[One Thousand Characters a Day] The Avatamsaka Sutra for Humanities Readers <3> - 'Jijeonggak Segan'

Editor's NoteUnlike most Mahayana sutras that are prefixed with 'Bulseol (佛說)', meaning 'spoken by the Buddha,' the is called a Seolbul sutra, with 'Seolbul (說佛)' meaning 'speaking about the Buddha.' Unlike sutras such as the or , where the Buddha teaches his enlightenment to disciples, this sutra depicts how the world surrounding the Buddha?the Buddha world (Bulsegye, 佛世界)?appears when the Buddha attains true enlightenment. Here, for a being who has realized 'true enlightenment,' that is, their true self, distinctions such as 'I' and 'you,' 'Buddha,' and 'sentient beings' disappear, and there arises a perception that all these are in fact an indivisible single reality. Therefore, one realizes that their true nature is the 'Buddha' and learns how to live as the Buddha. This differs from most Buddhist traditions that pursue happiness by aiming for an incomplete 'self' to become a perfect Buddha through practice. The teaches that one can be happy by realizing that the 'self' as it is is already a complete Buddha. Professor Park Boram of Chungbuk National University (Department of Philosophy), author of , states, "It is precisely in this aspect that the distinctive features of the Hwajeomgyeong, which set it apart from other sutras, become apparent." Word count: 675.

In the Hwajeom sect, the Buddha and bodhisattvas are referred to as 'Jijeonggaksegan (智正覺世間),' meaning 'the world of enlightened beings,' while unenlightened sentient beings are called 'Jungsaengsegan (衆生世間).' The time, space, and inanimate objects where both Jijeonggaksegan and Jungsaengsegan reside are termed 'Gisegan (器世間).' These three worlds that constitute the entire universe and the Dharma realm are, in reality, inseparable and are a harmonious, unified phenomenon.

(Omitted)

If one does not know the true nature of 'I,' one clings to the past, obsesses over the present, and worries about the future. Moreover, one is trapped here and cannot reach there, thus failing to pervade the entire universe. One clings to 'I,' pushing away 'you,' reveres the 'Buddha,' and looks down on 'sentient beings.' But on what basis or standard are these distinctions made? To distinguish and differentiate one thing from another, a criterion is necessary. When we investigate the criteria and grounds that separate 'I' and 'you,' 'sentient beings' and 'Buddha,' past, future, and present, here and there, we find that, like our endlessly reincarnating lives, there is only an infinite repetition of synonymous concepts and repetitions of those repetitions, with no ultimate standard or basis to be found. This is the true nature of all phenomena described in this passage. The calls this the 'true nature of dependent origination,' also expressed as 'emptiness (Gong, 空).'

- Park Boram, , Bulgwang Publishing, 16,000 KRW