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20 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

Sometimes, I would consult others to
Love for
seek advice. I also pray to Buddha and
Bodhisattvas, for the strength and wisdom
to carry on, and the guidance and insights
Imperfect Things
in navigating through these challenges. The
compassion and wisdom of the Buddha
By Venerable Haemin Sunim
and Bodhisattva are so profound that even
the sincere recitation of their names can
strengthen faith and foster a calm mind in
the face of adversity. When we take refuge
in the Triple Gem as beginners, we rely on
them for guidance and support, but through
relentless practices, we gradually become
more confident and independent, realizing
the inherent Triple Gem within us, and they
are actually ‘one’ and complete.

How do you manage your practice with
your tight schedule?

All these are built upon having strong
confidence in the Triple Gem. I am always
grateful for this human life, the opportunity
to learn and practice the Dharma, and the
privilege of ordination. I hope to provide
Born in South Korea and educated
similar opportunities and conditions for
at Berkeley, Harvard, and
others to learn and practise the Dhamma.
Princeton, Venerable Haemin
It is like a seed-sowing process. We are
received formal monastic
doing it without expecting any return.
training from Haein monastery,
Do it mindfully, finish it and then let go.
in South Korea. He taught Asian
It is fulfilling and joyful to see some of
religions at Hampshire College in
the students serving their local Buddhist
Massachusetts for seven years.
associations and bringing Dharma into their

families. Nonetheless, it is also important
to look after our body and mind. Through He is one of the most influential
the practice of meditation, we can sense Zen monks in the world. His first
and notice minute changes in the body and book, The Things You Can See
mind. All the classes and events require Only When You Slow Down has
scheduling and planning, especially when been translated into more than 35 languages and sold over
time is limited, but we can approach the four million copies.
tasks one at a time, with consistent effort

and patience, without rushing for the sake
His second book, Love for Imperfect Things was the number
of completion. All these seem to help in the one bestseller of 2016 in South Korea and became available
journey over the years. EH
in multiple languages in 2019. Haemin resides in Seoul
when not traveling to share his teachings.