0:00:04.384,0:00:13.861
<Attaining Enlightenment[br]Through Meditation>

0:00:13.861,0:00:17.517
(Questioner) Hi, Sunim. Thank you [br]for giving me a chance to ask a question.

0:00:17.517,0:00:22.296
I have a question about meditation[br]and the study of the Buddhist scriptures.

0:00:22.296,0:00:27.276
I learned that the Buddha attained[br]a peaceful mind and profound enlightenment

0:00:27.276,0:00:29.083
through meditation.

0:00:29.083,0:00:32.752
I am trying to practice meditation[br]for the same purpose.

0:00:32.752,0:00:37.048
But, as a beginner[br]who hasn't gone through the path,

0:00:37.048,0:00:43.676
I have doubts about how I can reach[br]such a deep state of enlightenment

0:00:43.676,0:00:45.795
simply by not thinking.

0:00:45.795,0:00:53.887
Could you explain how meditation leads[br]to peace of mind and enlightenment?

0:00:53.887,0:01:03.661
(Sunim) Most of our suffering arises[br]primarily from our thoughts.

0:01:03.661,0:01:20.563
So, we must free ourselves[br]from our preconceived notions of

0:01:20.563,0:01:30.420
ethics, morality, religious beliefs, and[br]other paradigms that shape our thoughts.

0:01:30.420,0:01:52.030
For example, consider a man and a woman[br]who like each other and become lovers.

0:01:52.030,0:02:00.342
In a typical relationship[br]between two ordinary individuals,

0:02:00.342,0:02:02.095
they can simply like each other.

0:02:02.095,0:02:17.875
However, if they are Buddhist or Catholic[br]clergy, they have been taught

0:02:17.875,0:02:22.807
not to engage in romantic[br]or sexual relationships.

0:02:22.807,0:02:34.802
So, those who have undergone[br]such training,

0:02:34.802,0:02:38.869
while experiencing joy[br]in their romantic relationship,

0:02:38.869,0:02:41.727
also struggle with guilt.

0:02:41.727,0:03:02.692
That guilt, the negative feeling they get,[br]does not stem from the relationship itself

0:03:02.692,0:03:09.622
but rather from their belief[br]that they should not be engaging in it.

0:03:09.622,0:03:29.802
Much of the suffering and issues[br]we experience today occurs

0:03:29.802,0:03:35.723
due to the clash between reality,[br]what we truly experience,

0:03:35.723,0:03:40.004
and our preconceived notions[br]of how things should be.

0:03:40.004,0:03:56.805
This suffering disappears when we resolve[br]the contradiction in one of two ways:

0:03:56.805,0:04:02.543
either by letting go of our preconceptions[br]and accepting reality as it is

0:04:02.543,0:04:07.373
or by adhering to our preconceptions[br]and giving up what we desire in reality.

0:04:07.373,0:04:22.887
However, we can never truly resolve[br]this problem

0:04:22.887,0:04:27.552
if we attempt to hold onto[br]our preconceptions,

0:04:27.552,0:04:30.669
while simultaneously trying to attain[br]what we desire in reality,

0:04:30.669,0:04:34.374
because that contradiction[br]will inevitably persist.

0:04:34.374,0:04:37.572
Let's take another example.

0:04:37.572,0:04:50.804
If there are traditional ethics[br]or morals dictating that

0:04:50.804,0:04:55.155
men and women of certain ages should not[br]see each other as romantic partners,

0:04:55.155,0:04:59.527
then engaging in such relationships[br]leads to suffering.

0:04:59.527,0:05:11.096
Similarly, if we're taught that[br]divorce is unacceptable after marriage,

0:05:11.096,0:05:17.416
yet circumstances call for[br]separation or divorce,

0:05:17.416,0:05:21.085
this contradiction results in suffering.

0:05:21.085,0:05:31.050
In the natural course of life, people may[br]come together and go their separate ways.

0:05:31.050,0:05:38.566
Coming together is not[br]the cause of suffering,

0:05:38.566,0:05:42.270
nor is separation or divorce.

0:05:42.270,0:05:53.312
Rather, it is our preconceived notions of[br]"what ought to be" that create suffering,

0:05:53.312,0:05:57.475
whether it's meeting for the first time[br]of a relationship or separating.

0:05:57.475,0:06:10.927
If we can let go of the idea[br]of "what ought to be,"

0:06:10.927,0:06:19.679
we can eliminate much of the suffering[br]that arises from internal conflicts.

0:06:19.679,0:06:57.701
For example, when we teach our daughters[br]that having sex before marriage is a sin,

0:06:57.701,0:07:02.033
if they are later forced[br]into premarital sex,

0:07:02.033,0:07:04.566
it causes them[br]significant internal suffering.

0:07:04.566,0:07:10.653
But we do not emphasize this as much[br]when teaching our sons,

0:07:10.653,0:07:15.936
so if they have premarital sex,[br]they may not feel the same level of guilt.

0:07:15.936,0:07:22.110
This is entirely due to the preconceptions[br]we instill in our children.

0:07:22.110,0:07:34.393
If you were to stop thinking right now,[br]there would be no suffering.

0:07:34.393,0:07:43.126
This is why the foundation of meditation[br]is to stop thinking.

0:07:43.126,0:07:54.670
What position you take, how you breathe,[br]none of that truly matters.

0:07:54.670,0:08:07.630
Many of you say you meditate,[br]but, in reality, you are thinking quietly.

0:08:07.630,0:08:10.351
That is thinking,[br]not meditating.

0:08:10.351,0:08:16.932
Thinking positive thoughts does not mean[br]you are meditating properly.

0:08:16.932,0:08:23.614
Meditation is the state[br]of being free from thought.

0:08:23.614,0:08:31.169
If you stop thinking,[br]most of your suffering will disappear.

0:08:31.169,0:08:40.635
However, once you try it, you will realize[br]that your thoughts do not cease.

0:08:40.635,0:08:52.510
In fact, they may become amplified[br]twofold, threefold, or even tenfold.

0:08:52.510,0:08:59.400
So, while your body remains still[br]during meditation,

0:08:59.400,0:09:02.780
your mind is constantly[br]engaged in thinking.

0:09:02.780,0:09:15.510
Then, how can we stop thinking?[br]If you set an intention to stop thinking,

0:09:15.510,0:09:18.794
that intention itself[br]becomes another thought.

0:09:18.794,0:09:25.245
That is why the old masters[br]taught us this analogy:

0:09:25.245,0:09:32.074
Imagine there's dust[br]flying all over the room.

0:09:32.074,0:09:36.472
The dust is barely visible to us.

0:09:36.472,0:09:41.771
But if there's a ray of sunlight[br]coming through the room,

0:09:41.771,0:09:47.780
we suddenly become aware of[br]how much dust is floating in the air.

0:09:47.780,0:10:02.520
We take a cloth or a duster[br]and start cleaning to remove the dust.

0:10:02.520,0:10:06.790
Yet, instead of eliminating the dust,[br]we only end up stirring it up even more.

0:10:06.790,0:10:12.231
Then, what should we do?[br]We must simply let it settle on its own.

0:10:12.231,0:10:20.783
As time passes,[br]most of the dust will gradually settle.

0:10:20.783,0:10:41.951
This analogy shows that we live constantly[br]filled with thoughts and distractions,

0:10:41.951,0:10:44.774
but we are unaware of that

0:10:44.774,0:10:49.698
because we lack that single ray of light[br]to illuminate them.

0:10:49.698,0:11:10.414
Thus, when you sit down to meditate and[br]start noticing how cluttered your mind is,

0:11:10.414,0:11:12.221
this is not a failure in meditation.

0:11:12.221,0:11:16.390
It's actually a process[br]of meditating properly.

0:11:16.390,0:11:25.844
It's just like seeing that single ray[br]of sunlight revealing the dust in a room.

0:11:25.844,0:11:36.319
It is the first realization that you are[br]surrounded by endless distracting thoughts.

0:11:36.319,0:11:49.217
Then, you may start approaching meditation[br]with a performance-oriented mindset,

0:11:49.217,0:11:52.125
striving to meditate better and faster.

0:11:52.125,0:11:57.104
This, in turn, creates more distractions[br]just as letting dust fly even more.

0:11:57.104,0:12:00.532
You have to just let it be.

0:12:00.532,0:12:07.901
But it's very hard to simply let it be[br]because thoughts keep arising.

0:12:07.901,0:12:15.697
That's why the strategy is[br]to focus your thoughts on one thing.

0:12:15.697,0:12:25.312
The easiest thing to focus your thoughts[br]on is your breath.

0:12:25.312,0:12:42.537
It's a strategy of focusing on[br]the inhalation and exhalation of your breath.

0:12:42.537,0:12:51.336
In Pali, it is called Ānāpāna.

0:12:51.336,0:13:05.327
Another strategy that emerged during[br]the Zen Buddhist tradition is a Koan,

0:13:05.327,0:13:08.287
which is focusing on one single thought.

0:13:08.287,0:13:13.168
One single question[br]like "Who am I?"

0:13:13.168,0:13:17.664
Just focus[br]on that single question.

0:13:17.664,0:13:23.434
Other thoughts will constantly arise.

0:13:23.434,0:13:26.591
Just let them be.

0:13:26.591,0:13:35.385
The only thing you should truly focus on[br]is that single question.

0:13:35.385,0:13:42.837
For example, imagine you are reading[br]a book in the middle of a forest.

0:13:42.837,0:13:46.528
You hear birds tweeting.

0:13:46.528,0:13:49.099
You hear the sound of a stream.

0:13:49.099,0:13:52.127
And you hear cars passing[br]on a distant road.

0:13:52.127,0:13:55.518
Because of these distractions,[br]you find it difficult to focus.

0:13:55.518,0:13:59.548
If the cars stopped running,

0:13:59.548,0:14:03.424
if the birds stopped tweeting,

0:14:03.424,0:14:07.037
and if the stream stopped running,

0:14:07.037,0:14:14.866
then you would be able to focus[br]in that quiet forest, right?

0:14:14.866,0:14:19.481
But you can't stop those things.

0:14:19.481,0:14:24.296
And even if you could eliminate[br]those external distractions,

0:14:24.296,0:14:27.612
it wouldn’t necessarily mean[br]that you could focus.

0:14:27.612,0:14:54.394
But if you truly immerse yourself[br]in the book,

0:14:54.394,0:14:56.606
the birds may tweet,[br]but you won’t notice them.

0:14:56.606,0:15:00.044
Cars may pass on the road nearby,[br]but you won’t pay attention to them.

0:15:00.044,0:15:03.155
Nor will you notice the stream beside you.

0:15:03.155,0:15:07.940
It's because you are deeply focused and[br]fully absorbed in what you are reading.

0:15:07.940,0:15:17.950
While meditation is[br]about the absence of thoughts,

0:15:17.950,0:15:23.200
from a strategic perspective, it is[br]about concentrating on a single thought.

0:15:23.200,0:15:31.906
Let's say you focus[br]on breathing in and out.

0:15:31.906,0:15:39.430
When the breath comes in,[br]you notice the breath entering.

0:15:39.430,0:15:46.660
You are not thinking[br]about the breath coming in.

0:15:46.660,0:15:59.925
This is a kind of sensory experience,[br]the flow of air as it moves

0:15:59.925,0:16:05.567
over your skin, through your nostrils,[br]and into your lungs.

0:16:05.567,0:16:17.023
And you also feel the tactile sensation[br]of the breath leaving your nose.

0:16:17.023,0:16:22.780
This is experiencing,[br]not thinking.

0:16:22.780,0:16:26.612
You are simply experiencing the breath.

0:16:26.612,0:16:31.965
You might think of your mother[br]at some point.

0:16:31.965,0:16:42.024
But once you actually become distracted[br]by the thought of your mother,

0:16:42.024,0:16:46.484
you start thinking, "Oh, what about[br]the time we went on a picnic together?

0:16:46.484,0:16:49.237
What about the time we had an argument?"

0:16:49.237,0:16:53.505
You unconsciously follow the thought[br]and start creating narratives around it.

0:16:53.505,0:16:58.064
This becomes a distraction.

0:16:58.064,0:17:05.500
You can't stop the thought of your mother[br]from rising.

0:17:05.500,0:17:11.899
But whatever thoughts come to you,[br]you keep focusing on your breath.

0:17:11.899,0:17:18.160
Basically, do not pay attention[br]to the thought or give it energy.

0:17:18.160,0:17:21.189
Then, the thought naturally dissipate.

0:17:21.189,0:17:23.828
But soon, other thoughts will arise.

0:17:23.828,0:17:25.991
You might suddenly think about coffee.

0:17:25.991,0:17:29.739
Nevertheless, you stay focused[br]on your breath.

0:17:29.739,0:17:33.148
Then, the thought of coffee[br]also dissipates.

0:17:33.148,0:17:45.328
No matter how many thoughts arise,[br]if you do not pay attention to them,

0:17:45.328,0:17:48.094
they will simply come and go[br]again and again.

0:17:48.094,0:17:59.783
But once you actually engage[br]with a thought of coffee,

0:17:59.783,0:18:02.622
you start following it[br]and creating a story:

0:18:02.622,0:18:06.772
"What kind of coffee do I want?[br]Who do I want to drink this coffee with?"

0:18:06.772,0:18:13.672
At that moment, you have already lost[br]your focus on the breath

0:18:13.672,0:18:19.558
because you can only focus[br]on one thing at a time.

0:18:19.558,0:18:24.226
If you focus here,[br]you lose focus there.

0:18:24.226,0:18:30.134
And if you pay attention there,[br]you lose attention here.

0:18:30.134,0:18:38.270
Thoughts are just that.

0:18:38.270,0:18:43.358
As long as you don't pay attention[br]to them, they will simply rise and fall.

0:18:43.358,0:18:55.469
So, when we say we are distracted,

0:18:55.469,0:18:59.094
it is not the random thoughts themselves[br]that are distractions.

0:18:59.094,0:19:05.160
They become distractions when[br]we start creating stories around them.

0:19:05.160,0:19:27.084
If you keep practicing, the amount of time[br]you can sustain focus on your breath

0:19:27.084,0:19:29.606
before getting distracted can increase,

0:19:29.606,0:19:33.219
first to 1 minute, then to 5, then to 10.[br]It will gradually increase.

0:19:33.219,0:19:47.020
Your attention span for focusing[br]on your breath will continue to grow,

0:19:47.020,0:19:52.790
and you will experience[br]fewer distractions.

0:19:52.790,0:20:06.218
Then, you start to gain autonomy.

0:20:06.218,0:20:11.546
You will no longer be bound[br]by past memories or future expectations.

0:20:11.546,0:20:26.018
The reason you feel anger, frustration,[br]hatred, or resentment is that

0:20:26.018,0:20:29.781
past memories resurface, bringing back[br]the wounds you once experienced.

0:20:29.781,0:20:45.123
You become fearful, anxious, and nervous[br]because you are thinking about the future.

0:20:45.123,0:20:55.744
If you are no longer held captive[br]by thoughts of the future,

0:20:55.744,0:20:58.547
then your anxiety and nervousness[br]will naturally fade away.

0:20:58.547,0:21:10.471
That is why we teach to awaken[br]in the here and now,

0:21:10.471,0:21:16.636
without being captured by past memories[br]or the future that has not yet arrived.

0:21:16.636,0:21:29.438
Even if thoughts about the Buddha[br]arise unbidden during meditation,

0:21:29.438,0:21:31.927
they are still distractions.

0:21:31.927,0:21:41.820
Maintain singular focus on your breath,[br]and everything else is a distraction.

0:21:41.820,0:21:53.211
If you are meditating on a Zen Koan,

0:21:53.211,0:21:59.342
anything beyond exploring that question[br]is a distraction.

0:21:59.342,0:22:09.032
In that state, even what you read[br]in scriptures, sutras,

0:22:09.032,0:22:12.022
or even the Buddha's own teachings[br]become distractions.

0:22:12.022,0:22:23.822
That is why there is a teaching:[br]"If you see the Buddha, kill the Buddha.

0:22:23.822,0:22:27.868
If you encounter your teacher,[br]kill the teacher."

0:22:27.868,0:22:36.792
Of course, this does not mean[br]to literally kill them.

0:22:36.792,0:22:40.675
Rather, it means[br]not to give them any attention.

0:22:40.675,0:22:43.989
They are simply distractions.

0:22:43.989,0:22:48.463
Sorry for the lengthy response.[br](Sunim Laughter)

0:22:48.463,0:22:51.658
(Questioner) Thanks.[br](Audience Applause)