Chapter 3. Sot`aesan`s Statecraft of Saving all living beings and Curing the World
2. The First Dharma Discourses
Sot`aesan, after reading and internally grasping the basic scriptures of various religions and examining the social situation of the day, felt the urgency of resurrecting spiritual morality. He presented the Founding Motto, "With the great unfolding of the material civilization, let there be a great unfolding of spirituality". With his ideas in regard to the social situation, Sot`aesan presented the First Dharma Discourse for the establishment of a new religious order: The Essential Dharmas on Self-Cultivation, The Essential Dharmas on Regulating the Family, The Essential Dharmas on How the Strong and the Weak May Evolve, The Essential Dharmas on the Preparation of Leaders. The Essential Dharma on Self-Cultivation is to prepare oneself with sufficient learning in accordance with the times, and to be a new person in the new world by securing in one`s self, the ways of Cultivation [of Self-Power], Inquiry [into Affairs and Principles], and Choice [in Action]. The Essential Dharma on Regulating the Family is to create a new family and to establish a new country by carefully contemplating such ideas as occupation, savings with diligence, education and communication, morality and obeying the laws. The Essential Dharma on How the Strong and the Weak May Evolve is that the strong, in helping the weak, will grow stronger. This is based on the principle of mutual benefit. On the other hand, the weak without any animosity should see the stronger as the leader to establish a new world. The Essential Dharma on the Preparation of Leaders is to sufficiently realize the statecraft of saving sentient beings and curing the world. Included in this is the understanding that the leader is more knowledgeable than those who are led. But one leads without condescending or losing the confidence of those who are led, and without exploiting those under one`s guidance for personal profit. The leader does this by assuring the balance of his or her knowledge and conduct.
The History of Won-Buddhism (Wonbulgyo Kyosa)
Part 1. The Dawn of Great Opening
Chapter 3. Sot`aesan`s Statecraft of Saving all living beings and Curing the World
2. The First Dharma Discourses
Sot`aesan, after reading and internally grasping the basic scriptures of various religions and examining the social situation of the day, felt the urgency of resurrecting spiritual morality. He presented the Founding Motto, "With the great unfolding of the material civilization, let there be a great unfolding of spirituality".-br-With his ideas in regard to the social situation, Sot`aesan presented the First Dharma Discourse for the establishment of a new religious order: The Essential Dharmas on Self-Cultivation, The Essential Dharmas on Regulating the Family, The Essential Dharmas on How the Strong and the Weak May Evolve, The Essential Dharmas on the Preparation of Leaders. -br-The Essential Dharma on Self-Cultivation is to prepare oneself with sufficient learning in accordance with the times, and to be a new person in the new world by securing in one`s self, the ways of Cultivation [of Self-Power], Inquiry [into Affairs and Principles], and Choice [in Action].-br-The Essential Dharma on Regulating the Family is to create a new family and to establish a new country by carefully contemplating such ideas as occupation, savings with diligence, education and communication, morality and obeying the laws.-br-The Essential Dharma on How the Strong and the Weak May Evolve is that the strong, in helping the weak, will grow stronger. This is based on the principle of mutual benefit. On the other hand, the weak without any animosity should see the stronger as the leader to establish a new world. -br-The Essential Dharma on the Preparation of Leaders is to sufficiently realize the statecraft of saving sentient beings and curing the world. Included in this is the understanding that the leader is more knowledgeable than those who are led. But one leads without condescending or losing the confidence of those who are led, and without exploiting those under one`s guidance for personal profit. The leader does this by assuring the balance of his or her knowledge and conduct.
