It analyzes Seon from the western philosophical perspective by comparing and contrasting Seon with the German philosopher Heidegger’s ontology. Koh Hyeonggon 高亨坤 (1906–2004) was one of the first generation scholars in the field of Korean philosophy, who served as a professor in the department of philosophy at Seoul National University, after graduating from Keijo Imperial University. He was a pioneer who attempted to understand Buddhism from the western philosophical perspective, studying Seon Buddhism while majoring in Husserl and Heidegger. The Seon ui segye (The World of Seon) is his magnum opus that represents his philosophy of unifying the East and the West. The Seon ui segye (1994) consists of nine chapters. The main parts are first three chapters: chapter 1, “General Explanation”; chapter 2, “Presnece of Being”; chapter 3, “Ontological Explanation of Seon.” Chapter 4 to chapter 7 are “The Beginning and Development of Haedong Jogyejong,” “Examination of Hwaeom sillon,” “Chusa’s ‘Baekpa mangjeung 15 jo’ (Fifteen Points of Baekpa’s Delusion),” and “Chusa’s Seon,” dealing with the history of Korean Seon school, Bojo Jinul’s view of Seon practice, and the Seon debate in the nineteenth century. Chapter 8, “Seon Dialogue,” and chatper 9, “Modern Thought’s Transformation and Seon Thought,” interprets Seon and compares it with modern philosophy. This English translation focuses on chapter 3, “Ontological Explanation of Seon,” which investigates Seon through Husserl’s phenomenology and Heidegger’s ontology from the perspective of the presence of Being, along with the translator’s introduction.

This project was designed to introduce the intellectual heritage of Korean Buddhism to all over the world by selecting representative works of Korean Buddhist tradition in various fields and publishing them in English. For a six-year period from 2018 to 2023, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism supervised the project with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and has been publishing ten representative Buddhist works in English. Buddhism has been the central axis of Korean culture and thought for thousands of years, and has exerted considerable influence to the present. Buddhism, which originated in India and settled here in Korea via China, maintains both local particularity and global universality. Various works on philosophy, history and culture of Korean Buddhism need to be published to introduce the originality and excellence of Korean Buddhism to the world. The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism previously published The Collected Works of Modern Korean Buddhism(2017): English translations of carefully selected Korean Buddhist works as part of the Globalization Project of Korean Buddhism. Succeeding and further developing upon the previous undertaking, this project aims to inform the world of Korean Buddhism, which not only served as an indispensable spiritual asset for Korean people but also provided them with the locus of universal discourse. The ultimate goal of this project is to expand the worldwide base for Korean studies, promote the globalization of Korean Buddhism, and improve the “brand equity” of Korean tradition.

This book is a translation of the bound volume of the Seonmun gangyo jip 禪門綱要集 (Collection of the Essential Outlines of the Seon School) and the Seonmun bojang nok 禪門寶藏錄 (Record of the Treasures of the Seon School), both of which are late Goryeo materials, essential for understanding the philosophical feature and identity of Korean Seon. The Seonmun bojang nok by the thirteenth-century master Jinjeong Cheonchaek 眞靜天頙 compiles the recorded sayings of Seon masters. Cheonchaek was the fourth patriarch of Baengnyeonsa 白蓮社 (White Lotus Society) of the Cheontae school. He also left the Hosan nok 湖山錄 (Literary Collection of Hasan). The Seonmun gangyo jip summurizes the essence of Seon though, and there is a controversy surrounding its authorship, in particular, whether the author was Cheonchaek or Jin’gak Hyesim 眞覺慧諶 (1178–1234). This book confirms as its author Hyesim, Bojo Jinul’s disciple, who promoted ganhwa Seon. The Seonmun gangyo jip of 1531 edition has survived. It consists of five chapters: “Chapter of the Three Saints”; “Conversation of the Two Worthies”; “Theory of a Foolish Man”; “Compilation of [Blue] Mountain and [White] Cloud”; and “Three Sentences of Yunmen.” The first three chapters discuss the essential thought of the Linji school. The Seonmun bojang nok was published in three volumes by Cheonchaek in 1293. It was published a few more afterwards. The first volume has “Discussing the Differences Between Seon and Doctrinal Buddhism in Twenty-Five Sections”; the second volume, “Wherein All Lecturers Revert to and Submit to [Seon] in Twenty-Five Sections”; the thrid volume, “Buddhist Lords and Ministers in Thirty-Nine Sections.” It is also well-known as the first material that records Jin’gwi 眞歸 josaseol, a theory that Seon was transmitted to Śākyamuni. These texts had a huge impact on Seon monks of Joseon, including Cheongheo Hyujeong.