oNE-MIND PRACTICE
The whole universe works together as One Mind
Concepts
It should be said that understanding concepts, words, and ideas aren't the same as practice. Knowing them isn't experiencing "what is." They are just helpful tools to describe and talk about experience.
oNE-MIND(hANMAUM)
‘Han’ means one, infinite, and combined, and ‘Maum’ means mind. So Hanmaum means the fundamental mind that is intangible, invisible, beyond time and space, and has no beginning or end. It means that all minds, and all beings, the world, and the universe are all interconnected and are working together as one. In other words, Hanmaum embraces the whole universe and all the lives within it. Buddha-nature is only one, so it is Hanmaum; it is inconceivably large, so it is Hanmaum. All things come from it, so it is Hanmaum. The minds of all lives are working together as one, so this is called one mind, “Hanmaum”. The way the same electricity brightens this light bulb and that light bulb, Hanmaum connects all things as one.
Juingong
(your true nature)
Juingong is the true doer, so it is called Juin(主人), and it is completely empty, that is, it is always changing, without any fixed shape, so it is called gong(空). Thus, Juingong means your fundamental, underlying essence, which is always changing and manifesting. Juingong is the fundamental mind that each one of us is inherently endowed with, and which is directly connected to every single thing. Through this connection, Juingong functions together with everything as one.
Juingong is your true nature that leads you, no matter what name is used. Juingong is the incredible power of Buddha-nature, which everyone is endowed. Juingong means the whole, so you should not think of Juingong as some kind of separate, individual self that belongs to you alone.
Mind-cultivation
Mind-Cultivation is the practical core of One-Mind Practice, the practice of discovering our true nature and learning to live from it in everyday life. By observing our thoughts and emotions without judgment and entrusting them to our true nature, we learn to transform the way we think, respond, and live, bringing forth the wisdom and compassion already within us.
Ultimately, the quality of our lives depends greatly on how we use our minds. The very same mind can create either heaven or hell in our daily lives. Since our minds are at work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, everyday life itself becomes our place of practice.
Gwan(觀)
The Korean word “ Gwan" literally means “ watching," but in terms of spiritual practice, it also means observing your thoughts entrusting them to Juingong. If you say ‘I’m doing Gwan”, you practice these three processes at the same time; you’re viewing an issue with the eye of Juingong letting go of your fixed ideas, you’re creating a positive thought that ‘the issue will perfectly be handled by Juingong’, and you’re thankfully accepting the result because it will be the best result you can obtain. By doing Gwan, you can let go of your fixed ideas, view this world as an eye of true nature, and free yourself from such prisons of thought.
One-mind Practice
Imagine the world as one great tree. Its countless leaves and branches may all look different,
but they grow from the same root. If they knew that they all share the same source of life, and cared for
and supported one another, the whole tree would live in harmony and peace.
This is the world the Buddha taught us to create,
a world where we recognize that all life is one at its source and live together as one.
At the heart of One-Mind Practice is realizing that one root, our true nature, is the source of the life energy behind everything we do, and that all life is interconnected, working together as one.
1. Recognize
Recognize who you truly are. Your true self is not your body, name, gender, or nationality. Your true self is Juingong, your true nature within, with the infinite ability to become a Buddha. Trust that this true self is always within you and can do even what may seem impossible. Recognizing and trusting your true self is the key to mind.
2. enTrust
How should you entrust? First, sincerely believe in your inherent true nature, Juingong, which is taking care of everything. Second, go forward with courage. Third, experiment with how Juingong takes care of everything, continuously apply what you experience, and never let yourself be daunted by anything. As soon as something arises, unconditionally entrust it to Juingong, your foundation.
Entrust everything: entrust the things you understand and the things you don't understand, entrust happiness, suffering, poverty, and even diseases. When you can do this, you can live with vitality and you can live freely, like flowing water.
3. observe
“Observe” means perceiving yourself with your inner eye. Keep watching your own steps. Keep watching who is talking, who is listening and who is seeing. Keep watching the one that has been doing everything in your daily life. Carefully observe your tears, laughter, suffering, and happiness. Right there, do the things you cry and laugh about truly exist? Does the self who cries and laughs truly exist? Keep watching very closely and carefully. If you keep practicing like this, your focus will change from letting go and observing to trying to find the foundation, the true self, that watches you let go and observe.