『Chimun Gyeonghun』, a collection of famous Buddhist sayings that monks study before the sutras and sayings
The intellectual power of Eastern classics through meticulous translations and detailed terminology explanations!

『Chimungyeonghun』 is a book that compiles the advice and teachings of the elders for beginners who have just entered the Buddhist world.
A novice monk, a novice monk, studies this book, the Chimun Gyeonghun, before any scriptures or sayings.
Through this, not only do they take the teachings of the adults to heart, but they also lay the foundation for reading and studying Buddhist scriptures written in Chinese characters by reading and interpreting original texts full of difficult characters.
This book is a meticulous translation of 『Jeongseon Hyeontochimun』 by Jinho, a traditional Gangwon textbook used since 1936, by Monk Hyeonjin, who is fluent in all languages ​​in which Buddhist scriptures are recorded, as a pledge to dedicate himself to the immortality of adversity.
In addition, detailed annotations were provided on terms including names of people and places, as well as examples of the use of Chinese characters, so that anyone can read and understand them.
Through this, you will be able to glimpse the intellectual depth of Eastern classics, which is embedded in Buddhist scriptures, sayings, and the Four Books and Three Classics, along with knowledge of Chinese literature.

All who have left home and transcended the world should, by setting their minds and bodies apart from the worldly, inherit the seed of the sages and prosper them, thereby causing the demonic forces to tremble in fear, repaying the four kinds of grace, and saving the three realms without exception.
If you don't do this, you will be mingling with the monks too much, your words and actions will be rough and crude, and you will spend your life in a daze, not changing your old ways at all, so how can you trust and rely on them in the future?
---From “Page 67, “The Great Master Weisan’s Rebuke - The Great Master Weisan’s Rebuke”

Moreover, learning is fundamentally about cultivating one's own character, so why be angry if others don't recognize it? The Tao values ​​living a full life, so avoid wishing to be of use to the world.
Even if people admire (my) will and logic, it is necessary to recommend other things as well. Strengthen your heart and sincerity, teach based on the basics, and provide a variety of books to deeply show them the profound purpose.
The Room of Mercy and the Robe of Forbearance cannot be separated even for a moment, and wherever the great treasure of the Dharma is, one must strive to reach that place even for a moment.
---From “Page 133, “The Writings of Seoldu Myeonggak Seonsa on the Wall - The Writings of Seoldu Seonsa on the Wall”

I have seen people throw away their learning because they are ashamed of not having as much wisdom and talent as others, but I have never seen anyone throw away food because they are ashamed of not having as much food as others.
If you throw away food, you will soon lose your life, so why should you be ashamed of not having much? If you throw away learning, you will soon become like a beast or a civil engineer, so why should you be ashamed of not having as much talent or wisdom as others?
If you are truly ashamed of not being as talented and wise as others and do not learn, then you should also be ashamed of not being as talented as others and give up eating food.
Looking at it this way, how could it not be a great mistake? I, too, am extremely foolish. Every time I consider my talents and wisdom, I realize I still have a long way to go before I can match the abilities of others. But knowing that I cannot throw away food, I dare not be lazy in learning.
---From “Gosanwon Beopsa Myeonhakpyeon - Beopsa Jiwon Encourages Learning” on pages 162-163

Avoid bad friends as if you were avoiding a tiger, serve good friends as if you were serving your parents, be respectful to your teachers, forget yourself for the sake of the law, and do not boast about your good deeds, but strive to correct your mistakes quickly.
If you are not shaken by your adherence to benevolence and righteousness, and if you live in poverty and lowliness but forget your worries through joy, you will naturally avoid disaster and gather blessings.
How can one seek opportunities for advancement by flattering others through face reading and fortune telling? How can one hope to avoid the obstacles and difficulties of fortune by choosing the right day and choosing the right time? How can this be the far-reaching insight of a monk? Truly, it is nothing more than the deluded aspirations of ordinary people.
---From “Page 250, “Gosanwon Beopsa Poetry Students - Beopsa Jiwon’s Instructions to the Learners”

Because you are an adult, you should not look down on the younger generation; because you are young, you should not deceive the older generation; because you have wealth and fame, you should not look down on others; because you have a high spirit, you should not bow down to others arrogantly.
There should be no attempt to be friendly with others when one is not good; there should be no attempt to be good and hate and reject evil; there should be no attempt to say that one is right with a small ability; there should be no attempt to point out the wrongdoings of others with a small opinion.
(…omitted…) While wisely moving towards the Buddha’s teachings, use your mind, but often remove worldly emotions above the boundary of dust.
---From “Yanggo Seungcheong Beopju Yugyeso-sa - The words of advice left by Beopju to young monks” on page 274

Even if he has to abandon his current body and life, Yanggae vows not to return home and to awaken and illuminate Prajna with the roots of eternal life.
I bow down and pray that my parents will listen to me wholeheartedly and willingly abandon me. Instead of creating new relationships with me, learn from King Suddhodhi and emulate Queen Maya.
We will meet again in the Buddha's recollections on another day and another time, so for now, we are parting ways for a moment.
Yanggae did not refuse to offer sacrifices to his parents because he wanted to commit a sin, but because time does not wait for people. That is why he said, “If I do not save this body in this life, in which life will I have to wait to save this body?”
I bow down and pray that my parents never remember this child again.
---From “Page 322, “A Letter from Venerable Yanggae to His Parents - A Letter from Venerable Yanggae to His Parents”

If you think about it carefully, it's easy to attain the Way, but difficult to pass the civil service examination. Why is that? While I possess the knowledge and skills, they have the power to give and take. Therefore, I must bring my own views into line with theirs. Isn't that incredibly difficult? That's why passing the civil service examination is so difficult.
Since seeking the truth through Zen meditation is within me, and attaining and entering it is within me, wouldn't it be incredibly easy to align my position of no opinion with that position of no opinion? For this reason, awakening to the Way is easy.
But while there are many who practice Zen, few who attain enlightenment. Why is this? Because I exist.
It is very difficult among the easy ones because if I am there, I cannot gain and enter.
There are many who read and many who pass the civil service examination. Why is this? It is because their views are in harmony.
If the opinions are in agreement, it is easy to recommend and apply for selection, which is difficult.
---From “Page 364, “The reply of Master Dokyeom to Master Jinji Seungseo - Master Dokyeom’s reply to Master Jinji Seung”

If you can thoroughly examine the words of the ancients here, see one thing, understand a thousand things, enter the red dust, and be able to turn the great wheel of the law, then all the patriarchs will be you, and you will be all the patriarchs. If not, it will be like a dog gnawing on a dry bone or a dog pecking at a rotten rat. You will only add to the flames of hunger in your pecking beak and your parted lips.
For this reason, if you analyze it, it becomes dirt and cleanliness, if you list it, it becomes cause and effect, if you judge it, it becomes desire and thought, and if you react it, it becomes pain and pleasure, so you will sink deep and drift until the distant future ends.
---From “Page 399, “Record of the Newly Built Buddhist Temple and the Monk Hall at Muju Yeongan Seonwon - The Newly Built Buddhist Temple and Monk Hall at Muju Yeongan Seonwon”

If you wish to fully understand everything, you must return to the bright-eyed monk. If you wish to fully cultivate your practice, you must entrust it to the monks of the forest.
Those who first awaken their minds are unfortunate and do not cultivate closeness and dependence well, so their views become biased and dry, their practice becomes lazy, or they push the boundaries of the sages too far and abandon their own wisdom. How can they know virtue and supernatural powers? They do not believe that even ordinary people can attain the Way.
---From “Kwonchamseonmun - A Text Encouraging Zen Meditation” on page 527

If your thoughts about seeking the Way are the same as your thoughts about seeking the mind, you will have already achieved Buddhahood a long time ago. If you serve sentient beings as if you were serving yourself, you will be able to devote yourself to each other and make efforts.
If you do not see the wrongdoings of others and your own righteousness, then naturally those above you will be respectful and those below you will be obedient. The Dharma will be revealed before your eyes at every moment, and you will be liberated from every affliction.

---From “Baekyangsun Seonsa Poems - Seonsa Beopsun Gives Instructions to the Public” on pages 537-538