[1] Seongcheol was widely recognized in Korea as having been a living Buddha, due to his extremely ascetic lifestyle, the duration and manner of his meditation training, his central role in reforming Korean Buddhism in the post-World War II era, and the quality of his oral and written teachings.
[1] Born on April 6, 1912, in Korea, Empire of Japan under the name of Yi Yeongju (이영주), Seongcheol was the first of seven children of a Confucian scholar.
[2] Having read numerous books on philosophy and religion, both Western and Eastern, he reportedly felt dissatisfied, being convinced that these could not lead him to truth.
Under the recommendations of renowned Seon Masters Gim Beomnin and Choe Beomsul, the young Seongcheol left for Haeinsa in the winter of 1936.
At the time, Seon Master Dongsan was the spiritual leader of Haeinsa, and recognizing Seongcheol's great potential, he recommended he become a monk.
But Dongsan master's dharma talk during the following retreat season changed his mind:[1] In March 1937, Yi Yeongju received his dharma name of Seongcheol, forsook all relations with the outside world, and became a monk, writing this poem: The great achievements of the world are but snowflakes melting on fire, Accomplishments that move oceans are but dew disappearing in the glare of the sun, Why live a dream in this ethereal life of dreams, I forsake all to walk towards the great eternal truth.
[1][2] 彌天大業紅爐雪 跨海雄基赫日露 誰人甘死片時夢 超然獨步萬古眞[1][2] In the tradition of Korean Buddhist monks, Seongcheol wandered from one temple to the next after each meditation retreat.
[1][2] Another anecdote recounts how while Seongcheol was staying in Mangwolsa in Dobong mountain, an old monk by the name of Chunseong refused to believe this.
Forming a partnership with Jawoon, Cheongdam, and Hyanggok, the future leaders of Korean Buddhism chose Bong Am Sa temple of Heui Yang mountain.
The members agreed upon rules of conduct (공주규약; 共住規約) and required strict adherence to it amongst themselves:[1] The reformation movement started around a small group of monks centered on Seongcheol, but quickly grew by reputation, attracting monks all over the country who were also intent on bringing back the Korean tradition of intense meditation, strict celibacy, and study of sutras.
Among these younger generations were Weolsan (월산), Ubong (우봉), Bomun (보문), Seongsu (성수), Dou (도우), Hyeam (혜암), Beopjeon (법전), etc.
Not only did this group become the future leaders of Korean Buddhism, but produced two Supreme Patriarchs (Hyeam, Beopjeon) and three chief administrators of the Jogye order.
With constant bombing raids and the presence of soldiers of both sides around the temple, it was impossible to continue the strict monastic life of Bong-amsa.
[1] Seongcheol insisted on giving away all monastic assets to the public and reverting to the original Buddhist way of wandering and begging for alms while investing all energy into meditation.
He contended this was the only surefire way for true reforms to take place, warning that otherwise, full-scale conflict could ensue between bikkhus and married monks fighting over temples.
[2] Seongcheol's predictions, though, did come true and Korean Buddhism has had numerous conflicts between monks over temple jurisdiction ever since then up to the present day, many of them escalating to violent measures by both sides (e.g. paying gangsters to physically harm opponents).
A particularly embarrassing chapter in Korean Buddhism was in the late 1990s when monks fought over Jogyesa, the main administrative temple in Seoul, by not only employing gangsters but joining the fight themselves using weapons, including Molotov cocktails, to violently subdue each other.
Never leaving the boundaries of the small hermitage for an incredible ten years, he deepened his meditation and studied the ancient Buddhist canons, Zen texts, sutras, modern mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and even taught himself English so as to keep current on international affairs.
The meditation center averaged approximately 500 monks per biannual retreat, which was unheard of since the days of Hui Neng and Ma Tzu.
[1][2] Declining all formal ceremonies as Supreme Patriarch from inauguration to his death, Seongcheol never left the mountains, stating that a monk's true place was in the temple.
There was initially a huge protest against his semi-hermetic policy, but this was eventually replaced by sense of respect that had been lacking since the Joseon period, and helped to vastly improve the image and treatment of monks in Korea.
The latter was called Seon Lim Go Gyung Chong Suh (선림고경총서; 禪林古鏡叢書) and was a collection of Chinese and Korean Zen classics that until publication was known mostly only to monks.
[1][2] 生平欺狂男女群 彌天罪業過須彌 活陷阿鼻恨萬端 一輪吐紅掛碧山[1][2] Seongcheol had this explanation for the cryptic poem:[1] I've lived my entire life as a practitioner, and people have always asked me for something.
I've failed to get this message across to everyone so I'm suffering in a kind of hell.His death was followed by the largest funeral ever seen in Korean history for a monk, with over 100,000 people attending.
[1] Seongcheol's teachings can be summarized into five big categories: Citing Taego Bou (太古普愚: 1301–1382) as the true successor of the Linji Yixuan (臨済義玄) line of patriarchs rather than Jinul (知訥: 1158–1210), he advocated Hui Neng's original stance of 'sudden enlightenment, sudden cultivation' (돈오돈수; 頓悟頓修) as opposed to Jinul's stance of 'sudden enlightenment, gradual cultivation' (돈오점수; 頓悟漸修).
He compared this to the common misconception that had ruled pre-Einsteinian physics, that energy and mass were two separate entities, but which Einstein had elucidated as interchangeable dual forms with the relationship described by E=mc², thereby proving the equivalence of one to the other.
[4][8] Seongcheol strongly advocated the gong'an (공안; 公案) meditation technique, asserting that it was the fastest and safest way to enlightenment.
[1][4][7][8] The most common gong'ans he would give to the lay and his followers were: Seongcheol also set a clear benchmark that the practitioner could apply to gauge his level of practice.
This is the way of the universe, the Middle Way, dependent origination, and karma.Removing the clouds that are blocking our pure light of wisdom, we can become liberated from the chains of karma, thereby becoming truly free.
By going beyond the level of being able to meditate in deep sleep, you will reach a place of perfect serenity, your original, bright, shining mirror devoid of all dust that had sat on it.