Where is Myong Hae Sunim now?
Zen Master Dae Kwan
Aug 4, 2020
The worldwide sangha was shocked when we heard that Myong Hae Sunim died in a car accident.
I talked to her mother and she told me Myong Hae Sunim was on the way home after she led some retreats in Lithuania. She was supposed to join us on Zoom for our Lotus Lantern Completion Ceremony, but she didn’t show up online. Later in the afternoon I received a message about her death and missed a phone call. I told the sunims about it, but they said don’t believe it because there is so much fake news and phone calls nowadays. Within a second, the phone rang again. I answered it, and one of the students told me the news. When I heard the news, inside was very calm. I thanked the student for the message and said we would chant for Myong Hae Sunim immediately. At the same time, I shared the news with everyone and invited everyone to chant together and send our dedication to her.
Many students are also worried about me. Will I be sad to lose a very good student and a teacher in our sangha? Of course it is a great loss to the school. But do you realize that Myong Hae Sunim is giving us the best and the greatest Dharma talk to the whole world? In front of impermanence, everyone is equal. No one can escape impermanence, not even Buddha himself.
If you ask me how I feel, Myong Hae Sunim never left us. She is now completely and deeply attaining the joy of freedom from life and death. She used her own life to expound the greatest and awakening teaching, which will stay with us forever. Time will not wait for us, so don’t waste your time and energy on trivial issues. Don’t misuse your energy for many things that stem from desire, anger and ignorance. Even if you get them, you cannot keep them.
Where is Myong Hae Sunim now?
In Gak Su Temple, the sky is blue.
White clouds are floating.
Birds are singing chip chip.
The sound of the stream is sa sa.