스님 마음이 불편해요

About the Author

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim is the founder and the Head Monk of the Jungto Society. Guided by his teacher Ven. Bulshim Domoon Sunim, he entered the Buddhist Sangha at Boonwhangsa Temple, South Korea, in 1969, and was ordained a bihikku in 1991. He is not only a Buddhist monk but also a social activist who leads various movements such as an ecological awareness campaign, promotion of human rights and world peace, and eradication of famine, disease, and illiteracy.

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has been advocating a new paradigm of civilization movement in which everyone becomes happy through practice, creates a happy society through active participation in social movements, and protects our environment and the Earth by leading a simple lifestyle. This vision is expressed in the Jungto Society’s motto, “Open Mind, Good Friends, and Clean Earth.”

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has an exceptional ability for explaining the Buddha’s teachings in simple layman’s terms. Instead of giving lectures about Buddhist principles, he invites individuals in his audience to ask him questions about their concerns and doubts. Then he engages them in a dialogue to help them gain insight into the true nature of their problems, based on Buddhist principles. He challenges them to question their personal biases and helps them become more aware of their own perception of the world.

His talks have become very popular and familiar among South Korean audiences over the years. His “Hope” speaking tour from 2011 until 2014 was attended by more than 600,000 participants across 436 locations in South Korea. In 2014, he visited 106 cities around the world in 114 days and delivered 115 talks to more than 20,000 Koreans living overseas. Of these 115 talks, 8 were conducted in English for English-speaking audiences. Currently, in 2017, he is holding “Happiness” and “Reunification of the two Koreas” speaking engagements all over South Korea.

Pomnyun Sunim’s words of wisdom can be accessed through his books, social media, YouTube, TV, and radio. He has published more than 50 books since 1994, and many of his books were #1 bestsellers in South Korea. He has over 1 million followers in South Korea’s most popular messaging platform KaKao Talk, 100,000 daily downloads of his podcasts, and over 3 million views of his YouTube videos.

His extensive humanitarian work includes efforts to alleviate the suffering of ordinary North Koreans through the development of food aid programs and by working with marginalized people in Asian countries to build schools and promote community development. In recognition of his humanitarian work, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding in 2002 and the POSCO TJ Park Community Development and Philanthropy Prize in 2011. Finally, in 2015, Pomnyun Sunim received Kripasaran Award from the Bengal Association at the 150th  Birth Anniversary Celebration of Ven. Mahasthavir Kripasaran, for his efforts in reviving Buddhism in India. 

For more information and resources, please visit https://pomnyun.com/

법륜法輪 스님은 평화와 화해의 메시지를 전하는 평화운동가이자 제3세계를 지원하는 활동가이며 인류의 문명전환을 실현해 가는 사상가, 깨어있는수행자이다. 1988년, 괴로움이 없고 자유로운 사람, 이웃과 세상에 보탬이 되는 보살의 삶을 서원으로 한 수행공동체(정토회)를 설립해수행자들과 함께 생활하고 있다. 법륜 스님의 법문은 쉽고 명쾌하다. 언제나 현대인의 눈높이에 맞추어 깨달음과 수행을 이야기 한다.

법륜 스님의 말과 글은 빙돌려 말하지 않고 군더더기 없이 근본을 직시한다. 밖을 향해 있는 우리의 시선을 안으로 돌이킨다. 어렵고 난해한 경전 역시 법륜스님을 만나면 스님의 지혜와 직관, 통찰의 힘으로 살아 숨쉬는 가르침이 된다.

지은 책으로는 직장인을 위한 <행복한 출근길>, 즐거운가정을 위한 법문집 <날마다 웃는집>, 부처님의 교화사례 <붓다, 나를 흔들다>, <붓다에게 물들다>, 불교입문서 <실천적 불교사상>, 대승불교의 대표 경전인 <금강경 강의>, 부처님의 일생을 다룬 <인간 붓다>, 즉문즉설 시리즈 <답답하면 물어라>, <스님 마음이 불편해요>, <행복하기 행복전하기>, 수행지침서 <기도_내려놓기>, <깨달음_내 눈 뜨기>, 젊은이들에게 꾸준히 사랑받고 있는 <스님의 주례사>, 자녀 교육의 마음 지침서 <엄마수업>, 청춘들을 위로하는 <방황해도 괜찮아>, 한반도의 평화와 통일의 비전을 제시하는 <새로운 100년> 등이 있다.

2000년 만해상 포교상(좋은벗들), 2002년 라몬 막사이사이상, 2007년 민족화해상, 2011년 포스코 청암봉사상, 통일문화대상, 2015 인도 벵골 불자연합 크리파사란 상 등을 수상했다.