Explore every episode of the podcast Ven.Pomnyun_Sunim's Dharma Talk

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at UBC (Oct. 3,2017)

🔹Question : Students, others may be asking themselves, “what kind of world are we living in?” after Sunday’s terrible massacre in Las Vegas. And there’s so much that are bombardedin the news these days with one massacre out of after another violence and hatred all over the world, and practice by all religions. Not just Christians and Muslims but Buddhists and Miamians in Sri Lanka and plus World War II in Japan. But there’s so much now that people are hearing they may really be disconcerted a great deal and wonder “what do I do about this?” There’s no hope. It’s so awful. I think Buddhism really addresses this partly in the concept of Samsara. So I wonder how you might explain to people how to keep going in a time that seems worse than others. Thank you.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at UBC (Oct. 3,2017)

🔹Question : There are so much negativity around us. How can we train our thoughts as individuals to become better people in society? Because it's so hard to come to a point of individual peace, having peace within yourself and peace of the surroundings around you. Is there a way that you can everyday train yourself to be at peace so that you are not stressed and angry at the world and people?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at AmericanUniversity (Sep. 27, 2017)

🔹Question : People who are privileged have a lot of work to do today, to be in solidarity with people who are marginalized. Do either love, duty, or selflessness best characterize the basis of the work that privileged people have to do today? So, none of those words are descriptive of the kind of solidarity work we need to do today?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from Casual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(November 7, 2021)

🔹Question : I’d like to ask Sunim’s view on the idea of building a Buddhist corporate model in different areas of the industry. So the background of this is, I’ve seen a lot of religion based companies around the world but rarely a Buddhist company. So one great example is Jainism companies in India. They have different companies in IT, media. Jains actually apply strict principles such as nonposession, nonattachment in their business and they utilize their company resources andtechnology to help numerous people. So I’ve been thinking that it’d be great for Buddhist practitioners to build a company that can sort of represent Buddhist values in the industry. So I was thinking it might not be possible to be like Junto Society where it’s like 100% pure but at least I thought that it might be able to implement some degrees. So to summarize I’d like to ask your view on the idea of a Buddhist company. If any Buddhist practitioner were to build such a company in the future, do you have any principles or guidelines you’d like to suggest?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Acceptance Speech - The 37th Niwano Peace Prize (Oct. 26, 2020)

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

 🔻 All Jungto Society’s social platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2022. 01. 23

🔹Question : Thank you for giving me this rare opportunity to ask a question in person, Sunim. I’m an Australian citizen who were born and completed most of the education in Korea.At the age around 30, I migrated over here in Sydney about 15 years ago. I have been through many of my personal challenges in terms of jobs, relationships and so forth, in this new territory. While going through this process, I got interested in raising my consciousness to perceive the things around myself more clearly. So, I can face the various challenges in my life with more positive attitudes and minimize the sufferings in the process. And by readingvarious books, I’ve been seeking advice from so called enlightened people for a while. And currently, I am focusing on a way to liberate myself from my ego. Recently, I came across a scholar who passed away a while ago. His name is David Hawkins. While reading one of books, he exemplified Mother Teresa as a person who demonstrated the unconditional love that have healed many people both in a physical and mental way. Then, I had to close the book right away after reading this part. The reason is that ever since I watched the documentarycalled “Hell’s Angel” which might have revealed hidden truths of her life and so called her legacy. I was quite shocked when I watched the documentary realizing that the fact that even the very common belief image about the people that we think we know well could be completely deceiving. I understand thatthere can’t be a perfect human but as a person who seeks the truth and right away to live life, even so called enlightened people, often obviously reproduce, common understanding of falsified images of the public figures. Then, what would be the good approach to weed out false or truth and seeks the rightinformation among the people who claim to be enlightened?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2023.09. 22

🔹Question : During COVID, during the time of loneliness your teachings have helped me a lot. So today I’m actually here as a volunteer to show you my gratitude, and I’d also like to extend my thank you for all the positive things you’ve done for the world. It’s very inspiring for me. My question is this. If I want to help those people who have very hard time trying to help themselves, how should I go about that? Here is my specific example. Where I currently live, there are a lot of homelesspeople, a lot of people who are suffering from drug addiction. During the time of COVID, I decided to help them out by prepare little bags with snacks in them, put them in the back of my car. And whenever I drive around and see them, I would give it to them. One day, I had a friend sitting in the same car who knew about the things that I did for these people. And she saw that I only had one bag left. There was a homeless person in front of us and she goes, “You have one bag left. That person obviously is a drug addict, so you probably should save that for somebody else.” When I first heard that, I thought thatwas a bit harsh. But when I went back home, and started really thinking about it, I thought to myself that her logic does make sense in a way because what if by giving our these goody bags, these people are not really pushing themselves toearn money, try to get a job, to try to get out of the addiction? Instead, ones they get money, since they already have food, maybe they’ll get drugs. So, I got into this whole thinking process and started catching myself, noticing myself that every time I’m running out of bags, I would see homeless people and don’t know how to detect if this person is addicted to drugs or not. Apparently, it shows on their face. I had a really hard time trying to make that decision everytime. So, my question is how should go about in situations like this.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2023.09. 12

🔹Question : What kind of work did you do when you were helping people in Asia?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’s social platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from Casual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(April 4, 2021)

🔹Question : On March 6th, a citizen mass shooting occurred at 3 spots in Atlanta, Georgia. And 8 people were killed, 6 of whom is Asian women. This is quite the racist and sexistnature of this crime. The police and government have not officially accepted it as a hate crime. Many of us are feeling grief with anger. As people of color, immigrants, and women, how can we process this anger and sadness? and how should we move forward?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’s social platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2022.1.23

🔹Question : The first question is about world political trend. Someone from the States has responded Ven. Pomnyun Sunim’s ideas about how to stay hopeful in view of the world’spolitical trend towards populist authoritarianism that seems to be threatening formal democracies in Poland, Hungary, Mexico, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Venezuela, Brazil, the Philippines, Cambodia, Nicaragua, and the US. The subscriber has asked how to stay hopeful in view of how the world’s political trend is towards populist authoritarianism. Sunim, how is your thought?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2024. 01.07

🔹Question : Hello and thank you, Sunim.  I’m currently takingthe Introduction to Buddhism II course. Here’s my question. I have a hard time dealing with suffering in the world. I get too emotional, and it takes days to get over the thoughts and sadness. I imagine the worst scenarios that I’m not even exposed to, and it’s quite tormenting. At some point, I decided to look the other way, and stopped even reading or listening to news, so I can be happy. As we’re learning about social justice in our class, I felt that as a practitioner, I should be more proactive. My question is, how can I actively engage in social justice while protecting myself from the torment? Thank you.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2022. 7. 17

🔹Question :  Hello, Sunim. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. I often see Sunim suggesting that we could look to nature to draw a more universally acceptable definition of justice. For example, you’ve said that because animals in the wild don’t take care of their parents once they mature, we shouldn’t be seen as evil even if we choose not to take care of our own parents. While I wholeheartedly agree that, at a fundamental level, your approach could be the most sustainable and peaceful approach. But when it comes to the specific examples you give, I can’t help but come up with a lot of counterexamples in my head. I feel everything that doesn’t defy the laws of physics happen in nature. So, it’s hard to see why we would pick out some aspects of it but not others. I have this situation where my heart accepts what you’re saying, but my head is coming up with a bunch of questions. So, I was hoping you could help me reconcile these differences.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’s social platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from Casual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim (October 10, 2021)

🔹Question :  My concern is I feel deeply annoyed andconcerned that people not taking the covid pandemic and climate change seriously. It's difficult for me to see people not wearing a mask or driving an SUV to kids' playgrounds. What can I do to counteract my annoyance, practice my patience and, at the same time, announce issues maybe make people more sensitive towards them?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at Jogyesa Temple, Seoul (June 14, 2019)

🔹Question :  I’m an artist. I’m working as a professionalballet dancer in Korea. I have a question related with art and creation. So I personally need to often detach from my emotions and feelings. So I need to do this quite often. I don’t know, just my emotions can get too wild somehow. And I feel that I have the need to sort of process like detaching of my own feelings in a way. But I feel when I do that, there is something very strongabout it like I can feel it not only inside of me, but they are around me too. But at the same time, as an artist, as a ballet dancer I feel that, also as a creator, I feel like if there is no attachment to feelings, I feel there is noreal creation. I feel that if I don’t really attach to emotions, to any emotion, there is no really something I can create inside of me. I would just make something which it could be like beauty, but you know, that depth, it comes from attachment to my emotions and feelings. So I would like to ask you if there is a way to do not detach these, so then I can avoid suffering in a very high level but at the same time to be able to bring creation. Thank you.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2018. 1. 16

🔹Question :  I play a sport here. I play baseball. I haveplayed baseball since I was three years old. Since that point, I have loved baseball. It has become a part of my identity. As I got older, got better at playing. It became a kind of physical meditation in a way that I could turn my mind off through playing the game. But then coming to college, I found that the stresses attached to baseball made it harder to separate my mind and my body while playing the sport. I still see some moments where that kind of freedom comes through in the game. But there are many more times when I feel I am more stressed about baseball. My question to you is, as I move forward and try to regain some of that freedom, some of that control over the game, and my relationship to it. Do you have any tools to redefine that outlook on the sport?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at Busan City Hall,Busan (June 15, 2019)

🔹Question :  Five months ago my boyfriend broke up with meand I was originally going to ask how do I get over my ex. And then I thought some more, I ask myself why am I not over him, and then I thought because I’m way too attached. Because maybe I don’t want to get over this guy, because of all the past memories and then I hope for more. Well he knows I still like him and he knows. He told me that he doesn’t like me but Ijust felt really pathetic. And we still maintain a close relationship even now. So thus I tried getting over him in many ways and I tried surrounding myself with lots of things including my friends and other guys and that obviously didn’twork. So I thought to myself, wow, I seriously do depend on other people.  So now I want to ask you how do I get less attached, and I know you said before that this is a habit and I’m pretty young.  So how do I break that habit and how do I become independent as in what I do and as in realize I don’t need a guy in my life for my needs and happiness? 

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at Busan City Hall,Busan (June 15, 2019)

🔹Question :  Thank you sir for receiving my question. Howcan someone manage grief or sadness if a family member marries and moves away to another country permanently? What can you do if you can’t see your daughter, your brother, your mother, or even your father for an extended lengthof time?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from Casual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(November 14, 2020)

🔹Question :  Hello Sunim! It’s an honour for me to havethis opportunity to ask you questions. There is a research saying, during this pandemic, TV watching and online streaming have increased. I think it is true because most of us are staying at home. So I would like to ask you from theBuddhist perspective, how we can encourage others and ourselves to overcome this addiction?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2024. 8. 11

🔹Question :  Personally, it’s my second time to meet withyou. So it’s nice meeting with you again, and thanks for coming all the way here to share your wisdom and advice. I would really appreciate your advice. I will share my story very briefly, my situation I’m faced with. I adopted two dogs from Korea that flew from Korea last year. One of them was found in a boxabandoned at a park in Korea. So he got easily scared. Last week, I went to a park for a walk with the dogs, and this poor dog got so scared by a bunch of kids running toward us and ran away. And I feel very stressed out. I’ve been searchingfor him for 9 days now. We did everything we can do, setting up food stations, surveillance cameras, and hired a professional tracker with a canine, a search dog and trapper, but still no sightings of this dog. Dogs are beloved familymembers. So I have two questions. I feel very stressed out and frustrated with the whole process. So how can I handle my emotions sufferings? I understand that my worries do not help, but still I’m worried about him, especially because Idon’t know where he is and whether he’s still alive. So the first question is about how to handle my emotions. And the second question is, I’m wondering whether even dogs have destiny connected to their owners. If there’s destiny, I’m wonderingwhether there is an end.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from Casual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(September 20, 2023) in Columbus, Ohio.

🔹Question :  How should parents guide their children to beindependent?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at Jogyesa Temple,Seoul (June 14, 2019)

🔹Question :  My question is about non-attachment and goalsin life. I have noticed that having goals in relationship or career can bring a lot of stress. For example, when I was applying to do my exchange in Korea, I was worried something might go wrong with my application and I had a lot of stress. And I learned that not being attached to things could bring happiness and less stress but I still think I still have to have some goals that I want to achieve in my life. So how would it be possible to combine these two things in my everyday life?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at Union TheologicalSeminary (Oct. 2, 2014)

🔹Question :  Few years ago, my brother was diagnosed with a mental illness. It's.... just really hard on my family. He's getting better now. As a sister I'm not sure what I can do to help him. I wanted to get your opinion. I try to encourage him but not sure that's helping.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from Casual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(September 9, 2023) in Seattle.

🔹Question :  I want to empty my mind and have no conflictin my mind. I tried to do that through meditation, but it didn't help. How can I empty my mind and maintain mindfulness?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at Google (Nov. 10,2014)

🔹Question :  You said that to be happy, we have to removeour greediness. It sounds very simple, but in practice, it's very difficult to remove our greediness. So can you suggest how we can practice in real life to remove our greediness?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism): https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at Union TheologicalSeminary (Oct. 2, 2014)

🔹Question :  I'm extreme opposites. I'm extremely happy,then extremly depressed. I'm extremely energetic then extremely tired. Even through the years, I noticed the trends.Last year, I just left the entire year. Now, my energy is coming back. The previous year before that, I was reallyenergetic. It's consatantly back and forth. I'm wondering if there's some kind of normality. Is it something I have to accept? Is there something I could practice like meditation to regulate it? that don’t know the ideas of Buddhism one facing an issue like an environmental crisis or global warming

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2023. 5. 7

🔹Question :  Thank you for taking my question. I heard thatif I managed to be ascetic and conserve sexual energy, I could be more healthy and productive or even experience transcendence. There is some Tantric Buddhism to pursue this state, but in reality, it seems difficult to do so. Or we don’tknow the true benefit of it, so we’re not motivated to do so. My boyfriend said that if he ejaculates, he loses lots of strength and energy. So, I hope he’ll learn how to be abstinent to conserve his energy. We are spiritual people, so we want to experience tantric state. Please give us advice on this, Thank you.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2020. 10. 10

🔹Question : I’ve been practicing daily for about three years now. It feels a little bit more like a habit or like a routine these days. Because I feel like my progress has kind of plateaued a bit. I’m just wondering if that is typical and what advice you may have.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’s social platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2022/4/3

🔹Question : Our desire to do better than this, is it wrong? Because Sunim said to me that I have some desire to do better is wrong. So is it wrong?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from Casual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(June 5, 2022)

🔹Question : In the Jungto Dharma School course, we learn that all beings and phenomena are impermanent. Is the phenomena or the states of enlightenment and nirvana permanent or impermanent?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2020. 3. 10.

🔹Question : I feel as aforeigner in Jungto, for being a foreigner, access to resources is more limited than at least somebody who speaks Korean well. So really my question is as a foreigner who doesn’t have easy access to checking in with the Dhamma teacher asking Dhamma teacher questions, or going to Korea and going to retreats there, how can I make sure that in my practice that I’m going down the right path?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’s social platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2023. 9. 9.

🔹Question : What is a teaching from your teachers or the scriptures that you’ve come back to again and again throughout your life more than others?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2023. 1. 15

🔹Question : Thank you so much Sunim for Dharma School, and for Jungto volunteers. I’m very happy to have another opportunity to ask you a question. Because of our karma and the practice of repentance often requiring further practice and repeated effort until new habits are gained. Can you please speak to the harm that comes to others, as we are gaining the new habits and the insight? What do you recommend when someone tells us that they don’t want to hear any more apologies, or similarly for us, what do you recommend that a person does when we don’t want to hear any more apologies from someone else after being hurt repeatedly? Especially, when it is family members, it’s hard to get distance from.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2022.2.20

🔹Question : Thank you for being with us today, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim. I’m having problems bowing 108 times for the 1000-Day Practice. I have trouble standing back up our of the bow. But more importantly after 108 bows, my legs shake for hours afterward, which has made it dangerous to help my friend transfer from his wheelchair, which usually happens half an hour after I end practice. Sunim, what do you suggest? Can I modify bows? Maybe not stand all the way up or possibly just visualize bows during practice? Thank you.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’s social platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2023. 9. 9

🔹Question : I have a question about inner life. I’m relatively new to Dharma. We talk about letting go of myself and recognizing our oneness with everyone, even with those that I may contend with. Recently I have difficulty doing that, and I heard of the idea that if I didn’t recognize my own agency or free will, I might let go of myself more easily. But I don’t find that’s helping. I’m wondering about your experience. How do you let go of yourself? How do you recognize thoroughly your unity with everyone? What does that feel like for you internally?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session in UCLA (Nov. 16,2014)

🔹Question :  My question is how do you plan for the futurewhile living in the moment? Because I know you’re teaching that when you’re living in the moment, you don’t think about the past or the future. I’m just wondering how do you plan yourself.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session in UCLA (Nov. 16,2014)

🔹Question : Regarding the belief that thoughts become things and that our subconscious mind controls 95%of our actions, how does one go about cleansing our thoughts and really being able to take out the negative patterns that we may have in terms of our thought progresses to essentially manifest positive outcomes? And second part to that question. As far as being able to quiet the mind, when it comes to society so much addicted to caffeine to wake up in the morning, pills to go sleep at night, how does one quiet the mind? Specific exercises? Be it meditation or reading to really get a good rest?

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2021. 07. 12

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

This video clip is a part of the Dharma talk given to JungtoPractitioners at the 1000-Day Practice Opening Ceremony in 2021 from South Korea. Ven. Pomnyun Sunim explains how to apply the Middle Way in practice.

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from Casual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(August 15, 2021)

🔹Question :  I have been practicing for about seven years.Not very long. The practices are beautiful. But I am a mom, I have two very small children, a husband, a household to run, and work commitments outside the household. I find those things, all those worldly things, very time-consuming. It leaves me little time to do spiritual practice formerly on my meditation cushion and it upsets me. I feel quite anxious that I don’t get consistent time to do that. The anxiety is now habitual and it affects my sleep. I feel that death is coming, it is there in the background, but I’m not getting enough time to practice. And it worries me. I ask for your advice. Thank you.

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2023.12.5

🔹Question :  Thank you very much. It’s a pleasure to hearfrom you and take our questions. My question is, for someone that is beginning this new way of seeing things with the Dharma talks, the lessons, and the activities, what advice you would give to somebody who’s getting a lot our of this but wants to continues after the classes are over. What can I do topractice them in everyday life?

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from Casual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim 2023.09. 20

🔹Question :  I believe my understanding of mindfulness isvery limited, and I was hoping that your comments on my question could help with that. I wonder how the practice of mindfulness works for people with dementia, brain injury, or some other neurological disorder which limits memory andcognitive functions.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from Casual Conversation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(August 7, 2021)

🔹Question :  I’ve been a follower for a while now. My question is when I first started your recommendation to do daily 108-prostration practice 14 years ago, I was just going through a very difficult period in my life and was practicing the daily 108-prostrations just to kind of keep my sanity. There were times I didn’t want to do it but I knew if I didn’t do it, I would be haunted by flashbacks and nightmares that made it difficult to sleep so I was actually diligent with my practice for about a 5year period or so. But then fast forward to now life has become more comfortable, I admit that I’m not even practicing at all anymore. I try practicing from time to time but then I’ll make up excuses or reasons not to do it. I also keep thinking that I don’t need to practice anymore. Or will findmyself running out of time in the day to do it. Yeah I admit that I became what the Greeks kind of call as a lotus eater. In my head I know that this behavior could potentially lead to disaster but it’s kind of like a difficult behavior to shake off. And just asking what are the next steps from this point to sortof get out of this louts eater situation.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session 2023, 7, 18

🔹Question :  Hello, Sunim, It’s my honor to have thisopportunity again to ask a question today. Last time I asked about a question regarding Mother Teresa, I realized how dumb the question was, and I could be more open to different perspectives now. I have been through my personal issues realizing that it is true that nothing is permanent, and it’s really necessary to have correct mindframe to comprehend the things around myself. Today’s question is a bit conceptual. I think it’s somewhat related to your teaching just before. I hope I won’t be scolded by Sunim with another stupid question today. I have been watching my thoughts as part of the efforts to understand myself more and find a way to more happiness. Recently, I have read about an idea that anythingarises in my life is simply the reflection of my mind projected to everything and every person I encounter in my life. I could understand this concept in theory, but I am struggling to accept by heart. I can’t really comprehend the idea that the injustice or selfishness that I see from people couldn’t be justa simple reflection of myself. I thought to myself that it’s not fair to say that I’m responsible for everything that’s happening around myself. I want to hear about Sunim’s advice on this perspective. If I understood it correctly first, and if this is true, then how do I have to embrace this idea to make mylife better?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session 2022, 7, 17

🔹Question :  Hi, Sunim. Thank you so much for letting mecome and ask a question. I was very lucky to ask a couple talks ago, and I learned a lot. And I have more questions. So I am ready to make changes in my life with my job and maybe even where I live so that I can focus on working on the climate crisis. But I also have two children who are 13 and 15 years old. They’re very attached to their home, their friends, and their school. And in order for me to change my focus, I think we would need to move from where we live because where we live is very expensive. So I’m trying to think about what makes sense here, and I feel a little stuck balancing what they need and want and this very short 3 to 5 year timeline that we have. I would love to know your thoughts.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at PrincetonUniversity on October 1, 2014

🔹Question :  I would like to hear you speak more about yourwork with environmentalism and how you think that Buddhist teachings might be really valuable for Western societies that don’t know the ideas of Buddhism one facing an issue like an environmental crisis or global warming

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2023. 7. 16

🔹Question : Hi, Sunim. Thank you for the opportunity to ask you a question. Japan will soon begin releasing treated radioactive water into the ocean 12 years after the nuclear meltdown from the Fukushima nuclear power plants damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. From the environment concerns and the fear about food safety, I’vebeen feeling angry against the Japanese government and frustration at the Korean government’s lack of action to protect its own people. So many thoughts and emotions occur to me when it comes to this issue. What would be the Buddhist approach to reviewing and addressing these issues? How can I apply the Middle Way in this situation?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

🔻 All Jungto Society’ssocial platforms: http://linktr.ee/jungtoint 

🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

Selection from a Dharma Q&A session at George WashingtonUniversity (Oct. 8, 2014)

🔹Question : I worry about injustice, climate change, corruption, lack of democracy. What is in your opinionthe best, buddhist way to seek political change quickly? How do you feel about civil disobedience? Do you recommend that we do that? Do you feel that we’re in a serious threat over these political issues that we have? I’m wondering what yourtake is on that.

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2022.07.08

🔹Question :  I’m a healthcare worker. It’s been almost 3 years plus 5-6 months of the pandemic. It’s not going away, and there’s another spike. I can’t speak for other people, butat least those around me who are healthcare workers, are getting burned out if not burned out already. There was a record retirements among colleagues. The workload is not any less. The patients are angrier and more anxious, and so are we. And I do everything, like work out, eat, sleep, meditate, but the burnout is real. I’m trying to figure out how to deal with that because I love what I do. I want to be able to be resilient in it and still do a decent job so far. I am usually the one who tries to cheer other people up, but it’s very hard with COVID and any related outcome from it. So, what advice can you give someone like me, who works in healthcare or maybe even teachers or others? I think COVID has changed our lives. As a healthcare professional, it’s very hard for me to think, “Untilwhen can I work? Am I looking at retirement?” A lot of times, we start thinking of escaping.

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2022/6/19

🔹Question :  Hello, Sunim. It’s very nice to meet you. With climate change and the few years we have left to avert worldwide disaster, just as the Buddhist monks fought forKorean liberation from the Japanese occupation, what can we do as practitioners to help liberate all beings from the impending climate disaster? Many people in the modern information age do jobs that are not focused on solving the climate crisis. Do we need to rethink how we spend our lives, our time and our resources before it it too late to change the course of the climate emergency?

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🔹Ven Pomnyun’s Dharma Q&A

2023.9.22

🔹Question :  I have a question to ask. My beloved family member passed away. I know it sounds impossible, but can I meet them after death? If so, how and when? Also do lovedones wait for you before being reincarnated?

🔻Jungto Dharma School(Introduction to Buddhism):https://www.jungtosociety.org/jungto-dharma-school-online-course/ 

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