

When the Japanese occupied Korea in 1910, they viewed the Korean Buddhist sangha as a potential source of resistance. For this reason, the colonial government tried to destroy the cohesiveness of the ancient Korean monastic community by forcing monks and nuns to adopt Japanese forms, including the renunciation of celibacy, and the eating of meat and drinking of alcohol. Only married "monks" were permitted to serve as temple abbots.

Only one senior monk refused the Japanese demand - Zen Master Man Gong of Sudoksa temple. Because of his stature, the Japanese could not touch him and Man Gong Sunim maintained a traditional monastic community of 600 meditation monks and nuns throughout the occupation. When the Japanese surrendered the Korean peninsula at the end of World War II, Man Gong Sunim's community provided the basis on which Korean Buddhism was rebuilt. He was Zen Master Seung Sahn's grand-teacher.

A couple of years ago, the Kwan Um School of Zen published the first English translation of this famous master's aphorisms: The Teachings of Zen Master Man Gong. This week, Ox Herding will explore a few of these teachings.

Given Man Gong Sunim's life story, you might appreciate this short teaching:

A stormy life is necessary both before and after enlightenment.

This is not the "good news" that one expects from a spiritual master. Really, don't we expect that things will settle down after enlightenment? Why is it necessary for life to continue on its stormy path? I view this short sentence as a simple, yet profound caution against the many fantasies we bring to practice.