Does Looking Inward Mean That We Should Withdraw From ...?

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim's (법륜스님) Answer to “Does looking inward mean that we should withdraw from the world?”
A question is chosen from the weekly Sunday meditation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(법륜스님).

Peace of mind is only one step away.

Note: This track contains English interpretations.

Transcript

Sunim, It seems that part of meditation is about putting the focus of our attention inward. In practicing Jungto, Should I make it a point to withdraw from the world? Should I try to care less about what others are doing or what is happening around me? Sunim, 어떻게 보면 우리 내면에 집중하는 것이 명상인 것 같습니다. 정토의 수행을 하면은 세상과 거리를 둬야 되나요? 다른 사람들이 행동이나 제 주변에 일어나는 일에 신경을 덜 쓰도록 노력하면 되나요? 우리는 우리 주변의 사람이나 사물에 대해서 항상 오르니 그르니 시비를 많이 합니다. So we are constantly making value judgment whether it's right and wrong about all the things that others are doing or what's happening around us. So those value judgments are what causes suffering to us. That's why it's important to analyze why suffering happens when you want to free yourself from the very suffering that happens. So feeling suffering based on the activities or actions of others around you is like looking at the moon at night and feeling sad. So you might feel sentimental or sad by looking at the moon rising above the hills at night but it's not the moon that's causing you to feel sad. Because I am feeling sad as I look at the moon. So the direct cause for your sadness is not in the moon, It's within you. So if you feel angry, If you suffer because of what you consider others' actions or other situation, External situation, That's not so. It's actually you're causing suffering to yourself because of something happening within you. So that's why we teach that do not make value judgment right or wrong about external circumstances or other actions but really focus on yourself. And if you can really be constant and keep to this perspective, Then you are able to maintain calm and equanimity no matter what happens around you. In other words, You can maintain peace of mind and live without suffering. But the question begs then, Is this it? Is that the end? Until now, I used all my energies to actually cause myself suffering because of a mistake in assumptions. So until now, I couldn't solve my problems for myself and I was asking others to solve problems for me. But once that I have attained this freedom from suffering, Then I no longer need to ask others for help. And also, I have this ability, This extra capability of energy. So what do I do with this extra capacity, This energy? Then I can use that to help others. That's why we say a bodhisattva or a practitioner not only makes oneself happy but also helps others. So we are not seeking to change the world around us by blaming it for our own suffering. But because we know there are issues and situations around the world that causes suffering for others, We are seeking to improve it. So if you interpret this to today's terminology, I say contribute to the betterment of social justice in the world. And these are the actions of a bodhisattva.