Preface to

The Collected Works of Korean Buddhism

At the start of the twenty-first century, humanity looked with hope toward the dawning of a new millennium. A decade later, however, the global community still faces the persistent reality of suffering—whether through the slaughter of innocents in politically volatile regions, the ongoing economic crises that unsettle the world financial system, or frequent natural disasters. Buddhism has always taught that the world is inherently unstable. Its teachings are rooted in the perception of the "three marks" Original: tilakkhaṇa. The three marks of existence are impermanence, suffering, and non-self. that govern all conditioned existence: impermanence, suffering, and non-self. Indeed, the validity of the Buddhist worldview continues to be confirmed by our collective experience today.

The suffering inherent in our infinitely interconnected world is only intensified by the unwholesome mental factors of greed, anger, and ignorance, which poison the minds of all sentient beings. As an antidote to these three poisons, Buddhism teaches the practice of the "three trainings": śīla (moral discipline), the endurance and self-restraint that control greed; samādhi (meditative discipline), which pacifies anger; and prajñā (wisdom), which conquers ignorance. As human beings improve their practice of these three trainings, they will be better equipped to work compassionately for the welfare and benefit of all sentient beings.

Korea has a long history of striving to establish a way of life governed by discipline, compassion, and understanding. From the fifth century C.E. onward, the Korean saṅgha (monastic community) adopted and integrated both the traditional monastic life and the broader Mahāyāna school of Buddhism. Later, the insights and meditative practices of the Seon (Zen) tradition were introduced to the peninsula, and this lineage persists today in meditation halls throughout the country. As a land with deep affinities for the Buddhist tradition, Korea has seamlessly transmitted the living heritage of the Buddha’s teachings to the present day.

These teachings began with Great Master Wonhyo, who made the vast and profound teachings of the Buddhadharma (Buddhist truth) accessible to all through his...