[One Thousand Characters a Day] Diamond Sutra for Humanities Readers <1>

Editor's NoteEven if you are not particularly interested in religion, you may have nodded in agreement at least once to a passage from Buddhist scriptures that contains simple yet profound reflections. You might have tried to read the scriptures or commentaries but put them down again due to unfamiliar terms, difficult explanations, and overwhelming length. Many give up reading because they cannot understand the meaning of obscure Sino-Korean words and enigmatic Zen dialogues while trying to learn teachings to escape suffering. Asia Economy has translated an easy-to-understand commentary on the , one of the most well-known scriptures in Korea and beloved by Buddhists, for the readers of 'One Thousand Characters a Day, Ten Thousand Steps a Day.' This is a scripture introduction book titled by Associate Professor Kim Sung-ok of Dongguk University (Dharma College), who distilled the core contents of Buddhist scriptures into accessible language. It will be a useful guide for beginners who wanted to read Buddhist scriptures but did not know where to start, as well as for humanities readers who found the scriptures unfamiliar and difficult to understand. By reading the text that carefully introduces the meanings of the enigmatic words in the scriptures and copying them character by character, the teachings of Buddha from thousands of years ago will resonate in your heart, and you will naturally find yourself nodding in agreement. Word count: 853.

Among the various religions and philosophies of India, Buddhism is the only one that denies the concept of self. Until now, no philosophy has ever told us to abandon the notion of self. Moreover, all Western philosophy is built upon the foundation of the self. Considering that stories about protagonists who are reborn with the same soul after death often appear in movies and dramas, the belief in the realm of self seems to remain widespread even today.

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Buddhism diagnoses the notion of self as the fundamental cause of human suffering. Since we have lived believing that it is "I" who see and "I" who act from times we do not even remember, we have been unable to realize what is wrong in this chain of suffering. Buddhism suggests examining whether the thought of "I" truly exists. It completely overturns the perspective through which we have viewed the world until now. Therefore, Buddhism can feel difficult because it shakes our way of thinking to its roots.

"Even if a bodhisattva saves countless sentient beings, he must not hold the thought of being a bodhisattva." This was the teaching of the . Breaking the notion of self was the core of attaining the right enlightenment even for bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism. In other words, a bodhisattva must not arise the idea of "I am a bodhisattva" or "You are a sentient being." Nor should they have the thought "I have saved others." There is actually no dharma that can be called a bodhisattva. It says there is no self, no individual self, no sentient being, and no soul. A thunderous voice commands to break the notion of "I." All the teachings of the are contained in this one statement. Only by breaking the prison of the old thought of "I" and realizing the truth of no-self can one be truly called a bodhisattva.

- Kim Sung-ok, , Bulgwang Publishing, 16,000 KRW