II. Interview with Great Monk Jajae Manhyon

II. Interview with Great Monk Jajae Manhyon

  It is difficult to understand that the distorted

theory of 'no self' has been left as it is over

2000 years.  During that period, many great

enlightened masters as well as Nagarjuna have

come and departed, and the world famous

leaders such as His Holiness Dalai Lama and

Thich Nhat Hanh are alive......

  It is a good question.  In order to understand

the theory of 'no self' properly, a person must

be correctly aware of the spirit that is the real

body in the realm of original substance (本體界).

But the thdory of the spiritual bodies is a

teaching on a profound level that a person can

understand its substance to a certain extent when

he reaches the Dharma grade of a Bodhisattva of

the high stage; that a person can realize

completely when he reaches the level of a

Buddha.

Hence, although one is a respectable scholar, we
cannot expect one to establish the theory of 'no
self' or the doctrine of the spirit properly.  At the
same time, no great monk has reached this stage
up to the present, including those who are alive.

After the passing of the Buddha, noble disciples
Subhuti and Shariputra attained Buddhahood, but
did not appear in the world but rather entered
nirvana.  Consequently Yongsan Buddhism intends
to rectify the distorted theory of 'no self', and
advocates the doctrine of transmigration by the
spiritual bodies in the names of noble disciples
Kasyapa and Ananda this time.

  We are anxious to hear about the phenomena
that the Great Monks experience when chanting
the sacted name of the Buddha.

  There are some diffierences among people in
the stage of reciting a Buddha's name, but you
may understand that they will generally go
through the following stages.

①  The stage that one's ears are shut with a
clank, and no outside noise is heard.
②  The stage of the meditative oncentration that
it is as bright as day, and one sees brilliant light
made of particles.
③  The stage of ,no I' that one goes into the
realm of tranquil extinction transcending space
and  time, and sees one's original nature
(emptiness). - Awakening to one's original nature
(breaking through Hwadu).
④  The stage of receiving the light of the Pure
Land   in   purple   glaze   on  both  ears  from
Manjushri and Samantabhadra Bldhisattvas - the
eighth ground of the Bodhisattva path.

⑤  The stage of seeing a billion kinds of the
Immeasurable Light that is intensive, Iucid, and
brighter than the inside o the sunlight - the
gateway to becoming a Buddha.

   -What does Hyonjisa consider most important
as the virtue of practice? I have been told that
Hyonjisa particularly laysstress on the thought
of filial piety to one's parents and ancestors....

  The main thought of Buddhism is that of filial
piety to one's parents, and it is the virtue of
practice that the Buddha takes as the most
important.

The filial piety in Buddhism has far deeper
meaning than the definition of filial piety in
Confucianism because it is on the level of the
principal of universal reason that one repays
one's indebtedness (kindness, favor) to another
according to the law of cause and conditions.
Filial piety is the virtue that forms the basis of
the love of one's country, the love of one's
neighbors and the respect of one's teacher.

It is natural that one has to be dutiful to one's
parents during thdir lifetime.  But I tell you that
saving the spirits of one's parents and ancestors
who are severely suffering in hells or as animals
after they passed away is the best filial piety.

This is no other than the salvation service fr
the deceased that is one of the traditional
ceremonies in Buddhism.  I also tell you that
one's deceased spirits can be saved when the
salvation service is by all means supervised by
the Buddha.

Hyonjisa takes not only filial piety, but also
keeping pure precepts, practicing beneficial action
to others with compassion, practicing actions,
faith and so on as important virtues of practice.

  -I understand tha you (the Great Monk) often
meet with the Buddha personally.  I wonder how
holy the features of the Reward Body Buddha
were when you saw him.
  The features of the Buddha are so holy that
he connot be described in writing or speech.
However, I will  tell   you  some  of  his
appearances.

●The Buddha is 1m 78cm tall, weight 80kgs,
and looks around the age of 60.
●He always wears a grey long sleeved robe with
the red Dharma clothing made of 108 pieces
and looks neat, tidy and pure.
●He always has his head shaved; everyone will
be lost in his good-looking,  handsome and
generous appearance.
●His face always has an adoring look like a
father, and his clear and clean features give
refreshing feelings.
●His eyes are long-lashed, have double eyelids
and are as clear as spring water.  Wisdom
shines from him and he is full of supreme
intelligence.  Light is always being emitted and
makes people overwhelmed.
●He has a round, prosperous-looking, high nose.
●His mouth looks peerless and handsome, and
everyone will be readily charmed by his smile.
His lips look as red as a cherry.
●His   ears   are   not  so  big  or  small, but
  good-looking.
●His milky skin is as soft and smooth as silk.


  I understand that Hyonjisa is working to
realize the protection of this nation and world
peace through Buddhism.  What role do you think
that Buddhism can do for the development of a
country?


  The purpose of the establishment of Hyonjisa
is to realize the thought of salvation of sentient
beings and of protection of the country through
Buddhism. We can say that protection of the
country through Buddhism is the thought that has
consistently been maintained since Buddhism was
introduced into this country.  But protection of the
country through Buddhism is greatly different on
its level from that of the past.


To begin with, as the Vairocana Hall that has
been dedecated to Vairocana Buddha and the
Tower of Prabhutaratna Buddha have been built,
and these have been given life by the two Great
Monks who have attained Buddhahood, the
biggest characteristic can   be  said  is that
numerous Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can really
display the universal power of the Buddhas.  I
also wish to tell you that thses have a great
purpose in realizing the unification of this
country, national prosperity, and to further world
peace.



The prenatal education of  Avalokiteshvara that
Hyonjisa has introduced is a prenatal education
method on a new level that can bring up a
talented man having both characteristics of a
saint and a genius by virtue of awesomespiritual
powers of Avalokiteshvara.  I think this method
can make a great contribution to the nation in
cultivating men of ability.


In addition to the above, I think that we can
make a contribution  to   society  through
establishing the view of birth and death,
spreading the thought of filial piety, promoting
morality, spreading the practice of beneficial
actions to others with compassion,  etc.  by
means of disseminating the thought of
Buddhism such as the principal of cause and
conditions.







 Great Monk Jajae Manhyon 


  Great Monk Jajae Manhyon who is the final
body of noble disciple Ananda at the time of the
Spirit Mountain was born in Hampyong in
Jeonnam Province in 1937.



He renounced worldly life and became a monk
with Monk Sok-am as his teacher.  He practiced
meditative concentration by investigating the head
phrase of Hwadu under Great Monk Gyongbong,
and awakened to empty nature after ten years.


He has served as Executive Propagator of the
Administrative Headquarters of Jogye Order of
Korean Buddhism.  He visited various enlightened
masters  extensively  like Priestling  Sudhana
appearing in the Avatamsaka Sutra  and sought
the  Dharma.   Afterwards,  he  had  a firm
conviction  that there  exist  far  higher  realms
through sutras and daringly converted to a
practitioner reciting the sacred name of the
Buddha.



As a result of his desperate practice for 30 years
or  so, he met with the Buddha personally in
very profound samadhi that can be entered by
chanting the sacred name of the Buddha, and
received teaching from him.


At last he was confirmed a Buddha with his
Buddha name 'San Hae Hye Jajae Tong Wang
Buddha' by Buddha the World-Honoured in 2000
as stated in the Lotus Sutra.  His left and right
attendants  are  Sanghaeng  Bodhisattva and
Jonghaeng  Bodhisattva.



He is the founder of Yongsan Buddhism, and
he has written the two books "The 21st
Century Buddha's Message  I,II."





III.  The head temple of new Buddhism -
Hyonjisa of Yongsan Buddhism

Hyonjisa is the holy land where Nosana Buddha
who is the original Buddha of Sakyamuni Buddha
and many Buddhas abide!

Hyonjisa is the holy land of the true Dharma
where the Noble Disciples Kasyapa and Ananda,
who have attained Buddhahood, have opened the
assembly of the Buddha.

On the occasion of opening of the Main Temple
Hall, a great work for the Buddha of lighting
100,000 lanterns unprededented in the history of
Buddhism has successfully been performed.

The  Vairocana Hall and the Tower of
Prabhutaratna Buddha established in the head
temple in Chuncheon are the two precious
treasures in the global village.

Hyonjisa is the only temple that has enshrined
Buddha images with their heads neatly shaved
and their eyes open just as the Buddha in the
Absolute Realm looks.


1.  The   head   temple   of   Hyonjisa is in
Chuncheon and its branch temples are in
Busan and Daejeon cities.

◆The head temple of  Hyonjisa in Chuncheon
is the head temple of the true Dharma that
Noble Disciple Kasyapa and Noble Disciple
Ananda have established.

-Hyonjisa   is   situated   at   the   foot   of   the
Gwangduk  Mountain where the graceful aspect
of  mountain  ridges  and  a  river  mingle  and
form picturesque scenery on the outskirts of
Chuncheon - a city where the streams of the
Bukhan River and the So-yang River both of
which rise in the Diamond Mountain join
together and a dream of reunification has been
cherished.

-Hyonjisa is the temple of the true Dharma
which Great Monks Gwangmyong Manduk and
Jajae Manhyon established in May 2001 to
realize the vows of salvation of sentient beings
and protection of the nation and world peace
through Buddhism by propagating the true
Dharma.

-Hyonjisa(顯智寺) has been named by the
Buddha and has the meaning of "atemple in
which the wisdom of the Buddha is revealed."
The site of Hyonjisa has been designated by
Bomyong Tathagata Buddha.


◆      The  Busan  Branch  of  Hyonjisa is a holy
place for prayers and propagation; the Daejeon
Branch is a sacred temple of Amitabha Buddha.

-The Busan Branch of Hyonjisa established in
February,   2006,  has   enshrined   the  Five
Tathagata    Buddhas,    namely   Buddha   the
World-Honoured,          Prabhutaratna    Buddha,
Medicine  Tathagata   Buddha,  Amitabha Buddha
and   Bomyong Buddha, and is a temple of the
true   Dharma  focusing  on  prayers   and
propagation of the true Dharma.

-The    Daejeon   Branch  of  Hyonjisa opened in
December  2009  is the  sacred  temple  where
Buddha    the    World-Honoured,   Medicine
Tathagata  Buddha, and Amitabha  Buddha have
been enshrined.   This temple has completely
been connected as one with the Western Pure
Land and plays an important role as the sacred
temple of Amitabha Buddha.


2.  Hyonjisa is a holy place of the holy places
of world Buddhism

◆    Hyonjisa  is  a  holy  place  of  the holy
places of world Buddhism where Buddha the
World-Honoured and the Five Tahagata
Buddhas dwell.

-Hyonjisa is the temple where Nosana Buddha
who  is  the  original  Buddha  of  Buddha  the
World-Honoured    resides   all   the   time.
Prabhutaratna Buddha, the King of the Three
Realms;  Medicine  Tathagata  Buddha,  Great
King of Medicine;  Amitabha  Buddha, the Pure
Land  of Utmost Bliss;  Bo-myong  Buddha,
Supervisor of the Dharma  Treasure; Cundi
Bodhisattva who acts as the Mother of all
Buddhas also dwell at Hyonjisa all the time.

-The four great Buddhas, Manjushri Bodhisattva,
Samantabhadra  Bodhisattva, Avalokiteshvara, and
Ksitigarbha  Bodhisattva  who  are  practicing
actions  of  a  Bodhisattva in the saha world; and
the three great  Buddhas,  Bo-myong Buddha,
Mountain   King   Buddha,   and  Stars  Ruling
Tathagata   Buddha  who look after the fortune of
human beings also abide at Hyonjisa all the time.

-At the same time, Maitreya  Buddha (Hye  Wi
Dung  Wang  Buddha),  the King  of  the Tushita
Pure  Land,  whom er sentient beings have been
so anxious  to see also dwell at Hyonjisa.

◆      Hyonjisa   is  a  rare  holy   land  of  the
assembly  of  the  Buddha   where   Buddha  the
World-Honoured washes away karmic hindrance
of sentient beings.

-Great  Monk  Jajae  Manhyon who has attained
Buddhahood in this life is holding the assembly
of the Buddha twice a month for the first time
in 2600 years since the assembly of the Buddha
was held in India.

-At the time of the Dharma talk,  Buddha the
World-Honoured sits in the lotus position on the
crown  of  the  head  of  Great  Monk  Jajae
Manhyon;  numerous Buddhas,  Bodhisattvas, holy
multitudes, and hundreds, thousands and millions
of heavenly  beings  gather;  and some  1000
Buddhists  from  across  the country attend.  The
Buddha washes away karmic hindrance of those
Buddhists  who  are  present  there  with  the
Immeasurable  Light.

◆ Hyonjisa is a holy place where the Buddha
images have their heads shaved and their eyes
open exactly as the Buddha realy looks in the
Absolute Realm.

-The  images of Buddha the World-Honoured and
many  Buddhas have been reproduced  as the
original  Buddhas abiding in the Absolute Realm
look,  and  show  their  appearances  with their
heads neatly shaved and with open eyes that one
cannot see in any other temple in the world.


3.  The   two  great  treasures  of  the global
willage that Hyonjisa has built.

◆  The two great treasures of the global village
for the defence of the country and world peace,
and salvation of sentient beings.-The Vairocana
Hall, The Tower of Prabhutaratna Buddha


-Vairocana Buddha enshrined in  the Vairocana
Hall is the only image of Vairocana Buddha that
has been given life by the two Buddhas, and can
actually display the universal ability of Buddha
the   World-Honoured and all Buddhas in the
Threefold Great Thousand World  Systems.

-The Tower of Prabhutaratna Buddha in which
Prabhutaratna Buddha has been enshrined has
been connected as one with the Tower of
Prabhutaratna  Buddha  in  the  land of
Ratnavisuddha.  As this is the only jeweled tower
in the world that has been given life by the two
Buddhas,  Prabhutaratna Buddha and numerous
Bodhisattva Mahasattvas  can really display the
universal ability.


4.  The main temple hall where the image of
Buddha   the   World-Honoured   has  been
enshrined and the Three Buddha Treasure Hall

◆ On the occasion of opening the Main Temple
Hall of Hyonjisa and enshrining the image of the
Buddha  that  has  been  given  life  by  the  two
Great Monks on the Buddha's Birthday, a great
work for the Buddha of displaying unprecedented
100'000 lanterns has successfully been conducted.


-In  the Main Temple  Hall of Hyonjisa, the
image of Buddha the World-Honoured has
been enshrined as the principal Buddha, and
Avalokiteshvara and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva on
the left and right.  On the occasion of opening
the Main Temple Hall on the Buddha's Birthday

this year (2010), a great work for the Buddha
of lighting 100'000 lanterns,  unprecedented in
the history of Korean Buddhism has successfully
been conducted.

-Bo-myong Buddha, Mountain King Buddha, and
Stars Ruling Tathagata Buddha who supervise the
fortune of human beings have been enshrined in
the Three Buddha Treasure Hall.




source /Unfolding the essece of new Buddhism
publication/Hyonjisa, Yongsan Buddhism

Unfolding the essece of new Buddhism - 1

            

    

Feature

Unfolding the essence of new Buddhism

The extraordinary thought of new Buddhism......

Will it be a nuclear bomb to present Buddhism?

Earth-shaking changes

may happen in the whole religious circle.

 

                      Hyonjisa, Yongsan Buddhism

1. The text of a newspaper article

The thought of new Buddhism seems unthinkable!

Will it become an atomic bomb to present day Buddhism?

It is likely that earth-shaking changes will happen in the

whole religious circles.

Sakyamuni Buddha is alive and will continue to

live in the form of light with human character

through all eternity.

The new view of existential Buddha Body (佛身觀).....

The interpretation of the theory of 'no self' that

has descended as a true doctrine for more than

2000 years will be overturned.

Great Monk Jajae Manhyon has expounded 'no

self (無我)' as 'non self (非我).'

The Great Monk advocates the doctrine of

transmigration by the spiritual bodies.

  There is a sign that a big typhoon will arise in

the Buddhist circle. I wonder whether it will be

a typhoon in the gigaton range beyond our

imagination. Further it seems that it is likely to

cause an enormous sensation in the entire religious

circles of the world over the Buddhist circle.

  There is a reason why the writer is using such

serious terms. The word 'new Buddhism' itself is

shocking. It is because one cannot dare to put

the name 'new Buddhism' with the level of

criticizing and improving the erroneous points of

present day Buddhism.

The reason is that, even when a person establishes

a new religious sect by taking a certain part of

the Buddha's teaching as its main Buddhist

teaching, or by taking a certain sutra as its basic

sutra, this cannot be called 'new Buddhism.'

  It is because there is a possibility of

misunderstanding that there exists another

Buddhism besides the Buddhism of the Buddha

that was born in India some 2600 years ago. But

the concern that may come from misunderstanding

can automatically be solved when one is aware of

the name of the religious foundation of new

Buddhism called 'Yongsan Buddhism.'

  According to Yongsan Buddhism advocating

'new Buddhism' regarding this point, they are

explaining, "As world Buddhism of today has

gone too far astray, they have declared 'new

Buddhism' to restore the original teaching of the

Buddha at the time of the Spirit Mountain and

to spread the true Dharma far and wide; they

have also established the religious foundation of

Yongsan Buddhism, and a temple called Hyonjisa

so that it could lead 'new Buddhism'.

  Hhonjisa says that, since the Dharma lineage of

the Buddha has not been transmitted accurately

to world Buddhism of today and the teaching of

the Buddha has been too much distorted and lost,

it has failed to show true nature of original

Buddhism."

  There  have  been  the  controversies in the

Buddhist circles mainly over the authenticity in

the practice methods according to Buddhist

regions such as southern Buddhism, northern

Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, and so on; the

controversy over theories of practice methods like

'sudden enlightenment requiring no further

cultivation', and 'sudden enlightenment requiring

further gradual cultivation'; the controversy over

the philosophical question as to 'contemplation on

the middle (空) and mind only (有); and the

controversy over the question as to the subject of

transmigration under the major premise of 'no

self' transmigration.

  I understand that there has not been anything

that has to reverse the fundamental teachings of

Buddhism nor anything that reveals a new

substance in original nature of Buddhism. Among

them, the question as to 'no self' and the subject

of transmigration has especially been the

customary menu for controversy after the passing

of the Buddha, and has been the Achilles tendon

(weak point) of Buddhism where no end is in

sight yet.

  Hyonjisa is saying emphatically how our

teaching cannot be called 'new Buddhism' in the

situation that the meaning of 'no self' theory

which has been known and believed as the true

theory in present Buddhism for over 2000 years

has completely been overturned overnight; that

the theory of 'no self' transmigration has become

a heretical doctrine (邪設); and that the concept

of the real substance (real body) of the Buddha

that we have believed in and relied on has

completely been changed. I have come to think

that it is reasonable.

  On the other hand, there is another question

that suddenly flits into my brain at this point.

Many well-known great enlightened masters, great

scholars, and great monks of India, Korea and

China as well as Nagarjuna who has been called

the second Buddha since the passing of

Sakyamuni Buddha came to the world. There are

His Holiness Dalai Lama, a leader of Tibetan

Buddhism, and Great Monk Thich Nhat Hanh

who has established the Plum Village who are

both respected across the world, and are still

alive. Under these circumstances, I am told that

present Buddhism has gone astray, what are

those leaders teaching?

  This is a very important problem. It is indeed

a very  important  issue  that  can  lead  to  an

erroneous way not only for Korean Buddhists

whose numbers reaches not less than 10 million,

but also for Buddhists across the world whose

population reaches 300 to 400 million. When I

come to think of this, I feel a heavy burden on

my shoulders. I am now bringing this matter up,

taking a considerable risk myself.

  But nevertheless I consider myself as one of

these Buddhists, as  a  public  figure  engaged in

the press, and in the capacity of a journalist with

social responsibility and mission, and so cannot

neglect this problem. So I have decided to cover

the true facts as far as I can, and clarify them.

  In order  to  fulfill  my obligation as a writer I

pledge I will provide correct information to my

readers. Thus, I am going to look into this issue

from three points of view, namely      ①    the

problems and reality of distortion of present

world  Buddhism   ②  the  new  doctrine  and

thoughts  that 'new Buddhism'  advocates  ③  the

reality of the Great   Monk  who argues  'new

Buddhism'.

   To begin with, we can understand that the

problem of present world Buddhism lies in the

background as to how 'new Buddhism' has come

into being.  There are the three kinds of great

flows in present world Buddhism categorized into

Theravada Buddhism flourishing around Southeast

Asian  countries,  Northern  Buddhism  that has

been spread into China,  Korea  and Japan Tibetan

Buddhism.

  They all argue that thdir respective Buddhism

is the orthodox Buddhism that represents the true

teaching of the Buddha, and have put forward

doctrines of their own.

   Southern Theravada  Buddhism  argues  that,

since five Nikaya which are considered as their

basic sutras recorded in the Pali language are

the early sutras that have recorded the teaching

of the Buddha most correctly, their Buddhism is

the pure teaching of the  Buddha.   Northern

Buddhism says that, based on mind-to-mind

transmission at three places (三處傳心) which

denotes that the Buddha transmitted mind to

noble disciple Kasyapa at the three places, they

have succeeded the Dharma lineage of  Seon

Buddhism down to Great Monk Hui-neng of the

sixth patriarch with noble disciple Kasyapa as

the first patriarch, noble disciple Ananda as the

second, and Master  Bodhidharma as the 28/th

through  many great  enlightened  masters

inbetween.   As Tibetan  Buddhism  won one-sided

victory in the great public debate held between

Chinese  Seon  Buddhism  and Indian  Buddhism

under the reign of King  Tisongtechen(spelt as

pronounced in Korean)  at the end of the eighth

century,  they argue that they are the orthodox

successors of  Indian Buddhism.

  With regard to the arguments on the Dharma

lineage of present  Buddhism,  the religious

foundation of  Yongsan  Buddhism  that has put

forward the thought of  'new  Buddhism'  argues

that they have succeeded to the Dharma lineage

of  the  Buddha  from  a   completely  new

dimension.  To begin with, the point that catches

our eyes most   is  the appearance  of  Great  Monk

Gwangmyong  Manduk who is said  to be  the

final  body  of  noble  disciple  Kasyapa,  the

principal  disciple  of the  Buddha  at the time of

the  Spirit  Mountain,  and  Great  Monk  Jajae

Manhyon who is also said to be the final body

of noble disciple Ananda.

  The two Great Monks say that they have been

confirmed  Buddhas  by  Sakyamuni  Buddha

respectively in 1998  and 2000 in the land of

Korea.  This corresponds with the contents of the

guarantee of the attainment of Buddhahood stated

in the Lotus  Sutra.  This is surprising indeed.  If

this is true, it is not only a world-shaking great

incident, but also an unprecedented great occasion

to celebrate.

   It is said that a Buddha appears once in a

kalpa,  but two  Buddhas have come to the world

in the land of Korea at a time.  Although  I am

a  Buddhist,  it is indeed difficult  for me to

believe  this  fact  easily.  The only  way that we

can judge indirectly is to read about the realm

of enlightenment  that the two  Great  Monks have

described,  or to  guess through  the teaching of

their  Dharma talks.

  The realm  of enlightenment of these two  Great

Monks  has  clearly  been  described in  'The 21/st

Century  Buddha's  Message  I,II'.  No matter who

may read thid book which is said to contain the

contents of meeting with the Buddha and of the

teaching that the  Great  Monks have  received

from  him,  it is clear  that  its  contents  are

uncommon.

    It  is  because there  appear  a lot of

descriptions  about the realm  of the Buddha that

a person is unable to realize even a bit if he is

not a Buddha.  The Great  Monk  states that the

introduction of   this book is the words  that he

was dictated when the Buddha personally spoke

of in samadhi of great quiescence.

  The gist of  the introduction  is that the

Buddha  confirms  the fact  that  noble  disciple

Kasyapa  and  noble  disciple  Ananda  have

attained  Buddhahood  in  the  land  of  Korea; that

he also confirms that the contents of this book

are  true.  It  also  introduces  clearly at a glance

the process  of reaching  from  the state  of seeing

one's  original nature through  arhatship  and a

Bodhisattva to Buddhahood.  When seeing only

that   it  has  boldly  quoted  Buddha  the

World-Honoured,  saying  that  it  is an introduction

that  Buddha the World - Honoured  has said to

write down,  it seems  that  it is not  the matter

that  an  ordinary  person  can  even  dare  to dream

of speaking  about.

  Anyway,  I  would  like to recommend  that

readers personally  read  the contents of this book

in detail and judge the truth.

   According to Yongsan  Buddhism,  the problem

of  present  world  Buddhism  can  mainly  be

categorized  into three  kinds.

   First,  present  world  Buddhism  is Buddhism

that does not believe in the real existence of the

Buddha with human character.  At  most they

believe  in  the  Buddha with his physical body

who passed  away 2600 years or so ago and who

is not alive now,  or they  believe  in the  Buddha

in the concept  of the  Dharma  Body  who exists

anywhere.  In other words,  it  means  Buddhism

without  the Buddha.

  Second,    present   world   Buddhism   has

committed  a great  blunder  of denying   the subject

of transmigration  and ignoring  the  existence  of

the spirit  by being  caught  up  in the  erroneous

interpretation   of  'no  self.'   They  recognize

transmigration   of  'no   self'  believing  in that

transmigration is possible  without the subject of

transmigration,  and argue that  there  exists  no

spirit.   Present  Buddhism  has adopted  the doctrine

of  'no self'   transmigration  as the true  teaching of

Buddhism  by erroneously  interpreting  the theory

of  'no  self'  for more than  2000 years.  This is a

heretical  doctrine (邪設)  that  completely   removes

the  theoretical   basis   of   the   doctrine   of

transmigration  in  the  six  realms  of  Buddhism  and

the  doctrine  of liberation,   and   that  actually shakes

the  foundation  of  Buddhism.

   Third,  present  world  Buddhism  does  not  have

a  practice  method  of  achieving   complete

liberation because they  are  attached to  practice

only  by self  power.   It  is extremely  difficult to

become an arhat  who escapes  from  transmigration

only  by self  power,  it is  completely  impossible

to  become  a Bodhisattva   or a  Buddha.   I

understand  that this  is  a natural  result  caused by

not recognizing  the real  existence  of  the  Buddha

with  human  character.




  In conclusion, the reality of distorted present
Buddhism that Yongsan Buddhism called 'new

Buddhism' has defined can be expressed in a

word as Three Non-existent Buddhism (三無佛

敎), namely Buddhism without the Buddha;

Buddhism without the spirit that is the subject of

transmigration; and Buddhism having no practice

method leading to complete liberation from birth

and death.

  Let us review the three problems based on the

doctrine  of   'new  Buddhsim'   that  Yongsan

Buddhism argues. First, it is the view of the real

existence of the Buddha. This is the foremost

thought that 'new Buddhism' argues.

  Great  Monk  Jajae  Manhyon  of  Hyonjisa of

Yongsan Buddhsim has declared publicly, "The

Buddha abides in true suchness as a human

character in the form of light in the Absolute

Realm in Selflessness." This is of course a

statement that the Great Monk has made after his

experience, and also the contents that have been

supported by sutras. In the Parable of the Lotus

Sutra, noble disciple Shariputra thought that it

was truly perfect extinction when he realized and

awakened to the Dharma of exptiness (空), but

he confessed that it was not true extinction after

listening to the teaching of the Buddha. There

appear the contents that he has realized that, if

one wishes to become a Buddha, one has to

possess the 32 bodily signs (the Reward Body)

that heavenly beings, Yaksas, and dragon spirits

worship, and one has to achieve truly perfect

extinction. Seeing this as the grounds of the

Buddha with human character is the position of

'new Buddhism.'

  Also, there appear the contents of the Buddha

having   attained    Buddhahood    from    the

immeasurable past (久遠實成) in the Chapter on

Duration of Life of the Tathagata in the Lotus

Sutra, and this can also become the theoretical

basis of stating the real existence of the Buddha

with human character.

To sum up the main point, it was not for the

first time that the Buddha has attained

Buddhahood in the land of India; it means that it

has passed truly hundreds, thousands, millions,

billions, nayuta of kalpas since he became the

Buddha for the first time. Yongsan Buddhism

says that the Buddha is the very first Buddha

who became the Buddha an immeasurable time

ago that we can hardly conceive. Declaring that

Sakyamuni Buddha is the very first Buddha is

also a significantly meaningful declaration in the

history of Buddhism, and further in the history

of religions.

 

Yongsan Buddhism says that the Buddha has

come to the saha world as a human numerous

times since he became the Buddha for the first

time, and saved sentient beings, and has most

recently come to the land of Ancient India 2600

years or so ago.

  'New  Buddhism'  argues  that  we  should  be

able to draw the existence of the Buddha with

human character. If the Buddha has become one

with emptiness up to 100 percent and has turned

to non-existence(無化), how can he be born into

a human body in the saha world? Also, if the

Buddha wants to produce Buddhas and

Bodhisattvas and save sentient beings, it is

impossible if he is not a being with human

character who thinks and judges. Among the

Three Bodies of the Buddha (法身,報身,化身)

that have been argued in the theory of the

Buddha Body (佛身論), the Reward Body

Buddha is no other than the Buddha with human

character. Therefore Yongsan Buddhism is

arguing that the abstract and theoretical view of

the Three Bodies of the Buddha up to the

present must be replaced with the empirical and

existential view of the Three Bodies.

  It is said that the Avatamsaka Sutra has the

contents that many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

admire and prove the real existence of the

Buddha with human character and his awesome

spiritual powers. The poetic verse that the first

Chinese Empress Wu Zetian composed filled with

joy, holding an original Indian version of the

Avatamsaka Sutra when she obtained it is no

other than the opening chant of the sutra

that Buddhists always read when they read

sutras. Wu Zetian sees that the thought of

Mahayana Buddhism bore a great fruit by

discovering the real existence of the Buddha with

human character in the Avatamsaka Sutra. At any

rate, I can dare to say that the thought of the

real existence of the Buddha and his mysterious

awesome spiritual powers that appear in the

Lotus Sutra and the Avatamsaka Sutra called the

sutras of the sutras are the foremost thought of

new Buddhism.

  I can state that the second thought of  New

Buddhsim is the view of birth and death laying

stress on the spirit that is the subject of

transmigration. This thought of new Buddhsim

can be considered to have tremendous destructive

power that is tantamount to an atomic bomb, and

that is no less than the view of real existence of

the Buddha.

  It is because the interpretation of the theory of

'no self' that present Buddhism has believed as

the true doctrine for more than 2000 years must

do an about face in a moment; all theories

relating to the doctrine of 'no self' transmigration

that present Buddhism asserted based on the

theory of 'no self' which has erroneously been

interpreted will end up a mere scrap of paper.

The main point of the theory of 'no self' has

correctly been interpreted as follows:

  The correct meaning of 'no self' that the

Buddha has said is that 'there exists no

substance of self (無我)' that is immutable

through all eternity in the phenomenal world.

Also, he has meant that 'I' of the phenomenal

world made of the Five Aggregates 'is not my

real body (my substance (非我)' that is

immutable through all eternity. The Buddha has

said 'no self' to remove attachment of sentient

beings, because they are attached to themselves

too much, have attachment to desires, and

commit sin.

  I have written down the words that the

Buddha has said to Great Monk Jajae Manhyon

in his profound samadhi.

  "No self(無我) has erroneously been interpreted.

What Jajae Monhyon has said is correct.

Jajae Manhyon must rectify this as the Prince of

the Dharma.

This is the cause that Buddhism has been

ruined."

  But scholars extensively applied the definition

of  'no self'  which  must be confined to  the

phenomenal world even to the realm of original

substance (本體界), and understood it as the

definition of the absolute non-existence (絶對無),

Further these scholars denied even the real body

existing in the realm of original substance, and

asserted that there does not exist even the spirit

that is my substance (real body), and that is also

the subject of transmigration and liberation.  By

doing so, they have committed a great blunder

that shook the foundation of  Buddhism; that

annihilated the intrinsic value of Buddhism; and

that is irrecoverable and cannot be forgiven.

These are the positions that new Buddhism takes

against present Buddhsim.

  If there does not exist the spirit, namely one's

real body in the realm of original substance (本

體界), Hyonjisa  (Yongsan  Buddhism)  states

emphatically that the real existence of  Buddhas

and Bodhisattvas loses their grounds; there are no

sentient beings to be saved; there is no subject

of liberation; there is no reason that we must

perform the salvation service of the deceased

ancestors and parents; an we cannot maintain

the greatness of  Buddhism that produces universal

saints.  In a word, there is no reason for the

existence of Buddhism.

 

  Hyonjisa (Yongsan Buddhism)  says that it is

no other than because of the theory of 'no self'

which has erroneously been interpreted that

Buddhism became squeezed out of India by

Hinduism; it is because of this theory that

Buddhism has not been globalized to areas such

as the west or the Americas to date.  In a word,

these imply that the distorted theory of 'no self'

is the main culprit that has ruined Buddhism.

  Also, new Buddhism sees that existence of the

spirit has already been confirmed without any

room for objection, when the Buddha saved the

mother of noble disciple Maudgalyayana to

heaven.  They are also raising a question that,

while present Buddhism denies existence of the

spirit, how can anyone explain the contradiction

that most temples are performing salvation

services for the deceased ancestors and parents?




  Meanwhile, present Buddhism stresses that the
Nirvana Sutra, that is, one of the Mahayana
sutras, repeatedly teaches the existence of one's
real substance (real body), namely one's true self
(眞我) over and over again that abides in the
realm of original substance (本體界).




  The Nirvana Sutra speaks about the real aspect
of  the realm of original substance  which has
been named 'permanence, bliss, self, purity (常樂
我淨),  instead of impermanence (無常), sufferings
(苦), and  no  self (無我)  of  the phenomenal
world.  Hyonjisa  (new Buddhsim) says that they
cannot understand  why  scholars  are being
attached to the theory of 'no self.'




  Last  April, Great Monk Jajae  Manhyon
declared  'The spirit that is non-self (非我) is
the  subject  of  transmigration'  through  the
Dharma talk on the BBS Buddhist Television
while speaking about 'no self and the subject of
transmigration' which has been an Achilles'
tendon of the Buddhist circle over 2000 years
or so  caused  by  the distorted theory of 'no
self.'  Of course the Great Monk has already
declared the existence of the Buddha and the
theory of transmigration by the spirit to the
world Buddhist circle through 'The 21st Century
Buddha's Message I,II.'

      Yongsan  Buddhism believes that the

declaration of the theory of transmigration by the

spiritual bodies that the Great Monk has made

this time will act as a great historical declaration

announcing Copernican conversion of the religion,

as the truth has been changed from geocentric

theory to heliocentric theory through Copernican

conversion, has been made clear to the world,

and has added a new page to the history of

human civilization.

  The third thought that new Buddhism is

arguing is to practice reciting the sacred name of

the Buddha by other power based on self power.

  According to new Buddhism, it is said that

attaining the saintly fruit f practice that one can

escape from transmigration is almost impossible

indeed with the practice method of present world

Buddhism.  Further, it is impossible to become a

Bodhisattva of a Pure Land that is the stage of

complete liberation from birth and death that one

escapes from transmigration and possesses one's

own body of liberation; and it is all the more

impossible to become a Buddha that is the

highest stage of liberation and possesses a

Buddha Body.

  Let us find out the reasons why it is so.  "In

order to become an arhat saint who can be freed

from transmigration, one's spiritual bodies must

be made to shine like a full moon by clearing

away the karmic hindrance of our spiritual bodies

that has been accumulated like a high mountain,

but this is extremely difficult to accomplish only

through practice by self power."

  "Especially, in order to become a Bodhisattva,

the process of elimination of karma called

Hansam-jongni  (to  remove  greed, hatred and

ignorance,  habitual energy,  and  the mass of

karma that have been accumulated over the

countless kalpas of lives)  is required; the four

spiritual bodies must completely be divided; in

case of a woman, the spiritual bodies must be

changed to a man; one must possess a body of

liberation (a child Bodhisattva).  All these works

can be conducted only by the Buddha.  Thus one

must also practice chanting the sacred name of

the Buddha and so receive empowerment of the

Buddha, and which is in other words to receive

other power.  Among recitation of a Buddha's

name,  one  must  recite  the sacred  name of

Sakyamuni Buddha who is the Buddha of the

Buddhas."

  "Reciting a Buddha's name has been a

practice method from while the Buddha was

alive; it is a practice method that all Buddhas

and Bodhisattvas practiced; it is also a practice

method grounded in many sutras such as in the

Agama Sutra, the Three Pure Land Sutra, and

the Lotus Sutra."

  It is said that reciting the sacred name of the

Buddha that new Buddhism introduces is different

from the recitation that the Pure Land Sect

practices.  Hyonjisa (new Buddhism) says that the

difference is that to begin with they chant

Sakyamuni Buddha, not Amitabha; that they must

read the relevant Buddha's sutra and a dharani

before they start reciting.

  In the above, we have looked into the three

main thoughts that new Buddhism expounds.

When we look at those points carefully, the three

thoughts that new Buddhism advocates occupy

important parts in Buddhism so as to be called

the pillar of Buddhism.  Moreover, the above

three thoughts form a consistent system that is

interchangeably connected logically.

  The existence of the spirit that is the real

body in the realm of original substance becomes

a logical basis in identifying the existence of the

Buddha; the existence of the Buddha provides a

logical basis for practicing the recitation of his

sacred name.  In consequence, the thoughts of

new Buddhism seem that they have a destructive

power so that they can completely change the

flow of present Buddhism in any way.

  It is anticipated that the argument of new

Buddhism called 'the doctrine of transmigration

by the spiritual bodies' will bring a powerful

whirlwind over present Buddhist circles which are

denying the spiritual bodies, over our Buddhist

scholar circles who actively debated concerning

'no self' and the subject of transmigration, and

further over the whole religious circles.

  I  truly hope that all these pains will be the

pains of establishing the teaching of the Buddha

properly, and of globalizing Buddhism throughout

the world.

I  have come to the conclusion that it is a time

when present Buddhist circles and scholar circles

should not reject new thoughts without any

proper reasons, but should open their minds

without being bound by the past, and should

make advanced efforts  to sincerely worry

(examine) and improve what the true teaching of

the Buddha is.

source /Unfolding the essece of new Buddhism

publication/Hyonjisa, Yongsan Buddhism