A mountain is my counselor
A mountain is the neck of the rapids of my feelings
A mountain is the washer of my spirit
A mountain is the doctor of my soul
When I was 30, I worked hard with the sense of duty that I chose to live a different life than others. In 1971, I went to the National School for the blind as a guest speaker. Having this as a starting point, I wrote the WonBuddhism scripture and the biography of Chang-ho Ahn in braille and then made the book that I wrote, 'As if the people who have waited', into a listening magazine.
I spent 2 years at Wonpyung Temple and then moved to the Woo-yi dong green belt area. I recall the life there similar to those of Benhur when he was a slave. I fixed an aviary to a sanctum and stayed at the Woo-yi dong monastery for 2 years until I had to move out because of violating the law for staying at a green belt. So I had to move to Kangnam. Kangnam Temple went into construction in June, 1981 and was completed in 1985. Here in Kangnam Temple is the nest where I started to have a wider view of the world and share the pain all over the world.
In 1974, I first came across St. Lazarus village. I needed money to help the leprous patients. So, I started to sell taffy to help them. Now quite some time has passed. I believe that I gave them the feelings of longing, waiting, and happiness of meeting. I believe that the world we live in would be more peaceful and worth living when the walls between religions collapse and all the religious people help one another to make a better world. St. Lazarus village was the start point of this belief.
In 1987, I first took off to India with only a map in one hand. Back then, I saw people sleeping on the streets of Bombay with only a blanket to cover themselves during winter. That was the most poverty-strucken sight I have ever seen. I couldn't just stand there and watch. So, I sent $5,000. Then I was invited on the 100th anniversary of the Mahabodhi society. They introduced me as the Goddess of Mercy.
I started for the bay of Bengal in June, 5, 1991. It was to go to the 100th anniversary ceremony of Mahabodhi. I saw children apart from their parents for 10 years, far away from home(4,000km away), to get an education. The sound of their chanting seemed as sounds of angels. I stayed with them for 5 short days. We sang and danced together. The children naturally called me 'mother'. When I was to leave, they asked me to sing them 'Arirang' so that they can record it. I stopped and stood there, singing. Tears dropped from my eyes. Meeting the children gave me a new homework of life. It may have been the start of a whole new life.
The MRA International Rally was held in Korea when the 88 Olympics were being held. A young participant from Cambodia disclosed that in his country, over 2,000,000 educated people and Buddhist priests were being massacred by Kmer Rouge. With tears in his eyes and his voice during his speech, he talked about how the people of his country became refugees and how they are starving. That was the first time I felt concerned with other countries. I was worried he might not achieve as much as he expected to Korea, the host country for the Olympics, and go back to his country with disappointment. So I contacted the Kangnam Temple and collected 1,000,000 won in a haste to give. That was the starting point for sending money to the Swiss MRA to help Cambodia.
The mountain is a rest place for my soul. I feel my eyes getting clearer when I see things around me after climbing a mountain. I started climbing mountains in 1965. I climbed mountains because I loved them, but I also visited when I had a felt my soul corrupt or when I mind was confused. You can feel the glory and happiness only when you can see and hear everything the mountain is showing and telling. You feel fresh in your mouth and power in your legs.
In the Fall of 1990, Priest Sangasena visited me with a letter in hand from Priest Buddhagaya Ananda whom I have helped during my travel in India. The message was simple. It was a request for helping the children of Himalaya's Ladakh be educated. I asked around and collected $5,000. Being thankful of the unexpected amount of money, he/she said he/she would send an invitation to the 100th anniversary of Mahabodhi Society. That's how my relationship with Himalaya's Ladake started.
There were only 3 associations of youth(Seoul, Chongno, Wonnam) in the year 51 in the Won Era(1966). Members of the associations formed a union(The Seoul Parish Youth Union) and held their own services. But its operation was not satisfactory. After my inauguration as the union's director in 1963, I tried every effort to revive the spirit of the members through various programs and practices like climbing up mountains in silence, seminars, choir/music festivals, and bulletin publications. During the very winter of my inauguration, I and the members sold peanuts in the streets and could help poor children with the profits. I also actively engaged in educating youths through comforting performances for the soldiers on the front line, translation for the blind, helping flood victims, labor services for the farmers, and organizing and sponsoring Buddhist fellowship meetings at many colleges and the Military Academy.
