Category : Humanities
Target : Young adult, adult
Published Date : 18-Dec-17
ISBN : 9788974793739 
Pages : 364
Book Size : 148 x 275, Paperback
Keywords : Humanities: Buddhism: Introduction 

Doctor Kim Saup, the author of Lessons in Buddhism for Those Who like the Humanities, is already a renowned figure. Not only was his decision to give up his professorship to pursue the path of a full-time seeker big news but also his lectures in Buddhism are highly praised, as well as to the point and far-reaching. Listening to his lectures, one will be rather taken aback to discover how easy and interesting Buddhism is. This book presents a collection of his remarkable lectures that are known to move people’s hearts instantaneously. 

The contents of this book were previously published in series for two and a half years in a major Buddhist monthly magazine called, Bulgwang.  It received the readers’ highest acclaim and garnered much attention from the followers of Buddhism.  The book offers the teaching of Buddhism in which theory and practice, the doctrine, and meditation are embodied as one. Moreover, he explains abstruse concepts like non-ego, cause and effect, kong (sunyata), essential nature, karma, mind, vijnapti matrata siddhi (the theory that everything exists only in the mind), samsara, nirvana, and enlightenment cogently in the context of our everyday life. Like the light switch that is turned on in the dark, he opens the gateway to understanding us and the world. Thus, that will be the conclusive key to solving the problems of our lives which weigh down our hearts. A liberated heart and mind will be the first step toward living an authentically happy life. 

The author states, “Buddhism teaches us that to live a truly happy life, we must not distort our own truth, and embrace the given while not being biased toward any one side.” It is clear that this is a book of the humanities. Yet the book does not stop short of simply knowing about it but helps the reader to apply it to one’s own life by diagnosing and changing it, for it is also a book of “self-improvement.” When a book guides the reader to dig up the strength from oneself to live a righteous life, then it can be called a book of humanities and this book will no doubt serve as a guidepost for our times and become a classic for the future generations. 

So many books on Buddhism end up simply explicating the difficult philosophy of Buddhism or are translations of the sutras from the ancient languages. If not, they promote shallow comfort or healing while ignoring the fundamentals of Buddhism and just embellishing it. This book avoids all the above. It delves straight into the true essence of Buddhism and relates it to our lives. The book presents ways in which the teachings of Buddha can be applied to the everyday to relieve us of our suffering so that we can live a freer life. 

All disciplines of the humanities, such as literature, history, and philosophy are a response to “How should we live?” The ultimate answer is bound to reach the realm of religion and this book is a response to the question. 

Kim Saup

Kim Saup majored in English at Seoul National University and completed a doctoral program in Buddhism at the graduate school of Kyoto University. He taught at the department of social education at Dongguk University. He is the author of the books, The Seeker, Who Are You? (co-author), Mumungwan chamgu (co-author) and the theses, “The Analysis of the Cause and Effect in Yushikseol” and “Comparison of the Seon and Vipassana Meditation.” In 2001, he left the university and moved to Ogok Island in the South Sea, South Korea. His journey in search of sage monks took him to many places where he learned meditation. Since 2003, he has devoted himself solely to Zen meditation. At present, he runs the Ogok Island Zen Meditation Center.