Jogye Order Supreme Patriarch: "End Violence and War Through Jeongjin and Purify the Global Village"

Intensive Winter Operations for Three Months Starting from the 15th

The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism announced on the 12th that the Supreme Patriarch Jungbong Seongpa Sunim has issued a Dharma talk ahead of the Gapjin Year Winter Retreat 결제 (結制) scheduled for the 15th.

Supreme Patriarch Seongpa Daejongsa of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism
[Photo by Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism]

In his Dharma talk delivered the previous day, Seongpa Sunim said, "The fragrance of diligent practice will cease all violence and wars in the world like the refreshing pine breeze in a windless pine forest, and purify all pollution on the globe like the clear water flowing through the One Vehicle teaching."

He also urged practitioners to devote themselves to practice, saying, "Just as a cat catches a mouse, by single-mindedly breaking through the hwadu, the coming and going through the temple gates naturally ceases, and the worldly attachments and disputes naturally disappear."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "Gathering and practicing with the single-minded determination to break through the hwadu has formed the finest community of practitioners," and added, "Everyone must successfully complete the retreat and purify the Dharma realm."

The Jogye Order announced that in observance of the Winter Retreat period, about 2,000 monks will begin their intensive practice starting from the 15th at over 100 Seonwon (meditation centers) nationwide.

Angeo (安居) refers to the practice during the three-month winter period (from the 15th day of the 10th lunar month to the 15th day of the 1st lunar month of the following year) and the three-month summer period (from the 15th day of the 4th lunar month to the 15th day of the 7th lunar month), during which monks gather in one place, refrain from going out, and devote themselves to Seon meditation practice.