha and Jesus chose to live among people, sharing meals, healing the sick, and demonstrating the practical aspects of everyday life. This embodiment of "Love" is central to their teachings.
 
Great saints and sages have never advocated for the construction of temples or churches, nor the creation of statues or crosses. This is because true "Love" cannot be accumulated in such places, and they are distant from the pursuit of "spiritual growth" while leading a healthy and contented life.
 
There exists a wise saying: "Do not speak of your pain if you cannot care for yourself." This implies refraining from indulging in empty talk, futile thoughts, and fruitless actions while neglecting the well-being of one's own body.
Just as a sound mind finds its abode in a healthy body, a complete and wholesome body fosters genuine Enlightenment. Therefore, throughout life, the human body can be seen as a tool for pursuing endeavors and spiritual awakening.

In conclusion,
Those who strive to walk the path of righteousness should bear in mind that a complete body is the key to true awakening,
and a healthy body serves as a conduit for cultivating love.
 
 

July 24, 2023
JS Kim
at the Oryukdo