혜암스님의 정진의 결실

"Study until you die." When you first hear this single phrase from Venerable Hyeam, it comes across as frightening and harsh. However, as you follow his words, you realize that he does not mean to give up one's life, but rather that it is a profound admonition to avoid living in vain and to nurture this present mind until the very end. In this video, we look back on the life of Venerable Hyeam, who walked the path of Zen meditation and spiritual practice throughout his life. Born in Jangseong, South Jeolla Province, Venerable Hyeam entered Haeinsa Temple in 1946 to become a monk. He deeply rooted his practice by passing through the Bongamsa Monastery Assembly and various other Zen centers. On the path that stretched from Mt. Odaesan, Donghwasa Temple, Geukrakam Hermitage at Tongdosa Temple, Myogwaneumsa Temple, to Mumungwan, the Venerable prioritized practice over name and action over words. Venerable Hyeam is also widely known for his intense spiritual practice, such as the practice of eating only one meal a day and sitting meditation for extended periods. However, such practice was not meant to boast about suffering. It was an earnest study to reduce the mind being dragged along by drowsiness, laziness, greed, and anger, and to illuminate a single thought until the very end. Although he served as the Head Monk of Haein Chongnim and the Abbot of Haeinsa Temple, and later rose to the positions of Head Monk of Haein Chongnim and the 10th Supreme Patriarch of the Jogye Order, Venerable Hyeam’s focus was always on Seon meditation. The higher his position, the more quietly he established the discipline of practice and sought to safeguard an environment where the public could study properly. The saying, “Study until you die,” is also a question directed at our minds that procrastinate on today. We always say we will start tomorrow, yet we easily lose sight of a single thought from today. Venerable Hyeam addresses that very gap, telling us to sit now, look now, and turn back now. Diligent practice is not about moving faster than others. It is the strength to refrain from following anger immediately when it arises, to momentarily become aware when greed rises, and to straighten the mind again even if one falls. Even amidst a busy daily life, practice can begin from the moment one takes a moment to catch their breath and re-examines their scattered mind. Venerable Hyeam passed away in 2001 at Misogul Cave in Wondangam Hermitage at Haeinsa Temple, urging us to practice Zen meditation until the very end. His dying wish, “Since cause and effect are clearly evident, practice Zen diligently,” prompts us to reflect on the seeds of thought, speech, and action we are planting today. Fruit is not achieved suddenly one day, but ripens through small, daily efforts. When you feel tired and want to procrastinate, or when your mind is in turmoil and you want to give up easily, pause for a moment and ask yourself: Where am I placing my mind right now? A mind that sits down once more, a mind that examines one more time, and a mind that is less angry one time—these ultimately change the direction of one's life. Venerable Hyeam’s practice is not a story from a distant mountain, but a bell ringing today to awaken the laziness within us. Venerable Hyeam passed away in 2001 at Misogul Cave in Wondangam Hermitage at Haeinsa Temple, urging us to practice Zen meditation until the very end. #VenHyeam #StudyUntilDie #ZenMeditation #DiligentEffort #MindCultivation #BuddhistStories #Haeinsa #BongamsaResolution #KoreanBuddhism #JogyeOrder #Meditation #Practice #LifeLessons #MindTraining #BuddhistMeditation