ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES
WON BUDDHISM IN THE WORLD
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The three goals of our enterprise are edification, education, and social work. In the future, we must always promote these three in tandem if our enterprise is to be flawless.
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VENERABLE SOTAESAN, THE FOUNDING MASTER
EDIFICATION
The mission of Won Buddhism is carried out by each temple through dharma services, ceremonies, visits, counseling, and trainings, temples not only help laypeople purify and elighten their spirituality, but they also lead them to live happy lives by teaching them faith and practice.
By receiving fixed-term training and daily training in temples and retreat centers, laypeople can cultivate the personality of a sage through the Cultivation of Mind-Nature, while also developing character. Meditation classes at temples provide meditation and yoga classes to local meditation centers to bring peace into their minds in their urban lives.
The Women's Association, Public Service Association(Bonggongwhae), Cheongunwhae, etc, are organized in every temple through various activities. They often bring gratitude and grace to the local society and neighbors. Under the subjects of the Great Opening, reunification, and the environment, various activities are performed locally in order to sustain a moral society.
The Won Buddhist order operates the Institute of Edification Research and the Information Center for Edification to support the missionary field. Additionally, to support young adult missionaries, there are organizations for young adults, such as the Association of Samdong Young Adult, the Association of Scout, the Association of Won-Buddhist College Students, and the Association of Won-Buddhist Kindergarten Teachers. The order holds and participates in the young adult camps, young adult soccer and basketball competitions, volunteer activities, and training of leadership and jamboree camps. With the advent of the global internet age, an internet temple is operated and established Internet Broadcasting Systems.
In order to accomplish the founding motive of Won Buddhism in the world and to deliver the spirit to all of human kind, Won Buddhism has been delegating approximately 136 ministers to 68 temples and 43 organizations all over the world in 24 nations such as Argentina, Australia, China, France, Germany, Japan, Nepal, Russia, the Republic of South Africa, and the U.S.
EDUCATION
The educational philosophy of Won Buddhism is that educational equality should be carried out to make the world a civilized place and people should educate even the children of others as if they were their own thus trans-cending the boundary between self and others. Won Buddhism has esta-blished and now runs several educational foundations including Wonkwang Academy.
Concerning places which educate Won Buddhist preministers, there are Wonkwang University, Youngsan Sŏn Studies, and Won Buddhism Graduate School. Especially as a graduate school to educate overseas minister, there is The Won Institute of Graduate Studies in USA.
SOCIAL WORK
Won Buddhism unfolds the campaign for planting grace, social welfare, medical service, and edification setting up various organs (organizations and facilities of Won Buddhism) so that the idea of a society of equality may be realized and, moreover, give the Fourfold Grace back to society.
There are general social welfare centers, retirement monasteries and nursing homes, senior welfare facilities, and orphanages Welfare facilities for those with disabilities include welfare centers, such as for homeless, mental disabilities, and the handicapped, etc. Also, a hospice hospital opened to help the dying have a peaceful end.
Won Buddhism is moving to fulfill love, dedication, and service beyond race and ideology in the world by unfolding international charity activities more systematically with the Corporated Associations for others.
CULTURE
THE WAY OF WON BUDDHISM BENEFITS SOCIETY
In order to promote the Il-Won culture of Won Buddhism, Won Buddhism operates a broadcasting station and papers such as the Won Buddhism Newspaper, Wonkang Monthly Review, and the TV & radio broadcasting system WONUM. The publication system, Won-Buddhism Publication, distributes various books, and reproductions. Won Buddhist Broadcasting System was founded in three major cities in Korea and is running the ideal religious broadcasting system by operating as a program that transcends religious order.
Won Buddhism has academic institutes which systematize the thoughts of Won Buddhism: Wonkwang University Research Institute of Won Buddhist Thought, The Research Institute of Religious Problems, The Research Institute of Overseas Missions, The Edification Research Institute in the H.Q, and The Research Institute of Sot'aesan's Thoughts on the U.S.
INDUSTRY
THE WAY OF WON BUDDHISM BENEFITS SOCIETY
Won Buddhism realizes religion in daily life, regarding religious practice and mundane work as one and the same entity. Thus, Won Buddhism not only emphasizes practice of the full oneness of spirit and body, but has also made efforts to have financial independence from the beginning. Every industrial organ of Won-Buddhism is operating on its founding motive, the Parallelism of Principles and Fact, and The Gradual Achievement of Greatness from Smallness and thus leading the order's independent economy.
NGO & INTER-RELIGIOUS COOPERATION
THE WAY OF WON BUDDHISM BENEFITS SOCIETY
Laypeople of Won-Buddhism, in the spirit of public service, voluntarily institute citizen organizations and develop active movements in the field of environment, reunification of Korea, human rights and education.
Won-Buddhism leads the movement for inter-religious cooperation, which will act as a loving mother, because we need both parents in the family, while the UN acts as a strict father for world peace, on the basis of the Ethics of Triple Identity - that all religions have a responsibility to offer direction to spirituality for all humankind and should cooperate and make the world a peaceful paradise by taking charge of a frontier role in constructing a world commune.
Won Buddhism UN & Interfaith Office envisions a world where all individuals and communities live in peace and harmony based on the Buddhist principles of interdependency and interconnectedness.
In Religions for Peace, WFB (World Fellowship of Buddhists), and Religions for Peace Asia, Won-Buddhist clergy are acting as co-representatives.