WHAT IS WON BUDDHISM?
WON BUDDHISM OF AUSTIN
WHAT IS WON BUDDHISM?
FROM THE BASIC ITSELF
The name Won Buddhism (Won-Bul-Kyo in Korean) is a compound words for truth, enlightenment, and teaching. Won means circle and symbolizes the ultimate truth. Bul means enlightenment, and Kyo means teaching the truth. Therefore, Won Buddhism is the path that leads us to become enlightened to the truth.
Won Buddhism makes Buddha's teaching relevant and suitable to contemporary society. Won Buddhism aims to revitalize and modern-ize Buddhism, to bring ancient Buddhist truth to contemporary society, and to use Buddhist teachings and meditation practice for practical and useful purposes. The goal of Won Buddhism is to build One World Community and to realize the oneness of life based on the Buddhist world view of interdependency and interconnectedness of all.
Won Buddhism was established by Great Master Sotaesan in Korea in 1916 with the founding motto: “As material civilization develops, cultivate spiritual civilization accordingly.”
Won Buddhism shares main tenets and aspects with Mahayana Buddhism, one of the two major traditions of Buddhism. At the same time, it has built on and developed Mahayana Buddhism with the following tenets:
Materialism is a fact we cannot avoid. However, as contemporary society becomes increasingly materialistic, technologically advanced, and globally integrated, it is critical to develop our spirituality in equal measure. The rights and opportunities of women have too often been ignored by Buddhism as well as other religions. Women are prominent in the leadership and ministry of Won Buddhism.
We embrace and accept those of other faiths
and seek to work together to build a better world.
With the teaching of the explicit acceptance of other religions, Won Buddhism leads the movement for inter-religious cooperation based on the Ethics of Triple Identity; all religions and spirituality are based on a Common Source, all human beings and all forms of life are interdependent as a One Earth Family and all enterprises have a Common Purpose. Won Buddhists believe that all religions have a responsibility to offer the right spiritual direction for all humankind and should cooperate and make the world a peaceful paradise by taking a lead role in constructing a world community.
Won Buddhists have participated and promoted in local, national, regional and international interreligious dialogue and cooperation since 1970. Interreligious understanding and cooperation are a central teaching of Won Buddhism. Won Buddhism is accredited by the United Nations and a member of religious NGO at the UN. Won Buddhism is a founding member of KCRP (Korean Conference of Religions for Peace), and actively engages in WCRP (World Conference of Religions for Peace), WFB (World Fellowship of Buddhists), and ACRP (Asian Conference of Religions for Peace) and our relationship has served as co-presidents and staff.
Won Buddhism is socially engaged in the fields of environment, education, social service, community service, human rights, women’s issues and humanitarian assistance.
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Your mind is none other than that of heaven; hence, you should know that if your mind is concentrated and completely devoid of selfishness, its virtues will become as one with the virtues of heaven and earth and it will lead all your affairs to success. Therefore, you must realize that each of your minds possesses an element that can move the will of heaven.
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A practitioner of the Way seeks to know the mind in order to achieve freedom of mind, to understand the principle of birth and death in order to transcend birth and death, and to understand the principle of transgression and blessings in order to control them as one pleases.
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FROM THE SCRIPTURES OF WON BUDDHISM
THE IL-WON-SANG VOW
THE TRUTH AND AWAKENING WITHIN
The Il-Won-Sang Vow is a scripture which holds the contents of the truth that the Founding Master has awakened to, it is one that, whenever offered up, awakens us and helps us to utilize the truth of Il-Won-Sang through our daily lives and to achieve the great character of Buddha or Bodhisattvas. It is an intensely sincere pledge that is recited during each type of service in Won-Buddhism.
THE HEART SUTRA
THE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES IN BUDDHISM
As the Heart Sutra is the supreme scripture in Buddhism that elucidates the principle of emptiness, which is the central core of Buddhism, reciting it with sincerity and putting it into practice can lead us in transcending all sufferings and misfortunes and to lead a life of ultimate bliss.
THE ESSENTIAL DHARMAS OF DAILY PRACTICE
PRACTICE IN DAILY LIVES
The Essentials of Daily Practice are necessary in guiding those seeking to transcend the realm of deluded beings to buddhahood, which allows everyone to easily put into practice the teachings in their daily lives. In Won-Buddhism, these are recited during every form of ceremony and events such as seated meditation, dharma service, etc.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
BUDDHISM AND WON BUDDHISM
FROM DHARMA WORDS OF VENERABLE SOTAESAN
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The Founding Master Sotaesan said, “The teaching of the buddhadharma is the supreme Way of all under heaven. It illuminates the principle of the true nature, solves the crucial matter of birth and death, elucidates the principle of cause and effect, commands the paths of practice, and thus surpasses all other religious doctrines.”
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SCIENCE & WON BUDDHISM
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