(by Tsem Rinpoche and Joy Kam)

Jinul Puril Bojo Daesa (1158-1210) was a famous Korean Buddhist monk ordained in the Seon (Zen) and Chan traditions. Better known as Bojo Jinul or Bojo Chinul, he was also a writer and philosopher-reformer. He is best known for combining the teachings of various Korean Buddhist sects known as the Nine Mountain Schools of Seon (Zen) into one single order known as the Jogye Order. His unification efforts gave rise to a strong and cohesive Buddhist society in Korea.

The teachings in the Jogye Order originate from Korean Pure Land Buddhism, the Lotus Sutra-based Tiantai schools, Yogachara Buddhism, as well as the Flower-Garland school of Buddhism. However, Jinul envisioned the teachings as all coming from a single source. Thus, the Jogye Order combines the essence of the teachings from each of the different schools while maintaining traditional Seon Buddhist meditations as its central practice.

In Korea, the Jogye Order is the only tradition that is practised. This sets Korea apart from Japan where there are many different branches and sects.

Early Life

Bojo Jinul began life as Jeong. In 1173, at the age of 15, he left his family and joined the Sagulsan School, one of the Nine Mountain Schools of Seon Buddhism. He received his ordination name of Jinul from his guide and teacher, Master Jonghwi.

At the age of 24, Jinul passed the monks’ royal examination, which opened the door for him to become a chief monk or take on higher official positions in the monastery. However, he turned down the opportunity to advance his status and instead decided to head north so that he could join the Seon Sangha in Bojesa Temple in Pyongyang city.

During his time at the Bojesa Temple, he tried to form a retreat community where its members would focus on meditation and wisdom, or developing samadhi and prajna. However, the Bojesa Temple Sangha were not interested so Jinul decided to move to Cheongwonsa Temple at Changpyeong.

Bomunsa Temple on Mount Hagasan where Jinul studied the entire Tripitaka. Click to enlarge.

At Cheongwonsa Temple, Jinul threw himself into the study of the scriptures and gained his first awakening, or realisation, through “The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch”. Re-energised, he once again made an effort to form a retreat community.

In 1185, Jinul travelled to Bomunsa Temple on Mount Hagasan where he studied the entire Tripitaka and the Avatamsaka Sutra for the next three years. He had his second realisation while he was studying the “Appearance of the Tathagathas” chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra.

Establishing the Retreat Community and Other Works

In 1188, during the reign of King Myeongjong, Jinul’s dream of creating a retreat community finally came true while he was staying at Geojosa Temple. Named The Retreat Community of Samadhi (meditation) and Prajna (wisdom), the community’s goal was to gather pure-minded practitioners to lead a disciplined life of practice and meditation deep in the mountains.

The spectacular scenery near Sangmujuam Hermitage where Bojo Jinul is said to have stayed and practised for three years. Click to enlarge.

For three years, Jinul continued this practice with his retreat community even as he moved to Sangmujuam Hermitage. He is said to have attained complete liberation while reading The Record of Dahui. Thereafter, he immediately abandoned his life as a hermit and decided to rejoin society. His actions mirrored those of a Bodhisattva — compassion towards all others, living an exemplary life, and putting his practice into action to benefit all.

The Retreat Community of Samadhi and Prajna attracted many monks and even lay practitioners due to its inclusive approach to Buddhism. Jinul established this community as a way to restore the foundations of practice through three methods: precepts, meditation and wisdom. The philosophy of these three methods arose from Jinul’s realisations and served as a potent inspiration for the community.

A painting depicting Jinul forming the Retreat Community of Samadhi and Prajna

In 1200, the third year of King Sinjong’s reign, Jinul went to Gilsangsa Temple on Mount Songgwangsan (now known as Songgwangsa Temple on Mount Jogyesan), where he decided to teach the three primary types of meditation practice. These practices originated from the teachings of Sudden Awakening and Gradual Cultivation, and they are:

1. Seongjeok deungjimun;
2. Wondon sinhaemun, which translates to faith and understanding according to the complete and sudden teachings; and
3. Ganhwa gyeongjeolmun, which means a shortcut approach to observing the Hwadu.

With this union of Seon practices and Buddhist doctrine, Jinul taught Buddhism through chanting and the power of repentance. He also gave more profound Dharma teachings to those who were able to absorb them.

The Gilsangsa Temple grounds. Today, the temple is known as Songgwangsa Temple. Click to enlarge.

King Huijong of the Goryeo Dynasty held Bojo Jinul in such high regard that he officially changed Mount Songgwangsan’s name to Jogyesan in Jinul’s honour. Gilsangsa Temple was also renamed Songgwangsa Temple, and a special steel plaque was commissioned by the King as a mark of his faith and great respect for Jinul’s teachings.

In 1209, Jinul completed his composition of Excerpts from the Dharma Collection and Special Practice Record with Personal Notes, which comprised of his extensive studies of the various schools of Chan Buddhism in China. He also gave detailed commentaries and personal notations on the writings of the Chinese Buddhist monk, Guifeng Zongmi.

Songgwangsa Temple today

Death and Legacy

In 1210, during the sixth year of King Huijong’s reign, Bojo Jinul decided to wear his robes again and began giving a series of teachings that would prove to be his last.

He attained final nirvana and suddenly passed away during one of his Dharma teachings, still holding on to his long, wooden staff. Hence, Jinul is typically depicted holding a long wooden staff.

After his passing, King Huijong bestowed the honorary title of National Teacher on Jinul and erected a pagoda called Sweet Dew in his honour.

Many of Jinul’s disciples went on to become great Buddhist teachers including the likes of Jingak Hyesim, Jeongseon, Suu, and Chungdam.

Core Teachings

The principal concept of Essence-Function in Korean Buddhism, which is also known as Substance and Function in Chinese philosophy, fueled Bojo Jinul’s philosophy and writings.

Dahui Zonggao (1088 – 1163) was one of the first to advocate the use of special questions called Hua Tou in meditation

Jinul was greatly inspired by the teachings of the Chinese monk Dahui Zonggao (1088-1163). Dahui Zonggao was one of the first to advocate the use of special questions called Hua Tou in one’s meditation. Hua Tou, or Hwadu in Korean Buddhism, are short phrases that are used as a subject of meditation to help the mind focus. Practitioners meditate on the same Hwadu throughout their lives until they gain realisation.

Jinul was also profoundly moved by the teachings of the Flower Garland Sutra and the Hwaeom School of Korean Buddhism. He combined the teachings of the Flower-Garland school with the practice of Zen through Hwadu and meditation.

Below is a selection of his teachings extracted from various sources:

“I have observed that people of the present time who are cultivating their minds do not depend on the guidance of the written teachings, but straightaway assume that the successive transmission of the esoteric idea [of Seon] is the path. They then sit around dozing with their minds in a haze, their labours all in vain, or else they lose their presence of mind in agitation and confusion during their practice of meditation. For these reasons, I feel you should follow words and teachings which were expounded in accordance with reality in order to determine the proper procedure in regard to awakening and cultivation. Once you mirror your own minds, you may contemplate with insight at all times, without wasting your efforts.”

Source: Excerpts From The Dharma Collection and Special Practice Record with Personal Notes, pg. 151-152, transcribed by Professor Robert Buswell

The passage above illustrates Jinul’s approach to Buddhism, which espoused a balance of scholastic teachings from the Sutras that describe reality along with meditation practices that would help one gain direct realisations.

A painting of Dahui Zonggao created by Miriam Levering

He advocated the concept of Sudden Awakening and Gradual Cultivation as the best way to practise. He also developed the practices called The Three Gateways as practical methods for one to achieve spiritual attainments. The main goal of this practice is to awaken the mind to its True Nature – to see the mind as it truly is, Buddha in nature, and to gradually cultivate the mind towards full Enlightenment.

To achieve this, Jinul taught that we need to cultivate or live a life free of all attachments and projections, and to let everything function freely and directly from the unborn Buddha mind within us. He further stressed that we do not truly start practising until we have actualised the awakening of the mind.

In Secrets of Cultivating the Mind, Jinul explains:

“One should awaken to the fact that one’s mind is truly the Buddha, and the nature of mind is no different from that of the Buddhas…. Although one has awakened to the fact that one’s Original Nature is no different from that of the Buddhas, the habit energies are extremely difficult to remove and so one must continue to cultivate while relying on the awakening experienced.”

Source: Koreanbuddhism.net, 2018

Jinul kept on emphasising the importance of gradual cultivation and said that the mind, which is the object of sudden awakening, is in reality void, calm, and numinous in nature.

“Since all dharmas are like dreams or phantoms, deluded thoughts are originally calm and the sense-spheres are originally void. At the point where all dharmas are void, the numinous is not obscured. That is, in this mind of void and calm, numinous awareness is the Original Face.”

Source: Buswell 1991, Pg. 103

“Jinul mentioned that although there are many methods to help cultivate the mind after its awakening, all of them still require meditation and wisdom. The main practice is characterised by the essence and function of Self Nature; he explained that this is the very mind of void and calm and the numinous awareness.”

Source: Buswell 1991, Pg. 104

An illustration depicting Jinul teaching the importance of Sudden Awakening and Gradual Cultivation.

Jinul made it a point to highlight the teachings of Sudden Awakening and Gradual Cultivation that posit that the mind is intrinsically Buddha in nature and that every action we take is the action of a Buddha. This also means that every thought is the thought of a Buddha. He drove this point home with these expressions:

“If one shines universally over all sentient beings with the Buddhas’ wisdom of universal brightness which is within one’s own mind, the marks of sentient beings are the marks of the Tathagatas, the speech of sentient beings is the speech of the Tathagatas, and the minds of sentient beings are the minds of the Tathagatas. Even one’s livelihood and everyday work, one’s talents in construction or artistry, are applications of the form and functioning of the Tathagatas’ wisdom of universal brightness. There is no difference whatsoever.”

Source: Buswell 1983, pg. 208-209

“Sentient beings deceive themselves through their own actions. They themselves perceive that “this is an ordinary man,” “this is a saint,” “this is oneself,” “this is someone else,” “this is the cause,” “this is the effect,” “this is tainted,” “this is pure,” “this is nature,” “these are characteristics,” and so forth. They themselves give rise to discrimination and they themselves end up backsliding. It does not happen in this way due to the wisdom of universal brightness.”

Source: Buswell 1983, pg. 208-209

The Great Master Dahui Zonggao was the 17th patriarch of the Linji school of Buddhism in China

Jinul also recognised that there are other ways of practice, but they depend upon the individual’s capability. He was the first to introduce and embrace Dahui’s Kanhua Chan meditative methods. In Chinese, Kanhua Chan means, “Chan of investigating the topic of inquiry,” or “questioning meditation.” This meditative practice can be traced back to the writings of the Great Master Dahui Zonggao, the 17^th patriarch of the Linji school of Buddhism in China, during the Song Dynasty.

Having found great results, Jinul enthusiastically introduced Kanhua Chan methods to Korea and his disciples continued the practice until it was fully established. It was called Ganhwaseon, which is the question and answer system based on Hwadu or Gongan methods.

Jinul implemented the Jogye Order directly into the Seon tradition and created its rules. They later became the rules for The Retreat Community — a guide to help practitioners maintain discipline and stay on track in their spiritual path.

Jinul also revealed a very practical method of mental cultivation in his community. He called himself “Moguja” (an ox herder), and he called the cultivation of the mind after awakening the “action of the ox herd after awakening.” This means that although one may have had a sudden awakening or realisation, delusions or defilements of the mind may still arise due to one’s karma, which was not fully purified. If this is the case, one should be ready to get rid of these defilements until they are completely gone. It is only then that we can experience the state of “complete awakening.” Here, Jinul expresses the importance of challenging one’s negative mind through the power of meditation.

A meditation programme at Korea’s Woljeongsa Temple

View of Nirvana

Jinul believed that Nirvana, or the profound peace of mind that is acquired from the liberation of all suffering, where one is released from the cycle of rebirth, is present or rather achievable in all sentient beings. It is our Buddha nature and, with great faith, he expounded on the teachings:

“Right faith in the patriarchal sect is different. It does not believe in conditioned causes or effects. Rather, it stresses faith that everyone is originally a Buddha, that everyone possesses the impeccable self-nature, and that the sublime essence of nirvana is complete in everyone. There is no need to search elsewhere; since time immemorial, it has been innate in everyone.”

Source: Buswell 1991, Pg. 120

Jinul further described that the true nature of everyone is invariable and ultimately their minds are luminous, pure and full of awareness, although it may seem like we are delusional at first. In a discussion on Buddhist schools, he writes,

“In the present condensation, I treat the school of Ho-tse first, primarily so that people who are practising meditation will be able to awaken first to the fact that, whether deluded or awakened, their own minds are numinous, aware, and never dark and their nature is unchanging.”

Source: Buswell 1991, Pg. 152

Jinul emphasised on the communicating mind and the revival of Buddhism during the degenerate time. Through the Retreat Community he established, he strove to cultivate, purify, and revive Buddhism in Korea to its pure state.

Writings

The writings of Bojo Jinul, the National Teacher of Korea, include:

1. Advisory writing on the Retreat Community of Meditation and Wisdom (Gwonsu jeonghye gyeolsamun)
2. Straight Talk on the True Mind (Jinsim jikseol)
3. Moguja’s Secret of the Practice of the Mind (Moguja susimgyeol)
4. Admonitions to Beginning Students (Gyecho simhak inmun)
5. Excerpts from the Dharma Collection and Special Practice Record with Personal Notes (Beopjip byeolhangnok jeoryo byeong ipsagi)
6. Exposition of the New Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra Vol.3 (Hwaeomnon jeoryo)
7. Essay on the Complete and Sudden Attainment of Buddhahood (Wondon Seongbullon)
8. Studies of Ganhwaseon (Ganhwa gyeoruiron)
9. Essential Approaches to Recollecting the Buddha (Yeombul yomun)
10. A Selection of the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (Yukjo dangyeong balmun)

Jinul’s formal Dharma lectures (Sangdangnok), Verses of Dharma and Moguja’s Poems have, unfortunately, been lost to time. In 1215, after Jinul’s passing, a book called Debates of Solving Doubts in Ganhwa was compiled. The book highlighted the pursuit of true knowledge following the Seon and the Buddhist Doctrinal schools.

It is well known that Jinul was responsible for subduing the long-term dispute between the Seon and the Buddhist Doctrinal schools. He even managed to influence the Seon into accepting the Doctrinal School’s teachings, simultaneously establishing a new system of Seon teachings, as attested in his book.

Recommended Reading (Free Download)

Chinul Selected Works (Click to download PDF)

The Korean Approach to Zen (Click to download PDF)

Pojo Chinul and the Sudden-Gradual Issue (Click to download PDF)

Secrets of Cultivating the Mind (Click to download PDF)

Chinul’s Ambivalent Critique of Radical Subitism in Korean Son Buddhism (Click to download PDF)

Son Buddhist Tradition in Korea: as represented by Chinul’s Pojo Son (Click to download PDF)

Zen Language in Our Time: The Case of Pojo Chinul’s Huatou Meditation (Click to download PDF)

Wisdom, Compassion and Zen Social Ethics: The Case of Chinul, Sŏngch’ŏl, and Minjung Buddhism In Korea (click to download PDF)

The texts above were sourced from legitimate book-hosting services offering these texts for free download. They are made available here for purely educational, non-commercial purposes.

Sources:

• https://web.archive.org/web/20120726135701/http://buddhism.org/board/read.cgi?board=Dharma_Talks&y_number=20
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinul
• http://www.undv.org/vesak2015/paper/lifestyle_of_buddhist_temple.pdf
• https://klingonbuddhist.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/a-look-at-jinul-korean-buddhisms-superstar/
• https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/Jinul.html
• http://www.koreanbuddhism.net/bbs/board.php?bo_table=1030&wr_id=63
• Buswell Jr., R E. 1983. The Collected Works of Chinul. Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
• Buswell Jr., R E. 1991. Tracing Back the Radiance: Chinul’s Korean Way of Zen. Publisher: University of Hawaii Press. Pp 151-152

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