​The Teaching on the “Faith in Mind” by Venerable Jinwoo

至道無難 

唯嫌揀擇

The Perfect Way knows no difficulties

Except that it refuses to make preferences

Here, the Perfect Way refers to the middle path. The middle path means returning to the original mind, which indicates a mind without discrimination. If you choose this, then that arises. If you choose likes, then dislikes appear. If you choose life, then death arises. Therefore, only by neither selecting nor choosing can one achieve enlightenment, namely attaining Buddhahood. 

When your mind discriminates, you are a sentient being. When your mind does not discriminate, you are Buddha himself. Therefore, as long as you remove a discriminating mind, you will be enlightened and become a Buddha. What could be easier than that? Although in theory, eliminating the mind of discrimination may sound easier than touching your nose or washing your face, it is actually extremely difficult in practice. Therefore, it is a task that must be diligently pursued through relentless effort.

What exactly is discrimination? In short, it refers to the emotions of pain and pleasure. Emotions can be broadly divided into two groups: positive and negative emotions; pleasant and painful emotions; joyful and sad emotions; happy and miserable emotions. These are all considered emotions of pain and pleasure. Even while speaking, emotions arise; even while moving the body, emotions arise; even while thinking, emotions are still present.

However, emotions follow a certain formula. This is called the law of causality. If you experience joy once, you will eventually experience sorrow; if you feel 100 grams of happiness, you will eventually feel 100 grams of sadness. It's like saying that if you experience the joy of being born, you will inevitably experience the sadness of death.

Therefore, whatever you do, you are bound to experience the emotions of pain and pleasure. All sentient beings constantly think and act to attain happy, joyful, and pleasant emotions, while also striving to avoid painful, sad, and unpleasant emotions.

However, regardless of what you do; how you think; or how you move your body; since your actions are aimed at seeking or avoiding emotions of pain and pleasure, the causality of choosing any emotion of pain and pleasure inevitably leads to the cycle of pain and pleasure. Therefore, this is called discrimination of pain and pleasure, and the cycle of pain and pleasure continues.

Thus, the discrimination between good and bad; and right and wrong; is utterly useless. Despite this, if you engage in arguments about what is good or bad; right or wrong, it leads to discrimination of pain and pleasure, resulting in suffering and distress. Therefore, the way to transcend this is the middle path, the path to becoming a Buddha.

Therefore, in daily life, choosing to act in pursuit of joy or avoiding actions that lead to pain, ultimately only results in perpetual suffering and anguish, as a result of causality. Stirring up emotions of liking or disliking should never be done; it is truly hopeless. Therefore, monastics risk their lives to undertake practices that would transcend the emotions of pain and pleasure. 

Thus, relying on the three poisons of greed, hate, and the delusion for one’s own pleasure is the very essence of the mind of sentient beings who live in endless suffering. Those who do not choose to act for one’s own pleasure are true renunciants liberated forever from suffering. Ultimately, the choice lies within oneself.

Good is not inherently good,

Bad is not inherently bad.

Good begets bad,

Bad begets good.

However, depending on the circumstances and the connections,

They alternately manifest.

Venerable Jinwoo,

37th President of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism