Gwan

Practicing Gwan is looking inward, not looking outward, and looking with the mind, not with
the eyes.

Looking within oneself means having realized the root of all problems exists within oneself.

Practicing Gwan is believing that the place of one's true master, the foundation of permanent
life, exists within oneself, and that only Juingong can solve all of one's problems.

Practicing Gwan is focusing one's mind on the fundamental place.

In order to let go of everything to the place of true master, one's mind should be focused on
that place.

Practicing Gwan is considering that everything is not separate from oneself,

and wishing to become one by embracing everything.

To be able to become one with everything, one should be void of a mind that distinguishes.

To have a mind that does not distinguish, one must die.

Returning everything to Juingong is killing "I."

The universe came into existence because "I" was born in the world,

Because of "me," every problem occurs.

If only "I" can die, everything will subside.

Practicing Gwan is killing "I" and swallowing the entire universe.

If one can vomit all one has swallowed,

there is nothing to entrust and also there is no one that practices Gwan.

That is the very stage of Nirvana, the complete freedom.

Practicing Gwan Is Observing in the Right Way and Letting Go in the Right Way

Through Juingong, one's true self, one can realize that one is not separate from Juingong and

thereby break the vicious cycle of causality. In other words, if one believes in Juingong and

becomes one with it, one can erase one’s karma to lead a life that is free from fate. If you want

to solve your problems and discover your own intrinsic nature, you have to let go directly to

one place. That one place is Juingong. Thus, liking and disliking, experiencing joy and sorrow,

blaming and praising must all be entrusted to Juingong. This is gwan, the essence of practice.

The term "gwan" has the following literal meanings: to observe, to comprehend, and to

contemplate. The right observation is necessary for practice. We should observe the truth of

ourselves, as well as all things, from an unbiased perspective. Since we have to know

ourselves to be able to know others and the universe, we have to direct our gaze inwardly

rather than toward the world. We all originate from Mind; thus, we must come to know the

foundation of Mind. Then, we have to perceive precisely what hinders our minds and what

causes us suffering.

To be able to observe precisely, we have to "let go” and to be able to let go effectively, we

have to believe in Juingong. The place that you observe is the place of Juingong, and it is also

the place to which you let go. Entrusting everything to Juingong means believing in Juingong.

When we practice gwan, we focus our minds and then release everything to the place of

Juingong. Unless we release to Juingong what we are holding on to, we will not be able to

focus with a peaceful state of mind. Gwan also means peacefully and yet wholeheartedly,

observing that one place where our thoughts originate from and dissolve into, the place of

Juingong.

Practicing gwan, unconditionally letting go of everything that comes your way, is the
beginning and the end of Maum-Kongbu, the process of mind cultivation. However, not many

people practice gwan in the right way since they do not know how to let go correctly. While

thinking that they are letting go, they often keep holding on instead. This is either because of

the tendency to avoid releasing what they are holding on to or because they don't fully believe

in Juingong. They can survive only if they release what they are holding on to.

However, many people aren't able to do this; therefore, they are bound to live a life of

suffering. This is a deplorable situation-akin to one holding a hot potato in one's hand while

frantically exclaiming, "What should I do?" Everything would be fine if only one would put the

hot potato down, but instead one weeps and calls out while holding even more tightly. Not only

will one burn one's hand, one won’t be able to eat the potato either. This is the life of human

beings. One only focuses on the pain one is feeling because the potato is hot. One doesn't

understand that the potato becomes food when it cools down.

One should realize that even a disaster might become a blessing if one knows how to turn

things around.

There Is Nothing You Cannot Accomplish with Practice

Among new practitioners of Maum-Kongbu, many ask questions, such as where Juingong

is or how one can let go.

Since Juingong doesn't have a form, it is not possible to say where it exists. What is clear

is that it undeniably exists within Mind and it exists as one with the wholehearted mind that

believes and longs for Juingong. If we think of Juingong as being deep mind, we can visualize

throwing everything into it while focusing one's mind on that place. One should remember that
there is more virtuous merit in entrusting to Juingong once than in praying to Buddha hundreds

of times.

Even if one knows by heart all the instructions for shooting a basketball into a hoop, it is

unlikely that one will successfully make the basket on one's first try. One has to practice

shooting to be able to get the knack of making a basket. Any outstanding basketball player has

acquired his or her skill through much practice. Also, when one practices shooting, one will not

acquire the right skill if one just shoots in the air rather than aiming at a hoop. Likewise, one

should imagine that Juingong exists deep within one's heart, and practice throwing everything

into that hole that is not a hole. One will gradually learn how to let go through practice. As one

practices Maum-Kongbu, one will notice that the strength within one grows. One can transform

love into a broader, deeper love. One can even turn hatred into love.

All that we experience has been generated from that hole that is not a hole, Juingong. If

one spontaneously continues entrusting everything to that hole, a time will come when there is

nothing that one needs to entrust. Then from that hole, a new awareness will suddenly dawn;

wisdom and the fountain of life originate from there. Profound love, immense enough to

embrace the entire universe, also originates from there. If one comprehends the workings of

Mind, one will understand that all living beings in the world are not separate from oneself.

Profound love is having nothing particular to love or hate. Since all lives are one with each

other, there is nothing to give to or take away from; we live together as one body, giving benefit

to one another and functioning harmoniously as a whole.

The essence of practicing gwan is to entrust everything to Juingong with the firm belief that

only Juingong can solve one's problems, including those that one faces in everyday life, and

can awaken one from the delusions that originate within. Also, practicing gwan means taming
one's mind, which is being dragged outwardly, by directing it inwardly. Directing one's mind

inwardly means being one with Juingong and, at the same time, killing one's sense of ego. The

most important matter is that one's mind should not be dragged outwardly. No matter what kind

of problem one faces, only when one brings the problem into one's mind and looks at it through

the foundation of Mind, can one perceive the problem clearly without any bias. To drag one's

mind outwardly separates one from others; to direct one's mind inwardly is the way to become

one with everything. Even while worshipping Buddha, one has to venerate Buddha within one's

mind, and one has to bow to that place where Buddha and I are not separate.

If One Can Use a Sharp-edged Object in the Same Way as a

Round One, Then One Can Be a Free Person

As a new practitioner, one might wonder if one is practicing in the right way. Even that

sort of questioning has to be entrusted to Juingong since it is Juingong that makes one let

go in the correct way. Think carefully about the meaning of the words, "One should let go of

everything to that One Place. "What would not be included in "everything"? Let go to

Juingong of all thoughts, all actions, and all emotions that originate from the mind. Before

you say anything or take any action, first go to that place of Juingong. Afterwards, sharp

edges become rounded, and one will discover the compassionate nature of one's mind. Not

only will one's own mind become more compassionate, but so also will the minds of others;

this is why the practice of Gwan is indeed a mysterious Dharma.

Observing the place within from an impartial mind, with an empty mind, and without even

the thought of observing, is gwan. The impartial mind is one that regards everything as one,

embraces everything, and doesn't favor either side; the empty mind is one that has let go of
everything. A round mind can be one with the universe as well as with all lives. A round mind

can use sharp objects in the same way as it does round ones, and there is nothing for it to

discard: this is called the mind of compassion.

When one knows how to make one's mind round, one is able to use it compassionately and

to experience oneness through it with others. A round mind can become an infinitesimal point,

and it can also become boundlessly immense. Practicing gwan makes one's mind rounded,

and attaining a round mind allows one to practice gwan in the right way. The mind of

compassion is also attained through gwan. As long as one has a mind of compassion, there is

nothing one cannot melt away, and there is nothing that is impossible to accomplish. Therefore,

with gwan, there is nothing that is unattainable; there is nothing that is separate from oneself.

Buddha is not separate from oneself, nor is he separate from a tiny insect or plant.