In April 2013 our long-standing fellow practitioner and beloved Dharma friend Hyun Jeong Bo Sal Nim passed away. As part of the Buddhist funeral ceremonies for her mortal remains, the following funeral speech was read, written by the Venerable Zen Master Young San Seong Do for the occasion.
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Alas! Woe is me.
Our life, where does it come from, where does it go?
Buddha says,
"All our meetings must inevitably be separated, all men are mortal.“
Whosoever cannot avoid this fate.
Woe, so is me!
An eminent teacher says:
"Coming empty handed to this world,
Going empty handed to the other world,
This is our human life.
When I am born in this world, where do I come from;
When I die, where do I go?
Life is like a floating cloud that appears,
Death is like a floating cloud disappearing.
The floating cloud itself is originally unreal.
Life and death, going and coming are also like that.
However, here is one thing that is always clear,
it is always in clearness beyond birth and death."
Therefore,
Hyun Jeong Lee Ok Hwa Bosal,
From now on, put it all down, be in eternal bliss of peace!
Namu Amita-Bul, Namu Amita-Bul, Namu Amita-Bul.
Expressing my regret over your death,
Seong Do
Sangha
