The selection of the creative writings of Go Eun What?:108 Seon Poems is specified as the spirit of Seon. It is true that the Seon is inherent in all his works, but it is considered that in this selection this spirit of Seon accomplishes Realism, especially. First of all, Go Eun pays attention to the history which is duly regarded as the whole reality of the past because he saw the origin of Seon as a historic event. In his opinion, Seon as the sphere of practice is generated from “the protests of people” against authority of tradition. So, in the theme of historicity, it represented the old scriptures as the Lotus Sutra, included the episode of burning the Blue Cliff Records, and also parodied the linage of patriarchs of Seon. In this way, Go Eun insists that old scriptures and teaching of patriarchs are only a hindrance to awakening, so, if a practitioner depends on such things, it is impossible to attain the goal of liberation. Along the same lines, it is strongly emphasised in the theme of awakening that while practicing Seon meditator must go his own way because going one’s own way is the only way to find the true self and attain the enlightening. Meanwhile, the world of mindfulness is the ultimate goal of Seon practice, and to achieve this aim one should be mindful at every time and every place, referred to as ordinary mind. Therefore, in Go Eun’s poems it is emphasised that everyday life is very important. The scenes of ordinary life in which we live come to the fore for Seon practice in the theme of “everyday life.” At last, recognizing that whole cosmos is united each other, the poet represents this sense of unity as insight into nature and in the theme of “nature” every creature is being in the very state of existence in whole reality —“here and now.”
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