Prayer-Letting Go

Prayer, an English Translation of Prayer, Letting Go Has Been Published

Everyone deserves to be happy.

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim, who is the head monk of Jungto Society and the chairman of the Peace Foundation has recently published Prayer, the English version of Prayer, Letting Go.

People still search various religions, attending many temples and churches, in the hopes of obtaining a miracle through prayer. When they realize their wish, they are happy to have witnessed a miracle or to have received the grace of the Buddha. However, when they don’t, they fall into despair and are resentful. After explaining about prayers that bring good fortune and those that invite disaster, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim instructs the readers on “the prayer that grants all wishes,” or “the way to be happy no matter what.”

Govern your mind and design your happiness.

The view on happiness transcends language differences.

All religions, including Buddhism, talk about the life of prayer. However, what is the reality? People pray to realize their wishes, so when their wishes are fulfilled, they are happy and feel as if they were in heaven, but when they are not, they are miserable as if they were in hell. Prayer will enable the readers to gain insight into how they should pray to be truly happy!

How to Be Dignified, Not Servile and Be Humble, Not Arrogant

Each religion has its own unique way of praying. However, prayer is also a universal topic that transcends the domain of religion. In this book, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim seeks to reclaim the essential meaning of “prayer” and explores the correct view of religious faith.

Inside Prayer

◉ However, most people do not believe they need to understand the laws of nature or make the necessary effort to achieve something.

Instead, they blindly pray with the thought, “I will get what I want if I pray hard.” This behavior is foolish. This kind of prayer is not in line with the“ law of cause and effect.”

◉ To be free from suffering and constraints, we first need to discover the cause. Generally speaking, people blame others for their own misery by insisting that they married the wrong person, their children are disappointing them, their parents aren’t capable or their friends annoy them.

◉ We practice to cultivate our minds. All suffering comes from a delusive and ignorant mind. Letting go of such delusions and ignorance and living with a clear mind is called“ cultivating the mind.”This does not mean the mind has a form or substance we can manipulate. Rather, it means we should let go of our rigid opinions and avoid being controlled by our ignorance and delusions.

◉ When it’s time for your morning prayer, just get up even though you don’t want to. “How can I get up when I don’t want to?”you may ask. The answer is you just do it without thinking about it. When the alarm goes off, arise at once before the thought, “I have to get up…”even occurs to you. Even having the thought“ I have to get up…”means you are being controlled by your karma. When the alarm rings, spring up instantly. If you do, the thought “I have to get up…”will not occur to you. Such a thought only comes when you don’t get up at once.

Ebook Link

Foreword

I. The Power of Prayer

01 Praying for the Fulfillment of Wishes

02 Going Beyond Reincarnation and Past Life

03 Heartfelt Prayer Free from Greed

04 In Search of a Path to Healing and Happiness

05 How to Cultivate the Mind

06 How to Control Anger

07 Keeping Your Mind and Body Humble

08 Reasons for Doing Daily Prayer

09 A Clear Understanding of Your Karma

10 The Sweet Temptation that Hinders Prayer – Majang

11 Be Dignified, Not Servile Be Humble, Not Arrogant

II. Prayer of a Practitioner

12 When Prayers Are Not Answered

13 When You Want to Be a Strong Support to Your Family

14 When It is Difficult to Repent

15 When Your Mind Does Not Become Earnest in Prayer

16 When Unsure About How to Meditate and Do Prostrations

17 When You Feel Too Lazy to Pray

18 When You Cannot Do Prostrations Because You Are Physically Unable

19 Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer

20 Merit of Sutra Copying in Buddhism

21 Praying for Family Members’Well-Being

III. One Hour of Happiness

22 Repentance Prayer for Jungto Practitioners

23 Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels

24 Words for Practice

25 Words for Repentance

IV. Letting Go

26 Being Awake to the Present and Recognizing Emptiness

27 Practice Diligently Like the Constant Dripping of Water That Wears Away the Stone

<기도 – 내려놓기> 영문판, <Prayer – Letting go>출간

누구나 행복할 가치가 있다.

정토회 지도법사이며 평화재단 이사장인 법륜스님은 최근 <기도-내려놓기>의 영문판 <Prayer _ Letting go>를 출간했다.

아직도 사람들은 이 종교 저 종교, 이 절 저 절 다니며 기도를 통한 영험을 찾아 헤맨다. 원하는 것이 성취되면 영험 있다거나 부처님의 가피를 입었다고 기뻐하고, 원하는 것이 이루어지지 않으면 낙담하고 원망한다. 그러나 법륜 스님은 복을 부르는 기도와 화를 부르는 기도를 설명한 뒤, ‘모두 성취되는 기도’, ‘어떤 상황에서도 행복해질 수 있는 방법’을 알려준다.

마음을 다스리고 행복을 설계하다
행복의 관점은 언어의 차이를 넘는다

불교를 비롯하여 모든 종교에서 기도하는 삶을 말한다. 하지만 실제는 어떠한가? 사람들은 흔히 기도를 통해 바라는 것을 이루면 행복해서 천국에 있는 듯하고, 이루어지지 않으면 고통스러워 지옥에 떨어진 듯한 반쪽짜리 기도를 하고 있다. 영어판 <Prayer>를 통하여 기도의 올바른 관점, 행복의 관점을 터득하는 또 하나의 재미!

To become liberated we must first rid ourselves of desire, which is the cause of both happiness and misery. We must change our belief,“ We will be happy only if we achieve what we have been yearning for.”

비굴하지 않고 당당하게, 교만하지 않고 겸손하게 살아가는 법

‘기도’는 모든 종교에서 저마다의 형식과 내용을 가지고 행해지고 있다. 하지만 기도는 또한 각 종교의 영역을 넘어선 보편적인 가치를 가진 주제이기도 하다. 법륜스님은 이 책에서 종교와 종파를 넘어서서 ‘기도’의 본질적 의미를 되찾고, 올바른 신앙관을 모색하고 있다.