[Daily Thousand Characters] "Let Us All Live as Pioneers of a New Era"

Editor's NoteIn his New Year's Dharma message, Jeonsan Kim Juwon, the Supreme Leader of Won Buddhism, expressed his earnest wish that the spirit of Ilwon Daedo's teachings would permeate the order, the nation, and the world, creating a paradise filled with peace and happiness. Jeonsan Kim Juwon stated, "From the New Year onward, we must build upon our achievements thus far, turn our attention to the world, and vigorously pioneer the era of Gyeolbok Gyouun." He also emphasized, "Our religious fortune can only flourish when we diligently practice the methods of daily cultivation in our everyday lives," urging consistent practice. Character count: 1,813.

The new year of Wonki 109 has dawned. Throughout this year, I sincerely hope that the spirit of Ilwon Daedo's teachings will spread throughout the order, the nation, and the world, creating a paradise overflowing with peace and happiness.

It has now been 108 years since Great Master Sotaesan, the new World Honored One of the Era of Later Heaven's Great Opening, attained enlightenment and founded the new assembly of Won Buddhism. The order has now entered its fourth generation.

The fourth generation of the order marks the era of Gyeolbok Gyouun, when the blessings and fruits of Ilwon will be realized across the world. From this New Year onward, we must build upon the achievements of our past institutional projects, turn all our attention to the world, and vigorously pioneer the era of Gyeolbok Gyouun.

After attaining enlightenment, the Great Master foresaw the future and warned that "unless there is a spiritual awakening of humanity, unimaginable difficulties will arise." To guide us all to paradise, he established the Fourfold Grace and Four Essentials for life, and the Threefold Study and Eight Articles for practice, all based on the truth of Ilwonsang, thus illuminating the great path of spiritual awakening.

When formulating these teachings, the Great Master infused them with the spirit of contemporization, practical application in daily life, and popularization.

'Contemporization' means adapting to the ever-brightening and opening era. 'Practical application in daily life' means enabling all people to practice these teachings in their everyday lives. 'Popularization' means that every person on earth, regardless of gender, age, literacy, virtue, or status, can practice these teachings without exception.

Therefore, achieving spiritual awakening by practicing these teachings is something that no one can excuse themselves from, regardless of their circumstances.

While all the contents of the established by the Great Master are important methods for spiritual awakening, if we were to highlight one core aspect, it would be the "Nine Principles of Daily Cultivation." As the name suggests, these are wondrous methods that enable us to achieve spiritual awakening and accomplish the great work of benefiting all living beings by practicing the teachings in our daily lives.

The Nine Principles of Daily Cultivation are as follows:

1. The mind is originally free from agitation, but agitation arises in response to conditions; let us establish the calm (Jeong) of our true nature by eliminating such agitation.

2. The mind is originally free from ignorance, but ignorance arises in response to conditions; let us establish the wisdom (Hye) of our true nature by eliminating such ignorance.

3. The mind is originally free from wrongdoing, but wrongdoing arises in response to conditions; let us establish the precepts (Gye) of our true nature by eliminating such wrongdoing.

4. Let us eliminate distrust, greed, ego, and foolishness through faith, sharing, righteousness, and sincerity.

5. Let us transform a life of resentment into a life of gratitude.

6. Let us transform a life dependent on others into a life of self-reliance.

7. Let us transform those who do not know how to learn into those who learn well.

8. Let us transform those who do not know how to teach into those who teach well.

9. Let us transform those without a sense of public good into those with a sense of public good.

Among these, Principles 1, 2, 3, and 4 correspond to the Threefold Study and Eight Articles, which are the methods for the salvation of all sentient beings. Principle 5 is the practice of repaying the Fourfold Grace, which is the foundation of world peace. Principles 6, 7, 8, and 9 are the realization of the Four Essentials, the wondrous way for all humanity to prosper together.

Followers of Won Buddhism begin each day by reciting the Nine Principles of Daily Cultivation during their early morning prayer and morning training. At weekly Dharma meetings, they also recite these principles to reflect on the past week. This demonstrates that our entire way of life is focused on practicing the Nine Principles of Daily Cultivation.

Now, the world has entered the era of Gyouun. Our religious fortune can only flourish when we properly practice the Nine Principles of Daily Cultivation in our daily lives.

The very moment these Nine Principles are realized is the moment spiritual awakening is achieved, and at that moment, we become pioneers of a new era.

Let us all live as pioneers of this new era. As we energetically embark on the fourth generation of our order, I pray that we are always accompanied by the boundless protection and power of the Fourfold Grace of the Dharmakaya Buddha.

New Year's Morning, Wonki 109 (2024)

Jeonsan Kim Juwon, Supreme Leader of Won Buddhism