By Kim Young-jin
Speaking to a group of laypeople on a recent Saturday, Haemin Sunim sounded much like any other Korean Buddhist monk as he spooled out wisdom at the Anguk Zen Center in Seoul, touching on common themes such as compassion and attachment.
The big difference – to the delight of many expats ― is that this Harvard-educated monk lectures in English, opening up Korean Buddhism to a wider range of those interested.
Now on sabbatical from his professorship at Hampshire College, a small liberal arts school in the United States, where he now resides, Haemin Sunim is spending his time in his homeland by reaching out to as many people as he can.
Not only are his discourse accessible language-wise, but the scholar makes it a point to keep topics practical and based on everyday experience.
The approach is working: He regularly draws audiences of up to 50 people, comprised of Koreans, expats and the occasional tourist, experienced practitioners or those just seeking a taste of Buddhism. He has some 40,000 followers on the social networking site Twitter.
“In my talks, I try to dig deeply into human emotions such as attachment and jealousy and see where they arise,” he said in a recent interview. “I’m hoping we have more people come ― it’ll be even more fun.”
Born in Korea, Haemin Sunim ― meaning “nimble wisdom” ― was curious about religion from a young age. But it wasn’t until he arrived at the University of California, Berkeley for undergraduate studies that his relationship with Buddhism began taking serious root.
Living in a dormitory, he struggled with the culture he found rife with partying and drugs. That’s when he heard about a local Zen center where he could stay.
“The people in the center were all ten years older than me, but they were really nice. It just suited me immediately ― especially getting up early in the morning ― and I began thinking about becoming a monk,” he recalled.
Pursuing his master’s and doctorate degrees at Harvard Divinity School and Princeton University respectively, Haemin Sunim began fusing his religious studies with meditation practice. He soon met a master of Korean Buddhism in New York and after training was ordained in Korea.
His pioneering work in the United States is contributing to efforts by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism to promote the religion. Last week, he traveled to France as part of a high-level delegation to further raise awareness.
The monk says the tradition is thriving, citing the some 3,000 monks who retreat to meditations centers here every summer and winter. Another outstanding characteristic is its open, non-sectarian nature that prioritizes meditation.
“All different types of practices are welcomed. In that sense we are different. We are much more practice-oriented and these days are encouraging more laypeople to meditate, which is relatively new.”
Buddhism here consists mostly of the Seon tradition that is closely linked to those of China’s Chan and Japan’s Zen. It also relies heavily on “hwadu,” existential questions mulled in meditation that provide a path to enlightenment.
“You ask the question over and over again. Because you are asking a question that seemingly you cannot easily answer, it creates a state of doubt, which becomes bigger and bigger,” he explained.
“The whole universe becomes filled with doubt. There is a point where that doubt breaks down and you realize you and others are not separate.”
While those who attend his biweekly Saturday talks at the Anguk Zen Center are diverse in age, culture and experience in Buddhism, the monk said he welcomed the many who simply desire refuge from the bustling city and a bit of relaxed reflection.
“I try to meet those expectations. When people think of mediation, they think it can be relaxing. But it’s not only that, it’s also about discovering wisdom,” he said.
Many of his insights find their way to his Twitter site, where the monk makes observations in Korean.
Promising to tweet in English as well if he gained more foreign followers, Haemin Sunim said his use of social networking fell in line with his mission to bring Korean Buddhism to the modern masses.
“The tradition is not old and antiquated. It is alive and it can help your life right here and now. I want to show that it’s practical and relatable.”
Haemin Sumin’s next dharma talk will be this Saturday at the Anguk Zen Center in downtown Seoul beginning at 2:30 p.m. The session begins with group meditation. The center is located a short walk from Anguk Station, line 3, exit 2. For more information, visit www.ahnkookzen.org/English or call (02) 744-0772.
He can be followed on Twitter at @Haeminsunim.