Family Karma

Zen Master Seung Sahn

(Mar 1, 1995, Seoul International Zen Center)

Question: Recently I saw a calligraphy of yours in the U.S. which said, "Freedom from family karma." What does this mean? Why is this important?

Zen Master Seung Sahn: The basis of the family is emotion. Emotional connections make the family. But, emotion and love are different. Emotion means opposites feeling: like/dislike, good/bad, mine/yours. Love means there are no opposites--only giving, giving, giving--always giving.

Understanding is in our head; emotions are in the heart. Our center--the tantien--is just below the navel. If you keep all your energy there, then you can digest your understanding and your emotions. Emotions are then changed into great love and great compassion. Also, your understanding then becomes wisdom. So, when your center becomes strong you can control your feelings, your condition, and your situation. When these become clear, then our true job appears: help all beings. That's the great bodhisattva way.

同業同行

崇山禪師於首爾國際禪中心之開示（1995年3月1日）


問：最近，我在美國看到你寫的一幀書法，上面寫著「同業同行」（意即從家庭共業中解脫）。它的意思是甚麼呢？有何重要呢？

禪師：家庭的基礎是情感。情感連繋組成家庭。但情感與愛是不同的。情感是相對的感受：喜與惡、好與壞、你的與我的。而愛是沒有相對的，只有給予，只是付出。

我們以腦袋來理解事物，以心來感受情緒。我們的中心—丹田—就在肚臍下方。如果你將所有能量都保持在這裡，便能夠消化你的知見及情緒。如此，便能將情緒轉化為大慈大悲，將知見轉變成智慧。因此，當你的中心變得堅實，你就能夠控制你的感受、你的因緣及你的處境。當這些都變得清晰時，我們的真正職責就會出現：幫助一切眾生。這就是大菩薩道。