Won Buddhism - Doctrine and Practice

Doctrine and Practice

Scriptures includes The Principle Book of Won-Buddhism (Wonbulgyo chongjon) and The Discourse of the Great Master Dharma Words (Daejonggyeong). The central doctrine lies in the tenets of Irwŏnsang (unitary circular form), Four Beneficences, and Threefold Practice:

• Just like a finger pointing at the moon, Irwŏnsang, enshrined as the symbol of the dharmakaya of the Buddha, refers to the Buddha-nature of the Tathāgatha and the fundamental source of the four beneficences (heaven and earth, parents, fellow beings, and laws) to which one owes one's life. Irwŏn (unitary circle), the Wŏnbulgyo name for the Dharmakāya Buddha, is the noumenal nature of all beings of the universe, the original nature of all buddhas and patriarchs, and the Buddha-nature of all sentient beings. The worship of Irwŏn lies in requiting the four beneficences, as stated in the motto: "Requiting beneficence is making offerings to Buddha." The practice of Irwon lies in wisdom (prajñā), fostering concentration (samādhi) and using virtue (śīla), upon enlightenment to the Buddha-nature in mundane, daily life.

• The requital of the four beneficences is carried out:

1. for heaven and earth, harboring no thought after rendering beneficence;
2. for parents, protecting the helpless;
3. for fellow beings, benefiting oneself by benefiting others; and
4. for laws, doing justice and forsaking injustice.

• The threefold practice is perfected by:

• samadhi, cultivation of spirit;
• prajňā, inquiry into facts and principles; and
• śīla, the heedful choice in karmic action.

The threefold practice is carried out through Zen, which holds as its central principle that when the six sense organs are at rest, one should nourish the One Mind by clearing the mind of worldly thoughts; when they are at work, one should forsake injustice and cultivate justice.