Professor Kang Kyung-gu of the Department of Chinese Language at Dong-Eui University (left), a close reading of Professor Kang Kyung-gu's Seonmunjeong-ro.
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Duyul] Professor Kang Kyung-gu of the Chinese Language Department at Dong-Eui University held a publication commemorative meeting on the 21st at the Jogye Order General Affairs Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, for the book "Careful Reading (情讀) of Seongcheol Seon’s Understanding and Practice: Seonmunjeongno (禪門正路)."
The book is a commentary on Seongcheol Seon’s representative work, "Seonmunjeongno."
The writing was supervised by Ven. Wontak, a disciple who served Seongcheol Seon for 22 years and has carried on his will for 50 years.
Seongcheol Seon’s "Seonmunjeongno," published in 1981, was a Dharma talk that began with the reflection that the Korean practice environment had deviated from the correct path of Seonmun (Zen gate).
As a master of Kanwaseon (meditation-based Seon), Seongcheol Seon wrote "Seonmunjeongno" to properly establish the pure Kanwaseon practice tradition and to present the correct way to practice it.
Professor Kang Kyung-gu said, “When I decided to write a commentary on 'Seonmunjeongno,' I practiced ‘Following Seongcheol Seon’ and ‘Talking about Seongcheol Seon.’ I examined and reflected on whether I was truly accompanying Seongcheol Seon by focusing on a single comma and period in a sentence from 'Seonmunjeongno,' wrestling with questions that cut through time and space such as ‘Why?’, ‘How?’, and ‘What is this?’”
Professor Kang added, “As a result of establishing the three major principles of ‘Seongcheol Seon’?Donowonggakron (頓悟圓覺論, Theory of Sudden Enlightenment and Perfect Awakening), Silchamsilo-ron (實參實悟論, Theory of Actual Practice and Actual Enlightenment), and Gugyeongmusim-ron (究竟無心論, Theory of Ultimate No-Mind)?and completing over ten years of reading 'Seonmunjeongno,' I published ‘Careful Reading of Seonmunjeongno.’ I recommend this careful reading to those seeking a Seon master with correct insight or wishing to examine their own practice.”
Professor Kang currently serves as the director of the Central Library at Dong-Eui University and has served as president of the Korean Chinese Studies Association and vice president of the East Asian Buddhist Culture Association.
He also gave radio lectures on the theme of "Journey to the West and Buddhism" on Busan Buddhist Broadcasting and wrote religious columns (Buddhism) for the International Newspaper.
His publications include 23 books such as "Reading Shinshimyeong with Two Seon Masters" and "Commentary on the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch."
He has authored over 70 papers, including "Buddhist Interpretation of Huaguo Mountain in Journey to the West" and "A Study on the Characteristics of Quoting Sentences in Seonmunjeongno (1, 2, 3, 4)."
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