Jess Row

Chogye International Zen Center

The Mirror of Zen Study Guide

The Mirror of Zen (Songagwigam) is a uniquely important text for Kwan Um School of Zen students. It’s
one of the fundamental texts of the Korean Zen tradition, and the source of some of Zen Master Seung
Sahn’s most famous teaching phrases and concepts. Korean Zen, much more so than Japanese or Chinese
Zen, is a syncretic tradition that embraces scriptural study, chanting (including Pure Land chanting), the
use of mantras, and other practices. Korean Zen also has a distinctive approach to the use of kong-ans.
The Mirror of Zen condenses many centuries of debate and doctrinal dispute into a kind of “mission
statement” for Korean Zen that is respected and embraced by many different traditions.

The author, Hyujeong Sunim, also known as Sosan Daesa (or Seosan Daesa, or So Sahn Taesa), lived
from 1520-1604 in the Choson Dynasty, a time of state repression of Buddhism under a conservative
Confucian government. He’s credited for restoring the legitimacy of Buddhism in Korea by organizing an
army of monks to defend the country from a Japanese invasion, and is considered a folk hero in Korea.

The Mirror of Zen, like most premodern Korean Buddhist texts, was written in classical or literary
Chinese, which was the prestige language of the time, in the same way that Latin was the prestige
language used by scholars and clerics in Europe until the 18th century. In Chinese, its language and
structure echo foundational Zen texts from the Song dynasty, like the Gateless Gate. Hyon Gak Sunim
translated a version in modern Korean by the great monk Boep Jong Sunim. While Hyon Gak’s version is
excellent, he does stray at times from the original text. I’ve retranslated some sections to clarify the
meaning as I see it.

While the whole text is important, this study guide focuses on the sections most significant for Kwan Um
students: Sosan’s general principles or understanding of Buddhism, and his specific instructions for
practicing Zen. I’ve listed the most important sections in order below. At the end of this guide is a
thematic breakdown of the whole text as Hyon Gak translated it.

Notes on language

Instead of using the familiar Zen term “patriarchs” to translate the word 祖, I have used “founders,”
recognizing that not all of the ancestral teachers of Zen were men. There are a variety of acceptable
translations, including “ancestors,” “origin,” “deceased members of ones family,” “spiritual forebears.” I
have also avoided using “he” pronouns when Sosan refers to “people” or “one who does ___” (gendered
pronouns or nouns for people are rarely used in classical Chinese and never in this text).

One: Fundamental principles of the Way

1.

There is only one thing. From the beginning until now, it remains vivid and luminous, unborn and without
end. It has no form and no name.

2.

The Buddha and the founders of Zen appeared in this world like waves on a windless ocean.

3.

The Dharma has many shades of meaning, and people have varying abilities [to understand it]. This does
not obstruct/alter the importance of using whatever provisional systems are useful for teaching it
[including sutras, commentaries, kong-ans, etc]

4.

[Many of us have a tendency to] get strongly attached to names and terms, like “mind,” “Buddha,” “all
sentient beings.” Don’t depend on these names as a way of deepening your understanding. The essence is
just like this. If your mind moves, that’s already a mistake.

7.

I have one thing to say:

All beings exist in the unborn, yet they think of themselves as existing [in the realm of] “birth,” “death,”
and “Nirvana.” It’s as if they see flowers appearing in the empty sky.

36.

Bodhisattvas save sentient beings by leading them to Nirvana. Yet in reality there are no sentient beings
and no Nirvana to lead them to.

42.

Pure and unobstructed wisdom, with no hindrance, comes from meditation practice.

43.

During meditation, your mind is able to see how all things arise and disappear in the phenomenal world.

44.

If you let no thoughts appear in response to objects of your perception, this is called the unborn. The
unborn can also be thought of as “without thinking” or “without attachments.”

45.

It’s a mistake to think that our way of practicing is intended to help us extinguish our attachments and
karma (i.e. attain Nirvana). Our dharma teaches that the mind is originally clear and still, free of all such
attachments. This is why we say, “all dharmas are already marked by extinction.”

49.

Keep your original true mind—that is the most important practice.

58.

The Buddha said, “Everything in this impermanent world is burning, and every sentient being in the four
directions is engulfed in flames of suffering and bitterness. Eventually the afflictions we suffer as human
beings will rob us of our lives.” People of the Way: pay close attention! Practice as if your own head is on
fire!
Two: The meaning and practice of Zen

5.

The three instances of the Buddha’s mind-to-mind transmission are the essence of Zen. The passing of the
Buddha’s spoken teaching from one generation to the next represents the way of the scriptures [i.e. the use
of sutras, commentaries, etc] Therefore it can be said that Zen represents the Buddha’s mind, and the
scriptures represent the Buddha’s speech.

Note: So San uses the phrase 教門, literally “teaching gate,” to refer to the scriptural or scholastic schools of
Buddhism and the texts they use. I have chosen to use the term “the way of the scriptures” to avoid confusion, since
in English “teaching” can also refer to Zen teaching. (Even in Chinese the term is vague and potentially confusing,
since So San is referring to a wide variety of non-Zen schools and practices.)

6.

If you depend on the mouth [depend on words and speech], you will see “Buddha holds up a flower and
Mahakasyapa smiles” as another kind of sutra-teaching. If you depend only on your mind, the everyday
chatter of the world of common dust will become clear to you as the transmission outside the sutras.

9.

In all the sutras expounded by the Buddha, he first differentiates between all the different kinds of
dharmas, and then later explains the concept of sunyata. The Zen tradition of the founders [patriarchs]
offers a different teaching: once all traces of thought have ceased to appear in the mind, the principle [of
emptiness] appears in [as] original mind.

10.

The Buddha’s speech is a bow; the speech of the founders is the bow’s string. The Buddha’s speech
represents the one taste of the limitless dharma[s]. When you get rid of the last vestiges of this one taste,
you will witness the founders’ teaching: one mind. Then [Joju’s saying] “The cypress tree in front of the
courtyard” becomes as limitless as the treasure-store of a dragon.

11.
Therefore students should beginning by correctly distinguishing two principles: that which is unchanging,
and that which changes according to conditions. In other words: the first is your mind, and the second is
the way your nature responds to the shifting conditions of the world around you. The two gates of sudden
enlightenment and gradual cultivation represent the beginning and end [of a lifetime of practice.] At a
certain point, it is necessary to put down the scriptural teachings and meticulously cultivate your own
moment-to-moment mind. This is the way of true attainment, the living path of liberation.

12.

It’s of the utmost importance that Zen students learn to use living words, not dead words.

Note: The phrase “living word” 活句 is sometimes used to describe Zen Master Seung Sahn’s particular and
iconoclastic Korean Zen tradition, as inherited from Kyong Ho, Man Gong and Ko Bong. As I understand it (not
very well) the “living word” approach to kong-ans has to do with an open and flexible approach that adapts a wide
variety of kong-ans to everyday life; ZMSS himself (in The Compass of Zen and elsewhere) offers a critique of the
more orthodox Korean Chogye-style approach to kong-ans, which involves long years of working on a single case in
monastic isolation. (To gain a sense of how this approach works, read Robert Buswell’s description of working with
Kusan Sunim on Joju’s Mu in The Zen Monastic Tradition.) However, it’s not clear to me what kind of sectarian
statement (if any) Sosan intends in this section. The phrase itself, and the contrast between “living” and “dead”
words, goes back to the the earliest records of published Zen dialogues from the Song dynasty. In the Fenyang Yulu,
the collected sayings of Zen Master Fenyang, there is this brief exchange on the subject:

A student asked, “What is a living word?” Fenyang answered, “Looking up in tears at a bright blue sky—that is the
same as a dead word.”

13.

The purpose of practicing with kong-ans is to cut through your thinking, like a cat hunting a mouse, like
someone hungry thinking of food, like a child who wants its mother. If you pursue that way of practicing,
you will pass through them all.

14.

There are three essential aspects of Zen practice. One is to have Great Faith. The second is to have Great
Courage. The third is to have Great Doubt. If one of these is missing, practice is like a tripod cooking
vessel missing one of its legs—utterly useless.

15.
In the midst of your daily life, and whatever happens to you, only raise your kong-an in your mind: “Does
a dog have Buddha nature”? Ideas come and go; doubts come and go. [As you practice] you will feel
there’s no way out—logic doesn’t help, reasoning doesn’t help, you even lose your sense of taste and feel
stuffy and fenced-in. This is the moment where you let go of your body and your life and enter the
original way of the Buddhas and the founders [patriarchs].

16.

When you practice with the hwadu, the point is not to arrive at some kind of correct answer or agreement;
you don’t reason with the hwadu or make guesses. Don’t sit around waiting for enlightenment to happen.
When you stop reasoning with the hwadu, your mind won’t be able to function as it normally does. Like a
rat trapped in an ox horn, it will be totally cut off from escape. There are three kinds of delusion you have
to avoid: calculating and making strategies; following the transience of life and death; being fearful and
confused. [You will see that] in ordinary life, most people don’t even realize these delusions are a
sickness. They remain engrossed in them, running this way and that.

18.

The best way to practice is like tuning strings [on a stringed instrument]. You have to find the right sound:
not too tight, not too loose. If you’re too rigid, you will tend to get obsessed with every little thing. If
you’re neglectful, you’ll just fall into ignorance. When you feel anxious, meet that feeling with clarity. If
you feel lost, just relax and keep going.

21.

If you practice in a consistent way, even if you don’t reach full realization in your lifetime, negative
karma will have no power over you at your moment of death.

22.

Students of Zen should always be mindful of their four obligations, and of the four elements of this
impermanent body, which is subject to old age, sickness, and death. Recognize that every breath you take
could be your last. In this life, you have encountered the teachings of the Buddhas and the founders of
Zen; you have the rare good luck to be able to practice these teachings. Don’t neglect your seat in the
meditation hall. Don’t waste your time idly chatting with others. Don’t get into useless arguments. Keep
your hwadu clearly in mind at all times of day, even when you encounter others. Whatever you see or hear
in daily life, no matter what thoughts pass through your mind—maintain your practice even then. Reflect
that you are following the lead of the Buddhas and the founders. Your choices in this life will decide
whether the great wisdom of the Buddhadharma passes to the next generation. Even as you sit in comfort,
remember the suffering of those in the hell realms. This body and this life is your opportunity to free
yourself from samsara. Even as the eight winds blow, keep a not-moving mind. These are the essential
points every student of Zen must carefully consider at all times. As one of the ancients said: “If I can not
be liberated in this body, in this lifetime, then when can I ever be liberated?”

Note: The “four obligations” or “four gratitudes” have several different definitions, which include 1) to
your parents, 2) to the sangha, 3) to all sentient beings, 4) to the Three Jewels, 5) to the rulers of your
country or the country itself, 6) to your teachers or the Buddhas and founders in general, 7) to patrons or
others who support your practice or your school. The “four elements” are earth, air, fire, and water. The
“eight winds” are also known as the “eight afflictions”: 1) profit, 2) loss, 3) defamation, 4) longing for
what is not present, 5) flattery, 6) ridicule or slander, 7) pain, 8) pleasure.

24.

If you want to overcome life and death, attain this one thought and then break it into smithereens. Then
you will have truly attained life and death!

25.

And once you have broken this thought into smithereens—even then you must find an enlightened teacher
who can decide once and for all if you have grasped the true eye of the dharma.

85.

A great practitioner sees the Buddhas and the founders as dangerous opponents. They know that if they
are constantly seeking the wisdom of the Buddha and the founders, putting faith in them, depending on
them, then that attachment will be an obstacle. Any kind of attachment is a cause of suffering. Let go of
your attachments, and you will realize how much better it is to do nothing at all!

Three: Mantras, chanting, and studying scriptures

50.
On mantras: your practice may help you address your present karma, but your past karma is harder to
remove. It requires the spiritual power [of using mantras].

52.

There’s a difference between reciting with your lips and chanting with your whole mind and heart. Merely
reciting the Buddha’s name does nothing to help you along the Way.

Note: Be sure to read the entire commentary to section 52—this is the core of Sosan’s teaching on the
unity of Zen practice and Amitabul/Pure Land practice.

54.

If you study the scriptures without keeping up rigorous practice, you could read the entire canon and still
not achieve any benefit for yourself or others.

Four: Buddhist ethics and right conduct

38.

Misusing sexual feelings while practicing Zen is like steaming sand to make rice. Being involved in
murderous behavior or violence while practicing Zen is like plugging your ears and shouting at the same
time. Practicing Zen while tolerating theft and greed is like expecting a leaky cup to fill to the brim.
Deceiving yourself and others while practicing zen is like carving a dried turd to look like incense.
Remember: even the wisest person can fall into Mara’s realm.

Note: This list, based on the five precepts, uses single characters to refer to killing, theft, lying, and sexual
misconduct, without elaborating on what Sosan has in mind. This is a case where a translator could simply follow
the pattern of the original sentences, in which case the first sentence would read, “Embracing perversion while
practicing Zen is like…” and so on. This brings up a fundamental (and complex) question about how Buddhist
ethics, as defined in premodern India, Song dynasty China, or 17th century Korea, should be rephrased for
contemporary practitioners.

46.

When a poor person appears before you, give them as much as you can according to your abilities. Reflect
that you and the person in front of you share the same fundamental nature, and manifest compassion for
them. This is the true meaning of dana.

47.
When someone has done you harm, focus on your quality of mind at that moment. If you allow rage and
thoughts of revenge to overtake your mind, you will create enormous obstacles for yourself.

59.

If you constantly crave fame and attention, praise, credit, personal profit—the transitory and insubstantial
benefits of “making a name for yourself” in this world—your negative karma will only increase.

69.

When you have hurt someone or made a mistake, apologize immediately. Be mindful of the fact that you
have caused negative karma to arise, and take full responsibility for your actions; that is the best use of
your energy. Promise that you will correct your behavior and follow through; that way you will cause this
negative karma to dissipate.

Notes on the structure of The Mirror of Zen

The thematic order of the statements in The Mirror of Zen can often seem a little confusing, because they
veer from topic to topic with a certain amount of repetition or re-statement at different points in the text.
To assist in locating sections that speak to certain central themes, I’ve classified the text into the following
categories:

Fundamental principles of the Way

1-4, 7, 35, 36, 42-45, 49, 58, 68, 70, 71, 86

The difference between Zen and scriptural study or other schools

5, 6, 8-11, 23, 72

Specific statements about So San’s Way of Zen

Buddhist ethics, proper conduct, and understanding karma

26-28, 33, 38-41, 46-48, 59, 69, 73, 74

The correct approach to mantras, chanting, scriptural study

50-56

Reflections on monastic life and vows

57, 60-67

Untranslated material: For reasons not clear to me, the Hyon Gak translation does not include a lengthy
section between 83 and 84 dealing with the characteristics of the Five Houses of Chinese Zen. (It may be
that this section was not included in the modern Korean version.)