2015.02.14 963 실수실험와 실패의 진리

‘실수’와 ‘실패’의 진정한 의미를 구분하고, 인생을 대하는 올바른 마음가짐을 제안합니다. 에디슨의 전구 발명, 인디언의 기우제 사례를 통해 ‘실패’는 없으며, 모든 것은 ‘실험’과 ‘경험’일 뿐. 또한, ‘남의 마음이 내 마음이 되는 것’의 중요성, 진정한 성공은 물질적 부가 아닌 ‘복을 덕으로 바꾸는 것’에 있음.

실수 vs. 실패:
실수: 경험과 실험의 과정으로, 고치고 개선할 수 있는 것.
실패: 죽기 전까지는 알 수 없으며, 본인 스스로는 실패했다고 말할 수 없음.
진정한 실패: 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못하고 죽는 것.
사무량심(四無量心): 인간이 죄를 짓지 않기 위해 가져야 할 네 가지 마음.
청정심: 남에게 베풀 때 베푼다는 생각을 하지 않는 마음.
자비심: 남을 불쌍히 여기는 마음.
평정심(평등심): 모든 인간을 차별 없이 동등하게 보는 마음.
지혜: 이 모든 마음을 아는 것.
자유 vs. 방종:
자유: 의무를 다한 자만이 누릴 수 있는 권리.
방종: 법을 어기지 않는 한도에서 마음대로 하는 것을 넘어, 의무를 다하지 않는 것.
음덕(陰德): 남이 보지 않는 곳에서 베푸는 덕. 자식에게 재물을 물려주는 것보다 음덕을 쌓는 것이 자손을 지키는 진정한 방법.
인명이 재처(人命在妻): 21세기에는 사람의 목숨이 아내에게 달려있다는 의미. 아내를 잘 받들어야 가정이 화목하고, 자식들의 목숨까지 지킬 수 있음.

올바른 마음가짐 실천하기

1. ‘실패’는 없음을 인지:
   인생의 모든 경험을 ‘실험’으로 받아들이기.
   좌절하지 않고 계속해서 시도하기.
2. ‘남의 마음이 내 마음’으로 살기:
   타인을 도울 때, ‘내가 나를 돕는다’는 마음으로 베풀기.
   상대방의 자존심을 상하게 하지 않도록 조심하기.
   모든 사람을 가족처럼 여기고 존중하기.
3. 사무량심(四無量心)을 실천:
   청정심: 베푼 것을 마음에 두지 않기.
   자비심: 남을 불쌍히 여기되, 자만심으로 이어지지 않도록 주의하기.
   평정심: 모든 사람을 차별 없이 평등하게 대하기.
   지혜: 이 모든 마음을 이해하고 실천하기.
4. 복을 덕으로 바꾸기:
   물질적 복을 쌓는 것에 그치지 않고, 남을 위한 선행으로 전환하기.
   자식에게 재물을 물려주기보다 음덕(陰德)을 쌓아 자손을 지키기.
5. 겸손한 태도 유지:
   아무리 성공했더라도 자신이 한 일을 자랑하지 않기.
   항상 밝고 겸손한 모습을 보이기.
   남의 학벌이나 나이를 묻지 않기.

오류: “나는 실패했어”라고 생각하며 좌절하는 경우.
→ 죽기 전까지는 실패가 없으며, 모든 것은 경험과 실험의 과정임을 인지.
오류: 남에게 베푼 것을 생색내거나 마음에 담아두는 경우.
→ 베푸는 행위는 ‘내가 나를 돕는 것’이며, 마음에 두지 않는 청정심을 가질 것.
오류: 물질적 성공만을 추구하고 덕을 쌓지 않는 경우.
→ 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못하면 진정한 실패자임을 명심하고, 노블레스 오블리주를 실천.
오류: ‘자유’를 ‘방종’으로 착각하여 의무를 다하지 않는 경우.
→ 자유는 의무를 다한 자에게 주어지는 권리임을 이해하고, 타인을 배려하는 마음을 가질 것.

인간의 고귀함: 인간으로 태어나는 것은 3억 대 1 또는 5억 대 1의 확률을 뚫은 고귀한 존재.
21세기 인명: 21세기에는 ‘인명이 재처(人命在妻)’ 즉, 사람의 목숨이 아내에게 달려있음.
행복의 조건: 선(善), 의(義), 미(美)를 행하는 것이 행복의 조건.
자손을 위한 진정한 계산: 자식에게 돈이나 과도한 학벌을 물려주는 것보다, 남이 모르게 덕을 베푸는 음덕을 쌓는 것이 자손을 지키는 가장 좋은 방법.
천부경: 인간의 마음과 몸이 어떻게 움직이는지 세세하게 설명하는 과학적인 경전.
지구 은하계의 인간 거주 가능 별: 720개 (태양계 내), 은하계 전체 320무 개.

Huh Kyung-young’s Philosophical Lexicon: A Translation Strategy for Global Intellectuals

This document outlines a strategic approach to translating complex Korean philosophical terms and Hanja (Chinese characters) from Huh Kyung-young’s lectures into English, focusing on conceptual accuracy and intellectual resonance for a global academic audience. The goal is to move beyond transliteration to provide nuanced, PhD-level English equivalents that capture the essence and function of the original terms.

Key Terms and Their Conceptual Translations
실수 (失手) [Error/Misstep]
Meaning in context: An action that deviates from the intended outcome but does not signify ultimate failure, often serving as a learning experience or experiment.
Synonyms: Oversight, Blunder, Inadvertence, Deviation.

실패 (失敗) [Ultimate Failure/Existential Failure]
Meaning in context: Not merely a setback, but a profound inability to fulfill one’s inherent purpose or potential, particularly in the spiritual or moral sense, often judged by a higher standard (e.g., failing to convert “blessings” into “virtue”).
Synonyms: Ruin, Defeat, Catastrophe, Existential collapse.

실험 (實驗) [Experimentation/Trial]
Meaning in context: A process of repeated attempts and observations, where each “failure” is simply a data point or a step towards discovery, rather than a definitive end.
Synonyms: Exploration, Investigation, Empirical inquiry, Iteration.

좌절 (挫折) [Despair/Frustration]
Meaning in context: A state of giving up due to perceived failure, which is deemed non-existent in His philosophy as long as one continues to “experiment.”
Synonyms: Discouragement, Resignation, Hopelessness, Defeatism.

사무량심 (四無量心) [Four Immeasurable Minds/Boundless Compassion]
Meaning in context: A core Buddhist concept referring to four virtues: boundless loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. In the lecture, it emphasizes a mindset free from self-centeredness and judgment, where one acts without expecting reward or recognition.
Synonyms: Four Sublime States, Divine Abodes, Universal Virtues.

청정심 (淸淨心) [Pure Mind/Unblemished Consciousness]
Meaning in context: A mind free from defilements, self-interest, and the desire for recognition, especially when performing good deeds.
Synonyms: Pristine Mind, Unstained Awareness, Sanctified Intellect.

자비심 (慈悲心) [Compassionate Heart/Benevolent Empathy]
Meaning in context: The mind that feels pity or sorrow for others’ suffering, but which, if accompanied by self-awareness of one’s own “charity,” can become tainted by “self-importance.”
Synonyms: Loving-kindness, Mercy, Altruism, Philanthropy.

지혜심 (智慧心) [Wisdom Mind/Enlightened Intellect]
Meaning in context: The mind that perceives reality accurately, understanding the interconnectedness of all beings and acting from a place of profound insight rather than superficial judgment.
Synonyms: Sagacious Mind, Discernment, Gnosis, Profound Understanding.

보시 (布施) [Generosity/Altruistic Giving]
Meaning in context: The act of giving or helping others, which, if done with the expectation of reward or recognition, becomes a “sin” rather than a true virtue. It should be performed with a “boundless mind.”
Synonyms: Philanthropic Act, Benevolence, Donation, Charity (with caveats).

무량심 (無量心) [Boundless Mind/Immeasurable Consciousness]
Meaning in context: A mind that acts without limits, expectations, or self-serving intentions, especially in acts of generosity or compassion. It implies a state where the giver and receiver are not separate.
Synonyms: Infinite Mind, Unbounded Awareness, Limitless Consciousness.

평등심 (平等心) [Equanimous Mind/Impartiality]
Meaning in context: The mindset of treating all beings equally, without discrimination or prejudice, seeing oneself in others. This is contrasted with the “discriminatory mind” of certain groups.
Synonyms: Non-discriminatory Mind, Universal Regard, Fairness, Equity.

봉사심 (奉仕心) [Service Mind/Selfless Devotion]
Meaning in context: The intention to serve others, but which, if accompanied by the thought “I am serving others,” is considered a “failure” because it implies a separation between self and other. True service is seen as serving oneself.
Synonyms: Altruistic Service, Dedication, Public Spirit (with caveats).

공소시효 (公訴時效) [Statute of Limitations/Expiation Period]
Meaning in context: A legal concept where a crime can no longer be prosecuted after a certain period. Philosophically, it suggests that suffering or living as a “sinner” outside of prison can serve as a form of atonement or “serving time.”
Synonyms: Prescription Period, Legal Forfeiture, Time Bar.

선민의식 (選民意識) [Chosen People Mentality/Exclusivist Superiority]
Meaning in context: A sense of superiority or entitlement based on being a “chosen” group, leading to arrogance and discrimination against other peoples. This is presented as a cause of “failure” for nations.
Synonyms: Ethnocentric Pride, Divine Mandate Complex, Elitist Consciousness.

음덕 (陰德) [Hidden Virtue/Unseen Benevolence]
Meaning in context: Good deeds performed secretly, without anyone knowing, not even one’s own family. This unseen virtue is believed to accumulate and protect one’s descendants, unlike visible wealth or education.
Synonyms: Secret Merit, Covert Altruism, Unacknowledged Goodness.

방종 (放縱) [Licentiousness/Unrestrained Indulgence]
Meaning in context: The misuse of freedom, acting without regard for moral obligations or the well-being of others, often under the guise of “liberty.” It is contrasted with true freedom, which is earned through fulfilling duties.
Synonyms: Dissoluteness, Profligacy, Anarchy, Moral Laxity.

자유 (自由) [True Liberty/Responsible Autonomy]
Meaning in context: Freedom that is earned by fulfilling one’s duties and responsibilities, rather than an unbridled license to do as one pleases.
Synonyms: Emancipated Will, Self-governance, Conscientious Freedom.

인명재천 (人命在天) [Human Life is in Heaven’s Hands/Divine Providence]
Meaning in context: The traditional belief that human life and destiny are determined by heaven. He updates this to “인명재처” (human life is in the wife’s hands) for the 21st century, highlighting the crucial role of the spouse.
Synonyms: Fate, Destiny, Divine Decree, Predetermination.

인명재처 (人命在妻) [Human Life is in the Wife’s Hands/Spousal Influence]
Meaning in context: A modern reinterpretation of “인명재천,” suggesting that in contemporary society, a person’s life and well-being are significantly influenced by their spouse, particularly the wife.
Synonyms: Marital Destiny, Spousal Control, Domestic Influence.

충 (忠) [Loyalty/Integrity of Heart]
Meaning in context: A deep-seated sense of loyalty and moral uprightness, characterized by a “centered mind.” This is presented as a fundamental characteristic of the Korean people, contrasting with the instability of Western monarchies.
Synonyms: Fidelity, Devotion, Steadfastness, Rectitude.

경행록 (景行錄) [Record of Exemplary Conduct/Moral Compendium]
Meaning in context: A classical text or collection of teachings on virtuous conduct, cited to emphasize the importance of spreading benevolence widely and avoiding enmity.
Synonyms: Annals of Virtue, Ethical Treatise, Moral Precepts.

은의광시 (恩義廣施) [Broad Dispensation of Grace and Righteousness/Universal Benevolence]
Meaning in context: The act of extending kindness, grace, and moral righteousness broadly to all people, not just a select few, and without discrimination.
Synonyms: Widespread Philanthropy, Extensive Benevolence, Universal Compassion.

수원 (讐怨) [Grudge/Enmity]
Meaning in context: The act of holding a grudge or creating enemies, which is advised against because “enemies will inevitably meet on a narrow bridge.”
Synonyms: Vengeance, Animosity, Resentment, Ill Will.

선 (善) [Goodness/Virtue]
Meaning in context: Moral uprightness and benevolent actions, which are believed to bring blessings from heaven.
Synonyms: Righteousness, Morality, Benevolence, Integrity.

미 (美) [Beauty/Aesthetic Harmony]
Meaning in context: The aesthetic dimension of living, encompassing graceful conduct, a bright demeanor, and harmonious interactions with others. It is one of the conditions for happiness.
Synonyms: Grace, Elegance, Harmony, Aesthetic living.

의 (義) [Righteousness/Justice]
Meaning in context: Adherence to moral principles and justice, acting in accordance with what is right and fair. It is another condition for happiness.
Synonyms: Rectitude, Equity, Morality, Ethical conduc

실수(失手) – (Mistake, Error)
Meaning in text: An unintentional error or misstep that can be corrected, distinct from a complete failure.

실패(失敗) – (Failure, Defeat)
Meaning in text: A state of not achieving a desired outcome, often implying a finality or inability to recover, though Mr. Huh redefines it as a lack of converting “blessings into virtue.”

중퇴(中退) – (Dropout, Withdrawal)
Meaning in text: The act of leaving an educational institution before completing a course of study.

실험(實驗) – (Experiment, Test)
Meaning in text: A process of trying out an idea or method to see what happens, emphasizing learning and experience rather than failure.

전구(電球) – (Light bulb, Electric lamp)
Meaning in text: The invention that Edison developed after numerous experiments.

좌절(挫折) – (Frustration, Setback)
Meaning in text: A feeling of discouragement or defeat, which Mr. Huh argues should not exist because every attempt is an experiment.

기우제(祈雨祭) – (Rain ritual, Rainmaking ceremony)
Meaning in text: A ritual performed to pray for rain, used as an analogy for persistence until a desired outcome is achieved.

국회의장(國會議長) – (Speaker of the National Assembly, Chairman of the National Assembly)
Meaning in text: A high-ranking political figure, used in an example to illustrate how even successful people can “fail” in life if their personal conduct is poor.

하나님(하느님) – (God, Lord)
Meaning in text: The supreme being, whose perspective defines true success and failure, and whose mind humans should emulate.

부모님(父母님) – (Parents, Father and Mother)
Meaning in text: One’s mother and father, whose mindset of unconditional love and sacrifice should be adopted towards others.

천사(天使) – (Angel, Messenger of God)
Meaning in text: the Divine Being, believed to be present in those who are in need, implying that helping others is helping a divine presence.

장애(障礙) – (Disability, Impairment)
Meaning in text: A physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities, used to describe a person selling rice cakes.

자존심(自尊心) – (Self-esteem, Pride)
Meaning in text: A sense of one’s own worth or dignity, which should be protected when helping others.

쓰레기(쓰레기) – (Trash, Garbage)
Meaning in text: Waste material, used in an analogy to illustrate the importance of acting with a “God-like mind” even when no one is watching.

내비게이션(내비게이션) – (Navigation, GPS)
Meaning in text: A system that guides a vehicle or person, used metaphorically to suggest that divine observation (like a hidden camera) tracks one’s actions.

일체유심조(一切唯心造) – (Everything is created by the mind, All is but mind)
Meaning in text: A Buddhist concept meaning that all phenomena are created by the mind, emphasizing the power of one’s inner state to shape reality.

강의(講義) – (Lecture, Class)
Meaning in text: A formal talk given to a group of students or an audience, used by Mr. Huh to explain his purpose in teaching.

석가모니(釋迦牟尼) – (Shakyamuni Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama)
Meaning in text: The founder of Buddhism, whose teachings emphasize inner transformation and compassion.

예수님(예수님) – (Jesus, Jesus Christ)
Meaning in text: The central figure of Christianity, whose teachings emphasize love and forgiveness.

사무량심(四無量心) – (Four Immeasurables, Four Boundless States of Mind)
Meaning in text: Four virtues in Buddhism (loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity), which Mr. Huh reinterprets as essential for avoiding sin and achieving true virtue.

청정심(淸淨心) – (Pure mind, Clean mind)
Meaning in text: The first of the “Four Immeasurables” as described by the speaker, emphasizing purity of intention without seeking recognition.

보시(布施) – (Charity, Giving)
Meaning in text: The act of giving, which Mr. Huh argues can become a sin if done with the expectation of recognition or self-satisfaction.

자비심(慈悲心) – (Compassion, Mercy)
Meaning in text: The third of the “Four Immeasurables,” defined as feeling pity or sorrow for others, but which Mr. Huh suggests can be a form of self-satisfaction if not truly selfless.

지혜(智慧) – (Wisdom, Insight)
Meaning in text: The fourth of the “Four Immeasurables,” representing deep understanding and discernment.

기부(寄附) – (Donation, Contribution)
Meaning in text: The act of giving money or goods to a charity or cause, which Mr. Huh argues should be done without expecting anything in return or feeling superior.

노블레스 오블리주(Noblesse Oblige) – (Noblesse Oblige)
Meaning in text: The principle that people of high rank or wealth have a moral obligation to act with honor, generosity, and responsibility.

귀족(貴族) – (Aristocrat, Noble)
Meaning in text: A member of a ruling class, used in the context of “Noblesse Oblige” to emphasize the inherent duty of those with privilege.

의무(義務) – (Duty, Obligation)
Meaning in text: A moral or legal requirement to do something, which Mr. Huh links to true freedom and respect.

방종(放縱) – (Indulgence, Licentiousness)
Meaning in text: Unrestrained behavior or excessive freedom, which Mr. Huh contrasts with true freedom that comes with fulfilling one’s duties.

자유(自由) – (Freedom, Liberty)
Meaning in text: The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants, which Mr. Huh argues is only truly enjoyed by those who fulfill their duties.

공소시효(公訴時效) – (Statute of limitations, Prescription)
Meaning in text: A legal term that sets the maximum time after an event within which legal proceedings may be initiated, used metaphorically to suggest that suffering outside of prison can atone for sins.

교만(驕慢) – (Arrogance, Haughtiness)
Meaning in text: Excessive pride or self-importance, which Mr. Huh identifies as a cause of failure and divine punishment.

율법(律法) – (Law, Precept)
Meaning in text: A set of rules or commandments, particularly in religious contexts, which Mr. Huh criticizes for becoming overly complex and leading to discrimination.

독재(獨裁) – (Dictatorship, Autocracy)
Meaning in text: A form of government in which one person or a small group possesses absolute power without effective constitutional limitations, used to describe the danger of holding truth exclusively.

민주주의(民主主義) – (Democracy, Democratic system)
Meaning in text: A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives, which Mr. Huh advocates for in terms of sharing truth.

평등심(平等心) – (Equanimity, Impartiality)
Meaning in text: A state of mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation, which Mr. Huh presents as the true meaning of the “Four Immeasurables.”

봉사심(奉仕心) – (Service mind, Spirit of service)
Meaning in text: The desire to serve others, which Mr. Huh argues is a flawed concept if it implies a distinction between oneself and others, or if it seeks recognition.

탕자(蕩子) – (Prodigal son, Spendthrift)
Meaning in text: A character from a biblical parable who wastes his inheritance but returns repentant, used as an example of someone who humbles themselves and finds grace.

천부경(天符經) – (Cheonbugyeong, Heavenly Code Scripture)
Meaning in text: An ancient Korean scripture, which Mr. Huh references for its scientific and philosophical insights into the universe and human nature.

성품(性品) – (Nature, Disposition)
Meaning in text: A person’s inherent qualities of mind and character, which Mr. Huh links to geographical origin and life experiences.

음덕(陰德) – (Hidden virtue, Secret good deed)
Meaning in text: Good deeds performed in secret, without seeking recognition, which Mr. Huh claims brings true blessings to one’s descendants.

상속(相續) – (Inheritance, Succession)
Meaning in text: The practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual, which Mr. Huh warns can make children failures if it deprives them of the joy of self-achievement.

학벌(學閥) – (Academic clique, Educational background)
Meaning in text: One’s educational background or academic credentials, which Mr. Huh advises against asking about, promoting equality.

암살(暗殺) – (Assassination, Murder)
Meaning in text: The murder of a prominent person, often for political reasons, used to contrast the fate of Roman emperors with Korean kings.

충(忠) – (Loyalty, Fidelity)
Meaning in text: Faithfulness to commitments or obligations, which Mr. Huh describes as a core characteristic of the Korean people.

실수(失手)-(실(失)-mistake, 수(手)-hand)
A mistake or error, distinguished from failure. building a structure and making an error is a “mistake,” not a “failure.”

실패(失敗)-(실(失)-failure, 패(敗)-defeat)
Failure or defeat. true failure only occurs at the very end of life, or when one fails to convert “blessings” into “virtue.”

경험(經驗)-(경(經)-experience, 험(驗)-test)
Experience. He uses this term to describe Bill Gates’s dropping out of college, viewing it as an experience rather than a failure.

실험(實驗)-(실(實)-experiment, 험(驗)-test)
Experiment. Edison’s 20,000 attempts to invent the light bulb are described as “experiments,” not failures, highlighting a mindset of continuous learning.

전구(電球)-(전(電)-electricity, 구(球)-ball)
Light bulb. Edison’s invention, used as an example of persistent experimentation.

번개(번개)-(번(번)-flash, 개(개)-open)
Lightning. Edison’s inspiration for creating light from energy.

좌절(挫折)-(좌(挫)-frustration, 절(折)-break)
Frustration or despair. frustration does not exist, aligning with the idea of continuous experimentation.

기우제(祈雨祭)-(기(祈)-pray, 우(雨)-rain, 제(祭)-ritual)
Rain ritual. American Indians’ rain dances are cited as an example of persistence, as they continue until rain comes, thus never “failing.”

인생(人生)-(인(人)-human, 생(生)-life)
Life. He defines life as a continuous experiment until death, where only then can others judge it as a success or failure.

절대권(絕對權)-(절대(絕對)-absolute, 권(權)-power)
Absolute power. Used to describe Hitler’s authority during his lifetime.

중퇴(中退)-(중(中)-middle, 퇴(退)-withdraw)
Dropping out (of school). Bill Gates’s decision to leave college is presented as an experience, not a failure.

자유(自由)-(자(自)-self, 유(由)-reason)
Freedom. Defined as a right earned by fulfilling one’s duties, contrasting it with “indulgence.”

방종(放縱)-(방(放)-indulgence, 종(縱)-indulge)
Indulgence or licentiousness. Described as the opposite of true freedom, where one acts without regard for duty or others.

의무(義務)-(의(義)-duty, 무(務)-task)
Duty or obligation. Emphasized as a prerequisite for true freedom and respect.

공소시효(公訴時效)-(공소(公訴)-public prosecution, 시효(時效)-statute of limitations)
Statute of limitations. Explained as a period during which a person who has committed a crime but lives as a “sinner” outside of prison is considered to have served their sentence.

율법(律法)-(율(律)-law, 법(法)-law)
Law or commandment. He criticizes the Jewish people for creating too many laws, leading to arrogance and their downfall.

평등심(平等心)-(평등(平等)-equality, 심(心)-mind)
Mind of equality. Presented as the opposite of discrimination and arrogance, and a core principle of divine truth.

보리심(菩提心)-(보리(菩提)-bodhi, 심(心)-mind)
Bodhi mind (enlightenment mind). A Buddhist term for the mind that strives for enlightenment, equated with “equality mind.”

보살심(菩薩心)-(보살(菩薩)-bodhisattva, 심(心)-mind)
Bodhisattva mind. A Buddhist term for the mind of compassion and enlightenment, also equated with “equality mind.”

봉사심(奉仕心)-(봉사(奉仕)-service, 심(心)-mind)
Mind of service. thinking one is “serving” others is a form of self-consciousness that leads to failure, advocating instead for “equality mind” where helping others is helping oneself.

탕자(蕩子)-(탕(蕩)-prodigal, 자(子)-son)
Prodigal son. Used in the biblical parable context to illustrate that those who acknowledge their mistakes and humble themselves are favored by heaven over the arrogant.

천부경(天符經)-(천(天)-heaven, 부(符)-tally, 경(經)-sutra)
Cheonbugyeong (Heavenly Tally Scripture). An ancient Korean scripture described as scientifically explaining the workings of the human mind and body.

성품(性品)-(성(性)-nature, 품(品)-character)
Nature or disposition. He explains that one’s character is shaped by their environment and experiences, such as living by the sea.

명(命)-(명(命)-life, destiny)
Life or destiny. He connects one’s “life” (목숨) to their breath, which comes from “destiny.”

정자(精子)-(정(精)-sperm, 자(子)-seed)
Sperm. The origin of the physical body.

촉감(觸感)-(촉(觸)-touch, 감(感)-feeling)
Sense of touch. The origin of “sperm,” implying the physical act of procreation.

인명재천(人命在天)-(인명(人命)-human life, 재(在)-reside, 천(天)-heaven)
Human life is in the hands of heaven. An old saying, which Mr. Huh contrasts with the modern reality where “human life is in the hands of one’s wife.”

제처(在妻)-(재(在)-reside, 처(妻)-wife)
In the hands of one’s wife. A humorous modern reinterpretation of “인명재천,” suggesting that a wife’s influence is paramount in a man’s life.

복(福)-(복(福)-blessing, fortune)
Blessing or fortune. He defines it as having the means to sustain oneself, like “fields in front of one’s door.”

덕(德)-(덕(德)-virtue, morality)
Virtue or morality. Described as a higher state than “blessing,” where one transforms their own blessings into benefits for others.

노블레스 오블리주(Noblesse Oblige)-(노블레스(Noblesse)-nobility, 오블리주(Oblige)-obligation)
Noblesse Oblige. He explains that it is the duty of the privileged to help the less fortunate, and doing so is not a “good deed” but a “natural obligation.”

무량심(無量心)-(무(無)-immeasurable, 량(量)-quantity, 심(心)-mind)
Immeasurable mind. One of the “Four Immeasurable Minds,” emphasizing that good deeds should be done without expecting anything in return or keeping track.

청정심(淸淨心)-(청정(淸淨)-purity, 심(心)-mind)
Pure mind. One of the “Four Immeasurable Minds,” referring to a mind free from defilements and attachments, especially when performing good deeds.

자비심(慈悲心)-(자비(慈悲)-compassion, 심(心)-mind)
Compassionate mind. One of the “Four Immeasurable Minds,” meaning to feel pity and sympathy for others.

지혜심(智慧心)-(지혜(智慧)-wisdom, 심(心)-mind)
Wisdom mind. One of the “Four Immeasurable Minds,” referring to the mind that discerns truth and acts wisely.

보시(布施)-(보(布)-give, 시(施)-give)
Charity or giving. giving with the thought of “I am giving” is a sin, as it implies a sense of superiority. True giving should be done without such a mindset.

음덕(陰德)-(음(陰)-hidden, 덕(德)-virtue)
Hidden virtue. Performing good deeds secretly, without seeking recognition, which Mr. Huh says protects one’s descendants.

개산(開山)-(개(開)-open, 산(山)-mountain)
Founding (a temple/school). Used metaphorically as “founding a legacy” for one’s descendants, which is best done through hidden virtue rather than material inheritance.

적금(積金)-(적(積)-accumulate, 금(金)-gold)
Savings or accumulated wealth. He warns against leaving too much wealth to children, as it can make them failures.

적선(積善)-(적(積)-accumulate, 선(善)-goodness)
Accumulated goodness. He cautions against excessive education, as it can lead to arrogance and the inability to maintain one’s achievements.

학벌(學閥)-(학(學)-study, 벌(閥)-clique)
Academic background. He advises against asking about others’ academic backgrounds, as it is a source of arrogance and discrimination.

충(忠)-(충(忠)-loyalty, fidelity)
Loyalty or fidelity. He defines it as having a “centered mind” (마음이 중심), contrasting it with the instability of Roman emperors.

선(善)-(선(善)-goodness, virtue)
Goodness or virtue. One of the three conditions for happiness (선, 미, 의), leading to blessings from heaven.

미(美)-(미(美)-beauty, aesthetics)
Beauty. One of the three conditions for happiness (선, 미, 의), representing living beautifully.

의(義)-(의(義)-righteousness, justice)
Righteousness or justice. One of the three conditions for happiness (선, 미, 의), representing acting with integrity and spreading kindness widely.

경행록(景行錄)-(경(景)-bright, 행(行)-conduct, 록(錄)-record)
Gyeonghaengrok (Record of Bright Conduct). A text cited by the speaker, emphasizing the importance of spreading kindness and avoiding enmity.

수원(讐怨)-(수(讐)-enmity, 원(怨)-grudge)
Enmity or grudge. He advises against holding grudges, as one will inevitably encounter their enemies again.

외나무다리(외나무다리)-(외(외)-single, 나무(나무)-wood, 다리(다리)-bridge)
Single log bridge. Used in the proverb “원수는 외나무다리에서 만난다” (Enemies meet on a single log bridge), meaning one cannot avoid their enemies.

인간(人間)-(인(人)-human, 간(間)-between)
Human being. He emphasizes the preciousness of human birth, stating it is the most difficult thing to achieve in the universe.

고귀(高貴)-(고(高)-high, 귀(貴)-noble)
Noble or precious. Describes the inherent value of human existence, simply by being born.

스크립트

그래요? 잘해서 이제 박 회장님이 운영 올 때 한테 했어요. 박 회장님이 이제 돈 구경하게 생겼네. 그걸 실수라고 그래요.

그러니까 건물을 지어서 실수한 거지 실패한 게 아니다 이 말이요. 고치고 되니까 사람 인생도 죽기 전까지는 실패인지 실수인지 몰라요. 히틀러가 54살에 죽을 때까지 히틀러 잘 나갔어요.

운대가 아주 상승했어. 이 사람이 50대에 죽었지만은, 이 54살에 죽을 때까지 히틀러 8자가 아주 잘 나갔지. 뭐 자유 진영에서는 그 사람이 절대권을 가지고 있었잖아. 그런데 빌 게이츠가 대학을 중퇴할 때 돈 때문에 중퇴할 때 사람들이 이 사람 이거는 박사 학위 받아 가지고 큰 인물이 될 줄 알았는데 돈이 어려우니까 대학을 중퇴하니까 사람들이 빌 게이츠는 망했고 친구들이 얘를 흉을 봤어요.

얘가 실패한 애로 보는 거야. 근데 얘가 실패한 거야? 아니에요. 얘는 경험을 했을 뿐이야.

실험을 했을 뿐이야. 에디슨이 2만 번 만에 뭘 만들어요? 전구를 개발해요. 그러면 에너지를 갖다가 빛으로 바꾼 거야. 에너지를 빛으로 바꿨는데 이 사람이 뭘 보고 연구했어요? 이 에너지를 뭘로 해서 빛을 만들려고 했을까? 아는 사람? 번개.

번개. 이 물 가지고 어떻게 하면 전기가 오는구나. 불이 번쩍해지고 전 지구가 환해져 버려 순식간에. 엄청난 빛이 나온다.

이걸 연구해 가지고 그런 걸 만들어 낸 거야. 그러면 이걸 담화를 만드는데 실패한 실수한 횟수가 몇 번이라고요? 2만 번. 사람들이 이걸 보고 뭐라고 하냐면 실패는 성공의 어머니다. 그러니까 여기서 이 말이 틀린 거예요, 알겠어요? 에디슨한테 사람들이 물어봤어요.

2만 번을 실패하고 어떻게 참았냐고. 그러니까 한 번도 실패한 적이 없대요. 왜? 자기는 실험을 했다는 거예요, 실험. 자꾸 저거 하다가 안 되면 또다시 하는 것도 하지 하는 거고, 이 사고가 안 되면 저 사고 해보는 거고.

실험하는 거지. 무슨 인생이 죽지도 않았는데 실패가 있냐 이 말이야. 그래 그래요. 한국에 기독교나 불교가 온 지가 오래됐는데, 불교는 한국에 와서 2500년 이상 실험을 해서 안 했어요? 실험을 했고, 기독교는 한국에 와서 150년 실험을 해서 안 했어요? 실험을 했잖아요.

그게 실험이지. 그게 계속 시스템을 바꿔가잖아요. 이렇게 해보니까 이렇게 시름을 행하는 거예요. 그래서 좌절하면 돼, 안 돼요? 좌절은 존재하지 않는다.

에디슨한테 그러니까 여호와 똑같은 얘가 인디언들 있잖아. 아메리카 인디언들. 인디언들이 기우지하면 항상 비 오죠. 왜 비가 온다고 그래요? 올 때까지 기우지하죠.

그 이유가 뭐겠어요? 이 사람들은 실수나 실패 저런 거 없어요. 왜? 비가 한 달이 또 오면 한 달 동안 기우제를 해. 비가 오면 기우제를 멈춰. 근데 이 사람들은 비가 안 오는데 기우제를 멈추는 일이 없기 때문에 했다고 100% 비가 오는.

근데 사람들은 일반 백인들은 그런 걸 못 참아요. 못 참아. 금방 뭐가 이익이 없으면은 그만둔다. 그래서 우리가 인디언이 하는 기우제와 똑같은 게 인생이야.

끝나는 날까지. 내일 죽는데 오늘 어디 가서 국회의장이 골프장 가서 여자를 뭐 붙들고 잘못 주퇴를 해버리면 그 사람은 인생에 성공장과 실패장과 실패자가 되어버린 거야. 그래서 그런 사람은 인생. 자체는 남들이 볼 때는 부럽게 했지만, 인생에 대해서 마무리하기 하루 전에, 죽기 하루 전에만 남자는 여자 문제가 생기면 실패적이야.

그러니까 언제나 여자를 보면은 그 여자를 볼 때는 꼭 그 어머니, 아버지를 생각해야지. 저 여자 어머니, 아버지는 저 딸을 키울 때 무슨 마음을 먹고 키웠을까? 정말 좋은 사람 만나야 되는데, 내 같은 사람을 만나면 안 되지. 그러면 그 사람을 막 띄워줘야 돼.

계속 좋은 데 시집하도록, 좋은 사람한테 가도록 자기는 양보해요. 그런데 좋은 사람만 있으면 서로 뺏어 가려고 해 버리면, 자기 부인이 있는데도 남의 사람을 데리고 가려고 하면 안 돼요. 그래서 우리가 항상 마음속에는 하나님 마음으로 살아야 되고, 하나님 마음이 내 마음이 돼서 사는 거. 그 다음에 부모님 마음이 내 마음이 되는 거.

내 마음으로 부모님 마음이, 부모님 마음으로 내가 사는 거야. 내 마음이 되는 거야. 그 다음 세 번째 뭐요? 무슨 말입니까? 남의 마음으로 내 마음이 되는 거야. 그리고 이 세 가지를 잊어버리면 안 돼요.

꼭 남의 마음으로, 내가 저기 이쁜 여자가 있다 그러면, 저 여자가 지금 시집갈 때가 되었다 그러면, 저 사람이 어떤 남자를 만나 행복하게 살까? 자기 딸처럼 생각이 되는데, 그걸 세컨드로 만들 연구를 하면 그 사람은 나쁜 사람이잖아. 절대 그러면 안 돼요. 그 부모가 쟤를 쟤만큼 키우고, 얼굴에 흉한은 안 생기고 그렇게 자빠지고 그걸 일으키고 수없이 세수를 시키고 애를 그만큼 따뜻해서 키웠을 때, 그 부모의 고통을 우리가 남의 마음을 생각해야지. 그러니까 우리가 그런 마음이 안 생겨요.

그런데 사람들이 이 생각을 안 한 거예요. 하나님 마음은 항상 물 한 그릇이라도 없는 사람하고 나눠 먹고, 항상 손님을 대접하듯이 그 속에 뭐가 있어요? 그 목말라 하는 사람 속에 누가 들어있다고요? 천사가 분명히 들어있다 이 소리야. 내가 물을 주는데, 그 물을 주는 그 거지, 내가 밥을 주는 그 거지 속에 반드시 하늘의 천사가 그 사람한테 나타나는 거예요. 그러니까 그게 보기는 완전 거지야.

내가 어제 밥을 바깥에서 먹었어. 복사하러 나와 가지고 복사를 좀 했는 일이 있어 가지고 복사를 하루 나와서 밥을 밖에서 먹는데, 저녁을 10시쯤 식당에 들어갔다니 다 문을 닫고 조그마한 식당에 들어갔다니 그 사람이 여자가 한 40대 여자하고 30살은 남자가 둘이 돌아가는데 이만한 나무 개작을 한 사람당 두 개씩 챙겨주더라고요. 되게 무거워. 내가 가서 이게 뭐야 하고 딱 들어보니까 엄청 무거워.

그게 찹쌀 모찌야. 잘 뜯어 있어요. 그래서 밤 10시에 자기들은 낮에 떡 만들어서 밤에 떡을 팔아야 된다는 거예요. 2시, 3시 뭐 팔리면 들어간대.

이걸 저녁에 판대. 낮에는 떡을 만들고. 그래 가지고 그거를 그 상자 안에 넣었는데 무신장 무거워. 그 두 개를 가지고 다니는 거야.

하나 어깨 메고 하나 들고 이러고 다니는 거야. 그 버스 타고 거기까지 와서 다 팔면 들어가니까 떡이 모자라면 안 되니까 가지고 다니는 거야. 그래서 그 여자도 너무 몸이 약해 보이고 그 남자도 뭐 그냥 약간 좀 장애가 좀 있는 사람 같아 보여. 남자도 그런데 내가 보고 너무 가슴이 아프더라고.

이렇게 무거운 걸 어떻게 들고 다니냐고. 그랬더니 자기들은 이걸 해야 뭐 먹고 사니까 그렇다고 그렇게 생각해. 내가 많은 사가지고 식당에 아주머니들, 일하는 사람들하고 놀아줬어요. 어제 내가 제일 먼저 개시를 했어.

그래서 마이파르라고 했는데, 그 마음이 아픈 거야. 그럼 왜 아프냐? 그 애를 낳은 사람의 부모의 마음이 되는 거예요. 그럴 때는 그 여자가 무거운 걸 그렇게, 허리가 안 좋은 여자들인데 그걸 질문 주고 팔로 다니니, 그 사람들은 남 속에 도둑질하는 사람들은 아니잖아. 보니까 아, 그렇게 마음이 아파.

밥을 먹고 영 그거 하더라고. 이와 같이 남의 마음이 내 마음이 되는 거야. 그 사람의 마음이 되어주는 거지. 이거 팔로 다니다가 저녁에 나한테 개신을 따고 나니까 힘이 생겨서 많이 팔 거 아니야.

그러니까 용기를 넣어 준 거야, 용기를. 그 사람 앞에서 뭐 고생한다, 뭐 이런 말을 하면 그 사람이 자존심 상하니까 그런 말을 못하고 용기를 넣어 준 거야. 그래야 그래요? 그러니까 남의 마음이 내 마음이 돼야지. 내 마음을 남한테 강요하면 안 되는 거야.

그래야 그래요. 내 마음이 남의 마음이 되도록 몸부림치는 사람들이 있어요. 그거는 실제 잘못된 거예요. 이것도 마찬가지야.

부모님 마음이 내 마음이 됩니다. 다른 부모님 마음도 내 마음이에요. 저 노인들을 어떻게 모실까? 그한테는 70만원 주자는데, 여당에서는 20만원씩 깎아가지고 행색만 낸다고 그래요. 그걸 그런 게 있잖아요.

그래서 저 하나님 마음이 되면은 쓰레기를 차에다 짠 턱 짓고 저 난지도까지 가야 되는데, 가다가 중간에 남의 밭에다가 살짝 버리려고 마음을 싹 보는 거야. 그래요, 그래요. 그럴 때 하나님 마음으로 돌아가서 보면 어떻게 돼요? 내비게이션, 이거 몰래카메라 있어. 있어요. 버리고 가면 그 사람은 나중에 그 버림만큼 차가 사고 나서 그만큼 피해를 봐.

그러니까 하나님이 쳐다보고 있다. 하나님이라면 쓰레기를 여기다 버릴까? 안 버리지. 그래서 그걸 우리는 그념하게 된다. 그러니까 이게 무슨 마음이냐면은 한번 적자. 적자 5도 정적, 5도 정적이면 5도 정적, 알겠어요? 이게 이거하고 비슷하면서 대치되는 것 같아.

잘 봐야 돼요. 봐. 남의 마음이 내 마음이 되는 건데, 요거는 또. 이거는 이제 마음이 요거하고 조금 달라.

봐. 봐봐요. 5도 정적이면은 내 마음이 바르면 내 마음이 바르면은 모든 사람이 발라져 버려. 무슨인지 알겠어요? 이 말하고 비슷해요.

일체유심조하고 비슷해요. 이 불교에서 말하는 일체 유심조하고 비슷해요. 무슨 말이냐면 모든 것은 내 마음이 만드는 것이지, 남의 저 사람이 인상이 안 좋다. 저 사람이 뭐가 안 좋다.

이거는 존재할 수 없는 거예요. 왜? 그 사람 마음이 내 마음이 돼야 되는데, 왜 남을 갖다가 좋다고 안 좋다고 판단하냐 이 말이에요. 그래 그래요. 그러니까 그 사람을 키운 부모는 어떻겠어요? 그러니까 내 마음이 바르면 나, 모든 사람도 발라 보이기도 하고 발라져 버려.

그러니까 굳이 이거는 그런 말이고, 이거는 그런 말인데 이거는 뭐냐? 남의 마음이 그래서 내 마음이 돼야 되는 거야. 그러니까 반대죠. 그렇지 않죠. 어렵지.

그러니까 내 마음이 바르면 모든 사람이 발라진다 이 말이야. 피필 자아증, 모든 사람이 바른다. 내 마음이 바를 때. 그러니까 이거는 내가 내 마음이 부처면 모든 사람이 부처로 보인다는 말과 비슷해요.

그러니까 굳이 세상 사람을 바꾸려고 하기 전에 내가 먼저 바뀌어야 된다. 그러면 나는 왜 강의를 할까? 질문을 해서 답을 해 봐. 세상 내 마음이 바르면 모든 세상 사람 마음이 달라져 버리면, 지금 이 내가 왜 강의를 할까? 조교수님, 조교수님, 조교수님과 내가 왜 강의를 해? 질문할 때는 유대인들처럼 답을 아주 잘 해야 돼요. 우리 민족의 결점이 뭐냐고 질문하면 답을 어물거려.

유대인들은 어디서부터 대화를 많이 해가지고 부모하고 뭐 대화해야죠. 당인들이 뭐지? 토론하는 거는 나쁜 게 아니니까 모르는 걸 일깨워주는 상황이네요. 아니, 내 마음이 바르면 모든 사람이 마음이 달라져. 근데 내가 왜 굳이 강의를 해야 될까? 모르니까 가르쳐주는 거 아닌가요? 즉, 마음이 바른 자가 없기 때문에 가르치는 거야.

그런 자가 나와야 될 거 아니야. 그러면 그 다음부터 그 사람들이 전 세상 사람을 다 좋게 보는 사람이 늘어날 거 아니야. 그러니까 이걸 아는 자가 별로 없어. 맞아요.

마음이 바른 자가 그리 왜 그리 흔하냐 이 말이야. 그러니까 이 기회를 주는 거야. 그래, 이걸 알아라 이 말이지. 그러니까 석가모니나 예수님이 그런 말을 하는 이유는 그 주장하는 자가 처음에 있어 줘야 돼요.

그러니까 예수의 마음으로 가져버리면 세상 만사에 고통은 없어요. 석가모니 마음으로 바꿔버리면 나만 부딪힐 일이 없어. 보입니까? 이거 봐, 흔들리지 않고 얼마나 좋은가.

보기도 좋고. 그래서 모든 원인은 어디에 있어요? 이 신자는 뭐예요? 약자연? 아니야. 이 약자는 뭐예요? 아심, 내 마음이 만든다 이거야. 저 남편을 내가 만드는 거야.

저 아내를 내가 만드는 거지. 그 아내가 좋다 나쁘다 하는 것은 객관적으로 존재할 수가 없어. 그거를 뭐 저 원래 타고날 때 나쁜 놈으로 태어났어.

이러면 절대 안 돼요. 그러니까 내가 이제 만 원을 제일 사주면서도 그 사람을 불쌍하게 쳐다봐 버리면 나는 메시아가 아니야. 그 사람 자존심을 건드리는 거야. 그래서 여러분이 꼭 알아놔야 될 게, 알아야 할 게 사무량심이 있어요.

사무량심이 저기서 뭐지? 처음엔? 저기서 불교 아닌가? 알바를 대답해요? 청정심, 청정심. 두 번째가 뭐예요? 사무량심이 뭐예요? 물 다. 컵 좀 갖다. 그냥 따서 드시는 게 나아요.

그냥 따서 드시는 게 나아요. 먼지가 더 오니까. 뭐예요? 분별심? 분별심? 무량심. 참 무량심에는 분별하는 것은 무량심이 아니지.

무량심이란 무량심. 월급생 동안 내가 강의를 많이 했잖아. 남한테 베푸는 거. 이게 베푸는 건데 내가 남한테 베푼다는 생각을 하면은, 이거는 무슨 이해가죠? 내가 그 사람한테 베푼다.

그 사람이 그걸 느끼게 하면 안 되는 거야. 안 하면 안 느끼게 도와야 되는 게 그게 장학금이야. 가난하면 걔 자존심을 안 건드리려고 하는 거지. 그 높은 사람이 돈 많다고 애한테 장학금을 현찰로 탁 주면 자존심 상하는 거야.

어떤 재단에서 주는 건 사람이 봤지만, 뭐 재벌이 와 가지고 야, 니 장학금 해. 아니, 니 학비 해. 이렇게 주는 거는 절대 죄라 이 말이야. 그래야 그래요? 그런 걸 피하라 이 말이야.

그래서 보시하는 것도 죄라 말이야. 보시하는 것도 죄. 청정하는 거는 죄가 아니라 이 말이야. 그 네 가지 마음 중에 이게 그 다음 무슨 마음이 있어? 자비심? 자비가 있거든.

자비심이 세 번째야. 그러면 이 자비심은 x일까, 0일까? 영. 자비심. 남을 불쌍히 측은하게 생각하지.

그 이유는 이 자체는 무슨 심이요? 자만심. 이게 무슨 심이야? 이게 측은지심이지? 그러면 측은지심을 측은지심이면 이게 남을 측은하게 생각하는 거니까, 이거는 보시하고 좀 달라요. 이게 동그라미야. 그 다음에 네 번째 뭐가 있어요? 이거는 인간의 마음은 항상 이 사무량심을 벗어나면 죄를 짓는 거야.

사무량심을 가지고 있어야 돼. 네 번째 뭐지? 불교 믿는 사람도 있고, 기독교 믿는 사람도 있는데 알아요, 알아요. 네 번째 뭐예요? 이거 굉장히 중요한 거요. 지혜, 지혜신이야.

그럼 이게 사물이야. 그래서 이 사무량심을 행할 때 내가 자 봐요. 저 어려운 사람이 있는데 그 사람 마음이 내가 되어버리면 내가 누구를 도와준 사람이 있어 없어? 없어요. 저 거지를 내가 도와주는데 내가 저 거지 마음이 되어버리면 내가 누구를 도운 거 아니잖아.

내가 나를 도와준 거야. 그러니까 저 사람이 나야. 이런 마음으로 도와야 내가 누구를 도운 일이 있어 없어? 없어요.

자기 사전에. 이게 자꾸 어머니가 밥을 애기한테 먹일 때 밥이 쌀이 떨어져서 다세를 굶겼어. 그 다음에 어디서 밥을 얻어 왔어. 그거를 엄마가 애한테 먹일 때 엄마가 배가 불러.

배가 불렀데 이상하게 애보다 배가 더 부른 거야. 그걸 보고 엄마가 먹고 싶지가 않아. 배가 아무리 고파도 애 입에 들어가는 게 내 기분이 더 좋아요. 상상 임신이 되는 거야.

상상 임신이 있듯이 애 못 낳는 사람이 거기에 정신이 팔리면 상상 임신이 되는 거 같아. 그러니까 애 입에 들어가면 그게 내 입에 들어오는 거야. 그러니까 우리가 가난한 사람을 도울 때 배고픈 자리를 도와줄 때 저건 남이야 이러고 도시야. 이거 난 누구한테 좋은 일에서 이런 나는 기부를 해서 이런 남한테 하는 기부 이 단어 자체도 사실은 문제가 있는 거야.

이게 기부한다는 거거든. 기부하는 것도 저게 단어는 마음속으로 기부가 아니고 자기 자신이 자기 자신한테 준 거야, . 이와 같이 부모는 자기 자식에게 뭘 하는 것을 남한테 한다고 생각해야 안 해? 자기한테 한다고. 그리고 여러분이 명심해야 돼.

그러면 여기 있는 여러분들은 남이냐고. 다 올라가면 다 우리 한 조상의 형제들이잖아. 그리고 이게 남이 아니고 내야. 내가 집에 가면은 당근을 하나 먹고 싶어도 당근이 밭에서부터 씨를 뿌리는 자와 그 도서까지 오는 운전수부터 전부 우리 집에까지 시장에서 그걸 지키고 있다가 나한테 판 사람까지 가.

그 사람들이 전부 내 대행한 사람들이야. 그럼 당근 하나만 있으면 밥을 먹나? 수백만 명이 동원돼서 밥 한 끼는 먹는데 내가 하루 사는데 500만 명이 동원돼요. 그러면 그것이 그게 남이요? 내가 가서 당근 식구리고 내가 농사짓고 쌀농사짓고 이것저것 하려면 사는데 500만 명이 동원돼요. 그러면 그것이 그게 남이요? 내가 가서 단 걸 씹고 내가 농사 짓고 쌀 농사 짓고 이것저것 하려면 나는 밥 한 그릇 먹으려다가 죽어요.

그럼 뭐 죽어? 하나하나 다 심어야 되니 그걸 언제 다 농사 짓는 거? 안 먹고 말지. 그런데 다른 사람이 다 지어오니까 그게 내 몸을 위해서 존재해야 안 해? 그럼 그게 남이요? 아 내 지체란 말이야. 그렇게 해서 돈을 아 내가 내 몸이 이렇게 고달프구나. 저 사람들이 나를 먹여 살리려고 장사를 하긴 하는데 적자가 나가지고 빚을 주고 가격 제를 못 내가 막 저렇게 고생하는구나.

야 내가 어떻게 저 사람들 잘 살게 해줘야 되겠다. 저 사람들이 잘 되냐 나도 잘 되는데 이렇게 돼야 돼. 저 사람은 죽여야 내가 잘 된다. 그런 마음을 먹으면 그 집안은 망해요.

그래서 내가 건물의 문이 회전문 보는 거는 좋아, 복이 들어와. 계속. 근데 드론 놈은 열고 나가요. 드론만큼 나가면.

그러니까 박 회장님은 건축가지만, 건축을 잘하는 사람은 있는데, 다 잘 짓는데, 내가 이 건물에 처음에 딱 돌 때, 그게 0점이야. 고체로 오면 한 1억은 들어갈 것 같아. 그런 소리 할 순 없지.

이렇게 다 실수가 있었어요. 개그맨 했어, 안 했어? 실험해서 안 했어요? 그러니까 인생은 죽을 때까지 실험하다가 돌아갈 때까지만, 끝날 때 그때 실패다, 아니라는 누가 결정해요? 가족이나 남이 결정해 주는 거야. 본인 입에서는 내가 실패다, 이런 말을 할 수 있어. 그건 하나님에 대한 모독이야. 맞아봐요.

실에 대한 배신이란 말이야. 내가 실패했다는 이런 말은. 내 자식이 우리 엄마는 실패했어, 뭐 이렇게 이야기 할 수도 있어. 이웃들이 저 사람 나 봐.

내가 한번 하나 보여주려고 왔어요. 김고문님, 미리 나와. 이거 한번 읽어봅시다. 한문이 섞여 있어서 아마 김고문님이 읽어봅시다.

마이크 자리. 선생님, 201호에 사는 서씨입니다. 시골에서 올라온 맥으로, 즉… 소리, 소리, 소리 꺼져서.

질골에서 올라온 맥으로 엉튀기 장사가 왔길래 티밥을 조금 만들었어요. 집필하시다 출출하실 때 우유에 타서 드셔보세요. 건강에는 도움이 될지는 모르겠습니다. 훌륭하신 분을 이웃으로 만나게 되어서 항상 행복하게 생각하고 있습니다.

내가 나중에 뻥튀기를 내 문 앞에다 한 가마니를 갖다 놨어요. 뻥튀기를 그렇게 많이 갖다 놔야 돼. 보리 뻥튀기야. 그럼 이걸 갖다가 스카이테프 보여, 안 보여? 스카이테프를 그 포도에다 딱 붙여놨어.

그러니까 내가 이사 주민들 모아놓고 강의를 하고 그랬거든. 강의를 쭉 해줬어. 그랬더니 사람들이 먹을 거 있으면. 이렇게 갖다 줘요.

내가 없으나 있으나 갖고 갖다 감도 갖다 놓고 이것저것 갖다 놔요. 이것은 뭐냐. 내가 평소에 행실을 잘못해 봐. 맞아요.

동네에 있는 여자들이나 쳐다봐서 뭐 이러면 배고프다고 뭐 사진을 찍어주지. 여자들 거라고 사진을 찍어주지.

그러나 집에 딱 들어가면 나올 때까지는 안 나오잖아. 하나도 불편을 안 줘요. 내 차 잘 데가 없어요.

항상 그래. 이제 사람들이 내 차 세우라고 자리를 딱 비워놔. 그럼 언제든지 내 차 세우는 자리는 제일 좋은 자리야. 그 자리를 아무도 안 대요.

사람들이 그냥 저기는 허경영 총재 이러면 세우는 자리. 절대 세우면 안 돼. 그럼 나는 아무리 늦게 가도 차 세울 때가 딱 있어요. 왜? 이 사람들이 내 도와주는 거야.

그래요. 근데 내가 이걸 보고 내가 얼마나 웃었는지 몰라. 봐요. 아주 정성도로 다 좋은데 글씨를 잘 썼는데 김고무님이 큰 실수를 한 거야. 글씨를 잘 썼어요? 한문이 다 틀립니다.

이라고 하니깐. 내가 우리 김고무님이 이걸 글씨를 잘 썼는데. 한문 틀리고 찾아내 봐. 시험이다.

건강이 반대로 썼지? 건강이 틀렸어. 건강할 때는 이분은 건강을 이렇게 써놨 거야. 이렇게. 이렇게 해서 건강을 건강을 이렇게 써놨어요.

그러면 이것이 틀린 거야. 일과 아침이 앞으로 나와야 돼. 그래야 그래. 이게 건강이란 말이야.

또 찾아봐. 그러니까 행복이라는 게. 행복이 틀려주세요.

들으세요. 여기 말 있어요. 절로 안 됐어요. 골씨 자열 때 했었는데.

초등변에서 했지. 행복이. 자 한번 봐요. 행복이 이 복자가 이거 아니에요.

볼시 변 아니요. 그런데 이 사람은 이 변으로 써라는 거야. 그걸 또 썼지? 또 틀렸지? 또 봐요. 또 봐.

맥자라도 보리 맥자가 보리 맥자는 잘 썼어. 보리 맥자는 이게 정자야. 이게 초서지. 이게 줄인 자지.

보리 맥자는 좀 복잡하잖아. 보리 맥자는. 이게 아니죠. 서시가 또.

서시가 또. 서시가 또. 서시는 이게 중인 변에. 이거 맞아.

아, 근데 그 쓰다 보니까 약간 이렇게 쓰는 사람이라 그래. 그거는 또 다른 걸 찾아 봐. 뭐 응급한 것만 찾아서 한문을 찾아라 이 말이에요. 근데 이분이 학문을 섞어서 썼어요.

섞어서 썼는데 한문이 다 틀렸어요. 그래도 우리는 읽어, 안 읽어? 이 사람 형을 보면 안 돼. 안 되는 거야. 선생님 자체도…

선생님은 맞아. 근데 왜 좋은… 왜 끼고 무님 자꾸 틀리고 행복 틀리고 안 틀렸지? 그래, 행복 틀리고 틀렸는데 이분이 행복자를 자, 여러분 이제 이분이 틀리게 썼으니까 내가 알려줄게. 복자지요? 이게 왜 복자예요? 이 복자가 왜 복자예요? 이거 썼지? 양고문님, 이거 썼지? 복자가 왜 복이냐 하면 이 손수 변 들어가면 안 돼.

이 손수 변은 이거거든. 이거의 복이 아니다 이 말이야. 이게 아니란 말이야. 그러니까 이게 잘못된 거야.

복자는 무슨 뜻이냐 하면 이게 볼 시 자야. 자기 눈에 잡아요. 이게 뭐예요? 먹는 입에 밭이 달라져 있어.

그거를 자기가 바라볼 수 있게 되어 있는 거야. 그 앞에 문전옥답이 있다 소리야. 자기 앞에. 자기 앞에 자기가 먹고 살 수 있는 문전옥답이 앞에 보인다.

그게 자기 것이 있다. 그건 복이 있다. 문제는 옥답을 바라보고 있는 거다. 그러면 복보다 한 단계 높은 게 덕이잖아.

덕은 파자 해 봐. 뭐예요? 덕은. 덕도 보면 이거 있죠? 요거, 요거, 요거. 이거 자기 자신이야.

여기 자기 자신이 입으로 먹을 전답을 바라본다. 이거 아니요? 그럼 여기도 자기 자신이. 이거 뭐예요? 이 뭐예요? 덕자는 왜 복자를 복자의 위기한지 이건 할까? 복을 왜 덕으로 바꾸지 못하면 인생의 실패자야. 여기서 실패라는 건 이 복을 덕으로 못 바꾸고 자기가 다 닦았을 때 실패야.

어떤 부자가 죽을 때까지 편안하게 살다 죽었어. 이걸 남한테 기부도 좋은 일을 못하고 죽으면 실패야. 남들이 볼 때는 안 망했지. 그런데 하늘에서 볼 때는 그 사람 실패자야.

아니야. 환전을 환전하지 못한 거야. 눈 감으면 짐승으로 태어나. 반응으로 태어나.

덕자는 뭐예요? 파자가 두 사람이요. 두 사람을 자, 이거는 두 사람이야. 남을 위해서. 남을 위해서는 말이야.

한 사람 이상이잖아. 그러니까 내가 아까 이야기한 이거야. 남의 마음이 내 마음이 되는 거야. 이거는.

그러니까 이게 중인변이야. 중인. 그러니까 거듭된다 이 말이지. 거듭되는 이 중자, 이 중이 두 사람이.

이건 뭐예요? 십자가. 십자가. 뭐예요? 십자가. 십자가로 해도 돼.

우리 목사님은 지금 뭐 뭐 보셔? 요고 요고 요고 파자 하는 말. 십자가도 괜찮아. 십자가도 괜찮은데 십자가라고 해도 되지만은 시방세계 이 세상. 이 세상이 방위가 10개야.

그래 그래. 이 시방세계를 말하는 건데. 시방세계. 이거 뭐예요? 사랑.

이 세상에 다른 사람들을 위한 사랑을 내가 사랑하는 마음을 실천하는 거야. 그러면 이 마음이 이 내라는 것이 여기에 올라가 있지 않잖아. 복은. 이게 이제 밑으로 내려와요.

그러니까 이거는 복에 초점을 돕고 먹는 것을 장악하고 있는 거고. 이거는 내려와 있어. 그래서 이거는 차원이 남의 마음을 내 마음으로 삼는 거. 내 복을 남의 복으로 바꾸는 자야.

그래서 이건 덕이 있다 파자, 이해 가시죠? 그 사람이 복 복자를 잘못 썼어. 실패자는 어떤 자라고요? 사업이 망한 자는 실패자가 아니야. 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못한 자, 복을 덕으로 못 바꾸고 죽는 사람이야. 죽을 때까지 타워팰리스에서 살면서 잘 사는 건 좋은데, 그만큼 거기 사는 만큼 노블리스 오블리지를 못했어야.

노블리스 오블리지는 어? 노블레스, 노블레스 N.O.B.L.E.S.S.E. 노블레스. 이게 무슨 말이야? 귀족. 귀족이야.

귀족. 오블리즈는 뭐예요? 의무. 의무. 박수, 박수, 박수.

자, 노블레스 오블리즈는 귀족은 의무가 있는데, 귀족이 기부를 많이 했다 해서 이 기부를 많이 했다 해서 이 귀족이 좋은 일을 한 거야, 안 한 거야? 기부를 많이 했으니까 귀족이 좋은 일을 한 거야, 안 한 거야? 안 한 거야. 당연한 거야, 당연. 안 하면 죄를 짓는 거야.

귀족이 있는 사람이 없는 사람을 위해서 도와준 거는 좋은 일을 했다고 하면은, 이거는 기부가 나쁜 뜻이 되는 거예요. 그냥 그래요? 그러면 뭐가 돼요? 보시심이 되는 거야. 좋은 일을 해도 이게 없어야 돼.

무량심이 돼야 돼. 요 네 가지는 무슨 마음이라고요? 눈에 보이는 물질을 생각하면 돼, 안 돼? 그래서 무량심. 네 가지의 양이 그 물 마음에 두지 말아야 되는 마음이야. 요런 걸 할 때는 절대 마음에 넣지 마라.

마음에 넣으면 죄가 된다. 청정한 거, 이런 거 할 때 내가 청정한 걸 얼마 했다. 교회에다가 헌금 많이 내고 뭐 열심히 교회 나오고 이런 걸 마음에 넣었다. 자기는 청정한 계율을 지켰다.

이래. 그러면 이 청정한 계율을 지킨 사람이 목사한테 대야죠. 결국 교회를 또 쪼개게 돼. 그러니까 이 청정한 자기가 교회를 위해서 청정한 일을 했다는 걸 머릿속에 넣으면 돼, 안 돼? 절대 무량심이야.

너무 안 되는 마음이라 이 말이에요. 이게 그 뜻이요. 내가 어머니한테 많이 설비지 해 줬다. 남편이 아내한테 설비지 해 줬다.

그걸 머리에 넣고 있으면 어떡해? 나중에 뭐 아내가 조금 잘못했다. 당신 내가 설비지 해 주자. 이런 게 들어가면 그 사람은 호시심을 한 거예요.

그걸 머릿속에 넣으면 안 되는 거예요. 이런 거는. 절대로 머리에 넣지 마. 그게 산부량심이거든.

그러니까 이와 같이 이런 걸 머릿속에 넣은 사람은 뭐 한 사람이요? 실패한 사람이다. 아무리 기부를 많이 해도 내가 얼마를 내고 나는 이렇게 좋은 일을 많이 했다. 이걸 자랑하고 다니면 실패한 인생이다. 사업하다가 부도내고 교도소 간 게 실패한 게 아니에요.

그 사람은 뭐 한 사람이요? 실험한 거예요. 경험한 거예요. 그래서 다음에 교도소 넣으면 이제 그런 짓 안 해. 두 번 다시.

이해 가죠? 그래서 여러분들은 실수, 실수와 실패는 엄청나게 다른 거예요. 사람들은 실패를 성공했다고 그래요. 이 세상 사람 성공, 실패한 사람을 전부 성공이라고. 이런 사람은 실수한 사람을 갖다가 매도해요.

사업하다 부도 나서 교도소가 있는 사람을 세금 내고 남한테 채권자한테 쫓겨서 교도소 가는 사람을 무조건 사기꾼으로 몰면 안 돼. 왜? 사업을 잘 해버린다고 그랬으니까. 그러니까 이런 사람은 매도를 하고 아주 성공해 가지고 남들이 보면 막 실패한 사람을 우리는 전부 성공한 사람이라고 생각하는 거예요. 그래 나중에 보니까 국회의회장이 골프장 가서 그런 거 보니까 그 사람의 인생을 실패한 거예요.

예를 들어서. 그러니까 실패를 보는 눈을 여러분이 바꿔야 해요. 내 마음이 바르면 모든 세상이 달라지는 거야.

그런데 내가 그러니까 어떻게 해야 된다고, 내가 남의 마음으로 세상을 살아야 된다. 노블리, 소블리죠. 그런데 이거, 이거 어제 저녁에 보리 튀긴 거고, 그러니까 아니 문 앞에 도착했는데 고소한 냄새가 많이 나. 아니 이게 뭐야? 뭐니까 이게 붙어 있어.

그러니까 사람들이 내 맛 보면 전부 90도 처리야. 내 맛 나타나면 그래. 나도 동네 사람한테 뭘 할 수 없잖아. 항상 공인은 무진장 조심해야 되는 거다.

집이라고 해서 와서 소주나 먹고 소리나 지르고 내 인생이 뭐 이런 이상 뭐 그런 소리 하면 그냥 그날로 마지막이야. 그게 실패한 사람이에요. 그 사람들 마음을 내가 가지고 사는 거야. 그러니 내가 그 사람들 괴롭게 할 일이 없지.

그 사람들 마음이 내 마음이. 나는 그 사람들이 어떻게 밥을 먹는가, 그게 걱정이야. 그냥 그래. 내 댓글에는 걱정 안 하고 뭐 그래야 된다 이 말이야.

그 팥 칼국숫집 그 어른이 맨발로 나와서 총재님 들어오니까 저랬잖아. 내가 박 회장님하고 옛날에 팥 칼국숫집 사장에서 구파가래 송초에 그죠? 그거를 봤는데 박 회장님 건물 질 때 봤는데 70 몇 살이? 80살? 80 다 된 분이 팥 칼국숫집 사장이야. 근데 그 사람이 내가 딱 들어가니까 문 앞에까지 쫓아나왔어. 맨발로 나와 가지고 그래서 안에 들어왔는데 내가 앉으니까 큰절을 하는 거야.

박 회장님 옆에 앉아있고 나를 향해서 이제 큰절을 하는 거야. 그래서 내가 아이고 왜 이랩니까 이거. 아니래. 머리가 땅에 닿도록 큰절을 해요.

어른이 이제 공손하게 해요. 큰절도 완전히 제사 지내듯이 내가 절을 딱 받고 나더니 그 뭘 선물했죠? 그 자리에서. 나를 위해서 목화를 그리는 거야, 목화. 글을 썼는데 그 글 얘기 좀 해줘.

그 글 얘기는 박 회장님이 기억을 해야지. 봄이 올 때를 기다리는. 그래, 바로 그 말이야. 이 겨울매는 봄이 올 때를 기다리고 있는 겨울매인데, 때를 만나면 활짝 꽃이 필 거다 이거야.

그런 어른이신데, 그러면서 나한테 그림이 말해, 이만해, 이만해. 이만한 그림을 그 자리에서 글씨를 쫙 써가지고 매화를, 매화를, 매화나추를 쳤죠. 쫙 쳐가지고 그것도 매화를 탁 그려가지고 그 춘설매, 눈 속에 있는 매, 춘설매는 봄을 기다리고 있는 매다. 이게 언젠가 꽃을 피면은 그 향기가 천리를 갈 거다. 시를 써 놨어요. 그게 총재님이시라고.

그게 나라는 거야. 내가 춘설매래. 지금은 겨울이라는 거야. 그 점 있으면 내가 매화가 팍 핀다는 거야.

아, 그래서 김대중의 설중매, 인동초와 비슷한 이야기를 하시면서 그 양반이 갔더니 역대 대통령 사진을 벽에 다 붙여놨어요. 사진이 이만해, 이만한 사진들을 열 몇 개를 쫙 벽에 붙여놨고, 세상에 방마다 붙여놨 거야, 말 위에다 붙여놨고, 또 손님들 들어가서 밥 먹는 방도 붙여놨고, 말 위에다 밥 먹는 데도 그것도 붙여놨고. 근데 총재님 사진이 제일 커. 내 사진이 제일 커.

저거 밥맛이나 해, 저 계신 거. 밥맛이나. 내 사진이 제일 커. 우리가 다 해놨어요.

그러니까 참 별일이 다 있어. 그러니까 내 지지자가 은근히 많이 있다. 내가 식당을 가서 최근에 내 책을 읽었다는 사람들을 여자들을 많이 만났어. 근데 한 십 몇 년 전에 나를 와서 다 봤다 이 의도에.

그러고 가보니까 조교수님 맞지. 밥 물어 갔을 때 본 사람이 있지. 그 사람들 만났을 때 내가 봤는데, 아, 이거 식당 같은 데 가면 그런 사람들이. 있어 우리 박 여사님하고 가서 봐도 있고, 또 우리 무슨 일이 있어서 가보니까 나는 아는 거야. 그래서 사실은 이렇게 사람의 행동을 조심해야 돼.

나는 원래 술, 담배를 안 배워서 실수를 하진 않지만, 행여나 그 사람들이 내가 그 동네 가서 그러지, 그 사람들도 생겨 싸우는 질이 없어. 조용히 그 사람들은 사회를 위해서 많이, 국민을 위해서 보시했다고 생각해요. 근데 사실은 한계 없어요. 그래서 청정심이나 고시심이나 자비심이나 지혜심은 절대적으로 자기 마음에다가 두면 안 되고, 남을 위해서 했다고 생각해야 돼.

이렇게 의무, 인간의 의무를 다 했다. 자유가 무슨 뜻이오? 자유가 무슨 뜻입니까? 의무를 다한 자만이, 다한 자만이 누릴 수 있는 걸리지. 방종은 이게 노블레스 오블리제야. 우리는 인간으로서 의무를 다 해야 남한테 존경받아.

그러니까 모든 사람을 바라볼 때 내 누님이고, 어머니고, 아버지고, 내 형제고, 내 자식이야. 그러니까 뭐 그냥 음탕한 마음을 먹는 일은 절대 조심해야 돼. 방종은 뭐예요? 방종에 떠서 뭐예요? 자유를 알면 방종을 알아야지. 저 명의사 법을 어기지 않는 한도에서 행안을 하고, 박수, 박수.

법을 어기지 않는 한도에서 마음대로 하는 것이야. 그러면 지하철에 할머니가 탔다, 만삭이 된 여자가 탔다. 그럼 나는 의자에 앉아 있다. 나는 교회 장로다.

내가 절에 있는 보살이다. 그러면 그 사람이 자리에서 안 일어나면 그 사람은 나도 요금 냈으니까 네 의자 내 거야, 이렇게 앉아 있으면 그게 하나님이 하늘에서 그걸 좋게 보나? 그 애 뵌 여자의 마음이 내 마음이 돼야 돼. 야, 내 다리가 아프다.

그리고 차가 급정거하면은 이 여자가 버스 안에서 자빠질 수 있다. 그럼 빨리 누가 말을 안 해도 먼저 일어나서 먼저 본 사람이 빨리 자리에 앉혀야 돼, ? 그러면 그게 젊은이가 해야 될 일인데, 아, 다른 사람이 양보하겠지 나는 좀 앉아 있어야 되겠어, 이렇게 생각하면 그것이 방종이야. 그러나 그건 자유의 반대야. 그러니까 하나님이 우리 인간에게 자유를 줄 때는 의무를 다하라고 주는 거예요.

그래서 아까 의무가, 가족의 의무가 있어. 계속 인간에게 의무가 있는 거예요.

그래서 모든 사람을 남한테 우리는 착각하는 게, 이렇게 기부를 하고 남을 위해서 뭔가 한다는 사람들의 마음이 대부분 인생을 보면 실패해. 실패하고 붙어내고 막 죄를 짓는 사람은 미안한 마음을 가지고 있어. 안 가지고 있어요? 미안함을 가지고 있는 자는 하늘에서 OK야. 하나님이 근데 나는 기부를 마해하고 나는 사회에 공헌을 마해해서 이렇게 성공한 자는 하늘에서 NO.

그래, . 그래 실제? 그렇습니다. 그래서 제수들이 살인을 한 사람이 10년을 교도소 안 가고 피해 다녔다. 15년을 피해 다니면 연도가 있어 없어? 이거 피해 다니면 교도소 안 집어넣죠.

이걸 뭐라 그래요? 공소시효. 공소시효가 있죠? 그 공소시효가 무슨 뜻이요? 바깥에서 형을 살았다 이 소리. 무슨 말이야? 15년 형이야. 바깥에서 15년 안에 가서 15년 형을 봤던 밖에 그거 만들어야.

피해할 자신 있으면 얼마나 피해 다녀도 된다 이 소리에요. 왜 그러냐면은 바깥에서 죄인처럼 살면 그만큼 죄를 뉘우친다 이 말이에요. 근데 교도소에서는 뉘우치지 않을 수도 있어요.

근데 바깥에서는 야, 나는 죄인이야. 경찰만 보면 뜨끔 뜨끔해. 그래 그래. 그러니까 이 사람은 형을 받고 있어 안 받고 있어? 그러니까 바깥에 있어도 형을 받은 걸로 인정해 주면 안 해 줘.

그래, 그게 공소시효라는 거예요. 그래서 오히려 요런 사람, 요런 사람은 죄 졌다고 생각이 안 해. 그래, 이런 사람이 교회, 절에 헌금 잘 내고 잘 하는 사람들이야. 고 사람들이 어느 날 갑자기 다른 교회, 뭐 이단, 뭐 그런 데로 가기도 하고 목사하고 싸우기도 하고 되돌아 왜? 나는 공헌했는데 당신 뭐 왜 그따구로 목회를 하냐? 이단, 뭐 그런 데로 가기도 하고 목사하고 싸우기도 하고 되돌아 왜? 나는 공헌했는데 당신 왜 그따구로 목회를 하냐 이거야.

이렇게 나오니 할 말이 없잖아. 이런 자를 하늘이 뭐해요? 벌한다 이 말이야. 그래서 이 자가 실패한 자들이야. 그래서 하늘이 이 지구인 중에 유대인들을 실패자로 그래.

하늘이 왜 그러냐? 걔들이 그만하고 교만했어. 맏아들이야. 걔들이 태칸민족이라는 그 개인이 그런 선민 의심을 가지고 모든 민족을 무시한 거야. 그러다가 저 교회도 뺏기고 땅도 뺏겨.

그래, 그 나라가 1948년, 1948년 우리나라도 1948년에 건국이 됐어. 그러나 그래요. 대한민국도 1948년, 이스라엘도 나라가 똑같이 건국이 되요. 이거는 영국이 만들어주고 우리는 미국이 만들어줬어.

우리는 원자탄이 만들어주고 이것도 원자탄이 만들어준 거야. 원자탄이 아니었으면 영국이 아니었으면 이건 못 만들어.

그래서 팔레시안 땅을 뺏어 가지고 거기다가 이스라엘의 나라를 만들어주고 우리는 미국이 남한에다가 이걸 건국하게 해 준 거야. 둘 다 특수한 민족은 민족인데 미래는 하늘이 이렇게 한민족을 세계 인류를 개종할 민족으로 뽑았어. 그래서 내가 와 있는 거에요. 그 당시에는 이스라엘 민족을 개종할 민족으로 뽑았어요.

그런데 이 사람들이 뭘 했느냐? 실패했어요. 뭘 실패했냐? 율법을 제대로 지킨답시고 율법에다가 율법을 계속 율법만 만들어 내는 거예요. 얼마나 어지러운지 몰라요. 뭐 물 한잔 먹는데도 율법이 있고, 아침에 일어나서 기도하는데도 율법에 어마어마하게 율법을 많이 만들어 버린다.

율법에 갇혀버린다. 그러면서 다른 민족은 이런 율법도 안 지키는 놈들 같아요. 저런 개 같은 놈들 이래요. 도만하기가 이럴 데 없네.

그러니까 하늘이 어떻게 합니까? 야, 너는 안 되겠다. 히틀러를 시켜서 다 죽여버린다. 멸종을 시켰어요. 600만 명을 다 없애버린다.

사람이 한 것 같아? 하늘이 한 것 같아? 하늘에서 한 것 같아. 저 민족 살려놨다간 전 세계 인구가 인구를 쟤들이 독재하겠고. 지금 내가, 내가요, 허경영이는 뭘 하느냐 하면 진리의 민주주의를 하는 거야. 사실 진리를 내 혼자 가지고 있으면 독재야.

메시야만 진리를 내 혼자 가지고 있으면 독재야. 나는 진리를 여러분한테 나누어 주는 거야. 진리로 여러분을 민주화하기 위해서.

그래서 이 마음을, 이 사무량심을 다른 말로 바꾸면 무슨 말이 되냐면, 무슨 말이요? 무슨 말이 돼? 사무량심을 다른 말로 바꾸면 무슨 말이 돼요? 평등심이라 이 말이에요. 모든 인간을 같이 봐야 되는데, 이슬람 민족은 차별심으로 보는 거야, 인류를. 무슨 얘기하죠? 그러니까 차별심으로 보니까 유대인들의 차별심이 너무 심해. 그러니까 이 평등심을 하나님이 주장하는데, 유대인들은 차별심을 가지고 인류를 대하다 보니까 저 민족은 없애야 돼.

저건 뭐 개들이야, 저건 뭐 동물들이야, 막 이런 식으로. 그래서 이 평등심, 이 평등심. 그리고 이걸 다른 종교에서는 보리심이라고 그래.

이걸 또 다른 말로는 불교에서는 이걸 또 보살심이라고 그래. 보살심. 이렇게 모르심, 보살심. 또 뭐라 그래요? 뭐라 그래요? 그러면 내가 이야기할게.

이거의 사무량심, 이 무량심에 반대되는 게 뭐요? 이 평등심에 반대되는 거. 내가 여기다 강의했어요. 평등심 본부 에어 반대되는 거 아니 덥다 이급 온 바 총 RAW, 에스페르바. 그런 것이 없나 된다.

조금 증명해서 그건 공기가 안 들 흐어. 그런 요리 평등심에 반대가 자만심도 되지만은 실제는 이걸 여러분들이 착각하면 안 돼요. 봉사심이야. 내가 남한테 봉사를 했다는 생각을 하면은 그 사람은 지옥에 가는 거예요.

내가 남한테 봉사하는 건 남을 의식하는 거야, 안 하는 거야? 이거는 봉사심은 뭘로 바꿔야 되냐면, 이거는 아까 내가 얘기했죠? 무량심으로 바꿔야 돼. 이 패병심으로. 자기 자신에게 한 거지. 누구한테 봉사를 해? 내가 고원에 가서 봉사를 했잖아.

그거는 내가 내한테 한 거야. 그 사람이 남이 아니야. 배고파 내 아들한테 밥을 먹인 거야. 배고파 내 아들 모욕시키는 거야.

내 아버지 모욕시키는 거야. 그건 남이 아니야. 봉사가 존재해, 안 해? 안 해요. 안 하는 거죠.

그래서 이런 봉사라는 언어를 쓰면은 그 자는 실패한 자예요. 세상은 이런 사람을 성공했다 그래. 자기가 봉사를 많이 했다는 사람. 이런 사람을 성공했다는데 이런 것이 쌓이면 그 나라나 개인은 망해, 안 망해? 망해요.

그래서 나는 저 사람을 많이 도왔다. 이런 말을 이제 상당히 조심해야 돼. 나는 나를 도왔을 뿐이야. 그래서 하나님은 차라리 죄를 짓고 도망다니는 막내 아들 탕자를

탕자를 가능성 있게 보고 자기한테 말을 잘 들은 유대인을 뭐로 봐요? 마다들을 쓰레기로 보는 거야. 이 마다들은 나중에 아버지한테 잔치에 참여하라고 하니까 나는 아버지 기분 나빠서 잔치에 참여 안 해요. 그걸 삐져나가 버려요. 그냥 그래요.

이 마다들은 아버지한테 태클까지 해요. 근데 막내아들은 아, 나는 아버지 돈을 가지고 도망을 갔다가 술 퍼 마시고 땅을 탕진한 사람이니까 나는 죄인이야. 이렇게 자기가 자기 마음을 낮춰 있어요. 그러면 그 사람은 가능성이 있는 거야.

여기서 미국의 영어를 가면은 영어를 가르칠 때 영어를 조금 하는 사람은 영어 속도가 느려요. 우리나라에서 배웠기 때문에 한국 발음이 막 나와. 근데 아버지, 엄마는 영어를 오랫동안 배워도 못 배우는데 곧 다섯 살짜리 애는 금방 미국 애들하고 돌아다닌다. 영어에 달인이 되어 버려요.

왜 그러냐? 그냥 단어도 안 외워도 몰라. 그런데 미국만 갔다 오면 되거든요. 그러면 그냥 영어에 달인이 돼. 왜 영어를 배우지 않았기 때문에 습관이 있어. 없어.

그러니까 여러분들이 좋은 회의들이니까 여러분들이 내가 알게 해줬죠. 저, 저, 저 뭐요? 일시무시 일석 삼극 무구본. 이게 또 잘 안 나오는 것만 갖다 놓는 거지. 쓰다 보면 그렇게 돼요.

일시무시 일석 삼극 무구본이 있는데 여기서 보면 삼극에, 삼극에 내가 이야기했죠. 삼극이 뭐예요? 삼극에, 이 삼극이 뭐라고 그랬어요? 심기신이라고 그랬잖아. 그럼 이게 삼극이 천부경에 나오죠. 이 세상에 하나님이 일시, 처음에 세상을 만들었다.

그런데 만든 것은 없다. 이렇게 나와, 안 나와요? 그러면 왜 하나님이 만드는데 만드는 것이 없냐? 봐요. 하나님이 여기서 창조를 했어, 여기 와 안 와? 그러면 여기는 일시인데, 시작인데 여기는 일종 맞이 안 맞아? 일종이죠? 그러면 이건 알파고 오메가야, 이건 오메가잖아. 그럼 알파고 오메가가 붙어서 안 붙었어요? 그러니까 우주는 여러분들이 생각하는 이 우주는 하나님이 만든 건 틀렸는데, 언제 만들었는지 이게 만든 것이 시작인지, 그게 끝인지 아무도 몰라.

만들었니? 그럼 내가 와 있으니까 틀림없잖아. 만들었는데 이 시작이 곧 끝과 붙어 있어, 안 붙어 있어요? 그래서 이렇게 이렇게 붙어 있는 이게 오메가야. 이러면 이게 완성이 된 거죠. 그래서 이 이 이 이 말은 무슨 말이라면은, 무시 무시라는 뭐냐면 끝에 물이 와서 일종 무종이래니까 무슨 말이야? 그러니까 무시 무시 무시

무시 무종은 무슨 뜻이야? 시작도 없고 끝도 없는 거야. 그러니까 이 우주는 여러분들이 태어나서 죽으니까 끝나는 게 아니라 영원히 우주는 생전에 있고 돌고 돌면서 여러분들은 계속 살다가 362만 개나 되는 인간이 사는 별이 있어. 그 별을 계속 순환해야 돼. 그렇게 해서 나중에 백궁(百宮)으로 올라가.

거기서 완전히 이제 새로운 사람으로 거듭나면은 여러분들이 인간으로 이 362만 개라는 건 엄청난 많은 지구별이에요. 이거는 나중에 내가 이야기하겠지만은, 그래서 내가 한 말은 이 마음은 어디서 온다고 그랬어요? 성품에서 오잖아. 그러니까 바닷가에서 사는 사람은 성품이 좀 달라. 맞아요, 맞아요.

그러면 그 사람의 마음의 바닷가에서 출신지가 바닷가 사람은 성품에서 이 마음이 와. 맞아요, 맞아요. 그리고 한국 사람과 이스라엘 사람 마음이 좀 달라. 맞아요, 맞아요.

이것이 성품에서 오는 거야. 그래서 벌써 그 사람들 특색이 딱 나와요. 저 사람은 어디 사람이다 그러면 충청도 사람 막 느려. 충청도 사람이 대통령이 된 적이 없지만은 기회를 많이 놓치는 거야.

기회를, 기회를 많이 놓쳐. 그러니까 순발력이 좀 적다 이 말이야. 아버지, 아버지하고 아들하고 나무하다가 아버지 돌 내러 가유 그러면 알았다. 꽥 그래 돌 내려가요 그러면 밑에서 알았다 하고.

근데 꽤 가거든 밑에서 아버지 돌아갔다 이 말이야. 그 정도를 넣었다 이 말이지. 그 기회를 놓친다 이 말이야. 그럼 성품은 어디서 온다고? 그 사람들이 바닷가에서 느낀 감정 있잖아.

그 바람이 많다든지 땅이 억세다든지 그러면 이 성품이 땅의 기운으로 올라가는 거야. 이 땅에, 땅에서 느끼는 감정. 거기가 무슨 도둑이 많다든지 그러면 그 사람들 흑객이 달라지잖아. 그러니까 남의 안에 있는 사람들은 정신이 약간 좀 공포증을 많이 가지고 있어.

왜 그렇게? 박유단이 날마다 파도치고 태풍 불고 그러는 데서 살아서 공포증이 있겠죠? 그것만 있는 게 아니야. 언제나 일본 사람들이 방충해와 가지고 사람을 죽이고 여자를 납치해 가는 거야. 그러니까 바닷가에는 이쁜 여자가 보게 더므로 왜냐면 일본 놈이 와서 데려가 버리니까 내륙으로 도망가는 거야. 이쁜 여자는 그 딸 가진 사람은 도망가 버려 내륙.

왜 또 일본 놈이 밤중에 와서 그냥 여자를 납치해 가버리니까. 그러니까 맨날 일본인이나 또 해적이 많았어. 이런 데로 가서 그냥 가족집 와서 남의 여자만 잡아가는 거야. 그 당시 뭐 돈이 있나 그냥 가져갈 건 여자가 돈이야.

그래서 우리가 인상을 볼 때 여자는 뭐예요? 죄야. 맞아요. 여자는 제물에 속하니까 여자만 도둑질해서 가는 거예요. 그러니까 바닷가에 있는 사람들은 이런 마음에서 뭐가 만들어져.

안 만들어져. 그게 성품이야. 거기서 마음이 나와. 그 다음에 귀는 뭐가 만들어진다고 그랬어요? 명에서.

명은 어디서 온다고요? 자, 여러분들 지금 말이에요. 호흡을 한번 들이마셔 봐요. 코로 한번 세어 봐요. 그러면 이것은 숨 쉬는 게 우리의 목숨이야.

그럼 목숨에서 오지. 요거는 몸은 어디서 와요? 정자에서 오지. 그 다음 정자는 어디서 와요? 정자는 이게 어디서 와요? 남녀의 촉감에서 오는 거야. 그걸 안아야 인간의 몸이 나오는 거야.

이렇게 되는데 이런 성품이 이런 감이 우리 천부경은 인간의 마음이 어떻게 움직이고 몸이 어떻게 움직이는 걸 세 번 해 놓은 거예요. 그래서 어떤 세계적인 경전보다도 우리 민족이 가지고 있던 이 천부경도 아주 과학적이에요. 그래서 그래서 이 방종은 법을 어기지 않는 한대에서 마음대로 하는 것. 이것이 우리나라 지금 젊은이들이 전부 방종을 하고 있다.

방종에 많이 걸려들어요. 그래서 방종을 우리 젊은이들은 뭘로 봐요? 자유로 보는 거야. 자유로. 방종을 자유로 보는 거야.

방종을 자유로 본다. 그러니 이런 젊은이들이 이제는 평등심. 평등심. 반대는 봉사심이다.

내가 무슨 일을 많이 했다. 이런 우울한 마음이 바닥에 깔려 있다. 이런 식으로 올라오는 거야. 그래서 여기가 봉사심.

이렇게 되는 거야. 이걸 고쳐야 된다. 그래서 인생에 있어서 실수는 있을 수 있고, 실험도 있을 수 있고, 경험도 있을 수 있는데, 답음도 있을 수 있는데, 인생의 실패는 성공한 사람들, 성공했다고 하는 사람들이 주로 하는 거다. 그래서 우리 여기는 실패하는 분은 없어요.

내가 와서 만나니까 그런 건 없겠지. 그럼 내가 하나 질문할게. 시간이 넘어갔습니다. 여러분들이 잘 아는지는 모르겠다.

마치는 사람은 박수 쳐주고, 이 가로 안에 들어간 글자 누가 제일 먼저 마치나 보자. 내가 목숨 이야기해서 안 했어요? 목숨은 어디 있다고? 무슨 자로 들어가야 돼? 다 틀렸는데, 21세기는 인명이 제천이 아니야. 아니, 인명이 제천은 맞는데 여기는 거자가 아니다. 여러분들이 21세기에 사람의 목숨은 누가 가지고 있어요? 아니, 내가 한 명도 못 맞춰.

가장 쉬운 건데. 옛날에는 뭐예요? 인명이 제천. 옛날에는 인명이 제천이다. 옛날에는 사람 목숨을 하나님이 가지고 있었다. 근데 지금 사람 목숨 뭐가 가지고 있어요? 꼭 잊어버리지 말도록, 꼭 잊어버리지 말아요.

요새는 마누라 없는 사람이 일찍 죽어. 인민이 제천이야. 내가 이제 웃장만은 말인데, 21세기는 이걸 명심해야 된다. 이게 바로 하나님이야.

마누라가, 마누라가 하나님인데, 마누라고 똘똘이 있는 집안은 자기 자식 목숨, 자기 목숨 다 버리는 거야. 자식들도 어디 가서 버림받아? 엄마 아빠 헤어져 버리니까. 그러니까 이 마누라를 잘 받들어야 집안이 화목해지잖아. 그러니까 이 여자, 옛날에는 이 여자를 제물로 알았는데, 이제는 무서운 줄 알아야지.

여자한테 잘해야 되는 거예요. 제천이 제체로 바뀌었어. 그러니까 시대가 돌려나고 있다 이 말이야.

그래야 그래요. 거기에 마누라 없는 게 더 낫겠다. 마누라 없는 게 더 낫겠다. 그러면 마누라가 없을 때는, 과장님, 마누라 없을 때는 여기 가로에 뭐가 들어가요? 뭐가 들어가? 마누라 없을 때 내가 이제 질문을 했잖아.

마누라 없을 때는 여기 뭐가 들어가요? 사람 목숨은 여자가 잘 죽여. 내가 식당 가서 밥을 먹으면 그 아줌마들이 밥을 해가지고 와 그러면 내 하나 없애버리면 얼마든지 없앨 수 있어. 밥에다가 막 수원을 갖다 붓거나 나쁜 걸 치고 그래요. 여자가 다 지고 있어.

그러면 제 처가 아니면 재미있어. 정답입니다. 아니, 나는 여러분들의 머리를 한번 떠보는 거야. 근데 어떻게 그렇게 몰라? 정확한 말씀이세요? 정확한 겁니다.

저것이 현실적인 거야. 현실적. 그새 드라마적으로 하더라구요. 자기 남편을 그냥 독약을 먹여서 죽이고, 남편을 독약을 먹여서 죽이는 것도 있으니까 여자들이 요새는 남자 둘이 죽였잖아.

그 드라마 통에 넣어놨잖아. 그런 사람도 있었잖아. 내가 여자한테 고난을 사면 곤란하다. 그래서 우리가 그래서 이제 마지막으로 내가 이야기하고 이제 실패와 이게 뭐라는 게지 확실히 여러분들은 절대 죽기 전에는 실패하지 않는다.

인생에 와서 이 세상에 와서 마음대로 실험하고 그러다가 나중에 다시 또 못한 거는 다시 리바이브를 내가 또 하게 돼요. 그러니까 뭘 많이 해야 되냐? 복을 많이 지어야지. 그게 반드시 그 복이 돌아올 때 그걸 들어 착 바꿔버려야 돼. 그 야구선수가 쳐서 공이 날아오면 그걸 땅 쳐버리잖아.

항상 그 돈이 날아오면 그걸 빨리 받아 쳐야 자기가 출시하는 거예요. 근데 그 공을 가지고 도망가면 돼? 복이 날아올 때 그걸 빨리 쳐버려. 쳐서 남을 위해서 그 전체 관중을 깊게 해줘야 됩니다.

공의 욕심을 가지면 돼요. 그게 그와 같다. 그래서 옛날 보면 여기서도 말했듯이 이게 그러니까 선을 행한 자는 반드시 복을 받는다 이 말이에요. 그러면 불선자는 위불선자는 위불선자는 행한다는 소리야.

이 위불선자는 행할 행자를 말해요. 선을 행하는 자, 그러니까 위불선자는 행할 행자야. 위불선자는 선을 안 하는 자는 하늘이 뭐예요? 여기서 천보이 뭘 줘요? 하죠. 그러니까 정확하게 인류가 한 치도 없어.

한 치도 없어. 그 다음에 이건 명심해야 돼. 이게 경차, 거울 경자, 경행. 이 오늘 이야기한 여기에 우리가 지난번에 이 선과 행복의 기본이 의와 또 뭐라고 그랬죠? 미.

미라고 그랬죠? 그러면 선도 하늘에서 복으로 주고, 의는 뭘로 주는가 봅시다. 경행록이라는 분이 말하되, 은의를 광시하라. 그러면 은혜를 널리 펴라.

은혜를 펴려면 널리 펴라. 넓게 펴라 이 말이야. 이것만 은혜를 베풀고 지하철에 타서는 나는 고아원에 기부를 많이 했어. 그러니까 나는 지하철에 타서 남들한테 위세를 떨어야 돼 하고 미소를 짓지 않고 뻣뻣하게 앉아 있으면 그 사람은 어떻게 돼요? 다도만 가버려.

그 은혜를 펼 때는 넓게 펴야 돼. 다 은혜를 펴야 돼. 좋은 일을 했든, 구김을 했든 집에 와서 마누라 뵈는 너그럽게 부드럽게 해야 되는 거야. 은혜를 은히, 은혜와 의리를 넓게 펴라.

인생하처 인생이 인생하처 불상봉. 반드시 서로가 만나요. 사람은 반드시 안 만나고는 안 돼요. 서로 죄를 지면 복을 짓거나 하면 꼭 만나.

불상봉. 그럼 뭐해? 수원을 맡겨놔라. 노봉하처에 수원을 맡겨놔라. 그러면 원수를 맺지 마라.

그러면 뭐라고요? 노봉, 노봉 협체면 나네핀. 나네핀. 그러면 무슨 말이냐면은, 경향독이라는 사회가 가지고 은혜를 넓게 펴서 희생하체 불상봉. 노봉, 원수는 외나무 다리에서 만난다는 말이에요.

이게 수건을 맡겨라. 노봉 협처면 난해 피니라. 그러면 반드시 원수는 어디서 만난다구요? 외나무 다리에서. 만나니까 그걸 조심해라.

잘 글자 쓰셨어요? 잘 쓰셨어요? 결과라? 맞결! 맞결하라! 노봉협처면, 노봉협처면 나네핀 협자를 정자로 써져 있는 거에요. 협자를 정자로 써서 이렇게, 이렇게, 이렇게 협자, 협자. 노봉 협처 면, 여기 면 자가 생겼되어. 난 해, 피할 길이 없다.

돌아갈 길이 없다. 난 해 피니라. 그러면은 행복의 조건에 양 세 마리가 있다고 그랬잖아. 인간의 행복의 원인은 양이 세 마리인데, 여기가 하나가 뭐라고 그랬어요? 선.

요거는 미. 이건 뭐예요? 의. 그러니까 지금 이런 것이 선, 미, 의 를 말해. 이게 이게 미가 돼.

이걸 다 행하면 아름답게 세상을 사는 사람이야. 근데 앞으로 우리는 초등학생들한테 이걸 가르쳐야 돼요. 하모니. 애들 가르치면 잘해요.

이게 어려운 게 아니야. 그럼 애들이 바이벌 성경과 같은 말이 들어 있잖아. 그러면 애들이 이걸 다 들으면 오게 머릿속에서 잘 안 지워지는 거야. 그러면서 앞으로 애들은 중국어를 잘 해야 돼.

그 다음에 일본어를 잘 해야 돼. 그러면 아들은 우리 앞으로 자식을 낳으면 영어, 중국어, 일어를 가르쳐야 돼. 어떤 애든지. 그 지금 정년 퇴직한 사람이 중국어 배우러 다녀.

그래야 그래요? 일본어 배우러 다니고. 왜? 아니 어디 가서 저 저 저 저 뭐야 늙어서 취직을 하는데. 아니 중국어, 일본어 잘하는 사람을 뽑는 거야. 왜 일본 사람, 중국 사람이 많이 오는 게 없어요.

관광객이 많이 오니까. 그걸 못하면 그 가게도 경비도 못하는 거야. 이제. 그러니까 중국 사람이 막 와서 화장실 어디냐고 그러는데 무슨 말인지 모르는 거야.

경비가. 경비도 중국말을 한다고 그러면 서로 데려와. 그렇잖아요. 명동 같은데 경비가 중국어를 모르면 사고 나는 수가 있어요.

뭐 여자가 집에 화장실을 그냥 묻는데 뭐 불친절하게 하고 이러봐. 예를 들어서 앞으로는 이런 게 있다. 그래서 애들한테는 이런, 이런 것은 가르쳐 줘야 된다. 그러면 무엇이? 자, 이거 적었어? 다 적었어? 형님? 아직 다 안 적었어? 이거 다 끝났어? 네? 찍어도 돼?

그 글자가 제일 왼쪽에 안 오지? 이거 이거? 이거는 원수 할 때 수자. 수. 이렇게 말쓰.

수. 알겠어요. 말씀은 원수.

이거는 원수 원자. 수원 을 하지 말아라. 맺지 마라. 맺지 마라.

그 다음에 이제 우리가 여기에서 하나 빠진 거. 이거 안 했지. 그거 마저 끝내죠. 그거는.

자, 여러분들한테 질문을 하나 낼게요. 하나, 둘, 셋, 넷, 다섯. 한 핵씩 넣어서 글자를 만들어 봐요. 제일 먼저 무슨 자? 돌 석자.

돌 석자. 오를 륙 가. 오를 가. 그 다음 뭐요? 빨리빨리 해요.

사. 고자. 마지막이 사 자. 이게 이 핵이야.

한 핵이야. 이거하고 이거 같애, 안 같애? 이거하고 같애, 안 같애? 다르죠? 이거는 이 핵이야. 이거는 일 핵이야. 애들한테 꼭 가르쳐 줘요.

애들한테 가르쳐 주라고. 이거 쓸 때 이걸 갖다가 이렇게 쓰는 애가 있어요. 이걸 이렇게 쓰는 애가 있어요. 그럼 애들한테 안 되니까.

이거는 이 핵이다. 이거는. 이걸 또 이렇게 쓰는 애가 있어요. 그럼 안 되는 거야.

이거는. 애들이 반드시 이거는 한 핵이다. 사령부. 왜 안 그래? 한 핵이다.

내가 이제 그걸 여기 이 글에 나와. 이게 이 글에 나오는데 요 살짝 나와. 사망공공이완. 사망공공이완.

여기는 이제 이거 나와요. 조금 유자손이라도. konnenger. 으.

감사합니다. 산. 할. governed.

下. beginnen. r. 이게 뭐냐면은 이게 아름답게 사는 거예요.

뭐냐? 아름답게 사는데 여기서 키포인트는 불여적 엄덕어. 맹맹지중하야 이 위 자손지 개하라. 이게 무슨 개자요? 개산할 개자, 개산할 개자지. 이런 개산을 해라 이 말이야.

개산할 개자, 이 위 자손지 개하라. 이게 뭐겠어요? 그러니까 자식한테 돈을 주면은 자기가 가진 복을 자식한테 뭐여, 이게? 실패자로 만드는 거야, 자식을. 그러니까 자식한테 돈을 물려주면 결국 그 자식을 실패자로 만드는 거야. 자식이 단칸방에서부터 세입자에서부터 자기가 만들어 볼 때 보람을 느끼잖아.

그러니까 자식의 기쁨을 다 빼앗아 버리는 거야. 자식이 어느 정도는 사업 자금을 줄 때도 100%에서 주지 말고 한 70%만 주라 이 말이야. 그래서 네가 사업을 한번 해 봐라.

그래서 망하면은 그 고통을 좀 겪게 시간을 주는 거야. 그래야 그래. 적당히도 막아주면 안 돼. 돈이 있어도 네가 일정한 시간을 겪어봐라.

아버지가 있는 동안은 네가 망해도 괜찮으니까 네가 고생을 하면 해봐라. 아버지가 숨 넘어가기 전까지는 고생을 시켜야 되는 거야. 나중에 죽어대니까.

그러면 복을 그냥 줄 경우에는 실패자가 된다 이 소리야. 자식한테. 이 돈을 주면은 적금 이후 자손이라도 자식한테 돈을 이게 물려주면 상속한단 말이여. 그러면 자손은 그 미필 자손이라도 그거를 지킬 자손은 없다 이 말이야.

적성이유. 자식을 공부를 너무 많이 시키면 자식이 교만 방자해 가지고 그 자식이 공부 때문에 공부하는 사람을 깔아뭉개요. 사람만 만나면 무슨 대학 나온다. 이게 버릇이 돼있어.

앞으로 여러분이 절대 안 해야 될 건 남한테 학벌 물으면 안 돼. 남한테 나이 물으면 안 돼. 요새는 나이가 평등된 시대야. 백 살도 스무 살짜라고 마음먹을 수 있는 거예요.

나이가 없다 이 말이야. 그러니까 적선이유자손에서 미필자손이 능히 순이 자신이 공부를 많이 시키려면, 그 공부를 공부한 대가를 못 지키는 거야, 걔가. 그래서 오히려 그걸 가지고 교만해 가지고 사고를 쳐요. 그래서 서울대 교수가 대부분 다른 대학교에서는 안 그러는데, 서울대 교수만 성추행에 걸리는 거야.

왜 그러냐? 교만심이 있어요. 다른 대학 교수나 학생들이 교수로 잘 안 봐요. 그러니까 목에 힘을 줄 수가 없는 거야. 여자들이 말을 안 듣지.

서울대 교수는 이건 대통령만큼 대단한 자리잖아. 그러니까 서울대 교수는 그냥 권세를 누리는 거야. 이리 와, 저리 와. 그래서 공부를 많이 한 사람이 말년에 가서 성추행 되면 서울대 교수 그만둬.

뭘로 먹고 살아? 그러니까 이런 사람은 계곡지 많이 망하니 자식이 이렇게 안 되라는 법이 없으니 뭘로 이걸 막을 거냐? 24시간 눈을 뜨고 따라다닐 수 없으니까 불여적 음덕은 명명이냐? 음덕, 남이 안 보는 데서 이 덕 있죠? 복이 아니야, 덕을 남이 안 보는 그늘, 명명지중이라는 건 어두울 명자, 어둡고 어두운 가운데, 어둡고 어두운 혹시 누가 보면 안 되는 거야. 누가 뭐 저 사람이 복을 많이 지었다 이게 소문이 나면 자식한테 가? 안 가요. 하늘이 알면 자식한테 안 가는 거야. 아무도 모르게 누군가를 몰래 싹 도와주는 거야.

싹 몰래 도와주는 거야. 그러면 그 사람의 도움이 어둡고 어두운 가운데 자식이 그걸 도와줬을 때, 이렇게 음덕을 베풀면은 요 부분이 중요해요. 구려적 음덕어 명명지중하야 아무도 안 보는 깜깜한 밤중에 남도 모르게 덕을 베풀어 놓으면은 그것이 자식을 지켜준다. 그게 진정한 계산이다.

이 소리야. 그거를 이거 뭐야, 이거야. 아름답게.

사는 거야. 아까 선 자왈리 선자는 했죠. 요거는 사망공연 마원이발 종신행선. 아까 저 했지 이거.

이거 뭐였어요? 의는 경행로에 관한 은미를 광시하라. 인생할 때 불상복. 수원을 맡겨놔라. 나네핀.

아까 해서 안 했어요? 이거는 자원리스는 천이보이고 이불선자는 천이보이 이완. 요거는 뭐예요? 사모공간 적금이유자손이니 너 흥신지조. 적성이유자손이니 너 흥신지조. 적성이유자손이니 너 흥신지조.

불여적음덕으 맹맹신유하여 이미 자손지케하라. 여기 나와있어 안 나와있어? 영불하는 것 같더라고. 영불이 아니라. 그래 그래.

이렇게 선과 미와 의가 행복의 조건이야. 그래서 사람이 모든 복을 아무리 많이 진 자도 남 앞에 갔을 때 얼굴을 침묵을 지키고 얼굴이 무게를 강요하거나 입술을 꾹 다물고 남 앞에 미소를 안 지으면 그 자는 재짓고 있는 중이야. . 그러니까 아무리 잘 앉아도 언제나 남 앞에는 미소를 지어야 돼요.

자기 아버지를 보듯이 자기 형제 자기 자식 앞에 있듯이 그렇게 항상 밝은 모습을 보이면 그 사람이 행복의 조건을 가지고 저의 형님입니다. 그래 말이 그러시잖아요. 그래서 지금 현재 이 선과 미와 의 이게 이제 다 끝났으니까. 자.

방금 로마 왕이 한국의 왕. 그래 내가 방금 질문한 거 로마 왕과 한국 왕의 차이점이 뭐냐 이 말이야. 우리나라 왕은 신하들한테 존대요. 로마 왕이 다른 나라만 같고 신한테 명령하고 이리와 저거 해.

그것도 하나의 여기에 해당이 돼. 로마 왕들은 신하들한테 반말을 해요. 근데 우리나라 왕은 신한테 꼭 존댓말을 해. 그러니까 우리가 동방예니지국이라는 말을 듣는 거예요.

그게 그것도 중요한 거야. 중요한 건데 실제 중요한 거는. 로마는 그동안 왕들이 한 번도 정상적으로 죽은 왕이 하나도 없어요. 전부 약물로 암살이 된 거야.

그래야 그래요. 우리나라 왕은 제대로 늙어서 죽은 왕이 있어야 없어요? 있단 말이야. 로마의 왕은 100%로 다 암살이 되거나 약물로 먹여가지고 죽여버리고 제 명의로 죽은 왕이 한 명이 없는 거야. 그게 우리 역사, 우리 한국 사람들은 근본적으로 선하다 이 말이야.

이게 깔려 있어요. 그래서 우리는 충이 있다가 해. 충, 충이 무슨 뜻이야? 이거 파자하면 마음이. 우리는 중심이 잡혀있는 민족이야.

중심이 있다 이거지. 그때 충청도 사람이 중심이 있다는 건 아니지. 충청도 사람은 우리나라의 중심에 있다 이 소리야. 근데 이 충이 있는데 이 로마 사람들은 그런 것이 없어요.

그래서 서양의 왕들은 옛날에 영국 왕도 마찬가지고 굉장히 불안 속에서 생활해요. 대신 우리나라 왕들은 우리 민족은 이런 걸 굉장히 중요시 했다. 서양사람들은 이거 대신 뭐가 있다고? 칼. 칼이 말을 하고.

서양은 칼, 칼로 자. 그러면 끝낼 때가 됐네. 질문 하나 하고. 실패는 성공의 어머니.

그거 잘못된 거죠. 이 세상에서 제일 어려운 게 뭐예요? 제일 어려운 거. 이 세상에서 제일 어려운 게 뭐라고 생각해요? 꼭 알아놔요. 꼭 이거는 잊어버리지 말아요.

박 총장, 이제 요 바퀴 밑에 신문지 깔아놨잖아. 거기도 그 바퀴 밑에 저저 밑에 거 있잖아. 거기다 테이프를 붙여놔. 동그라미 해가지고 딱 고정시켜 붙여버려.

많이 끌고 다닐 일이 없으니까. 그러면 안 흔들려요. 뭡니까? 이 세상이 제일 어려운 거.

너무 여러분이 모르니까 알려줄게. 급해요. 빨리 끝을 낼. 다 썼어요? 양문이.

이제 우리는 이제 다음 다음 주 토요일에는 강의를 안 합니다. 다음 주. 토요일에는 연휴이니까. 그리고 금년에 이제 금년 음료가 한 해가 가는구만.

자, 지구 은하계에 별이 몇 개를 그랬어요? 지구 은하계. 우리가 있는 지구 은하계에 인간이 사는 별이 몇 개 있어요? 인간이 사는 별이 몇 개 있어요? 옛날에 내가 강의했는데 다 잊어버렸어요? 720개요. 알았어요? 내가 옛날에 계산하는 거 가르쳐 줬지? 뭐라고요? 이게 뭐예요? 무슨 숫자라고? 365일 하고 더하기 양력, 음력 며칠이에요? 354일. 300 몇일이요? 365일에다가 며칠이요? 355일.

맞아맞아요? 이 음력과 양력이 보태지는 숫자. 이게 720개가 여러분이 앞으로 죽으면 갈 수 있는 별이야. 은하계. 그 은하계를 벗어나면 몇 개 있다고요? 320만 개가 있어요.

그러면은 이 720개가 어떻게 나온다고 그러세요? 1 곱하기 1은? 2죠? 1이지. 아니 왜? 2입니까? 1이지. 1이죠? 그럼 다시 여기 1이 1로 오죠. 곱하기 2는 2죠? 그럼 2 곱하기 3은 6이죠? 6 곱하기 4.

요거는 1, 2, 3, 4로 가잖아. 그러면 6, 6, 3, 6이죠. 그 다음에 5. 6, 4, 24.

36이 아니지. 24죠. 이게 120이죠. 120 곱하기 6.

그러면 720이 나오죠. 그래서 지구는 6일 만에 창조된 거야. 이런 별들은 지구상에 이게 700. 그러면 이게 몇 개야 돼? 720이 나오죠.

그렇죠? 이거야. 맞으면 맞아요. 양력수와 음력. 이거 양력과 음력을 합치면은 이 숫자가 나와.

이게 태양계. 우리 은하계. 여기 은하수 안에 있는 별. 우리 인간이 사는 별이 그렇게 많아요.

그래서 비행점치가 왔다 갔다 하는 거야. 여러분들은 아직까지 여러분들은 유치원생이니까 그걸 알면은 이야기하면 기절을 해. 버려. 그래서 내가 이야기를 못 하는데, 엄청난 비밀.

그래서 내가 이렇게 와 있는 것은 여러분들에게 이제 이런 걸 좀 어려 정도 해서 여러분들이 변화되게 하기 위해서 이 인터넷 시대에 내가 와 있는 거야. 이제 그러면 내가 아까 얘기한 인간이 제일 먼저, 제일 이 지구상에서 어려운 게 사람으로 태어나는 거예요. 이 사람으로 태어나는 것이 제일 어려워. 그래서 여러분들이 앞으로 한평생 사는 거는 어려운 것도 아니야, 아무것도 아니야.

어머니, 아버지 몸에서 몇 대 일로 태어났어요? 3억 대 1, 5억 대 1 이렇게 태어났어요. 그래, 그래요. 이 5억 명이나 3억 명을 제치고 한 사람이 잉태가 된 거야. 그래 가지고 여러분이 태어나서니까 인간의 존재는 고귀 아니에요? 그래, 그 사람을 무시하면은 하늘에서 벌을 받게 해서 안 받겠어요? 그러니까 모든 사람들이 태어난 것만 해도 이미 성공한 거야.

그 다음은 사람들 있으니까 다 먹고 살아. 그래야 그래요? 그리고 한 사람이 평생 밥 먹어 봐야 뻔해. 성공과 실패는 그런 데 있는 것이 아니고 바로 교만하냐 안 하냐. 이해 가죠? 물질에 있는 게 아니다 이 말이야.

아무리 망해도 그 사람은 망한 게 아니야. 실패가 아니에요. 실패를 해서도 여러분들이 아, 나는 갈 곳이 있어. 하늘이 있어.

나는 다 하면 좋은 데 갈 거야. 좋은 그런 마음을 가지면 여러분들은 피해자가 아니다 이 말이야. 그래서 사람의 소중함을 우리가 좀 더 알아야 되겠다.

여쭤보겠습니다. 조교수님. 여쭤보겠습니다. 여자나 남자는 하나한테 하려고 남자의 정자가 뭐 둘 밖에 생겼되나? 남자의 정자는 3억에서 5억 개.

억이만큼 사건 없이 하나가 있기 때문에 1인. 찬성하면 맞는데, 쌍둥이라든지 지금 한번 신문에 보니까 열한 쌍둥이 난 사람이 있지. 그럼 난자가 11개입니까? 어떻게? 난자는 하나뿐인데. 한 난자에 여러 개가 들어갈 수가 있고, 두 개 들어갈 수도 있어요.

들어가지만 낳는 건 하나 안 낳는 거죠. 아니, 그러니까 여러 명을 낳는 동물은 인간이 인간의 뇌는 3층 뇌라고 그랬잖아요. 1층, 2층, 3층. 아니요.

동물의 뇌는 보면 1층밖에 없어요..

회중(回衆)-(회(回)-return, 중(衆)-multitude)

실수(失手)-(실(失)-lose, 수(手)-hand)
실패(失敗)-(실(失)-lose, 패(敗)-defeat)
중퇴(中退)-(중(中)-middle, 퇴(退)-retreat)
경험(經驗)-(경(經)-experience, 험(驗)-test)
실험(實驗)-(실(實)-truth, 험(驗)-test)
개발(開發)-(개(開)-open, 발(發)-start)
전구(電球)-(전(電)-electricity, 구(球)-ball)
좌절(挫折)-(좌(挫)-frustrate, 절(折)-break)
존재(存在)-(존(存)-exist, 재(在)-be)
기우제(祈雨祭)-(기(祈)-pray, 우(雨)-rain, 제(祭)-rite)
국회의장(國會議長)-(국(國)-nation, 회(會)-assembly, 의(議)-deliberate, 장(長)-chief)
부모(父母)-(부(父)-father, 모(母)-mother)
대접(待接)-(대(待)-treat, 접(接)-receive)
천사(天使)-(천(天)-heaven, 사(使)-messenger)
장애(障礙)-(장(障)-obstruct, 애(礙)-hinder)
자존심(自尊心)-(자(自)-self, 존(尊)-respect, 심(心)-heart)
여당(與黨)-(여(與)-give, 당(黨)-party)
내비게이션(導航)-(내(導)-guide, 비(航)-sail)
일체유심조(一切唯心造)-(일(一)-all, 체(切)-cut, 유(唯)-only, 심(心)-mind, 조(造)-make)
객관적(客觀的)-(객(客)-guest, 관(觀)-view, 적(的)-of)
사무량심(四無量心)-(사(四)-four, 무(無)-no, 량(量)-measure, 심(心)-mind)
청정심(淸淨心)-(청(淸)-clear, 정(淨)-pure, 심(心)-mind)
분별심(分別心)-(분(分)-divide, 별(別)-separate, 심(心)-mind)
무량심(無量心)-(무(無)-no, 량(量)-measure, 심(心)-mind)
보시(布施)-(보(布)-spread, 시(施)-give)
자비심(慈悲心)-(자(慈)-compassion, 비(悲)-pity, 심(心)-mind)
자만심(自慢心)-(자(自)-self, 만(慢)-proud, 심(心)-mind)
측은지심(惻隱之心)-(측(惻)-pity, 은(隱)-hide, 지(之)-of, 심(心)-mind)
상상임신(想像妊娠)-(상(想)-imagine, 상(像)-image, 임(妊)-pregnant, 신(娠)-pregnant)
기부(寄附)-(기(寄)-entrust, 부(附)-attach)
지체(肢體)-(지(肢)-limb, 체(體)-body)
적자(赤字)-(적(赤)-red, 자(字)-character)
공인(公人)-(공(公)-public, 인(人)-person)
지지자(支持者)-(지(支)-support, 지(持)-hold, 자(者)-person)
청정심(淸淨心)-(청(淸)-clear, 정(淨)-pure, 심(心)-mind)
보시심(布施心)-(보(布)-spread, 시(施)-give, 심(心)-mind)
자비심(慈悲心)-(자(慈)-compassion, 비(悲)-pity, 심(心)-mind)
지혜심(智慧心)-(지(智)-wisdom, 혜(慧)-wisdom, 심(心)-mind)
의무(義務)-(의(義)-justice, 무(務)-task)
자유(自由)-(자(自)-self, 유(由)-reason)
방종(放縱)-(방(放)-release, 종(縱)-indulge)
존경(尊敬)-(존(尊)-respect, 경(敬)-revere)
음탕(淫蕩)-(음(淫)-lewd, 탕(蕩)-dissolute)
공소시효(公訴時效)-(공(公)-public, 소(訴)-sue, 시(時)-time, 효(效)-effect)
교만(驕慢)-(교(驕)-proud, 만(慢)-arrogant)
선민의식(選民意識)-(선(選)-select, 민(民)-people, 의(意)-mind, 식(識)-knowledge)
율법(律法)-(율(律)-law, 법(法)-law)
독재(獨裁)-(독(獨)-alone, 재(裁)-judge)
민주주의(民主主義)-(민(民)-people, 주(主)-master, 주(主)-master, 의(義)-justice)

인생에서 실패는 존재하지 않는다는 허경영 강연의 핵심은? 에디슨이 2만 번의 실험을 실패가 아닌 ‘경험’이라 말했듯, 죽기 전까지는 모든 과정이 실험이며, 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못하는 것이 진정한 실패입니다.

1. 인생에서 실패는 존재하지 않는다
   인생에서 실패는 존재하지 않으며, 죽기 전까지 모든 과정은 실험일 뿐이다.

• 실패는 경험이자 실험이다
  건축물의 실수와 실패

건물을 지을 때 발생하는 문제는 ‘실수’이지 ‘실패’가 아니다.

고치고 나면 되기 때문에, 사람의 인생도 죽기 전까지는 실패인지 실수인지 알 수 없다.

빌 게이츠와 에디슨의 사례

빌 게이츠가 돈 때문에 대학을 중퇴했을 때, 사람들은 그를 실패자로 보았지만, 그는 단지 경험과 실험을 했을 뿐이다.

에디슨은 전구를 개발하기 위해 2만 번의 실험을 했지만, 이를 실패라고 생각하지 않고 실험이라고 말했다.

에디슨은 “한 번도 실패한 적이 없다”고 말하며, 모든 과정을 실험으로 여겼다.

이는 죽기 전까지는 인생에 실패가 없다는 의미이다.

• 좌절하지 않는 인디언의 기우제
  인디언의 기우제와 좌절

인디언들은 비가 올 때까지 기우제를 지내기 때문에 항상 비가 온다.

이들은 실수나 실패라는 개념이 없으며, 비가 오지 않아도 기우제를 멈추지 않는다.

인디언의 기우제와 같은 인생

일반 사람들은 즉각적인 이익이 없으면 쉽게 포기하지만, 인생은 인디언의 기우제와 같아서 끝까지 포기하지 않아야 한다.

2. 진정한 실패와 성공의 기준
   진정한 실패는 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못하는 것이며, 성공은 남의 마음을 내 마음처럼 여기는 것이다.

• 죽기 전까지의 실패와 성공
  인생의 실패자

죽기 하루 전에 여자 문제로 잘못을 저지르면, 남들이 부러워했던 인생도 실패자가 될 수 있다.

• 남의 마음을 내 마음처럼 여기는 삶
  하나님, 부모님, 남의 마음

여자를 볼 때 그 여자의 부모 마음을 생각해야 하며, 자기 딸처럼 아끼고 좋은 사람을 만나 행복하게 살기를 바라는 마음을 가져야 한다.

항상 하나님 마음, 부모님 마음, 그리고 남의 마음으로 살아야 한다.

남의 마음을 생각하지 않고 자신의 욕심을 채우려 하면 나쁜 사람이다.

천사가 들어있는 사람

물 한 그릇이라도 없는 사람과 나누어 먹고 손님을 대접하듯이 해야 한다.

목말라 하는 사람이나 거지 속에 천사가 들어있다고 생각해야 한다.

떡 파는 사람들의 사례

밤늦게까지 무거운 찹쌀 모찌를 팔러 다니는 부부를 보고 마음이 아팠다.

그들의 부모 마음이 되어 그들을 돕고 용기를 주었다.

내 마음을 남에게 강요하지 않는 것

남의 마음이 내 마음이 되어야 하며, 내 마음을 남에게 강요해서는 안 된다.

내 마음이 남의 마음이 되도록 몸부림치는 것은 잘못된 것이다.

하나님 마음으로 쓰레기를 버리는 행위

쓰레기를 몰래 버리려는 마음이 들 때, 하나님 마음으로 돌아가 생각하면 버리지 않게 된다.

하나님은 모든 것을 보고 계시며, 잘못된 행동은 결국 자신에게 피해로 돌아온다.

오도정적(吾道正則)과 일체유심조(一切唯心造)

오도정적: 내 마음이 바르면 모든 사람이 바르게 보인다.

일체유심조: 모든 것은 내 마음이 만드는 것이며, 남을 좋고 나쁘다고 판단할 수 없다.

세상 사람을 바꾸려 하기 전에 내가 먼저 바뀌어야 한다.

강의를 하는 이유

마음이 바른 자가 없기 때문에 가르치는 것이며, 이를 통해 세상 사람들을 좋게 보는 사람이 늘어나기를 바란다.

석가모니나 예수님이 가르침을 전한 이유도 이와 같다.

아심(我心)이 모든 것을 만든다

모든 원인은 ‘내 마음’에 있으며, 남편이나 아내를 내가 만드는 것이다.

그 사람이 좋고 나쁘다는 것은 객관적으로 존재할 수 없다.

남을 불쌍하게 여기는 마음은 자존심을 건드릴 수 있으므로 주의해야 한다.

3. 사무량심(四無量心)과 진정한 봉사
   사무량심은 네 가지 무한한 마음으로, 남을 돕는 행위는 자신을 돕는 것과 같다는 평등심을 의미한다.

• 사무량심의 네 가지 마음
  청정심(淸淨心)

남에게 베푼다는 생각을 하면 안 되며, 상대방이 느끼지 못하게 돕는 것이 진정한 장학금이다.

재벌이 직접 장학금을 주는 것은 상대방의 자존심을 상하게 하는 죄가 될 수 있다.

보시하는 것도 죄가 될 수 있으며, 청정한 마음으로 베푸는 것은 죄가 아니다.

무량심(無量心)

남에게 베푼다는 생각을 하면 안 되며, 상대방이 느끼지 못하게 돕는 것이 진정한 장학금이다.

재벌이 직접 장학금을 주는 것은 상대방의 자존심을 상하게 하는 죄가 될 수 있다.

보시하는 것도 죄가 될 수 있으며, 청정한 마음으로 베푸는 것은 죄가 아니다.

자비심(慈悲心)

남을 불쌍히 여기는 측은지심은 자만심이 될 수 있으므로 주의해야 한다.

자비심은 동그라미(긍정적)이다.

지혜심(智慧心)

인간의 마음은 항상 이 사무량심을 벗어나면 죄를 짓게 된다.

• 남을 돕는 것은 자신을 돕는 것
  자신을 돕는 마음

어려운 사람이나 거지를 도울 때, 그 사람의 마음이 내가 되어 내가 나를 돕는다는 마음으로 해야 한다.

부모의 마음

어머니가 배고픈 아이에게 밥을 먹일 때, 자신이 배부른 것처럼 느끼는 상상 임신과 같다.

아이 입에 들어가는 것이 내 입에 들어오는 것과 같은 마음이다.

기부의 진정한 의미

가난한 사람을 도울 때 ‘남을 돕는다’는 생각이나 ‘기부한다’는 단어 자체도 문제가 될 수 있다.

기부는 자기 자신이 자기 자신에게 주는 것과 같다.

모든 사람은 연결되어 있다

우리는 모두 한 조상의 형제들이며, 남이 아니라 ‘내’ 자신이다.

당근 하나를 먹기 위해 수백만 명이 동원되듯이, 모든 사람은 서로 연결되어 나를 위해 존재한다.

4. 복과 덕, 그리고 진정한 실패
   진정한 실패는 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못하는 것이며, 남의 마음을 내 마음처럼 여기는 평등심을 가져야 한다.

• 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못하는 것이 실패
  건축가의 실수

건축가가 건물을 잘 지어도, 회전문처럼 들어온 복이 나가는 구조는 실수이다.

이는 건물을 지을 때 발생할 수 있는 실수이다.

인생의 실패는 남이 결정한다

인생은 죽을 때까지 실험이며, 실패 여부는 본인이 아닌 가족이나 남이 결정한다.

“내가 실패했다”고 말하는 것은 하나님에 대한 모독이자 신에 대한 배신이다.

• 이웃의 마음을 얻는 법
  뻥튀기 선물 사례

이웃 주민이 허경영에게 뻥튀기를 선물하며 건강과 행복을 기원하는 편지를 보냈다.

이는 평소 행실이 좋았기 때문에 이웃들이 베푸는 마음이다.

주차 공간 사례

이웃들이 허경영의 차를 위해 항상 좋은 주차 공간을 비워두는 것은 그를 돕는 마음에서 비롯된다.

• 복(福)과 덕(德)의 의미
  한자 ‘건강’과 ‘행복’의 오류

이웃 주민이 쓴 편지 속 ‘건강’과 ‘행복’ 한자가 잘못 쓰여 있었다.

‘건강’의 ‘강’자는 ‘일과 아침’이 앞으로 나와야 한다.

‘행복’의 ‘복’자는 ‘볼 시’ 변이 들어가야 한다.

복(福)의 파자(破字)

복(福)은 ‘볼 시(示)’ 변과 ‘먹는 입(口)에 밭(田)이 달라붙어 있는 모습’으로 이루어져 있다.

이는 자기 앞에 먹고 살 수 있는 문전옥답이 보이는 것을 의미한다.

덕(德)의 파자(破字)

덕(德)은 ‘두 사람(二人)’이 ‘세상(十方世界)’에 ‘사랑(心)’을 실천하는 것을 의미한다.

덕은 복보다 한 단계 높은 개념으로, 남의 마음을 내 마음으로 삼고 내 복을 남의 복으로 바꾸는 것이다.

진정한 실패자

사업이 망한 자가 실패자가 아니라, 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못하고 죽는 사람이 진정한 실패자이다.

부자가 죽을 때까지 편안하게 살다 죽어도, 남에게 기부나 좋은 일을 하지 못하면 하늘에서 볼 때는 실패자이다.

이는 복을 환전하지 못한 것이며, 다음 생에 짐승이나 반응으로 태어날 수 있다.

• 노블레스 오블리주와 무량심
  노블레스 오블리주(Noblesse Oblige)

귀족(Noblesse)은 의무(Oblige)가 있으며, 기부를 많이 하는 것은 당연한 일이다.

기부를 하지 않으면 죄를 짓는 것이며, 기부를 좋은 일이라고 생각하면 보시심이 된다.

무량심(無量心)

사무량심을 행할 때는 눈에 보이는 물질을 생각하면 안 되며, 마음에 두지 말아야 한다.

청정한 행위나 헌금을 많이 한 것을 마음에 두면 죄가 된다.

자신이 어머니나 아내에게 잘해준 것을 마음에 담아두면 보시심이 되어 실패한 인생이 된다.

아무리 기부를 많이 해도 자랑하고 다니면 실패한 인생이다.

• 실수와 실패의 차이
  실패는 실험과 경험

사업하다 부도나서 교도소에 가는 것은 실패가 아니라 실험하고 경험한 것이다.

이를 통해 다시는 그런 짓을 하지 않게 된다.

실수와 실패의 구분

사람들은 실패를 성공이라고 생각하고, 실수한 사람을 매도한다.

사업하다 부도난 사람을 사기꾼으로 몰면 안 된다.

겉으로는 성공한 것처럼 보여도, 국회의장이 골프장에서 부적절한 행동을 하면 인생의 실패자가 된다.

실패를 보는 눈을 바꿔야 한다.

내 마음이 바뀌면 세상이 바뀐다

내 마음이 바르면 모든 세상이 달라지며, 남의 마음으로 세상을 살아야 한다.

5. 공인의 자세와 평등심
   공인은 항상 조심해야 하며, 모든 사람을 평등하게 보고 봉사심이 아닌 무량심을 가져야 한다.

• 공인의 행동과 이웃의 마음
  공인의 조심성

공인은 항상 조심해야 하며, 집이라고 해서 소주를 마시고 소리를 지르는 등의 행동은 실패한 사람의 모습이다.

이웃들의 마음을 헤아려 그들을 괴롭게 할 일이 없어야 한다.

이웃의 걱정

이웃들이 어떻게 밥을 먹고 사는지 걱정해야 한다.

• 팥 칼국수집 사장님의 사례
  팥 칼국수집 사장님의 존경

80세가 다 된 팥 칼국수집 사장님이 허경영을 문 앞까지 맨발로 나와 맞이하고 큰절을 했다.

이는 허경영에 대한 존경의 표현이다.

춘설매(春雪梅) 비유

사장님은 허경영을 ‘춘설매’에 비유하며, 지금은 겨울이지만 때가 되면 활짝 꽃을 피워 향기가 천리를 갈 것이라고 말했다.

이는 김대중 전 대통령의 ‘설중매’, ‘인동초’와 비슷한 이야기이다.

대통령 사진과 허경영 사진

식당 벽에는 역대 대통령 사진들이 붙어 있었는데, 허경영의 사진이 가장 컸다.

이는 허경영의 지지자가 은근히 많다는 것을 보여준다.

사람의 행동을 조심해야 하는 이유

식당 등에서 자신을 알아보는 사람들이 많으므로, 공인은 항상 행동을 조심해야 한다.

술, 담배를 하지 않아 실수는 없지만, 혹시라도 잘못된 행동을 하면 이웃들에게 피해를 줄 수 있다.

청정심, 보시심, 자비심, 지혜심은 절대 자기 마음에 두지 말고, 남을 위해서 했다고 생각해야 한다.

• 자유와 방종, 그리고 의무
  자유의 의미

자유는 의무를 다한 자만이 누릴 수 있는 권리이다.

인간으로서 의무를 다해야 남에게 존경받을 수 있다.

모든 사람을 누님, 어머니, 아버지, 형제, 자식처럼 여기고 음탕한 마음을 먹지 않도록 조심해야 한다.

방종의 의미

방종은 법을 어기지 않는 한도에서 마음대로 하는 것이다.

지하철에서 임산부나 노인에게 자리를 양보하지 않는 것은 방종이다.

이는 자유의 반대이며, 젊은이가 해야 할 일을 다른 사람이 하겠지 하고 생각하는 것이다.

자유와 의무

하나님이 인간에게 자유를 줄 때는 의무를 다하라고 주는 것이다.

가족의 의무, 인간의 의무가 있다.

• 진정한 성공과 실패의 기준
  하늘이 보는 성공과 실패

남을 위해 기부하고 봉사한다고 생각하는 사람들은 대부분 인생에서 실패한다.

죄를 짓고 미안한 마음을 가진 사람은 하늘에서 ‘OK’를 받는다.

기부를 많이 하고 사회에 공헌했다고 자만하는 사람은 하늘에서 ‘NO’를 받는다.

공소시효의 의미

공소시효는 죄인이 바깥에서 죄인처럼 살면서 죄를 뉘우치는 기간을 의미한다.

교도소 안에서는 뉘우치지 않을 수도 있지만, 바깥에서는 경찰만 봐도 뜨끔하며 형을 받고 있는 것과 같다.

자만하는 자의 실패

죄를 졌다고 생각하지 않고 교회나 절에 헌금을 잘 내는 사람들은 자만심을 가질 수 있다.

이들은 나중에 목사와 싸우거나 교회를 쪼개는 등 문제를 일으키며, 하늘이 이런 자들을 벌한다.

이런 자들이 바로 실패한 자들이다.

6. 유대인의 실패와 평등심
   유대인들은 선민의식과 차별심으로 인해 하늘로부터 실패자로 여겨졌으며, 진정한 진리는 평등심에 있다.

• 유대인의 실패
  유대인의 교만과 선민의식

하늘은 유대인들을 실패자로 여겼는데, 이는 그들이 교만하고 선민의식을 가지고 모든 민족을 무시했기 때문이다.

이로 인해 그들은 교회와 땅을 빼앗겼다.

이스라엘 건국과 한민족

이스라엘은 1948년 영국에 의해 건국되었고, 대한민국도 1948년 미국에 의해 건국되었다.

미래에는 한민족이 세계 인류를 개종할 민족으로 뽑혔다.

율법에 갇힌 유대인

유대인들은 율법을 제대로 지킨답시고 수많은 율법을 만들어 율법에 갇혀버렸다.

다른 민족을 율법도 지키지 않는 개 같은 놈들이라고 무시했다.

히틀러에 의한 멸종

하늘은 유대인들의 교만함 때문에 히틀러를 시켜 600만 명을 멸종시켰다.

이는 하늘이 한 일이다.

• 진리의 민주주의와 평등심
  진리의 민주주의

허경영은 진리를 혼자 가지고 독재하는 것이 아니라, 진리를 사람들에게 나누어주는 ‘진리의 민주주의’를 한다.

이는 사람들을 진리로 민주화하기 위함이다.

사무량심의 다른 이름: 평등심

사무량심은 ‘평등심’이라고도 불리며, 모든 인간을 같이 봐야 한다.

유대인들은 차별심으로 인류를 대했기 때문에 하늘로부터 벌을 받았다.

평등심은 다른 종교에서 ‘보리심’이나 ‘보살심’이라고도 불린다.

봉사심의 문제점

평등심의 반대는 ‘봉사심’이다.

남에게 봉사했다는 생각을 하면 지옥에 가는 것이며, 이는 남을 의식하는 것이다.

봉사심은 ‘무량심’으로 바꿔야 하며, 남에게 봉사하는 것은 자기 자신에게 한 것이다.

배고픈 아들에게 밥을 먹이는 것처럼, 남은 남이 아니라 자신과 연결된 존재이다.

‘봉사’라는 언어를 쓰는 자는 실패한 자이며, 이런 마음이 쌓이면 개인이나 나라는 망한다.

• 탕자와 맏아들 비유
  탕자의 가능성

하나님은 죄를 짓고 도망다니는 막내아들 탕자를 가능성 있게 보고, 아버지 말을 잘 들은 맏아들 유대인을 쓰레기로 본다.

맏아들은 아버지에게 태클까지 걸지만, 막내아들은 자신의 죄를 뉘우치고 마음을 낮춘다.

자신을 낮추는 사람에게는 가능성이 있다.

• 영어 학습의 비유
  습관 없는 아이들의 영어 학습

영어를 조금 아는 사람은 한국 발음 습관 때문에 영어 속도가 느리다.

반면, 다섯 살짜리 아이는 영어 학습 습관이 없기 때문에 미국에 가면 금방 영어 달인이 된다.

7. 천부경과 인간의 구성 요소
   천부경은 인간의 마음, 성품, 기, 몸이 어떻게 움직이는지 과학적으로 설명하며, 이는 인간의 근본적인 이해를 돕는다.

• 천부경의 삼극(三極)
  일시무시 일석 삼극 무구본

천부경에 나오는 ‘삼극’은 ‘심기신(心氣身)’을 의미한다.

우주의 시작과 끝

하나님이 세상을 만들었지만, 만든 것이 없다고 한다.

이는 시작(알파)이 곧 끝(오메가)과 붙어있어, 우주는 시작도 끝도 없이 영원히 순환한다는 의미이다.

• 마음, 성품, 기, 몸의 유래
  마음은 성품에서 온다

마음은 성품에서 오며, 바닷가 사람이나 한국 사람, 이스라엘 사람의 마음이 다른 것은 성품의 차이 때문이다.

충청도 사람이 느린 것도 성품에서 비롯된다.

성품은 땅의 기운에서 온다

성품은 바닷가의 바람, 억센 땅의 기운, 도둑이 많은 지역 등 땅에서 느끼는 감정에서 온다.

바닷가 사람들은 일본 해적의 침략으로 인해 공포증을 가지고 있으며, 이쁜 여자들이 내륙으로 도망가는 현상도 있었다.

여자는 재물에 속했기 때문에 도둑질의 대상이 되기도 했다.

이러한 환경이 성품을 만들고, 성품에서 마음이 나온다.

기(氣)는 명(命)에서 온다

기는 명(목숨)에서 오며, 숨 쉬는 것이 우리의 목숨이다.

몸은 정자에서 온다

몸은 정자에서 오며, 정자는 남녀의 촉감(교합)에서 온다.

천부경은 인간의 마음, 몸이 어떻게 움직이는지 과학적으로 설명한다.

8. 방종과 자유, 그리고 진정한 성공
   방종은 자유가 아니며, 진정한 성공은 복을 덕으로 바꾸어 남을 위해 베푸는 것이다.

• 방종과 자유의 오해
  젊은이들의 방종

법을 어기지 않는 한도에서 마음대로 하는 ‘방종’을 젊은이들은 ‘자유’로 착각하고 있다.

평등심과 봉사심

평등심의 반대는 봉사심이며, 자신이 무슨 일을 많이 했다는 우월한 마음이 바닥에 깔려 있으면 안 된다.

이러한 봉사심을 고쳐야 한다.

• 인생의 실패와 성공
  실수, 실험, 경험은 실패가 아니다

인생에 있어서 실수는 있을 수 있고, 실험이나 경험도 있을 수 있지만, 진정한 실패는 성공했다고 하는 사람들이 주로 하는 것이다.

• 21세기 사람의 목숨
  인명이 제천(人命在天)에서 인명이 제처(人命在妻)로

옛날에는 사람의 목숨이 하늘에 달려있다고 했지만, 21세기에는 ‘마누라’에게 달려있다.

마누라가 하나님이며, 마누라를 잘 받들어야 집안이 화목해진다.

옛날에는 여자를 재물로 알았지만, 이제는 무서운 존재임을 알아야 한다.

마누라가 없을 때의 목숨

마누라가 없을 때는 ‘재미(在味)’에 목숨이 달려있다.

식당 아줌마가 밥에 독약을 넣을 수도 있듯이, 여자가 사람의 목숨을 좌우할 수 있다.

• 복을 덕으로 바꾸는 지혜
  죽기 전에는 실패하지 않는다

죽기 전에는 절대 실패하지 않으며, 인생은 마음대로 실험하고 경험하는 과정이다.

못한 것은 다시 리바이브(revive)할 수 있다.

복을 덕으로 바꾸는 법

복을 많이 지어야 하며, 복이 돌아올 때 그것을 덕으로 바꿔야 한다.

야구선수가 공을 쳐서 관중을 기쁘게 하듯이, 돈이 날아오면 빨리 받아 쳐서 남을 위해 베풀어야 한다.

공(복)에 대한 욕심을 가지면 안 된다.

9. 선, 미, 의와 행복의 조건
   선, 미, 의는 행복의 세 가지 조건이며, 이를 통해 아름답게 세상을 살 수 있다.

• 선(善)과 복(福)
  선을 행한 자는 복을 받는다

선을 행한 자는 반드시 복을 받으며, 선을 행하지 않는 자는 하늘이 벌을 내린다.

이는 인류에게 한 치의 오차도 없이 적용되는 진리이다.

• 의(義)와 은혜
  경행록(景行錄)의 가르침

경행록에 “은의(恩義)를 광시(廣施)하라”고 했다.

이는 은혜와 의리를 널리 베풀라는 뜻이다.

은혜를 넓게 펴는 법

고아원에 기부했다고 해서 지하철에서 남에게 위세를 떨거나 미소를 짓지 않으면 안 된다.

좋은 일을 했든, 구김을 했든 집에 와서 아내에게 너그럽고 부드럽게 해야 한다.

원수는 외나무다리에서 만난다

“인생하처 불상봉(人生何處不相逢)”은 사람은 반드시 서로 만나게 된다는 뜻이다.

“노봉협처면 난해피니라(路逢狹處難回避)”는 원수는 외나무다리에서 만나 피할 길이 없다는 뜻이다.

따라서 원수를 맺지 말아야 한다.

• 미(美)와 아름다운 삶
  행복의 세 가지 조건

인간 행복의 원인은 선, 미, 의 세 가지이다.

이 세 가지를 모두 행하면 아름답게 세상을 사는 사람이다.

• 미래 교육과 언어
  초등학생 교육

초등학생들에게 선, 미, 의를 가르쳐야 하며, 이는 성경과 같은 말이 들어있어 머릿속에 잘 지워지지 않는다.

미래 언어 교육

앞으로 자녀를 낳으면 영어, 중국어, 일본어를 가르쳐야 한다.

정년 퇴직한 사람들도 중국어, 일본어를 배우러 다니는데, 이는 관광객이 많아지면서 외국어 능력이 중요해졌기 때문이다.

경비원도 중국어를 모르면 사고가 날 수 있다.

이러한 교육은 미래를 위해 필수적이다.

10. 자식에게 물려줄 진정한 유산: 음덕
    자식에게 돈을 물려주는 것은 자식을 실패자로 만드는 것이며, 진정한 유산은 남이 모르게 베푸는 음덕이다.

• 한자 핵(劃)의 중요성
  한자 핵의 정확성

한자를 쓸 때 핵의 개수를 정확히 알아야 한다.

예를 들어, ‘사(四)’자는 두 핵으로 이루어져 있으며, ‘사(厶)’자는 한 핵이다.

아이들에게 한자 핵을 정확하게 가르쳐야 한다.

• 자식에게 돈을 물려주는 것의 위험성
  자식을 실패자로 만드는 돈

자식에게 돈을 물려주는 것은 자식을 실패자로 만드는 것이다.

자식이 단칸방에서부터 스스로 만들어가는 보람과 기쁨을 빼앗는 행위이다.

사업 자금 지원

사업 자금을 줄 때도 100%가 아닌 70%만 주어, 자식이 스스로 노력하고 고통을 겪게 해야 한다.

아버지가 살아있는 동안은 자식이 망해도 괜찮으니 고생을 시켜야 한다.

복을 그냥 줄 경우의 실패

복을 그냥 줄 경우 자식은 실패자가 된다.

• 과도한 교육의 부작용
  교만해지는 자식

자식을 너무 많이 공부시키면 자식이 교만해져서 다른 사람을 깔아뭉개고 학벌을 자랑하게 된다.

학벌과 나이를 묻지 않는 시대

앞으로는 남에게 학벌이나 나이를 묻지 않아야 한다.

나이는 평등된 시대이며, 백 살도 스무 살처럼 마음먹을 수 있다.

서울대 교수의 성추행 사례

서울대 교수들이 성추행에 걸리는 경우가 많은데, 이는 교만심 때문이다.

서울대 교수는 권세를 누리려 하고, 이로 인해 말년에 성추행으로 직위를 잃을 수 있다.

• 음덕(陰德)의 중요성
  음덕의 의미

자식에게 돈이나 공부를 물려주는 대신, 남이 안 보는 곳에서 덕을 베푸는 ‘음덕’을 쌓아야 한다.

아무도 모르게 누군가를 몰래 도와주는 것이다.

음덕이 자식을 지켜준다

아무도 안 보는 깜깜한 밤중에 남도 모르게 덕을 베풀어 놓으면, 그것이 자식을 지켜주는 진정한 계산(유산)이 된다.

-. 행복의 조건과 미소
선, 미, 의와 행복

선, 미, 의는 행복의 조건이다.

미소의 중요성

아무리 복을 많이 지은 사람도 남 앞에서 침묵을 지키고 미소를 짓지 않으면 죄를 짓는 것이다.

항상 남 앞에서는 미소를 지어야 하며, 자기 가족을 대하듯이 밝은 모습을 보여야 행복의 조건을 갖춘 사람이다.

11. 로마 왕과 한국 왕의 차이점
    로마 왕은 암살로 죽는 경우가 많았지만, 한국 왕은 충(忠)을 바탕으로 안정적인 통치를 했다.

• 로마 왕과 한국 왕의 죽음
  로마 왕의 암살

로마 왕들은 신하들에게 반말을 했으며, 한 번도 정상적으로 죽은 왕이 없고 모두 약물로 암살당했다.

한국 왕의 안정적인 죽음

우리나라 왕은 신하들에게 존댓말을 했으며, 늙어서 제대로 죽은 왕이 많다.

이는 한국 사람들이 근본적으로 선하고 충(忠)이 있는 민족이기 때문이다.

• 충(忠)의 의미
  충(忠)은 중심이 잡힌 마음

충(忠)은 마음(心)의 중심(中)이 잡혀있는 것을 의미한다.

충청도 사람이 우리나라의 중심에 있다는 뜻은 아니다.

서양의 칼과 동양의 충

로마 사람들은 충이 없었으며, 서양 왕들은 불안 속에서 생활했다.

서양은 ‘칼’이 말을 했지만, 우리 민족은 ‘충’을 중요시했다.

12. 인간으로 태어나는 것의 소중함
    인간으로 태어나는 것이 가장 어려운 일이며, 모든 사람은 태어난 것만으로도 이미 성공한 존재이다.

• 세상에서 가장 어려운 일
  세상에서 가장 어려운 일

세상에서 가장 어려운 일은 ‘사람으로 태어나는 것’이다.

• 지구 은하계의 별들
  인간이 사는 별의 개수

지구 은하계에는 인간이 사는 별이 720개 있다.

720개의 계산법

양력 365일과 음력 355일을 더하면 720이 나온다.

1×1=1, 1×2=2, 2×3=6, 6×4=24, 24×5=120, 120×6=720으로 계산된다.

지구는 6일 만에 창조되었으며, 이러한 별들이 720개 존재한다.

은하계를 벗어난 별

우리 은하계를 벗어나면 320무 개의 별이 있다.

인간의 순환

인간은 죽으면 362만 개나 되는 인간이 사는 별을 계속 순환해야 하며, 나중에 백궁(百宮)으로 올라가 새로운 사람으로 거듭난다.

• 인간 존재의 고귀함
  인간으로 태어나는 것의 어려움

인간으로 태어나는 것은 3억 대 1 또는 5억 대 1의 경쟁률을 뚫고 잉태된 것이므로 가장 어려운 일이다.

모든 사람은 이미 성공했다

모든 사람은 태어난 것만으로도 이미 성공한 것이다.

성공과 실패의 기준

성공과 실패는 물질에 있는 것이 아니라, 교만하냐 안 하냐에 달려있다.

아무리 망해도 그 사람은 실패한 것이 아니며, 하늘이 있고 좋은 곳에 갈 것이라는 마음을 가지면 피해자가 아니다.

사람의 소중함을 알아야 한다.

• 난자와 정자의 수
  정자의 수

남자의 정자는 3억에서 5억 개이다.

난자의 수

난자는 하나뿐이지만, 한 난자에 여러 개의 정자가 들어갈 수 있으며, 여러 명을 낳는 동물도 있다.

정리

허경영 선생 강연: 실수와 실패의 진리, 그리고 삶의 지혜
본 기록물은 2015년 2월 14일 진행된 허경영 선생의 강연 ‘실수실험과 실패의 진리’를 재구성한 것입니다. 강연은 실수와 실패의 본질적 차이를 명확히 하고, 진정한 성공과 실패의 기준을 제시하며, 인간이 지녀야 할 마음가짐과 의무에 대해 심도 깊은 통찰을 제공합니다. 이는 후대에 전해질 중요한 철학적, 윤리적 지침이 될 것입니다.

제1장: 실수와 실패의 본질적 이해

• 실수와 실패의 구분
  허경영 선생은 건물을 짓다가 잘못된 것은 실수이지 실패가 아니. 실수는 고치고 개선할 수 있는 과정이며, 인간의 삶 또한 죽기 전까지는 실수인지 실패인지 단정할 수 없습니다.

• 경험과 실험으로서의 삶
  강연자는 빌 게이츠의 대학 중퇴나 에디슨의 2만 번에 걸친 전구 개발 과정을 예로 들며, 이 모든 것이 실패가 아닌 경험과 실험의 과정임을 역설합니다. 에디슨은 단 한 번도 실패했다고 생각하지 않았으며, 이는 끊임없이 시도하고 개선하는 실험 정신의 발현입니다.

• 좌절의 부재
  아메리카 인디언의 기우제 사례는 좌절이 존재하지 않음을 보여줍니다. 비가 올 때까지 기우제를 멈추지 않는 것처럼, 진정한 노력에는 실패가 없으며 오직 성공만이 존재합니다.

제2장: 진정한 성공과 실패의 기준

• 죽음 직전까지 알 수 없는 인생의 결과
  인생의 성공과 실패는 죽기 직전까지 알 수 없으며, 타인에 의해 결정될 수 있습니다. 허경영 선생은 죽기 하루 전 잘못된 행동으로 인해 인생 전체가 실패로 평가될 수 있음을 경고합니다.

• 복(福)과 덕(德)의 전환
  강연자는 복(福)을 덕(德)으로 전환하지 못하는 삶을 진정한 실패로 규정합니다. 부자가 편안하게 살다 죽었더라도, 그 복을 남에게 베풀어 덕으로 바꾸지 못했다면 하늘에서 볼 때는 실패한 인생이라는 것입니다. 이는 노블레스 오블리주(Noblesse Oblige)의 정신과 일맥상통합니다.

• 마음가짐의 중요성
  모든 것은 내 마음이 만드는 것이며, 내 마음이 바르면 모든 세상이 달라 보인다고 강연자는 말합니다. 남을 판단하기 전에 자신의 마음을 바르게 하는 것이 중요하며, 이는 곧 세상을 바꾸는 시작점이 됩니다.

제3장: 인간이 지녀야 할 네 가지 마음 (사무량심)

• 사무량심의 구성
  허경영 선생은 인간이 지녀야 할 네 가지 마음, 즉 사무량심(四無量心)을 제시합니다.

청정심(淸淨心)

무량심(無量心)

자비심(慈悲心)

지혜심(智慧心)

• 무량심의 실천: 베풂과 봉사의 진정한 의미
  강연자는 남에게 베풀거나 봉사할 때, 그것이 남을 돕는다는 생각을 해서는 안 된다. 오히려 자신이 자신에게 하는 일이라는 마음가짐으로 행해야 합니다. 이는 자존심을 건드리지 않고 진정으로 돕는 행위이며, 봉사심이 아닌 무량심(평등심)으로 나아가야 합니다.

• 남의 마음이 내 마음이 되는 삶
  부모의 마음, 타인의 마음이 곧 내 마음이 되어야 합니다. 길거리에서 떡을 파는 사람을 돕는 행위는 그 사람의 부모 마음으로 돌아가 그 고통을 헤아리는 것이며, 이는 곧 자신을 돕는 것과 같습니다.

• 음덕(陰德)의 중요성
  자식에게 재산을 물려주는 것은 오히려 자식을 실패자로 만들 수 있습니다. 진정으로 자손을 위하는 길은 남이 보지 않는 곳에서 덕을 베푸는 음덕을 쌓는 것입니다. 아무도 모르게 행한 선행이 자손을 지켜주는 진정한 유산이 됩니다.

제4장: 자유와 의무, 그리고 평등심

• 자유와 방종의 차이
  자유는 의무를 다한 자만이 누릴 수 있는 권리입니다. 법을 어기지 않는 한도 내에서 마음대로 하는 것은 방종이며, 이는 자유의 반대 개념입니다. 지하철에서 노약자에게 자리를 양보하는 것은 인간으로서의 의무이며, 이를 외면하는 것은 방종에 해당합니다.

• 평등심의 부재와 유대인의 실패
  강연자는 유대 민족이 선민의식에 사로잡혀 다른 민족을 차별하고 율법에 갇혀 살았기에 하늘로부터 실패자로 규정되었다. 이는 평등심의 부재가 가져온 결과이며, 모든 인간을 동등하게 보지 않는 차별심은 결국 파멸을 초래합니다.

제5장: 인간 존재의 고귀함과 삶의 태도

• 사람으로 태어남의 어려움
  이 세상에서 가장 어려운 일은 사람으로 태어나는 것입니다. 수억 대 일의 경쟁률을 뚫고 태어난 인간의 존재는 그 자체로 고귀하며, 이미 성공한 것입니다.

• 겸손과 미소의 중요성
  진정한 성공은 물질에 있지 않고, 교만하지 않는 마음에 있습니다. 아무리 많은 복을 지었더라도 남 앞에서 겸손하지 않고 미소를 짓지 않는다면 죄를 짓는 것과 같습니다. 항상 밝은 모습을 보이며 타인을 존중하는 태도가 중요합니다.

결론
허경영 선생은 강연을 통해 인생은 죽기 전까지 실패가 아닌 실험과 경험의 연속이며, 진정한 실패는 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못하고 교만함에 빠지는 것이라고 역설합니다. 모든 인간은 평등한 마음으로 서로를 대하고, 남이 보지 않는 곳에서 음덕을 쌓으며, 자유에는 반드시 의무가 따른다는 것을 명심해야 합니다. 이러한 가르침은 우리 모두가 고귀한 인간으로서 아름답고 의미 있는 삶을 살아가는 데 중요한 지침이 될 것입니다.

1. 실수와 실패의 본질적 차이

건물을 짓다가 잘못된 것은 실수이지, 실패가 아닙니다. 고치면 되기 때문입니다. 사람의 인생도 죽기 전까지는 실패인지 실수인지 알 수 없습니다. 빌 게이츠가 대학을 중퇴했을 때 사람들은 그를 실패자로 보았지만, 그는 단지 경험하고 실험했을 뿐입니다.

2. 에디슨의 2만 번 실험과 좌절의 부재
   에디슨은 2만 번의 시도 끝에 전구를 개발했습니다. 사람들은 이를 ‘실패는 성공의 어머니’라고 말하지만, 에디슨 자신은 단 한 번도 실패했다고 생각하지 않았습니다. 그는 모든 과정을 실험이라고 여겼습니다. 이처럼 인생에서 좌절은 존재하지 않습니다. 인디언들이 비가 올 때까지 기우제를 지내는 것처럼, 목표를 이룰 때까지 멈추지 않는 것이 중요합니다.

3. 인생의 실패와 성공의 기준
   인생의 실패는 죽기 직전에 결정됩니다. 예를 들어, 성공적인 삶을 살다가도 마지막 순간에 부도덕한 행동을 하면 실패자가 될 수 있습니다. 반대로 사업에 실패하고 교도소에 가는 사람도 하늘의 관점에서는 실험을 한 것이지 실패한 것이 아닙니다. 진정한 실패는 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못하고 죽는 것입니다. 아무리 많은 기부를 해도 그것을 자랑하면 실패한 인생입니다.

4. 세 가지 마음: 하나님, 부모님, 남의 마음
   우리는 항상 세 가지 마음으로 살아야 합니다.

하나님 마음: 물 한 그릇이라도 없는 사람과 나누고, 손님을 대접하듯이 모든 사람을 대해야 합니다. 목마른 사람 속에 천사가 들어있다고 생각해야 합니다.

부모님 마음: 자식을 키우는 부모의 마음으로 다른 사람의 자녀를 대해야 합니다.

남의 마음: 다른 사람의 입장에서 생각하고 행동해야 합니다. 내가 남을 돕는 것이 아니라, 내가 나를 돕는다는 마음으로 베풀어야 합니다.

5. 사무량심(四無量心)의 의미와 실천
   사무량심은 네 가지 헤아릴 수 없는 마음을 의미하며, 이를 벗어나면 죄를 짓게 됩니다.

청정심: 깨끗한 마음으로, 내가 무엇을 베풀었다는 생각을 마음에 두지 않아야 합니다.

무량심: 남에게 베풀었다는 생각을 하지 않고, 상대방이 느끼지 못하게 돕는 마음입니다. 장학금을 줄 때도 자존심을 건드리지 않도록 해야 합니다.

자비심: 남을 불쌍히 여기는 마음입니다. 이는 자만심이 아닌 측은지심에서 비롯되어야 합니다.

지혜심: 지혜로운 마음으로, 이 네 가지 마음을 행할 때 내가 누구를 도와준 것이 아니라 나 자신을 도왔다고 생각해야 합니다.

6. 복(福)과 덕(德)의 차이
   복(福): 자기 앞에 먹고 살 수 있는 문전옥답이 보이는 상태를 의미합니다.

덕(德): 복보다 한 단계 높은 개념으로, 자신의 복을 남의 복으로 바꾸는 마음을 실천하는 것입니다. 남을 위해 사랑을 실천하는 마음입니다. 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못하면 인생의 실패자가 됩니다.

7. 노블레스 오블리주와 봉사심의 함정
   노블레스 오블리주(Noblesse Oblige)는 귀족의 의무를 뜻합니다. 귀족이 기부를 많이 하는 것은 당연한 의무이며, 이를 좋은 일을 했다고 생각하면 오히려 보시심이 되어 죄가 됩니다. 봉사심 또한 마찬가지입니다. 내가 남에게 봉사했다는 생각을 하면 지옥에 가는 것입니다. 봉사는 남을 의식하는 것이 아니라, 자기 자신에게 한 것이라고 생각해야 합니다.

8. 자유와 방종의 구분
   자유: 의무를 다한 자만이 누릴 수 있는 권리입니다.

방종: 법을 어기지 않는 한도 내에서 마음대로 하는 것입니다. 지하철에서 노약자에게 자리를 양보하지 않는 것은 방종에 해당합니다. 하나님은 인간에게 의무를 다하라고 자유를 주셨습니다.

9. 공소시효와 죄인의 마음
   공소시효는 죄인이 바깥에서 죄인처럼 살면서 죄를 뉘우치는 기간을 의미합니다. 교도소 안에서 뉘우치지 않을 수도 있지만, 바깥에서 경찰만 봐도 뜨끔하며 죄인처럼 사는 것은 형을 받는 것으로 인정됩니다.

10. 유대인의 실패와 평등심
    하늘은 유대인들을 실패자로 보았습니다. 그들은 선민의식을 가지고 다른 민족을 무시하며 율법에 갇혀 살았습니다. 이는 평등심에 반대되는 차별심을 가졌기 때문입니다. 진정한 진리는 독재가 아니라 모두에게 나누어주는 것입니다.

11. 인간의 마음, 성품, 기운의 근원
    마음: 성품에서 옵니다. 바닷가 사람과 내륙 사람의 성품이 다른 것처럼, 출신지에 따라 마음이 달라집니다.

성품: 땅의 기운에서 옵니다. 땅에서 느끼는 감정, 즉 환경이 성품을 형성합니다.

기(氣): 목숨에서 옵니다. 숨 쉬는 것이 우리의 목숨입니다.

신(身): 정자에서 옵니다. 남녀의 촉감에서 인간의 몸이 나옵니다.

12. 자식에게 물려줄 진정한 유산: 음덕
    자식에게 돈을 물려주는 것은 자식을 실패자로 만드는 것입니다. 자식이 스스로 어려움을 겪고 성취감을 느끼는 기회를 빼앗는 것입니다. 자식에게 진정으로 물려줄 것은 음덕(陰德)입니다. 아무도 모르게 남을 돕는 덕을 베풀면, 그것이 자식을 지켜주는 진정한 유산이 됩니다.

13. 인간 존재의 고귀함과 성공의 의미
    사람으로 태어나는 것은 3억 대 1 또는 5억 대 1의 확률을 뚫고 잉태된 것이므로, 인간의 존재는 매우 고귀합니다. 모든 사람이 태어난 것만으로도 이미 성공한 것입니다. 진정한 성공과 실패는 물질에 있는 것이 아니라, 교만하냐 안 하냐에 달려 있습니다.

2015.02.14 963 Truth of Mistakes and Failures. The Truth of mistakes and failures

The Truth of Mistakes and Failures

1. Distinguishing Between Error and Failure
   what people often label as failure is, in reality, merely an error or an experiment. For instance, constructing a building and encountering issues is an error, not a failure, because it can be rectified. Similarly, human life itself cannot be definitively categorized as a failure or success until its very end. He cites historical figures like Hitler, whose life was considered successful until his death at 54, and Bill Gates, who was initially perceived as a failure for dropping out of college but later achieved immense success. These examples illustrate that initial setbacks are often just part of a larger process.

2. Edison’s Experiments and the Nature of Perseverance
   He references Thomas Edison’s 20,000 attempts to invent the light bulb. When asked about his numerous failures, Edison famously stated that he never failed; he simply conducted 20,000 experiments. This perspective highlights that each attempt, even if it doesn’t yield the desired outcome, provides valuable experience and knowledge. It is a process of continuous experimentation and adaptation, rather than a series of failures. This mindset suggests that true failure only occurs when one ceases to experiment or give up.

3. The Indigenous Rain Dance: A Metaphor for Unwavering Effort
   Huh Kyung-young draws a parallel between Edison’s persistence and the rain dances performed by Native American tribes. These tribes continue their rain dances until rain falls, demonstrating an unwavering commitment without considering the possibility of failure. Their belief is that rain will inevitably come if they persist. This serves as a powerful metaphor for life: true failure is not in the lack of immediate results, but in abandoning the effort before the desired outcome is achieved.

4. The True Meaning of Failure in Life
   life’s ultimate failure is not found in financial ruin or societal judgment, but in failing to transform one’s blessings (福) into virtue (德). A wealthy individual who lives comfortably but dies without contributing to others is considered a failure in the eyes of God-man (神人). This is because they failed to convert their accumulated blessings into acts of virtue. True failure, therefore, is a spiritual one, a missed opportunity to elevate one’s existence by serving others.

5. The Four Immeasurable Minds (四無量心) and the Pitfalls of Self-Conscious Benevolence
   Huh Kyung-young introduces the concept of the Four Immeasurable Minds (四無量心), which are crucial for a virtuous life. These are:
   Purity of Mind (清淨心): Acting without expecting anything in return or seeking recognition.
   Immeasurable Mind (無量心): Giving without the thought of giving, ensuring the recipient’s dignity is preserved.
   Compassion (慈悲心): Feeling empathy and sorrow for others’ suffering.
   Wisdom (智慧心): The understanding that helping others is akin to helping oneself, as all beings are interconnected.

any act of benevolence, such as donating or helping, becomes tainted if one harbors a sense of superiority or expects gratitude. Such actions, if performed with a self-conscious “giver’s mentality,” are considered a form of spiritual failure. God-man (神人) views those who boast of their good deeds as having failed, while those who genuinely regret their wrongdoings are seen as having potential for redemption.

6. The Principle of “My Mind is the Mind of Others” (他心是吾心)
   A central tenet of Huh Kyung-young’s philosophy is that one’s own mind should become the mind of others. This means perceiving the world and its inhabitants through a lens of profound empathy and interconnectedness. If one’s mind is righteous, the entire world appears righteous. This principle is akin to the Buddhist concept of “all things are created by the mind” (一切唯心造). It implies that judging others as good or bad is a fallacy, as one should strive to understand and embody their perspectives. This profound empathy extends to all beings, recognizing that everyone is part of a larger, interconnected family.

7. The Concept of Virtue (德) and Nobless Oblige
   Huh Kyung-young elaborates on the character for virtue (德), explaining its etymology as “two people” (二人) and “love” (愛), signifying love for others in all directions (十方世界). This contrasts with blessings (福), which are focused on personal gain. Virtue, therefore, represents the act of transforming one’s personal blessings into benefits for others. He connects this to the concept of Noblesse Oblige, where those with privilege have a moral obligation to serve society. Such acts are not considered “good deeds” but rather a fundamental duty. Failing to fulfill this duty, even if one lives a life of luxury, is deemed a failure by God-man (神人).

8. Freedom (自由) vs. License (放縱)
   He distinguishes between true freedom (自由) and license (放縱). Freedom is defined as the right enjoyed by those who have fulfilled their duties and responsibilities. License, on the other hand, is acting without regard for others, even if within legal bounds. He illustrates this with the example of a person sitting on a subway, refusing to give up their seat to an elderly person or a pregnant woman, simply because they paid their fare. Such an act, though not illegal, is considered license and a failure to uphold one’s human obligations. God-man (神人) grants humans freedom with the expectation that they will fulfill their duties.

9. God-man’s (神人) Judgment: The Parable of the Prodigal Son
   Huh Kyung-young reinterprets the parable of the Prodigal Son to illustrate God-man’s (神人) judgment. The younger son, who squandered his inheritance but returned with remorse, is seen as having potential. In contrast, the elder son, who diligently served his father but harbored resentment and pride, is viewed as a “failure” by God-man (神人). This is because his actions, though outwardly righteous, were driven by self-righteousness and a lack of genuine humility. Similarly, the Jewish people, despite being the “firstborn” nation, were deemed failures by God-man (神人) due to their arrogance and rigid adherence to self-made laws, leading to their persecution.

10. The Importance of Hidden Virtue (陰德) for Future Generations
    He emphasizes the importance of accumulating hidden virtue (陰德), which refers to good deeds performed secretly, without any desire for recognition. leaving wealth or excessive education to one’s children can inadvertently make them failures, as it deprives them of the opportunity to build their own lives and experience the satisfaction of self-reliance. Instead, accumulating hidden virtue is the true inheritance, as it protects and guides one’s descendants from unseen realms. This unseen virtue acts as a spiritual safeguard, ensuring the well-being of future generations.

11. The Most Difficult Thing in the World: Being Born Human
    Huh Kyung-young concludes by stating that the most difficult thing in the world is to be born as a human being. He explains that conception is a miraculous event, occurring against astronomical odds (e.g., 300 million to 1). Therefore, simply being born human is already a profound success. This perspective reframes life’s challenges, suggesting that the mere existence of a human being is a testament to immense potential and inherent value. True success and failure are not measured by material achievements but by one’s humility and the extent to which one lives in accordance with the principles of God-man (神人).

God-man’s Teachings on Experimentation, Failure, and the Four Immeasurable Minds

1. The True Meaning of Failure: Experimentation, Not Defeat
   what people commonly perceive as failure (실패) is, in reality, merely an experiment (실험) or a mistake (실수). true failure only occurs at the very end of one’s life, and even then, it is judged by others, not by oneself. For instance, constructing a building with errors is a mistake (실수), not a failure (실패), because it can be rectified. Similarly, a person’s life cannot be definitively labeled a failure (실패) until their very last breath. He cites historical figures like Hitler, who was considered successful until his death at 54, and Bill Gates, whose decision to drop out of college was initially seen as a failure (실패) by his peers. However, Gates’s path was merely an experience (경험) or an experiment (실험).

God-man highlights Thomas Edison’s journey to invent the lightbulb, which involved 20,000 attempts. People often say, “Failure is the mother of success” (실패는 성공의 어머니다), but Edison himself disagreed. When asked how he endured 20,000 failures, he stated that he never failed; he simply conducted experiments (실험). Each attempt that did not yield the desired result was not a failure (실패) but a step in the experimental process (실험 과정), a continuous exploration of different approaches. This perspective suggests that as long as one is alive, there is no such thing as failure (실패), only ongoing experimentation (실험). This principle extends to spiritual practices, such as the 2,500 years of Buddhist experimentation (실험) in Korea or the 150 years of Christian experimentation (실험), both of which continuously adapt their systems. Therefore, despair (좌절) has no place in this worldview, as it implies an end to the experiment (실험).

2. The Wisdom of the Native Americans and the Illusion of Despair
   Huh Kyung-young draws a parallel between Edison’s relentless experimentation (실험) and the rain dances of Native Americans. The Native Americans always succeed in bringing rain because they continue their rain dance until it rains. They do not acknowledge mistakes (실수) or failure (실패) in this process. If rain does not come for a month, they continue the ritual for a month, stopping only when the rain arrives. They never cease their efforts due to a lack of immediate results. This unwavering persistence, God-man argues, is akin to life itself, which continues until its very end.

He contrasts this with the impatience of many people, who quickly abandon efforts if there is no immediate benefit. This perspective leads to a misunderstanding of failure (실패). True failure (실패), according to Huh Kyung-young, is not the collapse of a business or imprisonment, but rather the inability to transform one’s blessings (복) into virtue (덕). He explains the Hanja characters for blessing (복) and virtue (덕). The character for blessing (복) depicts a person looking at a field of sustenance, signifying personal prosperity. However, virtue (덕) involves two people, representing actions for the benefit of others. It signifies transforming one’s personal blessings (복) into love (사랑) and service for the world. A wealthy person who lives comfortably but dies without contributing to others is considered a failure (실패) in the eyes of Heaven, even if they appear successful to society. They have failed to convert their blessings (복) into virtue (덕), which, in this philosophy, leads to a lower rebirth.

3. The Three Minds and God-man’s Perspective on Compassion
   the importance of cultivating three specific mindsets: the mind of God (하나님 마음), the mind of parents (부모님 마음), and the mind of others (남의 마음). These are not separate entities but interconnected ways of perceiving the world. The mind of God (하나님 마음) involves sharing even a cup of water with those who have nothing, recognizing an angel (천사) within the thirsty person. The mind of parents (부모님 마음) means understanding the sacrifices and hopes parents have for their children, treating every child as one’s own. The mind of others (남의 마음) entails empathizing with the struggles and aspirations of everyone around you, seeing their well-being as intertwined with your own.

He illustrates this with an anecdote about encountering street vendors selling rice cakes late at night. Seeing their struggle, he felt a deep sadness, which he describes as experiencing the mind of parents (부모님 마음) for them. Instead of pitying them, he bought many rice cakes, not as an act of charity, but to give them courage (용기) and a good start to their sales. This act embodies the principle of making others’ minds one’s own (남의 마음이 내 마음이 되는 것). He also discusses the concept of “all things are created by the mind” (일체유심조), a Buddhist principle, which suggests that if one’s own mind (마음) is righteous, then all people will appear righteous and become righteous. This means that instead of trying to change the world, one should first change oneself. God-man explains that his lectures aim to teach this principle because there are few who truly embody a righteous mind (마음).

4. The Four Immeasurable Minds and the Pitfalls of Self-Conscious Charity
   Huh Kyung-young introduces the Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심), a core Buddhist concept, which are purity of mind (청정심), immeasurable mind (무량심), compassion (자비심), and wisdom (지혜심). when practicing these, one must never harbor the thought of having “helped” someone. For example, when assisting a person in need, one should adopt the mindset that “that person is me” (저 사람이 나야). This eliminates the notion of “helping others” because it becomes an act of helping oneself. Just as a mother feels full when her child eats, even if she herself is hungry, true assistance comes from identifying with the recipient.

He strongly criticizes acts of charity or giving (보시) that are performed with an awareness of one’s own generosity. Such actions, he argues, are not true immeasurable mind (무량심) but rather a form of self-conceit (자만심) or boasting (보시심), which can lead to negative consequences. For instance, giving a scholarship directly to a poor student in cash can wound their pride. Similarly, performing good deeds for the church or one’s parents and then remembering or boasting about them negates the virtue of the act. The Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심) require that these actions be performed without any expectation of recognition or internal accounting. If one keeps a mental record of their good deeds, they are considered to have failed (실패) in the spiritual sense. This is why Heaven often favors the “prodigal son” (탕자) who acknowledges their shortcomings over the “elder son” (맏아들) who boasts of their obedience and contributions, as the latter often harbors arrogance (교만) and a sense of entitlement.

5. The Interconnectedness of Humanity and the Illusion of “Others”
   Huh Kyung-young expands on the idea that there are no “others” (남) in the grand scheme of existence. all humans are interconnected, stemming from a common ancestry. He illustrates this by explaining that even a simple act like eating a carrot involves the collective effort of millions of people—from the farmer who plants the seed to the driver who transports it, and the vendor who sells it. These individuals are not “others” (남) but extensions of oneself, working to sustain one’s life.

Therefore, when one sees others struggling, it should evoke a feeling of empathy, as if one’s own body is in pain. This perspective fosters a desire to help others prosper, recognizing that their well-being contributes to one’s own. Conversely, wishing harm upon others or believing that one’s success depends on another’s downfall will ultimately lead to the ruin of one’s own household. This profound interconnectedness means that acts of service (봉사) or charity (기부) are not truly directed at “others” (남) but are acts of self-care. The concept of “service” (봉사) itself, when performed with the conscious thought of “I am serving others,” is problematic because it implies a separation that does not exist. True service (봉사) is an act of immeasurable mind (무량심), performed as if one is caring for one’s own child or parent, without any sense of external obligation or self-congratulation.

6. The Evolution of Human Destiny and the Power of the Feminine
   Huh Kyung-young presents a provocative idea about the evolution of human destiny, particularly in the 21st century. in ancient times, human destiny (인명) was believed to be determined by Heaven (제천). This meant that a person’s life and death were solely in the hands of a higher power. However, he asserts that in the modern era, this has changed.

He humorously, yet pointedly, suggests that in the 21st century, human destiny (인명) is now determined by one’s spouse (제처). He explains that men without wives tend to die earlier, and that a wife (마누라) holds significant power over the household’s harmony and the lives of its members. He implies that women, once considered mere possessions (제물), now wield immense influence, capable of both nurturing and, in extreme cases, harming. He even alludes to dramatic scenarios where wives might poison their husbands, emphasizing the shift in power dynamics. This perspective underscores the importance of treating women with respect and understanding, recognizing their pivotal role in shaping individual and collective destinies. He concludes that this shift from Heaven (제천) to spouse (제처) signifies a profound change in the times, where the feminine principle has gained unprecedented power and influence.

7. The Ultimate Challenge: Being Born Human and the Value of Humility
   Huh Kyung-young concludes by asserting that the most challenging feat in the universe is being born as a human being (사람으로 태어나는 것). He explains that the odds of a single sperm fertilizing an egg are astronomically low, often cited as 300 million to 1 or 500 million to 1. The very act of being conceived and born into human form is, therefore, an extraordinary achievement, a success (성공) in itself.

Given this inherent preciousness of human existence, he argues that one’s life journey, with its various experiences, is not inherently difficult. The true measure of success (성공) or failure (실패) does not lie in material wealth or worldly achievements, but rather in the presence or absence of arrogance (교만). Even if one experiences financial ruin or other setbacks, these are not true failures (실패) if one maintains humility (겸손) and a connection to a higher purpose. those who understand their inherent value as human beings and maintain a humble heart are never truly victims of failure (실패). This perspective encourages a profound appreciation for life and a focus on inner character over external circumstances.

The Philosophy of Experimentation and True Failure

1. Distinguishing Between Error and Failure
   In life, what one perceives as a mistake (실수) is distinct from what is truly a failure (실패). For instance, constructing a building and encountering issues is merely an error, not a failure, because such issues can be rectified. Similarly, a person’s life cannot be definitively labeled a failure until its very end.

Historical Figures as Examples:
Adolf Hitler: His life, though ending at 54, was marked by continuous success and rising fortune until his death. From a worldly perspective, he was not seen as a failure during his lifetime.
Bill Gates: When he dropped out of university due to financial difficulties, many perceived it as a failure, believing he had squandered his potential for a doctoral degree. However, this was merely an experience or an experiment.

Thomas Edison’s Perspective:
Edison famously developed the light bulb after 20,000 attempts. When asked how he endured 20,000 failures, he asserted that he never failed.
He viewed each attempt as an experiment. This perspective implies that as long as one is alive, there is no such thing as failure, only ongoing experimentation.
This philosophy extends to spiritual traditions; both Buddhism and Christianity in Korea have undergone centuries of “experimentation,” continuously adapting their systems.
Therefore, despair (좌절) is an illusion; it simply does not exist.

The Wisdom of Indigenous Peoples:
Native American tribes, for example, perform rain dances until rain falls. They do not acknowledge concepts of error or failure because they persist until their goal is achieved.
This unwavering persistence, unlike the impatience often seen in modern society that abandons efforts without immediate profit, mirrors the journey of life itself.

2. The True Nature of Failure: A Spiritual Perspective
   From a higher perspective, true failure is not about worldly setbacks like bankruptcy or imprisonment. These are merely experiments or experiences that teach valuable lessons.

Failure in the Context of Blessings and Virtue:
A person who lives a life of comfort and wealth but fails to convert their blessings (복) into virtue (덕) before death is considered a failure.
Such an individual, despite worldly success, has failed to “exchange” their blessings for something of eternal value.
Blessings (복) are symbolized by having sustenance readily available, like “fertile land before one’s door”.
Virtue (덕), however, involves using one’s blessings for the benefit of others, transforming personal gain into collective good. It signifies a shift from self-centeredness to altruism.

The Concept of Noblesse Oblige:
The idea that “noblesse oblige” (귀족의 의무) is merely a “good deed” is a misconception. It is an inherent duty.
Failing to fulfill this duty is a transgression. True virtue lies in acting without expecting recognition or reward, embodying a boundless mind (무량심).
Any act of giving or service that is remembered or boasted about becomes tainted and is considered a failure.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son and the Elder Son:
God-man views the prodigal son (탕자), who squandered his inheritance but returned with humility and regret, as having potential.
Conversely, the elder son (맏아들), who meticulously followed rules but harbored resentment and pride, is seen as a “waste”.
This illustrates that humility and a willingness to acknowledge one’s shortcomings are more valued than outward adherence to rules or perceived success.

3. The Importance of the Boundless Mind and Equality
   The core of a truly successful life lies in cultivating a boundless mind (사무량심), which is synonymous with a mind of equality (평등심).

Four Boundless Minds (사무량심):
Purity of Mind (청정심): Acting without attachment or expectation, especially in giving. For example, providing scholarships should be done discreetly to avoid shaming the recipient.
Boundless Giving (무량심): Giving without the thought of “I am giving”. It means helping others as if helping oneself. A mother feeding her child feels satisfied as if she herself has eaten.
Compassion (자비심): Feeling empathy and pity for others. This is a positive quality.
Wisdom (지혜심): The ability to discern and act with understanding.

The Illusion of Service (봉사심):
The concept of “service” (봉사) can be problematic if it implies an “other” being served.
True service is recognizing that all beings are interconnected, like members of one’s own family.
Therefore, when one “serves” another, it is ultimately serving oneself. To think one has “helped others” is a form of self-deception that leads to spiritual failure.

Equality (평등심) vs. Discrimination (차별심):
The boundless mind is fundamentally a mind of equality, seeing all humans as equal.
Historically, groups like the Jewish people, despite being chosen, fell into the trap of discrimination (차별심) by creating excessive laws and looking down upon other nations. This led to their downfall.
God-man advocates for a “democracy of truth,” sharing truth to empower all, rather than hoarding it like a dictator.

4. The Interconnectedness of Existence and the Value of Life
   All existence is deeply interconnected, and every life holds immense value.

The Human Body and Mind:
The mind originates from one’s nature (성품), which is shaped by environment and experiences.
One’s spirit (기) comes from destiny (명), which is tied to the breath of life.
The body (신) comes from the essence (정자) of procreation.
This intricate connection is reflected in ancient texts like the Cheonbugyeong (천부경), which scientifically describes the workings of the human mind and body.

The Rarity of Human Birth:
Being born as a human is the most difficult feat in this universe.
Each person is born from a competition of hundreds of millions of sperm, making human existence inherently noble and a success in itself.
Therefore, to disrespect another human is to incur divine punishment.

The Illusion of Worldly Success and Failure:
True success and failure are not determined by material wealth or worldly achievements.
Instead, they hinge on whether one harbors arrogance (교만).
Even in apparent failure, if one maintains a humble heart and faith in a higher purpose, they are not truly defeated.

5. Cultivating Virtue and Avoiding Recklessness
   To live a beautiful life, one must cultivate virtue and avoid recklessness, especially in interactions with others.

The Three Conditions for Happiness:
Goodness (선): Acting with kindness and benevolence.
Beauty (미): Living a life that is aesthetically and morally pleasing.
Righteousness (의): Upholding justice and integrity.

The Importance of “Hidden Virtue” (음덕):
Accumulating wealth or knowledge for one’s children can inadvertently make them failures, as it deprives them of the joy of self-achievement.
Instead, one should accumulate hidden virtue (음덕). This means performing good deeds secretly, without anyone knowing, especially not one’s own family.
Such hidden virtue acts as a true inheritance, protecting and guiding one’s descendants.

Avoiding Recklessness (방종):
Recklessness (방종) is often mistaken for freedom (자유).
True freedom is the right enjoyed by those who have fulfilled their duties (의무).
For example, a young person who remains seated on public transport while an elderly person or a pregnant woman stands, believing it is their right, is acting recklessly, not freely.
God-man grants humans freedom with the expectation that they will fulfill their duties.

The Law of Reciprocity:
Those who perform good deeds will surely receive blessings.
Conversely, those who do not act virtuously will face consequences.
One should extend kindness and righteousness broadly, treating everyone as family.
Harboring resentment or making enemies will inevitably lead to confrontation, like “meeting an enemy on a single log bridge”.

6. The Evolution of Societal Values and the Role of Women
   Societal values are constantly evolving, and the perception of women has undergone a significant transformation.

The Changing Status of Women:
In the 21st century, the traditional saying “human life is determined by Heaven” (인명이 제천) has shifted.
Now, it is often said that “human life is determined by one’s spouse” (인명이 제처).
This humorous yet profound statement implies that a spouse, particularly a wife, holds immense power over the well-being and longevity of a family.
Therefore, men must treat women with respect and care, recognizing their crucial role.
This reflects a broader societal shift from viewing women as mere possessions to acknowledging their formidable influence.

The Korean Ethos of Respect:
Korean monarchs historically used honorifics when addressing their subjects, a practice distinct from Roman emperors who often spoke informally to their subordinates.
This tradition highlights Korea’s deep-rooted culture of courtesy and respect (동방예의지국).
Unlike Roman emperors, who frequently met violent ends, Korean kings often died of natural causes, suggesting a more stable and harmonious society.
This underscores the Korean people’s fundamental goodness and integrity (충), signifying a balanced and centered national character.

The Profound Truth of Experimentation and the Illusion of Failure

1. Distinguishing Between Error and Failure in Life’s Journey
   When constructing a building, an oversight is merely an error, not a failure. An error can be rectified, much like a building can be repaired. Similarly, in the grand tapestry of human existence, one cannot definitively label an event as a failure until the very end of life. Until one’s final breath, it remains an experiment or an experience.

2. The Nature of Experimentation: Lessons from Historical Figures
   Consider historical figures:
   Adolf Hitler: He was highly successful until his death at 54. From a certain perspective, his life trajectory was one of continuous ascent.
   Bill Gates: When he dropped out of college due to financial difficulties, many perceived it as a failure. However, it was merely an experience, an experiment.
   Thomas Edison: He conducted 20,000 experiments before successfully developing the light bulb. People often cite this as an example of “failure being the mother of success.” However, Edison himself never considered these attempts failures. He viewed them as experiments—each attempt, whether successful or not, provided valuable data.

3. The Continuous Experimentation of Belief Systems
   Even major religions engage in continuous experimentation:
   Buddhism has been experimenting in Korea for over 2,500 years.
   Christianity has been experimenting for 150 years.
   These religions constantly adapt and refine their systems based on their experiences.

4. The Indigenous Perspective on Perseverance: A Rain Ritual Analogy
   Native American tribes, when performing rain rituals, always succeed in bringing rain. Why? Because they continue the ritual until it rains. They do not acknowledge concepts like error or failure; they simply persist until their objective is achieved. This unwavering perseverance is a profound lesson for life.

5. The True Definition of Failure: A Spiritual Perspective
   From a spiritual standpoint, true failure is not about financial ruin or societal disgrace. A person who lives a life of comfort and wealth but fails to convert their blessings (福) into virtue (德) before death is considered a failure. They have not “exchanged” their blessings for something higher, leading to a lower rebirth.

6. The Concept of Virtue (德) and its Distinction from Blessings (福)
   Let us delve into the character for virtue (德).
   The character for blessings (福) depicts a person looking at a field of sustenance, signifying material abundance.
   The character for virtue (德), however, incorporates the radical for “two people” (二人), signifying actions performed for the benefit of others. It represents the practice of love for all beings in this world. This implies transforming one’s own blessings into blessings for others.

7. The Principle of Noblesse Oblige and the Four Immeasurable Minds
   The concept of noblesse oblige—the obligation of the nobility—is crucial. For those with privilege, acts of charity are not extraordinary good deeds but rather a fundamental duty. Failing to fulfill this duty is a transgression.
   This relates to the Four Immeasurable Minds (四無量心), which are:
   Purity of Mind (清淨心)
   Immeasurable Mind (無量心)
   Compassion (慈悲心)
   Wisdom (智慧心)
   When practicing these, one must not harbor any thought of having performed a good deed or expecting recognition. Such thoughts negate the purity of the act and constitute a form of spiritual failure.

8. The Illusion of Success and the Reality of Experimentation
   Those who boast about their charitable contributions or societal achievements are, in a spiritual sense, failures. Conversely, individuals who experience business failures or even imprisonment are not failures; they are merely experimenting and gaining experience. These experiences teach valuable lessons, preventing future mistakes. Therefore, the distinction between error and failure is profound.

9. The Importance of Empathy and the Equality of All Beings
   To live a truly virtuous life, one must cultivate empathy—the ability to perceive the world through the perspective of others. This means recognizing that all people are interconnected, like family members. When we help others, we are, in essence, helping ourselves. This profound understanding eliminates the concept of “service” as an act directed towards an external entity.

10. The Pitfalls of Self-Righteousness and the Virtue of Humility
    Paradoxically, those who believe they have contributed greatly to society often fail spiritually, while those who acknowledge their shortcomings and feel remorse are favored by the divine. This is because self-righteousness and pride lead to spiritual stagnation.

11. The Historical Example of the Jewish People and the Peril of Discrimination
    Historically, the Jewish people, despite being chosen, were deemed failures by the divine due to their arrogance and sense of superiority over other nations. Their rigid adherence to an ever-expanding body of laws, coupled with their discriminatory views, led to divine intervention, as seen in the Holocaust. This illustrates the danger of discrimination and the paramount importance of equality (平等心).

12. The Essence of Equality and the Rejection of Service
    The Four Immeasurable Minds can be summarized as equality of mind (平等心). This means viewing all humans as equal, without prejudice or hierarchy. The opposite of equality is self-importance or the mind of service (奉仕心). To believe one is “serving” others implies a distinction between oneself and the recipient, which contradicts the principle of equality. True compassion arises from recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings.

13. The True Meaning of Freedom and the Obligation of Humanity
    Freedom is not license or indulgence; it is a right earned by those who fulfill their duties. Indulgence, or 방종 (bangjong), is the opposite of freedom, where one acts without regard for others or societal norms. The divine grants humanity freedom with the expectation that we will uphold our responsibilities.

14. The Most Challenging Aspect of Existence: Being Born Human
    The most arduous feat in the universe is to be born as a human being. Each individual’s conception is a triumph against astronomical odds, often 300 million to one or 500 million to one. This inherent preciousness means that simply existing as a human is already a profound success. Therefore, true success and failure are not measured by material wealth or societal status, but by one’s humility and lack of arrogance.

15. The Legacy of Hidden Virtue (陰德) for Future Generations
    It is unwise to bequeath excessive wealth or education to one’s children, as it can inadvertently lead them to spiritual failure and arrogance. Instead, the most valuable inheritance is hidden virtue (陰德)—acts of kindness performed secretly, without any expectation of recognition. This unseen virtue protects and guides one’s descendants, serving as a true and lasting legacy. This is the essence of living a beautiful life.

The Truth of Errors and Failures

1. The Nature of Error and Failure
   I speak of endeavors that require financial investment, and I am currently designing a system to rotate the revolving doors, which I have embraced. This is what is termed an error. For instance, constructing a building and encountering issues is an error, not a failure. As long as one can rectify it, it is not a failure. Similarly, in human life, one cannot discern whether an outcome is a failure or merely an error until death.

Consider the historical figure Hitler. He prospered until his death at 54 years old. His fortune was on a continuous ascent, and he held absolute power in the free world. However, when Bill Gates dropped out of college due to financial difficulties, people initially perceived him as a failure. His friends criticized him, believing he had failed. Yet, was he truly a failure? No, he merely gained experience and conducted an experiment.

Thomas Edison, for example, developed the light bulb after 20,000 attempts. He transformed energy into light. What inspired his research into converting energy into light? It was lightning. He observed how water could conduct electricity, causing a flash of light that instantly illuminated the entire Earth. He studied this phenomenon to create the light bulb. The number of times he made an error in creating this bulb was 20,000. People often say, “Failure is the mother of success”. However, this statement is incorrect. When asked how he endured 20,000 failures, Edison stated that he never failed. He asserted that he was merely conducting experiments. If one approach did not work, he would try another. He questioned how one could speak of failure in life before death.

Religions such as Buddhism and Christianity have been present in Korea for extended periods, conducting experiments. Buddhism has experimented for over 2,500 years, and Christianity for 150 years. They continuously adapt their systems. Therefore, one should not despair. Despair does not exist.

The Native Americans, like Edison, always succeed in their rain dances. Why? They continue the ritual until rain falls. They do not acknowledge error or failure. If rain does not come for a month, they perform the rain dance for a month. They cease only when it rains. Since they never stop the ritual before rain comes, it always rains 100% of the time. In contrast, most people, particularly Caucasians, lack such perseverance. They abandon efforts if immediate benefits are not apparent. Our lives are akin to the Native American rain dance. We must persist until the very end.

A person who, on the day before their death, engages in inappropriate behavior, such as a National Assembly member caught in a scandal, is considered a failure in life. Even if their life appeared enviable to others, a man who encounters a woman-related problem the day before his death is deemed a failure. Therefore, when one encounters a woman, one must consider her parents. One should contemplate the aspirations her parents held while raising her, hoping she would meet a good person, not someone like oneself. One should uplift her, wishing her a good marriage and a good partner, even if it means self-sacrifice. However, if everyone tries to take the best for themselves, it is inappropriate to try to take someone else’s partner when one already has a spouse.

2. The Three Minds and the Path to True Success
   We must always live with the mind of God. This means God’s mind becomes our mind. Second, the mind of our parents must become our mind. Third, the mind of others must become our mind. These three principles must never be forgotten.

For example, if one sees an attractive woman who is of marriageable age, one should consider what kind of man would make her happy, treating her as one’s own daughter. To contemplate making her a mistress would be an act of a bad person. Such actions are strictly forbidden. We must consider the suffering of her parents who raised her, ensuring she grew without blemish, picking her up when she fell, and caring for her countless times. We must consider the minds of others. People often fail to consider this.

The mind of God always involves sharing even a cup of water with those who have nothing. It means treating guests with respect, for within the thirsty person resides an angel. When I offer water or food to a beggar, an angel from heaven appears to that person. Though they may appear to be a beggar.

I once ate dinner out around 10 PM. Most restaurants were closed, but I found a small one. A woman in her 40s and a man in his 30s were working there. They gave each customer two large wooden boxes. They were incredibly heavy. I picked one up, surprised by its weight. They were sticky rice cakes. They explained that they made the rice cakes during the day and sold them at night, often until 2 or 3 AM. They carried these heavy boxes, one on their shoulder and one in hand, traveling by bus to sell them. They carried extra in case they ran out. The woman looked frail, and the man seemed to have a slight disability. My heart ached seeing them carry such heavy loads. They said they had to do it to make a living. I bought many and shared them with the restaurant staff. I was their first customer that night. I wished them good sales, but my heart was heavy. Why? Because I felt the heart of a parent who had given birth to such children. The woman, with a bad back, was carrying such heavy items. They were not thieves. My heart ached. This is how the mind of others becomes my mind. I put myself in their shoes. By being their first customer, I gave them encouragement, hoping they would sell more. I did not speak of their hardships to avoid hurting their pride. This is how the mind of others must become my mind. One should not impose one’s own mind on others.

Some people strive to make their mind become the mind of others. This is actually incorrect. Similarly, the mind of parents becomes my mind, and the mind of other parents also becomes my mind. For instance, how should we care for the elderly? There is a proposal to give them 700,000 won, but the ruling party suggests cutting it to 200,000 won.

If one possesses the mind of God, one would not secretly dispose of trash in someone else’s field on the way to the landfill. If one views it with the mind of God, one would realize that there are hidden cameras. If one discards trash, one will later suffer an equivalent misfortune, such as a car accident. God is watching. Would God discard trash here? No. Therefore, we must be mindful.

This is related to the concept of “Five Virtues and Righteousness” (오도정적). If my mind is righteous, everyone else’s mind becomes righteous. This is similar to the Buddhist concept of “All is created by the mind” (일체유심조). It means that everything is created by one’s own mind. To judge someone as having a bad impression or being flawed is not possible. Why? Because one’s mind should become the mind of that person. Why judge others as good or bad?. Therefore, if my mind is righteous, everyone appears righteous and becomes righteous. This means that instead of trying to change the world, one must first change oneself.

Why, then, do I give lectures? If my mind is righteous and everyone’s mind changes, why do I need to lecture? The answer is that there are few people with righteous minds. Such individuals must emerge. Then, more people will view everyone in the world positively. Few understand this. Righteous minds are not common. Therefore, I offer this opportunity. This is to help people understand. The reason figures like Sakyamuni and Jesus spoke such words is that there must first be someone to advocate them. If one possesses the mind of Jesus, there is no suffering in the world. If one transforms one’s mind to that of Sakyamuni, there are no conflicts. All causes reside within the “self-mind” (아심). I create my husband; I create my wife. Whether a spouse is good or bad cannot objectively exist. It is incorrect to believe someone was born bad.

Even if I buy something for 10,000 won, if I look at the seller with pity, I am not a Messiah. I am hurting their pride. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심).

The first is Purity of Mind (청정심). The second is Immeasurable Mind (무량심). This involves giving to others without the thought of giving. If one thinks of oneself as giving, it is not true giving. One must help without making the recipient feel indebted. This is like a scholarship. One tries not to hurt the pride of the poor. If a wealthy person directly hands cash as a scholarship, it can be humiliating. While receiving from a foundation is acceptable, a rich person directly giving money for tuition is considered a sin. Such actions should be avoided. Therefore, even charity (보시) can be a sin. Purity of mind, however, is not a sin.

The third is Compassion (자비심). This involves feeling pity and sympathy for others. This is a positive quality.

The fourth is Wisdom (지혜심). If one acts with these Four Immeasurable Minds, when one helps someone in need, and one’s mind becomes the mind of that person, then one has not helped another. If I help a beggar, and I become that beggar, I have not helped anyone else. I have helped myself. Therefore, one must help with the mindset that “that person is me”. Then, one does not consider it an act of helping others.

Consider a mother who has not fed her child for five days because there is no rice. When she finally obtains food and feeds her child, she feels full, even more so than the child. She loses her appetite. No matter how hungry she is, she feels greater joy when the food enters her child’s mouth. This is like a phantom pregnancy. Just as a woman who cannot conceive can experience a phantom pregnancy if she is consumed by the desire for a child, the food entering the child’s mouth feels as if it is entering her own.

Therefore, when we help the poor or the hungry, if we think, “that is someone else,” and consider it an act of charity, or if we think, “I have done a good deed by donating,” the very word “donation” is problematic. Donation, in this context, should not be a mental act of giving to others, but rather giving to oneself. Parents do not consider what they do for their children as doing something for others; they consider it doing something for themselves.

You must remember this. Are the people here strangers? No, we are all descendants of a common ancestor, brothers and sisters. Therefore, they are not strangers; they are me. If I want to eat a carrot at home, countless people are involved: the one who sowed the seeds, the driver who transported it, and the market vendor who sold it to me. These people are all acting on my behalf. Can I eat a meal with just one carrot? No, millions of people are mobilized for one meal. Five million people are mobilized for me to live one day. Are they strangers? No, they are my limbs.

Therefore, one should think, “My body is so weary”. “These people are working to feed me, but they are suffering losses and debt, unable to set prices”. “I must help them prosper”. “If they do well, I also do well”. If one thinks, “I must destroy that person to succeed,” that family will fail.

I appreciate revolving doors in buildings because they bring in good fortune. However, those who enter also leave. The amount that enters also leaves. Mr. Park is an architect, and he builds well, but when I first entered this building, it was at zero point. It would cost about 100 million won to fix. I cannot say such things. There were many errors.

Life is a continuous experiment until death. Who determines whether it is a failure or not at the very end? Family or others decide. Can one declare oneself a failure? No. That is an insult to God. It is a betrayal of life. One’s child might say, “My mother failed,” or neighbors might judge.

I have something to show you. Mr. Kim, please come forward. Let’s read this. It contains Chinese characters, so Mr. Kim, please read it. (Sound of microphone) “This is Mr. Seo from room 201. A puffed rice vendor from the countryside came, so I made some puffed rice. Please mix it with milk when you are hungry while writing. I don’t know if it will help your health. I am always happy to have such a wonderful person as my neighbor.”

Later, I found a large sack of puffed rice at my door. It was barley puffed rice. It was taped to the porch. I used to gather residents and give lectures. People would bring me food. They would bring persimmons and other things, whether I had them or not. What does this mean? Imagine if my conduct was poor. If I looked at women in the neighborhood inappropriately, they would take pictures of me if I said I was hungry. But when I enter my home, I do not come out until I leave, causing no inconvenience. I always have a parking spot. People leave a spot open for my car. It is always the best spot, and no one else parks there. They know it is “President Huh Kyung-young’s spot”. no matter how late I arrive, there is always a place to park. Why? Because these people are helping me.

I found this amusing. The letter was written with great care and good handwriting, but Mr. Kim made a big mistake. The Chinese characters were all incorrect. I told Mr. Kim that his handwriting was good. “Find the incorrect Chinese characters. It’s a test.” The character for “health” was written incorrectly. The character for “health” should have the “sun” radical first. (He writes on the board) This is “health”.

“Find another one.” The character for “happiness” was also incorrect. (He writes on the board) The character for “happiness” should have the “altar” radical, not the “hand” radical. The “hand” radical means something else. The character for “happiness” means that one can see a field in front of one’s mouth, meaning one has enough to eat.

A step higher than “happiness” is “virtue” (덕). Let’s analyze the character for “virtue”. (He writes on the board) This part represents oneself. This part means looking at the fields one can eat from. This is similar to the character for “happiness”. But what is this part? Why is the character for “virtue” considered higher than “happiness”? If one cannot transform happiness into virtue, one is a failure in life. This means that if one accumulates all the happiness for oneself without transforming it into virtue, it is a failure. For example, a rich person who lives comfortably until death but fails to donate or do good deeds is a failure. Others may not see them as failed, but in the eyes of heaven, they are a failure. They failed to convert their fortune. They will be reborn as an animal.

The character for “virtue” can be broken down into “two people”. It means “for others”. It is more than one person. This relates to what I said earlier: the mind of others becomes my mind. This is the “double person” radical. It means “repeated”. This “double” refers to two people. What is this? It is the cross (십자가). It can also be interpreted as the “ten directions of the world” (시방세계). This means practicing love for others in this world. In this character, the “self” is not elevated. It is lowered. The focus of “happiness” is on oneself and one’s sustenance. But “virtue” is about taking the mind of others as one’s own. It is about transforming one’s own happiness into the happiness of others. This is what it means to have virtue. The person wrote the character for “happiness” incorrectly.

Who is a failure? Someone whose business failed is not a failure. A failure is someone who dies without transforming happiness into virtue. Living comfortably in a luxury apartment until death is fine, but if one fails to fulfill “noblesse oblige”. Noblesse oblige means that the nobility has obligations. If a noble person donates a lot, is that a good deed? No, it is their duty. If they do not do it, they are committing a sin. If we say that a noble person helping the less fortunate is a good deed, then “donation” takes on a negative connotation. It becomes “charity with expectation” (보시심). Even when doing good deeds, there should be no expectation. It must be an immeasurable mind (무량심).

These four minds should not be focused on material things. They are minds that should not be kept in one’s heart. If one keeps them in one’s heart, it becomes a sin. For example, if one thinks, “I have done so much pure work,” or “I have donated a lot to the church and attended diligently,” and believes one has kept pure precepts. Then, this person who kept pure precepts might challenge the pastor. This can lead to division in the church. Therefore, one should not keep in mind that one has done pure work for the church. It must be an immeasurable mind. It is a mind that should not be kept. This is its meaning.

If I keep in mind that I have done a lot for my mother or my wife, what happens? Later, if my wife makes a small mistake, I might say, “I did so much for you”. If such thoughts enter, that person has engaged in “charity with expectation” (호시심). One must not keep such things in mind. Never keep them in mind. That is the Four Immeasurable Minds.

Therefore, a person who keeps such things in mind is a failure. No matter how much one donates, if one boasts about how much one gave and how many good deeds one did, that is a failed life. Going bankrupt in business and going to prison is not a failure. That person was experimenting. They were experiencing. if they go to prison again, they will not repeat the same mistakes.

Therefore, error and failure are vastly different. People often call those who fail “successful”. They condemn those who make errors. One should not automatically label someone who went bankrupt and to prison as a fraud. Why? Because they were trying to do business well. people condemn such individuals, while we consider those who are outwardly successful but inwardly failed as successful. Later, when we see a National Assembly member engaging in inappropriate behavior at a golf course, we realize that person’s life was a failure. For example, you must change your perspective on failure.

If my mind is righteous, the entire world changes. Therefore, I must live with the mind of others. This is noblesse oblige.

Last night, I smelled something fragrant when I arrived at my door. It was puffed barley. People bow 90 degrees when they see me. I cannot do anything to my neighbors. A public figure must always be extremely careful. If I go home and drink soju, shout, and complain about my life, that is the end. That is a failed person. I live with their minds. I have no reason to trouble them. Their minds are my mind. I worry about how they eat. I should not worry about my own comments.

The elderly owner of the red bean noodle restaurant came out barefoot when I entered. Mr. Park and I saw him when Mr. Park was building a building. The owner was in his late 70s or 80s. When I entered, he rushed out to the door barefoot. When I sat down, he bowed deeply to me. Mr. Park was sitting next to me, and the owner bowed to me. I asked him why he was doing that. He said it was nothing. He bowed so deeply that his head touched the ground. He was an elder, but he was very respectful. After I received his bow, he gave me a gift. He drew a plum blossom for me. He wrote a poem. Mr. Park should remember the poem. It was about a winter plum blossom waiting for spring. He said that this winter plum blossom, waiting for spring, would bloom beautifully when its time came. He wrote a poem about a plum blossom in the snow, a “spring snow plum blossom,” waiting for spring. He said that when it blooms, its fragrance will travel a thousand miles. He said that was me. He said I was the spring snow plum blossom. He said it was winter now, but soon I would bloom.

He spoke of me like Kim Dae-jung’s “plum blossom in the snow” or “winter-enduring herb”. He had pictures of past presidents on the walls of his restaurant. Large pictures, over ten of them, were displayed on the walls of every room, even above the tables where guests ate. But my picture was the largest. This shows that I have many hidden supporters. I have met many women in restaurants recently who said they read my books. They said they saw me over ten years ago. Mr. Park, you saw them too. When we went to eat, we saw people who knew me.

Therefore, one must be careful with one’s actions. I do not drink or smoke, so I do not make errors, but if I were to, those people would not fight. They quietly believe they have contributed greatly to society and the nation. But in reality, they have not. Therefore, Purity of Mind, Charity, Compassion, and Wisdom must never be kept in one’s heart. One must think that one has done it for others. One has fulfilled one’s human duty.

What is freedom (자유)? Freedom is a right that only those who have fulfilled their duties can enjoy. License (방종) is the opposite of noblesse oblige. As humans, we must fulfill our duties to be respected by others. Therefore, when we look at everyone, we should see them as our older sister, mother, father, sibling, or child. one must be extremely careful not to harbor lustful thoughts.

What is license? If you know freedom, you must know license. License is doing as one pleases within the bounds of the law. For example, if an elderly person or a pregnant woman boards the subway, and I am sitting, even if I am an elder in the church or a Buddhist devotee, if I do not give up my seat, thinking, “I paid my fare, so this seat is mine,” would God approve of that? The mind of the pregnant woman must become my mind. “My legs hurt”. “If the train stops suddenly, this woman could fall”. without being told, the first person to see her should quickly stand up and offer their seat. That is what a young person should do. If one thinks, “Someone else will give up their seat, I’ll just sit for a bit,” that is license. That is the opposite of freedom. God grants us freedom so that we may fulfill our duties. Therefore, we have duties to our family and to all humanity.

We often misunderstand that people who donate and do things for others often fail in life. Those who fail and commit crimes often feel sorry. Those who feel sorry are approved by heaven. God approves. But those who boast about their donations and contributions to society, considering themselves successful, are rejected by heaven. This is true.

For example, a murderer who evades capture for 10 or 15 years. There is a statute of limitations. What does the statute of limitations mean? It means they have served their sentence outside of prison. It means a 15-year sentence. Whether they serve 15 years inside or outside, if they can evade capture, they are allowed to. Why? Because living like a criminal outside means they are repenting for their sins. They feel like a sinner. They flinch at the sight of police. they are considered to be serving their sentence. That is the statute of limitations.

Conversely, those who do not consider themselves to have sinned are often the ones who donate well to churches and temples. These people sometimes switch to other churches or cults, or fight with pastors. Why? Because they think, “I contributed, so why are you pastoring like that?” They have nothing to say. Heaven punishes such individuals. These are the failures.

Heaven considers the Jewish people failures among the Earth’s inhabitants. Why? Because they were arrogant and proud. They were the firstborn. They held a sense of chosenness and disregarded all other peoples. As a result, they lost their churches and their land. Their nation was founded in 1948, the same year as Korea. Both were established by external powers: Britain for Israel, and the United States for Korea. Both were created by the atomic bomb. Without the atomic bomb, Britain could not have created Israel. they took Palestinian land and established Israel, and the United States helped establish South Korea. Both are special nations, but in the future, heaven has chosen the Korean people to convert all humanity. That is why I am here.

At that time, the Israeli people were chosen to convert humanity. But they failed. What did they fail at? They claimed to uphold the law properly, but they continuously created more laws. It was incredibly confusing. There were laws for drinking a cup of water, and laws for morning prayers. They became trapped in their laws. They then looked down on other nations who did not follow these laws, calling them “dogs” or “animals”. Their arrogance was boundless. what did heaven do? “You are not fit”. Heaven used Hitler to exterminate them. Six million were annihilated. Did a human do this, or did heaven do this? It was heaven. Heaven thought, “If I leave this nation, they will dominate the world’s population”.

I, Huh Kyung-young, am practicing “democracy of truth”. If I alone possess the truth, it is a dictatorship. If only the Messiah possesses the truth, it is a dictatorship. I am sharing the truth with you. I am here to democratize you with truth.

Therefore, these Four Immeasurable Minds can be rephrased as “Equality of Mind” (평등심). One must view all humans equally, but the Jewish people viewed humanity with “Discrimination of Mind” (차별심). Their discrimination was too severe. while God advocates equality of mind, the Jewish people treated humanity with discrimination, thinking, “That nation must be eliminated,” “They are dogs,” “They are animals”. This equality of mind is also called “Bodhi-mind” (보리심) in other religions. In Buddhism, it is also called “Bodhisattva-mind” (보살심).

What is the opposite of this immeasurable mind, this equality of mind? It is “Service-mind” (봉사심). If one thinks, “I have served others,” that person goes to hell. Does serving others mean being conscious of others? This service-mind must be transformed into an immeasurable mind. It is an act done for oneself. Who are you serving? If I volunteer at an orphanage, I am doing it for myself. That person is not a stranger. I am feeding my hungry child. I am humiliating my hungry child. I am humiliating my father. They are not strangers. Does service exist? No. It does not. Therefore, if one uses the word “service,” that person is a failure. The world calls such people successful. Those who boast of their service. But if such things accumulate, will that nation or individual prosper or fail? They will fail. one must be very careful about saying, “I helped that person a lot”. I merely helped myself.

Therefore, God prefers the prodigal son who committed sins and ran away. God sees potential in the prodigal son and views the obedient Jewish people, the firstborn, as trash. The firstborn later refuses to participate in the feast, saying, “I am upset with father, so I won’t participate”. He storms off. The firstborn even challenges his father. But the prodigal son thinks, “I am a sinner because I took my father’s money, drank it all away, and squandered my inheritance”. He humbles himself. Then, that person has potential.

In America, those who have learned English in Korea speak slowly. Korean accents emerge. Parents may struggle to learn English even after a long time, but a five-year-old child quickly becomes fluent by interacting with American children. They become masters of English. Why? They do not even memorize words. They just need to go to America. Then they become masters of English. Why? Because they have no habits from learning English.

You are good people, so I have helped you understand. (He writes on the board) “One begins, there is no beginning, one ends, three extremes, no root” (일시무시 일석 삼극 무구본). This is from the Cheonbugyeong (천부경). I spoke of the “three extremes” (삼극). What are the three extremes? Mind, Energy, Body (심기신). This appears in the Cheonbugyeong. It says that God created the world at the beginning, but there is no creation. Why does it say God created, but there is no creation? Look, God created here. This is the beginning, and this is the end. Alpha and Omega are connected. Therefore, the universe you perceive was indeed created by God, but no one knows when it was created, or if the beginning is the end. It was created, so it is undeniable that I am here. But this beginning is connected to the end. This connection is the Omega. This means it is complete.

“no beginning, no end” (무시무종) means there is no beginning and no end. Therefore, the universe does not end when you are born and die. It exists eternally, revolving, and you continuously live and circulate through 3.62 million planets where humans live. You then ascend to Baekbong. There, you are completely reborn as a new person. These 3.62 million planets are an enormous number of Earth-like planets. I will speak of this later.

I said that the mind comes from temperament (성품). people who live by the sea have a different temperament. The mind of people from the coast comes from their temperament. The minds of Koreans and Israelis are different. This comes from temperament. their characteristics are evident. If someone is from Chungcheong Province, they are slow. Chungcheong people have never been president, but they miss many opportunities. They lack quick wit. If a father and son are cutting wood, and the son says, “Father, the rock is coming down,” and the father says, “Alright,” but the rock has already fallen. They miss opportunities.

Where does temperament come from? From the feelings people experience by the sea. If there is a lot of wind or the land is harsh, this temperament rises from the energy of the land. The feelings experienced from the land. If there are many thieves, their character changes. people living inland often have a lot of fear. Why? Because they live where waves crash and typhoons blow. But that’s not all. Japanese people would constantly raid, kill people, and abduct women. beautiful women were rare on the coast because the Japanese would take them. Families with beautiful daughters would flee inland. Because the Japanese would come at night and abduct women. there were always Japanese and pirates. They would come to homes and take women. At that time, women were considered wealth. they would only steal women. Therefore, when we look at people, women are considered wealth (재물).

from these experiences, what is created in the minds of people on the coast? That is temperament. From there, the mind emerges.

Next, what creates energy (기)? From destiny (명). Where does destiny come from? Take a breath through your nose. This breathing is our life (목숨). it comes from life.

Where does the body (몸) come from? From sperm (정자). Where does sperm come from? From the physical contact between a man and a woman. Only then does a human body emerge. The Cheonbugyeong explains how the human mind and body move in three stages. Therefore, the Cheonbugyeong, which our ancestors possessed, is very scientific, more so than any other world scripture.

license is doing as one pleases within the bounds of the law. This is what many young people in Korea are doing now. They are caught up in license. Young people mistake license for freedom. They see license as freedom. these young people need to understand equality of mind. The opposite of equality of mind is service-mind. If one thinks, “I have done a lot of work,” a gloomy feeling underlies it. this is service-mind. This must be corrected.

Therefore, in life, there can be errors, experiments, experiences, and even answers, but failure is primarily experienced by those who are considered successful. none of you here are failures. Since I am here to meet you, that would not be the case.

I have a question. Time has passed. I don’t know if you know this. Let’s see who can guess the word in the parentheses first. I spoke of life. Where is life? What word should go in? You are all wrong. In the 21st century, “human life is determined by heaven” is not entirely true. No, “human life is determined by heaven” is correct, but the word is not “heaven”. None of you got it right. It’s the easiest one.

In the past, human life was determined by heaven. But now, what determines human life? Never forget this. These days, men without wives die early. human life is determined by wife (처). I am joking, but you must remember this in the 21st century. This is God. The wife is God. Families with a good wife sacrifice their children’s lives and their own lives. Children are abandoned when their parents separate. if you treat your wife well, your family will be harmonious. In the past, women were considered property, but now you must realize their power. You must treat women well. “heaven” has changed to “wife”. This means times are changing.

“It might be better without a wife.” If there is no wife, what goes in the parentheses? I asked the question. If there is no wife, what goes in? Women are good at killing men. If I eat at a restaurant, the women who cook the food can easily eliminate me. They can put poison or harmful things in the food. Women hold all the power. if it’s not the wife, it’s “food” (재미). That’s the correct answer. I was just testing your minds. How could you not know? That is the accurate truth. It is realistic. It’s like a drama. Women poison their husbands. There was a drama where two women killed a man. it’s dangerous to incur the wrath of women.

finally, I will tell you this, and you will clearly understand what failure is. You will never fail before you die. You come to this world to experiment freely, and if you fail, you will have a chance to revive. what should you do a lot of? Accumulate blessings (복). When those blessings return, you must quickly transform them. Like a baseball player hitting a ball. When money comes, you must quickly hit it to succeed. But you cannot run away with the ball. When blessings come, you must quickly hit them. You must make the entire audience happy. You cannot be greedy for the ball. It is like that.

As it was said in the past, “He who does good will surely receive blessings”. And “He who does not do good will receive punishment from heaven”. humanity is not off by even an inch. You must remember this.

The “Mirror of Conduct” (경행록) states, “Extend grace and righteousness widely”. Extend grace widely. If one bestows grace only on some, and then sits stiffly on the subway without smiling, thinking, “I donated a lot to the orphanage, so I should show my authority,” that person will be abandoned. When extending grace, it must be extended widely. You must extend grace to everyone. Whether you have done good deeds or helped others, when you come home, you must be generous and gentle with your wife.

“Where in life do we not meet again?” (인생하처 불상봉이라) People will surely meet again. If you commit sins or accumulate blessings, you will surely meet. “Do not make enemies”. “If you meet on a narrow path, there is no escaping”. This means that enemies will surely meet on a narrow bridge. be careful. (He writes on the board) “If you meet on a narrow path, there is no escaping”.

The conditions for happiness are three sheep. The causes of human happiness are three sheep. One is goodness (선). This is beauty (미). And this is righteousness (의). these things represent goodness, beauty, and righteousness. If one practices all of these, one lives a beautiful life. We must teach this to elementary school students. They will learn it well. It is not difficult. It contains words similar to the Bible. If children hear this, it will not easily be erased from their minds.

Furthermore, children must learn Chinese. Then, they must learn Japanese. if you have children, you must teach them English, Chinese, and Japanese. Anyone. Even retirees are learning Chinese and Japanese. Why? Because when they look for a job in old age, they hire people who are good at Chinese and Japanese. Because many Japanese and Chinese tourists come. If you cannot speak these languages, you cannot even be a security guard at a store. If a Chinese person asks where the restroom is, and the security guard does not understand, it can cause problems. If a security guard can speak Chinese, they are hired. In places like Myeongdong, if a security guard does not know Chinese, accidents can happen. For example, if a woman asks for the restroom and is treated unkindly. these things will be important in the future. We must teach these things to children.

Did you write this down? (He writes on the board) This is the character for “enemy”. “Do not make enemies”.

Now, one more thing we missed. Let’s finish that. I will ask you a question. One, two, three, four, five. Add one stroke to each to make a character. What is the first character? “Stone” (돌 석자). Then “can” (오를 가). What next? Quickly. “Four” (사). “Old” (고자). The last is “four” (사 자). This is two strokes. Is this the same as this? No. This is two strokes. This is one stroke. Be sure to teach this to children. Some children write it like this. you must tell them it is two strokes. And this is one stroke. (He writes on the board) This is one stroke.

This is what is written here. It says, “Accumulate virtue in secret for your descendants”. This means living beautifully. The key point here is, “It is better to accumulate hidden virtue in the dark, for the benefit of your descendants”. This is what it means to calculate. If you give money to your children, you are making them failures. Giving money to children ultimately makes them failures. Children feel a sense of accomplishment when they build something from scratch, from a single room to a tenant. you are taking away their joy. When giving business capital, do not give 100%, but only about 70%. So that they can try to do business. If they fail, you give them time to experience the suffering. You should not protect them too much. Even if you have money, you should let them experience a certain period of hardship. While you are alive, even if they fail, it’s okay, so let them suffer. You must let them suffer until you die. Otherwise, if you just give them blessings, they will become failures.

If you give money to your children, they will not be able to keep it. If you educate your children too much, they become arrogant and look down on others who study. They are accustomed to asking what university people graduated from. In the future, you must never ask about someone’s academic background or age. Age is now a matter of equality. A hundred-year-old can feel twenty. Age does not matter. if you educate your children too much, they will not be able to uphold the value of their education. Instead, they become arrogant and cause trouble. That is why most Seoul National University professors, unlike those from other universities, are caught in sexual harassment scandals. Why? Because they are arrogant. Professors and students from other universities do not see them as highly. they cannot exert power. Women do not listen to them. But a Seoul National University professor holds a position as great as a president. Seoul National University professors wield power. “Come here, go there”.

if a highly educated person is caught in a sexual harassment scandal in their later years, they lose their professorship. How will they make a living? there is no guarantee that children will not end up like this. How can we prevent this? “It is better to accumulate hidden virtue in the dark”. Hidden virtue (음덕) means virtue that no one sees. It is not blessings. If it is rumored that someone has accumulated many blessings, will it go to their children? No. If heaven knows, it will not go to their children. One must secretly help someone without anyone knowing. Then, that help, given in the dark, will protect the children. That is true calculation. This is what it means to live beautifully.

We spoke of “goodness” earlier. This is about “accumulating virtue in secret for your descendants”. This is written here. goodness, beauty, and righteousness are the conditions for happiness. Therefore, no matter how many blessings a person has accumulated, if they remain silent, impose their authority, or do not smile at others, they are committing a sin. no matter how well one sits, one must always smile at others. One must always show a bright face, as if seeing one’s father, siblings, or children. Then, that person possesses the conditions for happiness.

What is the difference between a Roman king and a Korean king? Our kings spoke respectfully to their subjects. Roman kings commanded their subjects. This is also relevant. Roman kings spoke informally to their subjects. But our kings always spoke respectfully to their subjects. That is why we are called the “Eastern Country of Courtesy”. That is also important. But what is truly important is that Roman kings never died naturally. They were all assassinated by poison. Did our kings die of old age? Roman kings were 100% assassinated or poisoned. Not a single one died a natural death. This means that our Korean people are fundamentally good. This is ingrained. we have loyalty (충). If you break down the character, it means “mind”. We are a people with a strong center. This does not mean Chungcheong people are centered. It means Chungcheong Province is in the center of our country. But the Roman people lacked this. Western kings, like the English kings of old, lived in great insecurity. In contrast, our kings and our people valued these things greatly. Instead of this, Westerners had swords (칼). Swords spoke. The West was ruled by the sword.

It’s time to conclude. One more question. “Failure is the mother of success”. That is incorrect. What is the most difficult thing in the world? The most difficult thing. You must remember this. Never forget it. Mr. Park, you put newspaper under the wheel. Put tape there. Circle it and fix it. You won’t have to move it much. Then it won’t shake. What is it? The most difficult thing in the world. You don’t know, so I’ll tell you. I need to finish quickly. Did you write it all down? We will not have a lecture next Saturday. Next Saturday is a holiday. And this year is coming to an end.

How many planets are there in the Milky Way galaxy? How many planets where humans live are there in our Milky Way galaxy? I lectured on this before, but you all forgot. 720. Do you remember how I calculated it? What is this number? 365 days plus the lunar calendar, how many days? 354 days. How many days? 365 days plus 355 days. This is the sum of the lunar and solar calendar days. These 720 planets are where you can go after you die. Beyond this galaxy, how many are there? 3.2 million.

How do we get 720? 1 multiplied by 1 is 1. Then 1 comes here. Multiplied by 2 is 2. Then 2 multiplied by 3 is 6. 6 multiplied by 4. This goes 1, 2, 3, 4. Then 6 times 6 is 36. No, 6 times 4 is 24. This is 120. 120 multiplied by 6. Then you get 720. Earth was created in 6 days. These planets on Earth are 700. how many is this? 720. This is it. The sum of the solar and lunar calendar numbers. This number comes out. This is the solar system. Our galaxy. There are so many planets where humans live within the Milky Way. That is why UFOs come and go. You are still like kindergarteners, so if I tell you, you will faint. I cannot tell you. It is an enormous secret.

The reason I am here is to help you change to some extent in this internet age. I said earlier that the most difficult thing for humans on this Earth is to be born as a human. Being born as a human is the most difficult. living your entire life is not difficult at all. You were born from your mother and father at a ratio of 300 million to 1, or 500 million to 1. One person was conceived, overcoming 500 million or 300 million others. is human existence not noble? If you disregard that person, will you be punished by heaven ? everyone who is born has already succeeded. After that, everyone eats and lives. And a person’s lifetime of eating is limited. Success and failure are not about such things, but about whether one is arrogant or not. It is not about material things. No matter how much one fails, that person has not failed. It is not a failure. Even if you fail, if you think, “I have a place to go,” “I have heaven”. If you have such a good mindset, you are not a victim. we need to understand the preciousness of human life more.

I will ask. Mr. Jo, I will ask. Do men and women try to have children with one person, or are there only two types of male sperm? A man’s sperm ranges from 300 million to 500 million. Because there is only one egg, it is 1 to 1. That is correct, but there are twins, and I saw in the newspaper that someone had eleven sets of twins. Does that mean there are eleven eggs? How? There is only one egg. Multiple sperm can enter one egg, or two can enter. But only one is born. No, the human brain is a three-layered brain. First layer, second layer, third layer. No. Animal brains only have one layer

This excerpt is from a lecture by Huh Kyung-young, focusing on his unique philosophical perspectives on success, failure, and the human condition. He challenges conventional definitions of failure, emphasizing the importance of experimentation and a selfless mindset. The core message revolves around understanding one’s place in the universe and living with a mindset of universal interconnectedness and compassion.

The Philosophy of “Failure”

Redefining Failure: Experimentation vs. True Failure
what most people call “failure” is actually just experimentation or a mistake. True failure, in his view, is not about financial ruin or societal judgment, but about failing to transform one’s blessings into something greater for others. This perspective is incredibly refreshing because it reframes setbacks as learning opportunities, removing the paralyzing fear of “failure” that often holds people back. It encourages a mindset of continuous learning and growth, rather than a fear of making mistakes.

그걸 실수라고 그래요. 그러니까 건물을 지어서 실수한 거지 실패한 게 아니다 이 말이요.
That’s what you call a mistake. building a building and making a mistake isn’t a failure.

에디슨이 2만 번 만에 뭘 만들어요? 전구를 개발해요. 사람들이 이걸 보고 뭐라고 하냐면 실패는 성공의 어머니다. 그러니까 여기서 이 말이 틀린 거예요, 알겠어요? 에디슨한테 사람들이 물어봤어요. 2만 번을 실패하고 어떻게 참았냐고. 그러니까 한 번도 실패한 적이 없대요. 왜? 자기는 실험을 했다는 거예요, 실험.
Edison created what after 20,000 attempts? He developed the light bulb. People call this “failure is the mother of success.” this statement is wrong. People asked Edison, “How did you endure 20,000 failures?” He said he never failed once. Why? He said he was just experimenting.

무슨 인생이 죽지도 않았는데 실패가 있냐 이 말이야.
What kind of life has failure when you haven’t even died yet?

사업하다가 부도내고 교도소 간 게 실패한 게 아니에요. 그 사람은 뭐 한 사람이요? 실험한 거예요. 경험한 거예요.
Going bankrupt in business and going to prison isn’t a failure. What kind of person is that? They experimented. They gained experience.

The Ultimate Failure: Not Converting Blessings into Virtue
Huh Kyung-young introduces a profound concept: the real failure is not utilizing one’s “복 (blessings/fortune)” to create “덕 (virtue/good deeds)” for others. He uses the analogy of a wealthy person who lives comfortably but dies without contributing to society. Such a person, despite outward success, is a “failure” in the eyes of heaven. This challenges the materialistic definition of success and emphasizes a spiritual, altruistic dimension. It makes you think about the true purpose of wealth and privilege.

복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못한 자, 복을 덕으로 못 바꾸고 죽는 사람이야. 죽을 때까지 타워팰리스에서 살면서 잘 사는 건 좋은데, 그만큼 거기 사는 만큼 노블리스 오블리지를 못했어야.
One who fails to convert blessings into virtue, one who dies without converting blessings into virtue. Living well in Tower House until death is good, but they failed to fulfill their noblesse oblige commensurate with their living there.

노블레스 오블리즈는 귀족은 의무가 있는데, 귀족이 기부를 많이 했다 해서 이 기부를 많이 했다 해서 이 귀족이 좋은 일을 한 거야, 안 한 거야? 기부를 많이 했으니까 귀족이 좋은 일을 한 거야, 안 한 거야? 안 한 거야. 당연한 거야, 당연. 안 하면 죄를 짓는 거야.
Noblesse oblige means nobles have duties, but just because a noble donated a lot, did they do a good deed ? Because they donated a lot, did the noble do a good deed ? They did not. It’s natural, it’s obvious. If they don’t, they commit a sin.

The Mindset of Interconnectedness

The Three Minds: God, Parents, and Others
Huh Kyung-young outlines three essential mindsets for living a virtuous life: God’s mind, parents’ mind, and others’ mind. This framework encourages empathy and selflessness, urging individuals to consider the perspectives and feelings of others as if they were their own. It’s a powerful call to transcend self-interest and cultivate a deep sense of responsibility towards all beings.

우리가 항상 마음속에는 하나님 마음으로 살아야 되고, 하나님 마음이 내 마음이 돼서 사는 거. 그 다음에 부모님 마음이 내 마음이 되는 거. 내 마음으로 부모님 마음이, 부모님 마음으로 내가 사는 거야. 내 마음이 되는 거야. 그 다음 세 번째 뭐요? 남의 마음으로 내 마음이 되는 거야.
We must always live with God’s heart in our minds, and God’s heart becoming my heart. Next, my parents’ heart becoming my heart. My heart becomes my parents’ heart, and I live with my parents’ heart. It becomes my heart. What’s the third? Others’ hearts becoming my heart.

저 거지를 내가 도와주는데 내가 저 거지 마음이 되어버리면 내가 누구를 도운 거 아니잖아. 내가 나를 도와준 거야. 그러니까 저 사람이 나야. 이런 마음으로 도와야 내가 누구를 도운 일이 있어 없어? 없어요.
If I help that beggar, and I become that beggar’s heart, then I haven’t helped anyone else, have I? I’ve helped myself. that person is me. If I help with this mindset, have I helped anyone else ? No, I haven’t.

The Illusion of “Helping Others”
A truly striking point is his assertion that “봉사심 (the desire to serve/volunteer)” is actually a form of “자만심 (arrogance)” if one believes they are “helping others.” Instead, he argues that when you help someone, you are essentially helping yourself, as all beings are interconnected. This radical idea challenges the ego-driven nature of charity and promotes a more profound, integrated understanding of compassion. It forces you to question your motives and realize that true giving is an act of self-love for the collective self.

평등심에 반대가 자만심도 되지만은 실제는 이걸 여러분들이 착각하면 안 돼요. 봉사심이야. 내가 남한테 봉사를 했다는 생각을 하면은 그 사람은 지옥에 가는 거예요.
The opposite of equality can be arrogance, but in reality, you shouldn’t misunderstand this. It’s the desire to serve. If you think you’ve served others, that person goes to hell.

내가 남한테 봉사하는 건 남을 의식하는 거야, 안 하는 거야? 이거는 봉사심은 뭘로 바꿔야 되냐면, 이거는 아까 내가 얘기했죠? 무량심으로 바꿔야 돼. 이 패병심으로. 자기 자신에게 한 거지. 누구한테 봉사를 해? 내가 고원에 가서 봉사를 했잖아. 그거는 내가 내한테 한 거야.
When I serve others, am I conscious of others ? This desire to serve, what should it be changed to? I mentioned it earlier. It should be changed to immeasurable compassion. With this mindset of equality. You did it for yourself. Who are you serving? I served at the orphanage, didn’t I? That was me doing it for myself.

The Essence of Human Existence

Birth as the Ultimate Success
Huh Kyung-young declares that simply being born as a human is the greatest success. Given the astronomical odds of conception (300-500 million to 1), our existence itself is a miracle. This perspective instantly elevates the value of every individual life, shifting focus from external achievements to the inherent preciousness of being. It’s a powerful reminder to appreciate the gift of life and the dignity of every person.

이 지구상에서 어려운 게 사람으로 태어나는 거예요. 이 사람으로 태어나는 것이 제일 어려워. 그래서 여러분들이 앞으로 한평생 사는 거는 어려운 것도 아니야, 아무것도 아니야. 어머니, 아버지 몸에서 몇 대 일로 태어났어요? 3억 대 1, 5억 대 1 이렇게 태어났어요. 이 5억 명이나 3억 명을 제치고 한 사람이 잉태가 된 거야. 그래 가지고 여러분이 태어나서니까 인간의 존재는 고귀 아니에요? 그러니까 모든 사람들이 태어난 것만 해도 이미 성공한 거야.
The hardest thing on this Earth is to be born as a human. Being born as a human is the most difficult. living your whole life from now on is not difficult at all, it’s nothing. How many to one were you born from your mother and father’s bodies? You were born at 300 million to 1, 500 million to 1. One person was conceived, overcoming 500 million or 300 million others. since you were born, isn’t human existence noble? just being born is already a success for everyone.

The Danger of Inherited Wealth and Knowledge
Huh Kyung-young warns against giving children too much inherited wealth or excessive education, as it can make them “failures.” children need to experience hardship and build their own lives to find true meaning and joy. This contrarian view challenges common parental desires to provide everything for their children, instead advocating for experiences that foster resilience and self-reliance. It’s a tough love approach that prioritizes character development over material comfort.

자식한테 돈을 물려주면 결국 그 자식을 실패자로 만드는 거야. 자식이 단칸방에서부터 세입자에서부터 자기가 만들어 볼 때 보람을 느끼잖아. 그러니까 자식의 기쁨을 다 빼앗아 버리는 거야.
If you pass money down to your children, you’re ultimately making them failures. Children feel a sense of accomplishment when they build things themselves, starting from a single room as a tenant. you’re taking away all their joy.

적성이유 자식을 공부를 너무 많이 시키면 자식이 교만 방자해 가지고 그 자식이 공부 때문에 공부하는 사람을 깔아뭉개요. 사람만 만나면 무슨 대학 나온다. 이게 버릇이 돼있어.
If you educate your children too much, they become arrogant and disrespectful, and they look down on others who study because of their own education. They habitually mention which university they attended whenever they meet someone.

This excerpt is from a lecture by Huh Kyung-young, focusing on his unique philosophical perspectives on success, failure, and the human condition. He challenges conventional definitions of failure, emphasizing the importance of experimentation and a selfless mindset. The core message revolves around understanding one’s place in the universe and living with a mindset of universal interconnectedness and compassion.

The Philosophy of “Failure”

Redefining Failure: Experimentation vs. True Failure
what most people call “failure” is actually just experimentation or a mistake. True failure, in his view, is not about financial ruin or societal judgment, but about failing to transform one’s blessings into something greater for others. This perspective is incredibly refreshing because it reframes setbacks as learning opportunities, removing the paralyzing fear of “failure” that often holds people back. It’s a powerful call to action for anyone pursuing a goal, reminding us that every attempt is a step forward, not a definitive end.

고치고 되니까 사람 인생도 죽기 전까지는 실패인지 실수인지 몰라요
Because it can be fixed, in life, until you die, you don’t know if it’s a failure or a mistake.

얘는 경험을 했을 뿐이야. 실험을 했을 뿐이야.
He (Bill Gates) just had an experience. He just experimented.

무슨 인생이 죽지도 않았는데 실패가 있냐 이 말이야.
What kind of life has failure when one hasn’t even died yet?

사업하다가 부도내고 교도소 간 게 실패한 게 아니에요. 그 사람은 뭐 한 사람이요? 실험한 거예요. 경험한 거예요.
Going bankrupt in business and going to prison is not a failure. What kind of person is that person? They experimented. They gained experience.

The Indian Rain Dance and Unwavering Persistence
Huh Kyung-young uses the example of Native American rain dances to illustrate true persistence. They don’t stop until it rains, meaning they never “fail.” This highlights an unyielding commitment to a goal, where the process itself is the success, regardless of immediate outcomes. This is impressive because it shifts the focus from external validation to internal resolve, suggesting that if you truly commit to something, “failure” becomes an irrelevant concept. It’s about seeing the journey through to its ultimate conclusion.

인디언들이 기우지하면 항상 비 오죠. 왜 비가 온다고 그래요? 올 때까지 기우지하죠.
When the Indians perform a rain dance, it always rains. Why do they say it rains? Because they keep doing the rain dance until it rains.

이 사람들은 비가 안 오는데 기우제를 멈추는 일이 없기 때문에 했다고 100% 비가 오는.
These people never stop the rain dance even if it doesn’t rain, so it rains 100% of the time when they do it.

우리가 인디언이 하는 기우제와 똑같은 게 인생이야. 끝나는 날까지.
Our life is just like the rain dance performed by the Indians. Until the very end.

The Ultimate Failure: Not Converting “Blessings” into “Virtue”
The most profound definition of failure, according to Huh Kyung-young, is failing to convert one’s “복 (blessings/fortune)” into “덕 (virtue/good deeds)”. He explains this using the etymology of the Chinese characters for “복” and “덕.” “복” is about having enough for oneself, while “덕” is about using that abundance for others. A rich person who dies without contributing to society is a “실패자 (failure)” in the eyes of heaven, even if they lived comfortably. This is a powerful, contrarian idea that challenges materialistic notions of success. It forces us to consider the moral dimension of wealth and privilege, urging us to use our resources for the greater good rather than hoarding them.

복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못한 자, 복을 덕으로 못 바꾸고 죽는 사람이야.
One who fails to convert blessings into virtue, one who dies without converting blessings into virtue.

어떤 부자가 죽을 때까지 편안하게 살다 죽었어. 이걸 남한테 기부도 좋은 일을 못하고 죽으면 실패야. 남들이 볼 때는 안 망했지. 그런데 하늘에서 볼 때는 그 사람 실패자야.
A rich person lived comfortably until death. If they die without donating or doing good deeds for others, it’s a failure. Others might not see them as ruined, but in the eyes of heaven, that person is a failure.

The Mindset of Selflessness

The Three Minds: God, Parents, and Others
Huh Kyung-young outlines three essential mindsets: God’s mind, parents’ mind, and others’ minds. Living with these minds means constantly considering the well-being of others as if it were your own. This is a radical call for empathy and selflessness, suggesting that true fulfillment comes from transcending one’s ego and embracing a universal perspective. It’s impressive because it provides a clear, actionable framework for ethical living, moving beyond simple rules to a deep-seated sense of interconnectedness.

우리가 항상 마음속에는 하나님 마음으로 살아야 되고, 하나님 마음이 내 마음이 돼서 사는 거.
We must always live with God’s heart in our minds, and God’s heart becoming my heart.

부모님 마음이 내 마음이 되는 거. 내 마음으로 부모님 마음이, 부모님 마음으로 내가 사는 거야. 내 마음이 되는 거야.
My parents’ heart becoming my heart. My heart becoming my parents’ heart, I live with my parents’ heart. It becomes my heart.

남의 마음으로 내 마음이 되는 거야.
Others’ hearts becoming my heart.

이와 같이 남의 마음이 내 마음이 되는 거야. 그 사람의 마음이 되어주는 거지.
In this way, others’ hearts become my heart. It’s about becoming that person’s heart.

The Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심) and the Danger of “Service”
Huh Kyung-young introduces the Buddhist concept of 사무량심 (Four Immeasurable Minds): purity, boundless compassion, kindness, and wisdom. these actions should be done without any expectation of reward or recognition. He even goes so far as to say that the act of “봉사 (service)” itself can be a sin if it’s done with the thought of “I am helping others.” This is a profound insight into the nature of true altruism. It challenges the ego-driven motivations behind many charitable acts, advocating for a selfless approach where helping others is seen as helping oneself, as we are all interconnected. This perspective is crucial for anyone in leadership or community roles, as it encourages genuine, unattached giving.

사무량심이 있어요.
There are the Four Immeasurable Minds.

내가 남한테 베푼다는 생각을 하면은, 이거는 무슨 이해가죠? 내가 그 사람한테 베푼다. 그 사람이 그걸 느끼게 하면 안 되는 거야. 안 하면 안 느끼게 도와야 되는 게 그게 장학금이야.
If I think I’m giving to someone, what does that mean? I’m giving to that person. You shouldn’t let that person feel it. Helping them without them feeling it is what a scholarship is.

저 거지를 내가 도와주는데 내가 저 거지 마음이 되어버리면 내가 누구를 도운 거 아니잖아. 내가 나를 도와준 거야.
If I help that beggar, and I become that beggar’s heart, then I haven’t helped anyone else, have I? I’ve helped myself.

이게 기부한다는 거거든. 기부하는 것도 저게 단어는 마음속으로 기부가 아니고 자기 자신이 자기 자신한테 준 거야, .
This is about donating. Even the act of donating, the word itself, isn’t about donating in your heart, but about giving to yourself.

내가 남한테 봉사를 했다는 생각을 하면은 그 사람은 지옥에 가는 거예요.
If one thinks they have served others, that person goes to hell.

봉사가 존재해, 안 해? 안 해요. 안 하는 거죠. 그래서 이런 봉사라는 언어를 쓰면은 그 자는 실패한 자예요.
Does service exist? No, it doesn’t. if you use the language of “service,” that person is a failure.

The Interconnectedness of All Beings
everyone is interconnected, not “others.” From the farmer who grows carrots to the vendor who sells them, countless people contribute to our daily lives. Viewing them as “my limbs” rather than “others” fosters a sense of collective responsibility and well-being. This concept is powerful because it dismantles the illusion of separation, encouraging a holistic view of society. It implies that true success for an individual or business is intertwined with the success of everyone involved, promoting a collaborative and empathetic approach to life.

여기 있는 여러분들은 남이냐고. 다 올라가면 다 우리 한 조상의 형제들이잖아. 그리고 이게 남이 아니고 내야.
Are you all here strangers? If you go up the lineage, we are all siblings from one ancestor. And this is not others, but me.

그 사람들이 전부 내 대행한 사람들이야. 그럼 당근 하나만 있으면 밥을 먹나? 수백만 명이 동원돼서 밥 한 끼는 먹는데 내가 하루 사는데 500만 명이 동원돼요.
Those people are all my agents. can you eat just with a carrot? Hundreds of thousands of people are mobilized to eat one meal, and 5 million people are mobilized for me to live one day.

그럼 그게 남이요? 아 내 지체란 말이야.
So are they others? No, they are my limbs.

저 사람들이 잘 되냐 나도 잘 되는데 이렇게 돼야 돼.
If those people do well, I also do well; it should be like this.

모든 사람을 바라볼 때 내 누님이고, 어머니고, 아버지고, 내 형제고, 내 자식이야.
When I look at everyone, they are my older sister, my mother, my father, my sibling, my child.

Practical Wisdom for Life

The Danger of Inheriting Wealth and Education
Huh Kyung-young offers a contrarian view on inheritance and excessive education. giving children too much money or pushing them too hard in academics can actually make them “failures.” Inheriting wealth can strip children of the joy of building something themselves, while over-education can lead to arrogance and moral failings. This is a provocative take that challenges conventional parenting and wealth management strategies. It highlights the importance of character development and resilience over material or academic achievements, suggesting that true preparation for life involves allowing children to experience struggle and earn their own way.

자식한테 돈을 주면은 자기가 가진 복을 자식한테 뭐여, 이게? 실패자로 만드는 거야, 자식을.
If you give money to your child, what is this? You’re making your child a failure with the blessings you have.

그러니까 자식한테 돈을 물려주면 결국 그 자식을 실패자로 만드는 거야.
if you pass on money to your child, you’re ultimately making that child a failure.

자식이 단칸방에서부터 세입자에서부터 자기가 만들어 볼 때 보람을 느끼잖아. 그러니까 자식의 기쁨을 다 빼앗아 버리는 거야.
A child feels a sense of accomplishment when they build something themselves, starting from a single room as a tenant. you’re taking away all of your child’s joy.

적성이유 자식을 공부를 너무 많이 시키면 자식이 교만 방자해 가지고 그 자식이 공부 때문에 공부하는 사람을 깔아뭉개요.
If you educate your child too much, they become arrogant and presumptuous, and because of their education, they look down on those who study.

서울대 교수는 이건 대통령만큼 대단한 자리잖아. 그러니까 서울대 교수는 그냥 권세를 누리는 거야. 이리 와, 저리 와. 그래서 공부를 많이 한 사람이 말년에 가서 성추행 되면 서울대 교수 그만둬. 뭘로 먹고 살아?
A Seoul National University professor is as great a position as a president. a Seoul National University professor just enjoys power. Come here, go there. if someone who studied a lot gets caught in sexual harassment in their later years, they quit being a Seoul National University professor. How do they make a living?

The Power of “Hidden Virtue” (음덕)
Instead of visible acts of charity, Huh Kyung-young advocates for 음덕 (hidden virtue) – performing good deeds secretly, without anyone knowing. This ensures that the blessings accumulate for one’s descendants, as heaven rewards unseen kindness. This concept is fascinating because it taps into a spiritual understanding of karma and legacy. It encourages genuine, ego-less giving, where the motivation is purely to do good, rather than to gain recognition. This is a powerful lesson for anyone seeking to leave a lasting positive impact, emphasizing the quiet, consistent acts of kindness that truly matter.

불여적 음덕어 맹맹지중하야 아무도 안 보는 깜깜한 밤중에 남도 모르게 덕을 베풀어 놓으면은 그것이 자식을 지켜준다. 그게 진정한 계산이다.
It is better to accumulate hidden virtue in the dark, so that if you perform good deeds secretly in the dead of night when no one is watching, that will protect your children. That is true planning.

The Most Difficult Thing in Life: Being Born Human
Huh Kyung-young concludes by stating that the most difficult thing in life is simply being born human. He highlights the astronomical odds of conception (300-500 million to 1), emphasizing the inherent preciousness and success of merely existing as a human being. This is a profound and humbling perspective. It shifts the focus from external achievements to the miracle of life itself, suggesting that every person is already a success just by being here. This can be incredibly empowering, especially for those feeling overwhelmed by societal pressures, reminding them of their intrinsic worth.

인간이 제일 먼저, 제일 이 지구상에서 어려운 게 사람으로 태어나는 거예요.
The most difficult thing for humans, the most difficult thing on this Earth, is to be born as a human.

어머니, 아버지 몸에서 몇 대 일로 태어났어요? 3억 대 1, 5억 대 1 이렇게 태어났어요. 그래, 그래요. 이 5억 명이나 3억 명을 제치고 한 사람이 잉태가 된 거야.
You were born from your mother and father’s bodies at what odds? 300 million to 1, 500 million to 1. Yes, One person was conceived, overcoming 500 million or 300 million others.

그러니까 모든 사람들이 태어난 것만 해도 이미 성공한 거야.
just by being born, everyone has already succeeded.

This excerpt comes from a lecture by Huh Kyung-young, where he delves into his unique philosophies on success, failure, and the true meaning of life. He challenges conventional wisdom, particularly the idea that “failure is the mother of success,” and instead emphasizes the importance of experimentation, empathy, and selfless action. Huh Kyung-young’s core message revolves around understanding the interconnectedness of all beings and living with a mindset of universal love and responsibility, rather than self-interest or pride.

The Philosophy of “Mistake” vs. “Failure”

The True Meaning of Failure
what most people call “failure” is actually just an “experiment” or “mistake.” True failure, in his view, only occurs when one fails to transform their blessings into contributions for others. This perspective is incredibly refreshing because it reframes setbacks as learning opportunities rather than definitive endings. It encourages a mindset of continuous growth and contribution.

사람 인생도 죽기 전까지는 실패인지 실수인지 몰라요.
In life, until you die, you don’t know if it’s a failure or a mistake.

에디슨이 2만 번을 실패하고 어떻게 참았냐고. 그러니까 한 번도 실패한 적이 없대요. 왜? 자기는 실험을 했다는 거예요, 실험.
People asked Edison how he endured 20,000 failures. He said he never failed once. Why? He said he was just experimenting.

무슨 인생이 죽지도 않았는데 실패가 있냐 이 말이야.
What kind of life has failure when one hasn’t even died yet?

사업이 망한 자는 실패자가 아니야. 복을 덕으로 바꾸지 못한 자, 복을 덕으로 못 바꾸고 죽는 사람이야.
One who fails in business is not a failure. A failure is someone who dies without converting their blessings into virtue.

The “Indian Rain Dance” Mindset
Huh Kyung-young uses the analogy of the Native American rain dance to illustrate his point: they dance until it rains, meaning they never “fail” because they never stop. This highlights the power of persistence and an unwavering belief in one’s process. It’s a powerful metaphor for approaching life with relentless determination.

인디언들이 기우지하면 항상 비 오죠. 왜 비가 온다고 그래요? 올 때까지 기우지하죠.
When Native Americans perform a rain dance, it always rains. Why do they say it rains? Because they keep dancing until it rains.

이 사람들은 실수나 실패 저런 거 없어요. 왜? 비가 한 달이 또 오면 한 달 동안 기우제를 해. 비가 오면 기우제를 멈춰.
These people don’t have mistakes or failures. Why? If it doesn’t rain for a month, they do a rain dance for a month. When it rains, they stop the rain dance.

The Importance of Empathy and Selfless Action

Living with the “Mind of God, Parents, and Others”
three core mindsets: the mind of God, the mind of parents, and the mind of others. This concept is profound because it encourages a radical shift from self-centeredness to universal empathy and compassion. It’s about seeing oneself in others and acting from a place of genuine care.

우리가 항상 마음속에는 하나님 마음으로 살아야 되고, 하나님 마음이 내 마음이 돼서 사는 거. 그 다음에 부모님 마음이 내 마음이 되는 거. 내 마음으로 부모님 마음이, 부모님 마음으로 내가 사는 거야. 그 다음 세 번째 뭐요? 남의 마음으로 내 마음이 되는 거야.
We must always live with the mind of God in our hearts, where God’s mind becomes my mind. Next, our parents’ mind becomes my mind. My mind lives through my parents’ mind, and my parents’ mind lives through me. And the third? The mind of others becomes my mind.

내가 저 거지를 내가 도와주는데 내가 저 거지 마음이 되어버리면 내가 누구를 도운 거 아니잖아. 내가 나를 도와준 거야. 그러니까 저 사람이 나야. 이런 마음으로 도와야 내가 누구를 도운 일이 있어 없어? 없어요.
If I help that beggar, and I become that beggar’s mind, then I haven’t helped anyone else. I’ve helped myself. if I help with the mindset that “that person is me,” have I helped anyone else? No.

The Danger of “Boasting” in Good Deeds
Huh Kyung-young warns against the “sin” of boasting about good deeds, such as donations or acts of service. true generosity comes from a place of “no-mind” or “boundless mind” (무량심), where one doesn’t even perceive their actions as helping others, but rather as fulfilling a natural duty or helping oneself. This is a powerful critique of performative altruism and a call for genuine humility.

내가 남한테 베푼다는 생각을 하면은, 이거는 무슨 이해가죠? 내가 그 사람한테 베푼다. 그 사람이 그걸 느끼게 하면 안 되는 거야. 안 하면 안 느끼게 도와야 되는 게 그게 장학금이야.
If I think I’m giving to someone. I’m giving to that person. You shouldn’t let that person feel it. Helping without making them feel it is what a scholarship is.

보시하는 것도 죄라 말이야. 보시하는 것도 죄. 청정하는 거는 죄가 아니라 이 말이야.
Even giving alms is a sin. Giving alms is a sin. Being pure is not a sin.

아무리 기부를 많이 해도 내가 얼마를 내고 나는 이렇게 좋은 일을 많이 했다. 이걸 자랑하고 다니면 실패한 인생이다.
No matter how much you donate, if you boast about how much you gave and how many good deeds you did, that’s a failed life.

The “Noblesse Oblige” of Humanity
Huh Kyung-young extends the concept of Noblesse Oblige beyond aristocracy to all of humanity. being human comes with an inherent duty to care for others, and fulfilling this duty is not a “good deed” but a fundamental obligation. This elevates the concept of social responsibility to a universal moral imperative.

노블레스 오블리즈는 귀족은 의무가 있는데, 귀족이 기부를 많이 했다 해서 이 기부를 많이 했다 해서 이 귀족이 좋은 일을 한 거야, 안 한 거야? 안 한 거야. 당연한 거야, 당연. 안 하면 죄를 짓는 거야.
Noblesse Oblige means nobles have duties. If a noble donates a lot, is that a good deed ? It’s not. It’s natural, of course. If they don’t, it’s a sin.

자유가 무슨 뜻이오? 의무를 다한 자만이 누릴 수 있는 걸리지.
What does freedom mean? It’s a right that only those who have fulfilled their duties can enjoy.

The Wisdom of “Yin-Deok” (Hidden Virtue)

Investing in “Yin-Deok” for Future Generations
Huh Kyung-young introduces the concept of “Yin-Deok” (음덕), or hidden virtue, as the most valuable inheritance one can leave to their children. giving children money or excessive education can make them arrogant and lead to failure. Instead, performing good deeds secretly, without seeking recognition, creates a protective spiritual shield for one’s descendants. This is a fascinating blend of practical parenting advice and spiritual wisdom.

자식한테 돈을 물려주면 결국 그 자식을 실패자로 만드는 거야.
If you pass down money to your children, you are ultimately making them failures.

불여적 음덕은 명명이냐? 음덕, 남이 안 보는 데서 이 덕 있죠? 복이 아니야, 덕을 남이 안 보는 그늘, 명명지중이라는 건 어두울 명자, 어둡고 어두운 가운데, 어둡고 어두운 혹시 누가 보면 안 되는 거야.
Isn’t it better to accumulate hidden virtue? Hidden virtue, this virtue that no one sees? It’s not a blessing, it’s virtue in the shadows where no one sees, in the dark and obscure, where no one should see.

아무도 모르게 누군가를 몰래 싹 도와주는 거야. 그러면 그 사람의 도움이 어둡고 어두운 가운데 자식이 그걸 도와줬을 때, 이렇게 음덕을 베풀면은 요 부분이 중요해요. 아무도 안 보는 깜깜한 밤중에 남도 모르게 덕을 베풀어 놓으면은 그것이 자식을 지켜준다. 그게 진정한 계산이다.
You secretly help someone without anyone knowing. Then, when your child is helped by that person’s assistance in the dark and obscure, if you practice such hidden virtue, this part is important. If you perform good deeds secretly in the dead of night, without anyone knowing, that will protect your children. That is true calculation.

The Ultimate Success: Being Born Human

The Rarity and Value of Human Existence
Huh Kyung-young concludes by emphasizing that the greatest success is simply being born human. He highlights the astronomical odds of conception and birth, asserting that this alone makes every individual precious and inherently successful. This perspective offers a powerful antidote to the constant societal pressure to achieve external markers of success, reminding us of the intrinsic value of life itself.

이 지구상에서 어려운 게 사람으로 태어나는 거예요. 이 사람으로 태어나는 것이 제일 어려워.
The hardest thing on this Earth is to be born as a human. Being born as a human is the most difficult.

어머니, 아버지 몸에서 몇 대 일로 태어났어요? 3억 대 1, 5억 대 1 이렇게 태어났어요. 이 5억 명이나 3억 명을 제치고 한 사람이 잉태가 된 거야. 그래 가지고 여러분이 태어나서니까 인간의 존재는 고귀 아니에요?
How many to one were you born from your mother and father’s bodies? It was 300 million to 1, or 500 million to 1. One person was conceived, overcoming 300 or 500 million others. isn’t human existence noble just by being born?

모든 사람들이 태어난 것만 해도 이미 성공한 거야.
Everyone is already successful just by being born.

Lecture Information

• Lecture Number: 963rd
• Title: The Truth of Mistakes and Failures
• Date: February 14, 2015
• Main Topic: Distinguishing between “mistakes” and “failures,” and the importance of a mindset rooted in universal love and responsibility.

Core Messages

• Failure vs. Experimentation: What people often call “failure” is merely an “experiment” or “experience.” True failure only occurs when one gives up or dies without fulfilling their purpose.
• No Room for Despair: Despair does not exist. Like the Native Americans who perform rain dances until rain comes, one should persist until the desired outcome is achieved.
• The True Meaning of Failure: Real failure is not about financial ruin or imprisonment, but about failing to convert one’s blessings (복) into virtues (덕) by sharing them with others.
• Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심): These are the foundation of a righteous life, emphasizing purity, boundless compassion, and wisdom, all without attachment or expectation of reward.
• Equality and Responsibility: All humans are interconnected, like parts of one’s own body. Treating others with equality and fulfilling one’s duties are paramount.

Summary of Key Contents

Distinguishing Mistakes from Failures

• Mistakes vs. Failures:
  • A mistake is something that can be corrected or learned from, like an error in building construction.
  • Failure is only determined at the very end of life, or by others after one’s death.
• Life as an Experiment:
  • Life is a continuous series of experiments and experiences, not failures.
  • Thomas Edison’s 20,000 attempts to invent the light bulb were not failures but experiments.
  • Religious histories in Korea, like Buddhism for 2,500 years and Christianity for 150 years, are also described as experiments in adapting and evolving their systems.

The Mindset of Persistence and Compassion

• No Despair: Despair does not exist. One should persist until the goal is achieved, similar to Native Americans performing rain dances until rain falls.
• Three Core Minds:
• “Everything is Created by the Mind” (일체유심조):
  • If one’s mind is righteous, everyone else appears righteous.
  • The world reflects one’s inner state; therefore, one must change oneself before attempting to change the world.
  • One’s spouse or circumstances are created by one’s own mind.
• Helping Others is Helping Oneself: When helping someone, one should feel as if they are helping themselves, like a mother feeding her child.
• Interconnectedness: All people involved in one’s daily life, from farmers to vendors, are extensions of oneself.

The Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심)

• Definition: These are four boundless states of mind that humans must cultivate to avoid sin.
• Components:
• Against “Service Mind” (봉사심): The concept of “service” is problematic if it implies one is helping “others” rather than seeing them as part of oneself.
• Equality (평등심): The Four Immeasurable Minds are equivalent to the concept of equality, seeing all humans as equal.

True Success and Failure

• Converting Blessings to Virtues: True failure is failing to convert one’s blessings (복) into virtues (덕) by sharing them with others.
• Noblesse Oblige: Those with privilege have a duty to help others; this is not a good deed but a natural obligation.
• Humility vs. Arrogance:
  • Those who acknowledge their mistakes and feel remorse are seen favorably by heaven.
  • Those who boast about their contributions and good deeds are seen as failures by heaven.
• The Parable of the Prodigal Son: Heaven favors the repentant “prodigal son” over the arrogant “elder son” who boasts of his obedience.
• Inheritance and Education: Giving children too much wealth or education can make them failures by depriving them of the experience of earning and learning humility.

Policy and Proposals

• “Human Life is in the Wife’s Hands” (인명이 제처): In the 21st century, human life is no longer solely in the hands of heaven (인명이 제천) but also significantly influenced by one’s spouse, especially the wife.
  • This highlights the importance of treating women well for household harmony and personal well-being.

Philosophical and Cosmic Insights

• Cheonbugyeong (천부경) and the Universe:
  • The universe is described as having no beginning and no end (무시무종), with creation and completion being interconnected.
  • The “Three Extremes” (삼극) in Cheonbugyeong refer to Mind (심), Energy (기), and Body (신).
  • Mind originates from one’s nature/disposition (성품), which is shaped by environment and experiences.
  • Energy comes from life/destiny (명), which is breath.
  • Body comes from sperm (정자), which originates from the touch between male and female.
• Human Birth as the Greatest Success: Being born as a human is the most difficult and precious achievement, overcoming odds of 300 million to 500 million to 1.
• Planets with Human Life: There are 720 planets in our galaxy where humans can live, and 3.62 million such planets across the universe.

Critique of Reality and Alternatives

• Critique of License (방종): Many young people confuse license (방종) with freedom (자유). True freedom comes with fulfilling one’s duties and responsibilities.
• Critique of Jewish People: The Jewish people are seen as having failed due to their arrogance and discriminatory mindset, believing themselves to be a chosen people and creating excessive laws, leading to their suffering.
• Korean History and Character: Korean kings historically treated their subjects with respect, unlike Roman emperors who were often assassinated, indicating a fundamentally good and loyal national character.

Practical Implications

• Mindful Conduct: One’s actions and demeanor influence how others perceive and treat them. Maintaining a positive and respectful attitude is crucial.
• Spreading Grace and Justice: Extend grace and justice widely, as one will inevitably encounter others again. Avoid making enemies.
• Conditions for Happiness: Happiness is achieved through goodness (선), beauty (미), and justice (의).
• Education for the Future: Children should be taught these principles and multilingualism (English, Chinese, Japanese) for future success.
• Hidden Virtue (음덕): Accumulate virtue secretly, without anyone knowing, as this is the true inheritance that protects one’s descendants.

One-Line Core Summary
Huh kyung young’s lecture redefines failure as an experiment, emphasizing that true failure lies in not transforming blessings into virtues. It advocates for a mindset of boundless compassion, equality, and humility, urging individuals to cultivate hidden virtues and fulfill their duties, recognizing that all humanity is interconnected and that being born human is the ultimate success.

Meeting Minutes: The Truth of Mistakes, Experiments, and Failure

Ⅰ. Meeting Overview

Category	Details
Date	February 14, 2015
Title	Huh Kyung-young Lecture 963: ‘The Truth of Mistakes, Experiments, and Failure’
Speaker	Huh Kyung-young
Topic	The nature of mistakes, experiments, and failure in life, and the importance of a righteous mind and selfless action

Ⅱ. Meeting Discussion

• Distinction Between Mistakes and Failures

  • A mistake is an error that can be corrected, while failure implies an unrecoverable end.
  • Life, until death, is a continuous experiment, not a series of failures.
  • Historical figures like Hitler and Bill Gates illustrate this: Hitler’s success was temporary, while Bill Gates’s university dropout was an experiment, not a failure.
  • Edison’s 20,000 attempts to invent the light bulb were experiments, not failures, as he learned from each attempt.
  • The concept of “failure is the mother of success” is flawed; instead, it’s about continuous experimentation.
  • True failure occurs when one dies without converting their blessings into good deeds for others.
  • People who experience business failures or imprisonment are not failures but have undergone experiments and gained experience.

• The Importance of a Righteous Mind (五道正的)

  • A righteous mind means living with the mind of God, parents, and others.
  • This involves empathy and considering the feelings and circumstances of others.
  • The principle of “all things are created by the mind” (一切唯心造) suggests that one’s perception shapes reality; if one’s mind is righteous, all people appear righteous.
  • The purpose of teaching is to guide those whose minds are not yet righteous, fostering a world where people see goodness in others.

• The Four Immeasurable Minds (四無量心)

  • These are:
  • These four minds should be practiced without attachment to the act of giving or helping.
  • The opposite of the immeasurable mind is the “service mind” (奉仕心), which implies an awareness of helping others and can lead to negative outcomes.

• Noblesse Oblige and the Concept of Duty

  • Noblesse Oblige (귀족의 의무) means that those with privilege have a duty to help others; it is not an act of charity but a fundamental obligation.
  • Fulfilling one’s duties as a human being earns respect.
  • “Freedom” (自由) is the right enjoyed by those who have fulfilled their duties, while “indulgence” (放縱) is doing as one pleases without regard for duty or law.
  • Examples include offering a seat to a pregnant woman on public transport; failing to do so is indulgence, not freedom.

• The Nature of Blessings (福) and Virtue (德)

  • Blessings (福) are personal possessions or good fortune, symbolized by having land to cultivate and food to eat.
  • Virtue (德) is a higher state, involving using one’s blessings to help others, transforming personal gain into collective good.
  • Failure occurs when one dies without converting their blessings into virtue.
  • Accumulating “hidden virtue” (陰德) by helping others secretly is the best way to protect one’s descendants, rather than leaving them wealth or excessive education.

• The Three Conditions for Happiness: Goodness (善), Beauty (美), and Righteousness (義)

  • Goodness (善): Performing good deeds, which are rewarded by heaven.
  • Beauty (美): Living a life that is aesthetically pleasing and harmonious, which is achieved by embodying goodness and righteousness.
  • Righteousness (義): Extending grace and kindness widely to all, avoiding grudges, as one will inevitably encounter others again in life.

• The Evolution of Human Destiny

  • Historically, human destiny was believed to be in the hands of heaven (人命在天).
  • In the 21st century, human destiny is increasingly influenced by one’s spouse (人命在妻), emphasizing the importance of harmonious family relationships.
  • He humorously suggests that if one doesn’t have a spouse, their destiny might be in the hands of the cook (人命在炊), highlighting the vulnerability of life.

Ⅲ. Action Items

• Practice the Four Immeasurable Minds: Strive to act with purity, immeasurable compassion, and wisdom, without seeking recognition or feeling superior for one’s good deeds.
• Embrace Noblesse Oblige: Recognize and fulfill one’s duties to society, especially if in a position of privilege, understanding that such actions are obligations, not optional acts of charity.
• Cultivate a Righteous Mind: Continuously strive to live with empathy, considering the perspectives of God, parents, and others, and believing in the inherent goodness of all.
• Educate Future Generations: Teach children the principles of goodness, beauty, and righteousness, along with practical skills like foreign languages, to prepare them for a harmonious and interconnected world.

The Truth of Mistakes and Failures: A Lecture by Huh Kyung-young

Introduction to Mistakes and Failures
Huh Kyung-young defines mistakes as actions that can be corrected, distinguishing them from failures. Life, until death, remains a series of experiments, not failures. A building constructed with errors is a mistake, not a failure, as it can be rectified. Similarly, human life, before its end, cannot be definitively labeled a failure.

The Nature of Experimentation
Life is an ongoing experiment.

• Edison’s 20,000 Attempts: Edison developed the light bulb after 20,000 attempts. He did not consider these attempts failures but rather experiments. He stated he never failed, only conducted experiments.
  • His research into converting energy into light was inspired by lightning.
• Indigenous Rain Dances: Indigenous peoples perform rain dances until rain falls. They do not perceive this as failure because they continue until the desired outcome is achieved.
• No Room for Despair: Despair does not exist in this framework of continuous experimentation.

Redefining Success and Failure
The conventional understanding of success and failure is often flawed.

• Hitler’s Life: Hitler was considered successful until his death at 54, holding absolute power in the free world.
• Bill Gates’ Dropout: Bill Gates dropping out of college was seen as a failure by many, but it was merely an experience or experiment.
• True Failure:
  • A person who lives a life of comfort but fails to contribute to others is a failure in the eyes of heaven, even if they appear successful to society.
  • Failing to convert one’s blessings into virtue (덕) constitutes failure.
  • A person who, despite outward success, engages in morally questionable acts (e.g., a National Assembly member involved in scandal) is a failure.
  • Those who boast about their charitable acts or contributions are failures, as their actions are not truly selfless.
  • The Jewish people, despite being chosen, failed by becoming arrogant and creating excessive laws, leading to their suffering.
• True Success:
  • Being born as a human is the greatest success.
  • Those who commit wrongs but feel remorse are acceptable in the eyes of heaven.
  • Individuals who undergo hardship and learn from their experiences are not failures; they are experimenting and gaining experience.

The Three Minds and Four Immeasurable Minds
the importance of cultivating specific mindsets.

The Three Minds

1. God’s Mind: Living with God’s mind means sharing even a cup of water with those who have nothing, treating guests with reverence, recognizing an angel within the thirsty or poor.
2. Parents’ Mind: Embodying parents’ minds means understanding the sacrifices and hopes parents have for their children.
3. Others’ Minds: Making others’ minds one’s own means considering their happiness and well-being as if they were one’s own child.

• This involves empathy, such as feeling the pain of a struggling street vendor.
• It means encouraging others without diminishing their self-esteem.
• It is the opposite of imposing one’s own will on others.

The Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심)
These four minds must be practiced without attachment or self-awareness of one’s good deeds.

1. Purity of Mind (청정심): Performing good deeds without expecting anything in return or keeping a record of them.

• Donating to charity or performing religious duties should not be done with the expectation of recognition or reward.
• Helping others should be done discreetly to avoid hurting their pride.
• Keeping track of good deeds, even for one’s spouse or parents, negates their value.

2. Immeasurable Mind (무량심): Giving without the thought of “giving” or “receiving.”

• When helping a poor person, one should feel as if one is helping oneself.
• A parent feeding a child feels full themselves; similarly, helping others should feel like helping oneself.
• The concept of “donation” itself can be problematic if it implies a separation between giver and receiver.

3. Compassion (자비심): Feeling pity or sorrow for others.

• This is a positive quality, distinct from self-importance.

4. Wisdom (지혜심): The ability to discern and act appropriately.

Equality of Mind (평등심)
The Four Immeasurable Minds collectively represent equality of mind.

• This means viewing all humans equally, without discrimination.
• The opposite of equality of mind is service mind (봉사심), which implies an awareness of helping others and can lead to arrogance.
• Other terms for this include Bodhi mind (보리심) and Bodhisattva mind (보살심) in Buddhism.

The Concept of Virtue (덕)
Virtue (덕) is a higher state than blessing (복).

• Blessing (복): Symbolized by seeing one’s own fertile land (문전옥답) for sustenance.
• Virtue (덕): Involves acting for others, making others’ minds one’s own, and transforming one’s own blessings into blessings for others.
• Hidden Virtue (음덕): Accumulating virtue secretly, without anyone knowing, protects one’s descendants.
  • Giving wealth or excessive education to children can make them failures; instead, allowing them to experience hardship and secretly bestowing virtue is true inheritance.

Responsibility and Freedom
Freedom is a right earned by those who fulfill their duties.

• Duty (의무): Humans have duties to family and all people.
  • Treating everyone as family (siblings, parents, children) prevents immoral thoughts.
  • Giving up one’s seat for an elderly person or a pregnant woman on public transport is a duty, not an option.
• License (방종): Acting freely without regard for rules or others’ well-being.
  • This is the opposite of freedom.
  • Many young people mistake license for freedom.

The Principle of “My Mind Makes All Things” (일체유심조)
All things are created by one’s own mind.

• Inner Transformation: If one’s mind is righteous, all people appear righteous, and the world transforms.
• Self-Reflection: Instead of trying to change the world, one must first change oneself.
• Personal Responsibility: One creates one’s own spouse; their character is not objectively good or bad.
• The Purpose of Teaching: Teaching is necessary because few possess a righteous mind.

The Importance of Human Life
Being born as a human is the most difficult and precious achievement.

• Rare Birth: Each person is born by overcoming odds of 300 million to 500 million to one.
• Inherent Success: Simply existing as a human means one has already succeeded.
• Respect for Life: Disregarding human life incurs divine punishment.

The Three Conditions for Happiness: Goodness, Beauty, and Righteousness
Happiness is achieved through the practice of goodness (선), beauty (미), and righteousness (의).

• Goodness: Performing good deeds.
  • Those who act righteously receive blessings, while those who do not receive misfortune.
• Righteousness: Spreading grace and loyalty widely.
  • One must extend kindness to all, not just those in specific situations.
  • Avoid making enemies, as they will inevitably be encountered.
• Beauty: Living beautifully.
  • Always maintain a bright and smiling demeanor towards others, as if they were family.

The Evolution of Human Destiny
The traditional saying “Human destiny lies in heaven (인명재천)” has changed.

• Modern Destiny: In the 21st century, human destiny is often in the hands of one’s spouse (마누라).
  • A harmonious household depends on treating one’s spouse well.
  • If one does not have a spouse, destiny lies in the hands of the cook (재미있어), as they control one’s food.
• Shifting Power: This signifies a shift in societal power dynamics, where women, once considered property, now hold significant influence over life and death.

The Korean People’s Innate Goodness
The Korean people possess an inherent goodness and a strong sense of loyalty.

• Respectful Monarchy: Unlike Roman emperors who often died by assassination, Korean kings frequently lived to old age and treated their subjects with respect.
• Loyalty (충): The character for loyalty (忠) signifies a centered heart, indicating a people with strong moral foundations.
• Contrast with the West: Western societies, historically, relied on force (칼) rather than inherent goodness.

Huh Kyung-young Lecture 963: ‘The Truth of Mistakes and Failure’ 20150214 (Compilation)

Keyword Frequency
people: 27
mind: 26
failure: 20
God: 15
woman: 14
experiment: 13
life: 12
child: 11
money: 10
success: 9
world: 9
heart: 8
king: 8
mistake: 7
duty: 7

Today’s Central Metaphor
Life is an ongoing experiment until death, and only then can others determine if it was a failure or not.

Lecture in Numbers
54 years old: Hitler’s age at death, when he was still considered successful.
20,000 times: The number of experiments Edison conducted to invent the light bulb.
2,500 years: The approximate duration Buddhism has been in Korea.
150 years: The approximate duration Christianity has been in Korea.
1 day: The period before death when a man’s life can be deemed a failure due to a womanizing issue.
40s: The approximate age of the woman selling rice cakes at 10 PM.
30s: The approximate age of the man selling rice cakes with the woman.
700,000 won: The amount proposed for elderly support by one political party.
200,000 won: The amount cut from the proposed elderly support by another political party.
10 years: The period a murderer might evade prison.
15 years: The statute of limitations for a murder case, implying that evading capture for this period is considered serving a sentence outside of prison.
1948: The year both South Korea and Israel were founded.
6 million: The number of Jews killed by Hitler, attributed to divine judgment.
3 layers: The number of layers in the human brain.
1 layer: The number of layers in an animal’s brain.
70%: The recommended maximum percentage of business capital to give to a child, allowing them to experience hardship.
100%: The percentage of Roman emperors who died by assassination or poisoning.
720: The number of habitable planets in our galaxy, calculated by adding the days in the solar (365) and lunar (355) calendars.
6 days: The period in which Earth was created.
362 million: The number of human-inhabited planets in the universe.
300 million to 500 million to 1: The odds of a single sperm successfully fertilizing an egg, highlighting the preciousness of human life.

Signature Sentence
This is the hardest thing in the world, to be born as a human being.

Concise Summary & Highlights
Life is an ongoing experiment; true failure lies in not converting blessings into virtue.

True failure is not about business collapse but about failing to transform blessings into virtue.
Life is an experiment until death; only others can judge it as a failure.
Giving to others with a sense of superiority or expecting recognition leads to failure.
Fulfilling one’s duties as a human being is essential for earning respect.
The “Four Immeasurable Minds” (Samuryangsim) are about treating all humans equally.
Giving children too much money or education can make them failures.
Being born as a human is the most difficult and precious achievement.

Scriptural / Religious Citations
Buddhism:
Ilcheyusimjo (一切唯心造): “Everything is created by the mind.” This concept is mentioned as similar to the idea that if one’s mind is righteous, everyone else appears righteous.
Samuryangsim (四無量心): The Four Immeasurable Minds, which are explained as:
Cheongjeongsim (清淨心): Pure mind.
Muryangsim (無量心): Immeasurable mind (not to be confused with 분별심, discriminatory mind). This is about giving without expecting anything in return or making the recipient feel indebted.
Jabisim (慈悲心): Compassionate mind. This is about feeling pity for others, which is considered a positive quality.
Jihyesim (智慧心): Wisdom mind.
Bori-sim (菩提心): Bodhi mind, mentioned as another term for Pyeongdeungsim (equality mind).
Bosal-sim (菩薩心): Bodhisattva mind, also mentioned as another term for Pyeongdeungsim.
Christianity:
Parable of the Prodigal Son: Referenced to illustrate that God favors the repentant sinner (the younger son) over the self-righteous one (the older son) who boasts of his good deeds.
Cheonbugyeong (天符經): An ancient Korean scripture.
Ilsimumsi Ilseok Samgeuk Mugubon (一始無始 一析三極 無根本): “One begins without beginning, one divides into three extremes without root.” This is used to explain the creation of the universe and the concept of mind, energy, and body (심기신).

Historical & Epochal Context
The lecture touches upon several historical and epochal contexts:
Post-WWII Nation Building: The founding of both South Korea and Israel in 1948, with external powers (US for Korea, UK for Israel) playing a significant role, is highlighted. This period represents a time of geopolitical shifts and the emergence of new national identities.
Ancient Korean History: References to Buddhism’s 2,500-year presence in Korea and Christianity’s 150-year presence provide a historical backdrop for religious influence. The mention of Cheonbugyeong points to ancient Korean spiritual traditions.
Modern Society and Changing Values: He discusses the shift in societal values, particularly regarding the role of women (from “property” to “God” in the 21st century) and the importance of humility over arrogance in an increasingly interconnected world. The emphasis on learning multiple languages (Chinese, Japanese, English) for future generations reflects globalization.
Critique of Legalism and Discrimination: He criticizes the Jewish people for their excessive legalism (율법) and discriminatory attitudes (차별심) towards other nations, which he attributes to their historical suffering under Hitler. This reflects a broader critique of rigid adherence to rules without compassion.

Key Figures & Events Referenced
Hitler: Mentioned as a historical figure who was successful until his death at 54, but whose actions led to the extermination of 6 million Jews, which Mr. Huh attributes to divine judgment.
Bill Gates: Referenced as someone whose decision to drop out of college was initially seen as a failure but turned out to be a “learning experience” or “experiment.”
Edison: Cited for his 20,000 experiments to invent the light bulb, illustrating that what people call “failure” is actually “experimentation.”
Native Americans (Indians): Their rain dances are used as an example of persistence, as they continue until rain comes, implying they don’t acknowledge “failure.”
Jesus: Mentioned as a figure whose mindset, if adopted, would eliminate suffering.
Buddha (Sakyamuni): Mentioned as a figure whose mindset would prevent conflict.
Kim Dae-jung: Referenced in the context of “Seoljungmae” (plum blossoms in the snow) and “Indongcho” (honeysuckle), symbolizing resilience, similar to His own perceived role.
Roman Kings: Contrasted with Korean kings, noting that Roman kings were often assassinated, while Korean kings died of natural causes, suggesting a fundamental difference in national character.

Core Concept Definitions
Mistake (실수): An error that can be corrected or fixed. For example, building a structure incorrectly is a mistake, not a failure, because it can be rectified.
Failure (실패): Not an inherent state of being, but rather a judgment made by others after one’s death, or a failure to convert one’s blessings into virtue. one cannot declare oneself a failure before death.
Experiment (실험): He redefines what is commonly called “failure” as “experimentation” or “experience.” Edison’s 20,000 attempts to invent the light bulb are presented as experiments, not failures.
No Frustration (좌절은 존재하지 않는다): The concept that frustration does not exist, as one should persist like Native Americans performing rain dances until the desired outcome is achieved.
Five Righteous Minds (오도정적): The idea that if one’s mind is righteous, all people will appear righteous and become righteous.
Ilcheyusimjo (一切唯心造): “Everything is created by the mind.” This Buddhist concept suggests that one’s perception of others is a reflection of one’s own mind.
Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심): A set of four mental states to cultivate:
Pure Mind (청정심): A mind free from impurities, where good deeds are done without expectation of reward or recognition.
Immeasurable Mind (무량심): Giving without making the recipient feel indebted or without feeling superior for giving.
Compassionate Mind (자비심): Feeling pity and concern for others.
Wisdom Mind (지혜심): The mind of wisdom.
Blessing (복): Symbolized by the Chinese character for “blessing” (福), which means having a field to eat from in front of one’s door.
Virtue (덕): Symbolized by the Chinese character for “virtue” (德), which means using one’s blessings for the benefit of others (represented by two people and love for the world). It is a higher state than blessing.
Noblesse Oblige: The concept that those with privilege have a duty to help others. this is not a “good deed” but a “natural duty.”
Freedom (자유): The right that can only be enjoyed by those who have fulfilled their duties.
License/Indulgence (방종): Doing whatever one wants within the bounds of the law, but without fulfilling one’s duties to others. This is seen as the opposite of true freedom.
Equality Mind (평등심): Treating all humans equally, without discrimination. This is presented as the opposite of the discriminatory mindset.
Service Mind (봉사심): He redefines “service” as problematic if it implies a sense of superiority or expectation of recognition. True service is seen as helping oneself, as all humans are interconnected.
Mind, Energy, Body (심기신): The three extremes (삼극) mentioned in the Cheonbugyeong, representing the components of human existence.
Hidden Virtue (음덕): Performing good deeds secretly, without anyone knowing, which is believed to protect one’s descendants.

Central Questions & Answers
Central Question: Why does Mr. Huh give lectures if a righteous mind makes everyone else righteous?
Answer: Because there are not enough people with righteous minds. The lectures aim to teach and create more individuals with righteous minds, who will then positively influence others.
Central Question: What is the true meaning of “failure”?
Answer: Failure is not about financial ruin or imprisonment; it is about failing to convert one’s blessings into virtue (덕) by not helping others, or performing good deeds with a sense of pride or expectation.
Central Question: What is the most difficult thing in the world?
Answer: Being born as a human being. This is because of the incredibly low odds of conception (300-500 million to 1), making human existence inherently precious and a success in itself.

Conclusion & Strategic / Philosophical Implications
The lecture concludes by emphasizing that true failure is not about external circumstances like financial ruin, but about internal states of mind, particularly arrogance and the failure to convert blessings into virtue. The final message is a call to cultivate a humble, selfless, and compassionate mindset, treating all people as extensions of oneself.

Philosophical implications:
Redefinition of Success and Failure: Success is inherent in being born human; failure is a spiritual or moral shortcoming, not a material one.
Interconnectedness of Humanity: All people are fundamentally connected, making acts of charity or service ultimately acts of self-help.
Importance of Inner Transformation: Changing the world begins with changing one’s own mind and cultivating virtues like equality and hidden good deeds.
Critique of Materialism and Pride: The lecture critiques the pursuit of material wealth and recognition for good deeds, arguing that these lead to spiritual failure.
Duty and Freedom: True freedom is earned through fulfilling one’s duties to others, contrasting with mere indulgence.

Cross-Referencing
Buddhist Teachings: The concepts of “Ilcheyusimjo” (everything is created by the mind) and “Samuryangsim” (Four Immeasurable Minds) are directly referenced and explained. He connects these to the idea of “equality mind” (평등심), “Bodhi mind” (보리심), and “Bodhisattva mind” (보살심).
Christian Parables: The Parable of the Prodigal Son is used to illustrate divine judgment and the value of humility over self-righteousness.
Ancient Korean Philosophy: The Cheonbugyeong is cited for its scientific explanation of the universe and human existence, particularly the concept of “Sim-Gi-Shin” (mind, energy, body).
Confucian Ethics: The “Gyeonghaengrok” (경행록), a collection of moral sayings, is quoted to emphasize the importance of spreading kindness widely and avoiding enmity, as “enemies meet on a narrow bridge.”
Noblesse Oblige: This widely known concept is explicitly mentioned and redefined as a natural duty rather than a commendable act of charity.

Content Gaps & Unaddressed Areas
Specifics of “God’s Mind”: While “God’s mind” is frequently mentioned as a desirable state, its practical application beyond general compassion and selflessness could be further elaborated with more concrete examples.
Mechanism of Divine Judgment: He attributes historical events like the Holocaust to divine judgment without fully explaining the criteria or process of such judgment.
Reconciling “Ilcheyusimjo” with External Reality: The concept that “everything is created by the mind” and that “if my mind is righteous, everyone appears righteous” could benefit from a deeper discussion on how this interacts with objective reality and the existence of genuinely negative external circumstances or individuals.
Practical Steps for Cultivating the “Four Immeasurable Minds”: While the four minds are defined, the lecture could offer more actionable strategies or daily practices for individuals to cultivate these states.
The Speaker’s Role as “Messiah”: He states, “I am here,” implying a messianic role, but the specific implications of this role for the audience or the world are not fully detailed.
The Nature of “Rebirth” and “Circulation”: The mention of 362 million human-inhabited planets and the idea of “circulating” through them after death is a significant claim that lacks further explanation or context within the lecture.

Future Predictions & Prophetic Statements
Korean People as World Converters: “Heaven has chosen the Korean people to convert all humanity.” This implies a future global spiritual leadership role for Korea.
The Speaker’s Role in the Internet Era: He claims to be present in the internet era to facilitate the transformation of people, suggesting a divinely appointed mission for the current technological age.
Changing Role of Women in the 21st Century: He predicts a shift where women, traditionally seen as “property,” will become “God” in the 21st century, implying a rise in their power and influence.
Importance of Multilingualism for Future Generations: Children will need to be proficient in English, Chinese, and Japanese to succeed in the future job market, even for roles like security guards.
Consequences of Not Practicing “Hidden Virtue”: If good deeds are not done secretly, the blessings will not reach one’s children, implying a direct karmic consequence for public displays of charity.

Executive Insight
This lecture by Huh Kyung-young offers a profound redefinition of success and failure, shifting the focus from material outcomes to internal states of mind. It challenges conventional notions by asserting that life is an ongoing “experiment,” and true failure lies not in external setbacks but in the spiritual shortcomings of arrogance and the inability to transform blessings into virtue. The core takeaway for professionals is the imperative to cultivate a selfless, humble, and compassionate mindset, exemplified by the “Four Immeasurable Minds.” This involves performing good deeds without seeking recognition, treating all individuals as extensions of oneself, and prioritizing duty over indulgence. Ultimately, the lecture advocates for an inner transformation that fosters genuine equality and hidden virtue, arguing that such a shift is not only personally enriching but also crucial for societal harmony and the well-being of future generations.

Central Questions & Answers

1. What is the difference between a “mistake” and “failure” according to Huh Kyung-young?
   Question: In life, we often encounter setbacks. How does Huh Kyung-young distinguish between a simple “mistake” and a true “failure,” and why is this distinction important?
   Answer: Huh Kyung-young clarifies that a mistake is an action that can be corrected or learned from, such as an error in building construction that can be fixed. A failure, however, is not something one experiences until the very end of life, and even then, it’s often judged by others, not oneself. what people often label as “failure” is actually an experiment or experience. For instance, Edison’s 20,000 attempts to invent the lightbulb were not failures but experiments. True failure, in his view, is the inability to transform one’s blessings (복) into virtue (덕) by helping others.
   Key Quote: “Life is an experiment until you die. Who decides if it’s a failure ? Family or others. You cannot say ‘I have failed.’ That is an insult to God.”

2. What is the meaning of “Samuryangsim” (Four Immeasurable Minds) and its connection to equality, according to Huh Kyung-young?
   Question: Huh Kyung-young often speaks of “Samuryangsim” (사무량심). What are these four immeasurable minds, and how do they relate to the concept of equality and one’s actions towards others?
   Answer: Samuryangsim refers to four essential mindsets: Cheongjeongsim (청정심 – pure mind), Muryangsim (무량심 – immeasurable mind), Jabisim (자비심 – compassionate mind), and Jihyesim (지혜심 – wisdom mind). The core principle is that when performing acts of kindness or charity, one should not harbor thoughts of having “helped” someone or expect anything in return. This is because true giving means seeing the other person as oneself, making the act a form of self-help. This concept is synonymous with Pyeongdeungsim (평등심 – equality mind), where all beings are viewed as equal, and any act of service is seen as serving oneself.
   Key Quote: “If I become the mind of that difficult person, have I helped anyone? No. I helped myself. If you help with the mindset that ‘that person is me,’ then you haven’t helped anyone in your dictionary.”

3. How does Huh Kyung-young define “Noblesse Oblige” and its true application?
   Question: Huh Kyung-young discusses “Noblesse Oblige.” What is his unique interpretation of this concept, and how does it differ from conventional understanding, especially regarding acts of charity?
   Answer: For Huh Kyung-young, Noblesse Oblige (귀족의 의무) is not about performing good deeds for recognition or feeling superior. Instead, it is an inherent duty. If a noble person helps those in need, it is not considered a “good deed” but simply “natural” and “expected.” Failing to fulfill this duty is seen as committing a sin. He stresses that true Noblesse Oblige should be performed with a Muryangsim (무량심 – immeasurable mind), meaning without any thought of having given or done something good. If one feels they have done a good deed, it becomes a “Bosisim” (보시심 – charitable mind with expectation), which is problematic.
   Key Quote: “If a noble person helps those who don’t have, and you call it a ‘good deed,’ then this ‘giving’ becomes a bad meaning. It becomes a ‘Bosisim.’ Even if you do good deeds, this [thought of having done good] must not exist. It must be a Muryangsim.”

4. What is the true meaning of “freedom” and “profligacy” (방종) in Huh Kyung-young’s philosophy?
   Question: Huh Kyung-young often contrasts “freedom” with “profligacy.” What is his definition of true freedom, and how does profligacy undermine it, particularly in modern society?
   Answer: According to Huh Kyung-young, freedom (자유) is a right that can only be enjoyed by those who have fulfilled their duties (의무). It is not an unrestrained ability to do whatever one pleases. Profligacy (방종), on the other hand, is acting without considering one’s duties or the impact on others, even if it doesn’t explicitly break the law. For example, a young person sitting on a subway while an elderly or pregnant woman stands, thinking “someone else will give up their seat,” is engaging in profligacy, not freedom. God grants humans freedom with the expectation that they will fulfill their duties.
   Key Quote: “Freedom is a right that only those who have fulfilled their duties can enjoy. Profligacy is doing whatever you want within the bounds of not breaking the law, but without fulfilling your duties.”

5. What is the most difficult thing in the world, according to Huh Kyung-young, and how does it relate to human existence?
   Question: Huh Kyung-young claims there is one thing that is most difficult in the entire world. What is this, and what implications does it have for how we view human life and success?
   Answer: The most difficult thing in the world is being born as a human being. He explains that a human is conceived from a competition of 300 million to 500 million sperm, making each individual’s existence incredibly precious and a monumental success in itself. Therefore, simply being born as a human means one has already succeeded. Living a lifetime is not difficult in comparison. This perspective shifts the focus from material success or failure to the inherent value and dignity of human life.
   Key Quote: “The most difficult thing in this world is to be born as a human being. You were born from your mother and father’s bodies at a ratio of 300 million to 1, or 500 million to 1. just by being born, you have already succeeded.”

6. What is the true meaning of “virtue” (덕) and how does it differ from “blessings” (복) in Huh Kyung-young’s teachings?
   Question: Huh Kyung-young distinguishes between “blessings” (복) and “virtue” (덕). What is the difference, and why is it crucial for a fulfilling life?
   Answer: Blessings (복) are seen as personal good fortune, such as having wealth or a comfortable life. The character for “복” (福) depicts someone looking at a field of sustenance. Virtue (덕), however, is a higher state. The character for “덕” (德) implies acting for others, transforming one’s personal blessings into benefits for more than one person. A person who dies having accumulated many blessings but failed to convert them into virtue by helping others is considered a “failure” in the eyes of heaven, regardless of their worldly success. True success lies in transforming one’s blessings into virtue for the benefit of all.
   Key Quote: “A person who dies without converting their blessings into virtue, who just lived comfortably until death without donating or doing good deeds for others, is a failure in the eyes of heaven.”

7. How does Huh Kyung-young advise against leaving an inheritance to children, and what is “Eumdeok” (음덕 – hidden virtue)?
   Question: What is Huh Kyung-young’s perspective on inheritance, and what alternative, “Eumdeok” (hidden virtue), does he propose for the well-being of one’s descendants?
   Answer: Huh Kyung-young strongly advises against leaving a large inheritance to children, as it can turn them into “failures.” He believes that giving children too much money or an easy path robs them of the joy and satisfaction of building their own lives from scratch. Instead, he advocates for accumulating Eumdeok (음덕 – hidden virtue). This means performing good deeds secretly, without anyone knowing, not even one’s own family. This hidden virtue, accumulated in the “darkness of darkness,” is what truly protects and guides one’s descendants, rather than material wealth or excessive education.
   Key Quote: “Giving money to children ultimately makes them failures. If you accumulate ‘Eumdeok’ (hidden virtue) in the ‘darkness of darkness,’ where no one sees, that is what truly protects your children. That is true inheritance.”

Top 3 Recommended Questions for SEO
What is the difference between a “mistake” and “failure” according to Huh Kyung-young?
What is the meaning of “Samuryangsim” (Four Immeasurable Minds) and its connection to equality, according to Huh Kyung-young?
How does Huh Kyung-young define “Noblesse Oblige” and its true application?

What is the difference between mistakes, failures, and success? Mistakes are just experiments, and true failure is not utilizing one’s blessings to help others.

The Truth About Mistakes and Failures

Understanding Mistakes, Failures, and Success

• A mistake is simply an experiment or an experience, not a failure.
  • For example, Edison experimented 20,000 times before inventing the lightbulb, and he never considered these attempts failures.
  • Similarly, religious practices like Buddhism and Christianity have been “experiments” in Korea for centuries, constantly adapting their systems.
• True failure is not using one’s blessings to help others.
  • Someone who lives a comfortable life but doesn’t contribute to society is considered a failure in the eyes of heaven.
  • This concept is similar to Noblesse Oblige, where those with privilege have a duty to help others.
  • If a person with privilege helps others, it’s not considered a “good deed” but rather a fulfillment of their duty.
• Success is being born as a human, as it’s the most difficult thing to achieve.
  • Every person is born after overcoming incredible odds (e.g., 300-500 million to 1).
  • Therefore, simply existing as a human is a success, and true failure comes from arrogance, not from material setbacks.

The Importance of the “Four Immeasurable Minds” (사무량심)

• The Four Immeasurable Minds are essential for a righteous life and include:
  • Pure Mind (청정심): This means doing good deeds without expecting anything in return or keeping track of them.
  • If you remember your good deeds, it can lead to arrogance and conflict.
  • Immeasurable Mind (무량심): This involves giving without making the recipient feel indebted or inferior.
  • For example, giving a scholarship directly to a student can hurt their pride; it’s better to give through a foundation.
  • Compassionate Mind (자비심): This is feeling pity or sorrow for others, which is a positive quality.
  • Wisdom Mind (지혜심): This is the ability to understand and act with wisdom.
• These four minds are about seeing others as extensions of yourself, so helping others is like helping yourself.
  • Just as a mother feels full when her child eats, helping others should feel like helping yourself.
  • This perspective means that “service” or “donation” as concepts shouldn’t exist, as it implies a separation between giver and receiver.

Living with the Minds of Others

• We should always consider the feelings of others, like a parent thinking about their child’s future or a person helping someone struggling.
• This means living with the mind of God, the mind of parents, and the mind of others.
  • The mind of God means sharing with those who have nothing and seeing an angel in every person in need.
  • The mind of parents means understanding the struggles of others as if they were your own children.
  • The mind of others means putting yourself in their shoes and acting with empathy.
• This concept is similar to “all things are created by the mind” (일체유심조), meaning your perception shapes your reality.
  • If your mind is righteous, everyone else will appear righteous.
  • Therefore, instead of trying to change the world, you should change yourself first.
• This leads to Equality Mind (평등심), which means treating all people equally.
  • The opposite of this is discrimination (차별심), which was a flaw of the Jewish people who considered themselves superior.
  • Another opposite is service mind (봉사심), which implies you are doing something for someone else, rather than seeing them as part of yourself.

Freedom vs. License

• Freedom is the right enjoyed by those who fulfill their duties.
• License (방종) is doing whatever you want without considering rules or others’ feelings.
  • For example, not giving up your seat to an elderly or pregnant person on public transport, even if you paid for your ticket, is license, not freedom.
  • Many young people today confuse license with freedom.

The Importance of “Hidden Virtue” (음덕)

• Giving wealth to children can make them failures, as it deprives them of the joy of building something themselves.
• Instead of leaving money, parents should accumulate hidden virtue (음덕), which is doing good deeds secretly.
  • This hidden virtue protects children and is the true inheritance.
  • If good deeds are publicized, the benefit doesn’t go to the children.

The Hardest Thing in the World

• The most difficult thing in the world is to be born as a human being.
  • Being born human is a miracle, as it involves overcoming immense odds.
  • Therefore, simply existing as a human is a success, and true failure comes from arrogance, not from material setbacks.

What is the difference between mistakes and failures? Mistakes are merely experiments or experiences that lead to growth, like Edison’s 20,000 attempts to invent the lightbulb. Failure, however, is when one fails to transform their blessings into virtue by helping others, or when they act with pride and self-righteousness rather than humility and equality.

The Truth About Mistakes and Failures
This lecture discusses the difference between mistakes and failures, emphasizing that true failure isn’t about financial ruin or societal judgment, but rather a failure to cultivate virtue and humility.

Understanding Mistakes vs. Failures

• A mistake is an experiment or an experience that helps you learn and grow, not a failure.
  • For example, building a structure that needs fixing is a mistake, not a failure, because it can be corrected.
  • Thomas Edison famously said he never failed when inventing the lightbulb; he just found 20,000 ways that didn’t work. He saw each attempt as an experiment.
  • Even major religions like Buddhism and Christianity have undergone “experiments” and adapted over centuries.
  • People like Bill Gates, who dropped out of college, were seen as failures by their peers, but he was simply gaining experience.
  • You don’t know if your life is a failure or a mistake until you die.
• Failure is defined by a lack of virtue and humility, not by external circumstances like financial ruin.
  • Someone who lives a comfortable life but doesn’t use their blessings to help others is considered a failure in the eyes of heaven.
  • A person who goes bankrupt or to jail for business mistakes is not a failure; they are simply gaining experience.
  • True failure is when someone boasts about their good deeds or contributions, as this indicates a lack of genuine virtue.

The Importance of Humility and Equality

• The core principle is to live with a “God’s heart,” a “parent’s heart,” and “others’ hearts” as your own.
  • This means sharing with those who have less, treating guests well, and recognizing the divine in everyone, even a beggar.
  • It means seeing others’ struggles as your own, like a parent feeling their child’s hunger.
  • When you help someone, you should feel as if you are helping yourself, not someone else.
  • This perspective eliminates the concept of “charity” or “donating” because you are simply caring for a part of yourself or your extended family.
  • We are all interconnected, like different parts of one body, and rely on countless others for our daily lives.
• “Five Virtues of Righteousness” (오도정적): If your heart is righteous, everyone around you will also appear righteous.
  • This concept is similar to the Buddhist idea that “everything is created by the mind” (일체유심조).
  • Instead of trying to change the world, focus on changing yourself first.
  • The reason for teaching these principles is that there are not enough people with righteous hearts.
• Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심): These are essential qualities for a virtuous life.
  • Pure Heart (청정심): This means doing good deeds without expecting anything in return or keeping track of your contributions.
  • If you boast about your donations or good deeds, it negates the purity of the act.
  • True help, like a scholarship, should be given in a way that doesn’t hurt the recipient’s pride.
  • Immeasurable Heart (무량심): This is about giving without limits or conditions, and without the thought of “I am helping someone.”
  • It means not thinking about the material aspect of your actions.
  • If you keep track of what you’ve done for others, like a spouse reminding their partner of past favors, it becomes a selfish act.
  • Compassionate Heart (자비심): This involves feeling pity or sorrow for others, but it should not lead to a sense of superiority.
  • Wisdom Heart (지혜심): This is the fourth immeasurable mind.
• Equality Heart (평등심): This is another way to describe the Four Immeasurable Minds.
  • It means treating all people equally, without discrimination.
  • The Jewish people were considered failures by heaven because of their arrogance and discriminatory mindset towards other nations, believing themselves to be the “chosen people.”
  • This led to their suffering, such as the Holocaust, which is seen as a divine judgment.
• Avoid “Service Heart” (봉사심): Thinking you are “serving” others implies a separation between you and them.
  • True help should be seen as helping yourself, as if the person you are assisting is your own child or parent.
  • The concept of “service” itself can lead to pride and ultimately failure.
  • God prefers the “prodigal son” who acknowledges his mistakes and humbles himself, over the “elder son” who boasts of his obedience and resents his brother.

The Concept of “Virtue” (덕) vs. “Blessings” (복)

• Blessings (복): This refers to material wealth or good fortune.
  • The Chinese character for “blessing” (福) depicts someone looking at fertile land in front of their house, symbolizing having enough to eat and live comfortably.
• Virtue (덕): This is a higher state than blessings.
  • The Chinese character for “virtue” (德) includes the radical for “two people” (二人), signifying acting for the benefit of others.
  • It means transforming your personal blessings into benefits for others.
  • A true failure is someone who accumulates blessings but fails to convert them into virtue by helping others.
• Noblesse Oblige: This concept, meaning “nobility obliges,” states that those with wealth and power have a duty to help society.
  • Performing this duty is not considered a “good deed” but rather a basic obligation.
  • Failing to fulfill this duty is a sin.

Freedom vs. License (방종)

• Freedom is the right enjoyed by those who fulfill their duties.
  • It means acting within the bounds of the law.
• License (방종) is the opposite of freedom.
  • It’s when people act selfishly, even within legal limits, without considering their duties to others.
  • For example, a young person sitting on a subway who doesn’t offer their seat to an elderly or pregnant person, thinking they paid their fare, is acting with license, not freedom.
  • God grants humans freedom with the expectation that they will fulfill their duties.

The Importance of “Hidden Virtue” (음덕)

• Giving money to your children can make them failures, as it deprives them of the joy and experience of building something themselves.
  • It’s better to give them only a portion of what they need for a business, allowing them to experience hardship and learn.
• Over-educating children can also lead to arrogance and a sense of superiority, making them unable to truly appreciate or utilize their knowledge.
  • This can lead to moral failings, such as the example of Seoul National University professors being involved in sexual harassment scandals due to their inflated sense of power.
• The best way to protect your children and ensure their well-being is to accumulate “hidden virtue” (음덕).
  • This means performing good deeds secretly, without anyone knowing, not even your own family.
  • If your good deeds are known, they are considered “blessings” (복) and may not benefit your descendants in the same way.
  • Hidden virtue, performed in “darkness,” is what truly protects your children and is the most beautiful way to live.

The Three Conditions for Happiness: Goodness, Beauty, and Righteousness

• Goodness (선): Doing good deeds.
  • Those who do good will receive blessings from heaven.
• Beauty (미): Living beautifully.
  • This involves cultivating hidden virtue and living with a bright, smiling demeanor towards everyone.
• Righteousness (의): Acting with integrity and justice.
  • This means extending kindness and grace broadly to everyone, not just those you choose to help.
  • It also means avoiding making enemies, as “enemies meet on a narrow bridge.”

The Most Difficult Thing in the World

• The most difficult thing in the world is to be born as a human being.
  • The odds of a single sperm fertilizing an egg are astronomically low (300-500 million to 1).
  • Therefore, simply being born as a human is already a tremendous success.
  • This emphasizes the inherent value and preciousness of every human life.
• Life itself is not difficult; the real challenge lies in avoiding arrogance and cultivating humility.

Additional Concepts

• Life’s Duration (목숨): In the 21st century, a person’s life is not solely determined by heaven but also by their spouse.
  • A good spouse can bring harmony to a family, while a bad one can destroy it.
  • He jokingly suggests that a wife (처) now holds the power that heaven (천) once did over life.
• The Universe and Human Existence: The universe is eternal, with no beginning or end.
  • There are 3.62 million planets where humans live, and 720 planets within our galaxy that humans can eventually travel to after death.
  • Human beings continuously cycle through these planets.
• Nature (성품): A person’s nature is shaped by their environment and experiences.
  • For example, people from coastal areas might have a different nature due to the constant threat of pirates or invaders.
  • This nature influences one’s mind.
• Life (기): Life force comes from breath.
• Body (신): The body comes from sperm.
• Sperm (정자): Sperm comes from the physical intimacy between a man and a woman.
• Korean Kings vs. Roman Emperors: Korean kings traditionally used respectful language with their subjects, while Roman emperors often spoke informally and were frequently assassinated.
  • This highlights the inherent goodness and loyalty (충) in the Korean people.

The Essence of Error and the Truth of Failure

A building constructed with an error is not a failure. It is a mistake that can be corrected. Human life, similarly, is not a failure until death. One cannot know if it is a failure or a mistake until the very end.

Experimentation as the Path to Progress
When Bill Gates dropped out of college due to financial difficulties, people viewed him as a failure. However, he was merely gaining experience and conducting an experiment. Thomas Edison developed the light bulb after 20,000 attempts. People often say, “Failure is the mother of success,” but Edison stated that he never failed; he only experimented. If one approach does not work, one tries another. Life is a continuous experiment until death.

The Indigenous Perspective on Perseverance
Indigenous peoples, when performing rain dances, always bring rain. They continue the ritual until it rains, whether it takes a day or a month. They do not acknowledge mistakes or failures because they never stop until their goal is achieved. This unwavering perseverance is a lesson for life. People often give up quickly if there is no immediate benefit.

The True Meaning of Failure
Life is like an Indigenous rain dance, continuing until the very end. A person who, despite a seemingly successful life, commits a moral transgression on their last day, becomes a failure. From an external perspective, such a life might appear enviable, but a moral failing, especially concerning relationships, renders it a failure in its final moments.

The Three Minds: God, Parents, and Others
One must live with the mind of God, the mind of one’s parents, and the mind of others. These three minds are crucial. To live with the mind of God means to share even a cup of water with those who have nothing, treating every guest as if an angel resides within them.

The Mind of Others: Empathy and Compassion
When encountering an attractive person, one should consider what kind of partner would make them happy, as if they were one’s own child. To contemplate making them a “second” is a wrongful act, disregarding the parents’ efforts in raising them. Similarly, witnessing someone struggling, like a vendor carrying heavy rice cakes late at night, evokes the pain of a parent. This empathy means one’s heart aches for their struggle. This is how the mind of others becomes one’s own.

The Principle of “My Mind Makes All Things”
The principle of “my mind makes all things” (一切唯心造) means that if one’s mind is righteous, all people appear righteous and become righteous. This is similar to the idea that if one’s mind is that of a Buddha, everyone appears as a Buddha. Instead of trying to change the world, one must first change oneself.

The Purpose of Teaching
The reason for teaching is that there are few with righteous minds. Teaching provides an opportunity for people to understand this principle, leading to an increase in those who view the world positively. Figures like Sakyamuni and Jesus taught because such proponents are necessary to initiate this change.

The Illusion of External Reality
All causes originate from one’s own mind. One creates one’s spouse; their goodness or badness does not objectively exist. It is incorrect to believe someone is inherently bad from birth.

The Four Immeasurable Minds (四無量心)
The Four Immeasurable Minds are:

• Purity of Mind (清淨心)
• Immeasurable Mind (無量心)
• Compassion (慈悲心)
• Wisdom (智慧心)

True Giving and the Immeasurable Mind
When giving to others, one must not have the thought of “giving.” If one feels they are “giving” to someone, it is not true giving. True giving means helping without making the recipient feel indebted, like providing a scholarship discreetly to protect a child’s pride. When helping a struggling person, one must become that person in their mind. If one helps a beggar, and one’s mind becomes the beggar’s mind, then one is not helping another but helping oneself. This is the essence of the immeasurable mind. The act of “donating” itself can be problematic if it implies a separation between giver and receiver. True giving is when one gives to oneself.

The Interconnectedness of Humanity
All people are interconnected, like siblings from a common ancestor. When one eats a carrot, countless individuals are involved in its journey from seed to table. These individuals are not “others” but extensions of oneself. One’s well-being is intertwined with the well-being of others. To wish harm upon others is to invite ruin upon oneself.

Life as an Experiment, Not a Failure
Life is a continuous experiment until death. Only at the very end can others, such as family, determine if it was a failure. To declare oneself a failure is an insult to God and a betrayal of life itself.

The Power of Righteous Conduct
One’s conduct profoundly impacts how others treat them. If one behaves righteously, people will naturally offer help and respect. For example, if one is considerate of neighbors, they will offer food and reserve parking spaces. This demonstrates the power of good conduct.

The Distinction Between Fortune (福) and Virtue (德)
Fortune (福) is the ability to see and possess what one needs to sustain oneself, like fertile land before one’s eyes.
Virtue (德) is a higher state. It involves transforming one’s fortune into benefit for others. A person who dies having lived comfortably but without contributing to others is a failure in the eyes of heaven, even if they appear successful to the world. Virtue involves acting for others, making the minds of others one’s own, and transforming one’s own fortune into the fortune of others.

Noblesse Oblige: An Obligation, Not a Virtue
Noblesse Oblige, the obligation of the nobility, is not an act of virtue but a duty. If a noble person helps the less fortunate, it is not considered a “good deed” but a natural expectation. Failing to fulfill this duty is a sin. Such actions should be performed with an immeasurable mind, without expecting recognition or considering it a “donation.”

The Immeasurable Mind and the Avoidance of Self-Consciousness
The Four Immeasurable Minds require one to act without focusing on material gain or self-recognition. When performing acts of purity, such as making offerings or diligently attending religious services, one must not harbor thoughts of having done something good. To do so is to commit a sin. If one keeps track of good deeds, such as helping one’s parents or spouse, and later uses it against them, it becomes an act of self-serving charity. Such thoughts must not enter the mind. Those who boast about their charitable acts, no matter how extensive, lead failed lives.

Failure is Not Financial Ruin
Financial ruin or imprisonment due to business failure is not true failure. It is an experiment, an experience. Such individuals learn from their mistakes and are unlikely to repeat them.

The True Nature of Success and Failure
The distinction between error and failure is significant. People often condemn those who make mistakes, like business owners who go bankrupt, labeling them as fraudsters. Conversely, they consider those who appear successful, even if they commit moral transgressions, as truly successful. However, a person who, despite outward success, engages in immoral behavior, ultimately leads a failed life. One must change their perspective on what constitutes failure.

Living with the Minds of Others
One must live with the minds of others, ensuring one does not cause them distress. One’s concern should be for their well-being, not one’s own.

The Prophecy of the Plum Blossom
An elder once presented a painting and poem, describing a winter plum blossom (춘설매) waiting for spring. This plum blossom, representing Huh kyung young, will eventually bloom, and its fragrance will spread for a thousand miles. This signifies a period of waiting before a significant impact.

The Importance of Humility and Duty
One must always be humble and fulfill their duties. All people are interconnected as family. Therefore, one must avoid impure thoughts. To be respected, one must fulfill their human obligations.

Freedom vs. License
Freedom is a right earned by those who fulfill their duties.
License (방종) is doing as one pleases without regard for rules or others’ well-being. For example, if an elderly person or a pregnant woman boards a subway, and one remains seated, thinking others will yield their seat, that is license, not freedom. One must proactively offer their seat. God grants freedom with the expectation that humans will fulfill their duties.

Heaven’s Judgment on Success and Failure
Those who genuinely feel remorse for their wrongdoings are favored by heaven. However, those who boast about their contributions to society and consider themselves successful are not. Heaven judges based on humility and genuine regret, not outward achievements or self-proclaimed good deeds.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son and the Elder Brother
Heaven favors the prodigal son who, having squandered his inheritance, returns with a contrite heart. The elder brother, who diligently served his father but harbored resentment and pride, is viewed as less favorable. The prodigal son’s humility and self-abasement make him receptive to growth.

The Principle of Equality (平等心)
The Four Immeasurable Minds can also be understood as the principle of equality. All humans must be viewed equally. Discriminatory attitudes, such as those held by some Jewish people towards other ethnic groups, are contrary to this principle.

The Misconception of Service (奉仕心)
The concept of “service” (봉사심) is a misconception. If one believes they are “serving” others, they are conscious of themselves as separate from those they help. True help is when one realizes they are helping themselves, as the recipient is not “other” but an extension of oneself. Therefore, the term “service” itself can lead to failure. Those who boast of their service are often considered successful by the world, but such pride leads to ruin.

The Origin of Mind, Nature, and Body

• Mind (마음) originates from Nature (성품). Nature is shaped by one’s environment and experiences, such as living by the sea or in a specific region.
• Nature (성품) originates from the Earth’s energy (땅의 기운) and the emotions felt from the land.
• Energy (기) originates from Destiny (명).
• Destiny (명) originates from Life (목숨), which is the act of breathing.
• Body (몸) originates from Sperm (정자).
• Sperm (정자) originates from the physical touch between male and female.

The Changing Nature of Life’s Control
In the past, human life was believed to be controlled by heaven (인명재천). However, in the 21st century, it is controlled by one’s spouse (인명재처). A good spouse brings harmony to the family, while a bad one can lead to ruin. Women, once considered property, now hold significant power over life and death. If one does not have a spouse, then life is controlled by the cook (인명재미).

The Importance of Virtue and Avoiding Resentment
One must accumulate virtue. When opportunities arise, one must seize them to benefit others, not for personal gain. Those who perform good deeds are rewarded by heaven, while those who do not are punished. One must spread kindness and righteousness widely. Do not harbor resentment, for enemies will inevitably meet again.

The Conditions for Happiness: Goodness, Beauty, and Righteousness
The conditions for human happiness are Goodness (선), Beauty (미), and Righteousness (의). Living beautifully means embodying these three qualities. Children should be taught these principles from a young age.

The Peril of Inherited Wealth and Education
Giving children too much money or an excessive education can lead to their failure. Inherited wealth can strip children of the joy of building something themselves, making them complacent. Similarly, over-education can foster arrogance, leading them to look down on others and commit misdeeds. For example, some highly educated individuals, like certain university professors, succumb to pride and engage in misconduct.

The True Inheritance: Hidden Virtue (陰德)
The greatest inheritance one can leave their children is hidden virtue (陰德). This means performing good deeds secretly, without anyone knowing. If one’s good deeds are publicized, the benefit does not accrue to the children. By secretly helping others in the darkest of nights, one’s children are protected. This is the true form of inheritance.

The Importance of a Bright Demeanor
No matter how many good deeds one performs, if they maintain a stern expression and do not smile at others, they are committing a sin. One must always present a bright and cheerful demeanor, as if interacting with family, to embody the conditions of happiness.

The Difference Between Korean and Roman Kings
Korean kings traditionally spoke respectfully to their subjects, reflecting the nation’s emphasis on courtesy. Roman kings, however, often spoke informally and commanded their subjects. More significantly, Roman kings were almost always assassinated or poisoned, never dying of natural causes. Korean kings, in contrast, often lived to old age and died peacefully. This highlights the fundamental goodness and loyalty inherent in the Korean people.

The Most Difficult Thing in Life
The most difficult thing in life is to be born as a human. One is born by overcoming immense odds, such as 300 million to 500 million sperm. Therefore, human existence is inherently noble. Everyone who is born has already succeeded. Success and failure are not about material wealth but about humility. Even if one experiences ruin, they are not a failure if they maintain a good heart and believe in a positive future.

The Essence of Experimentation and the True Meaning of Failure

1. The Distinction Between Error (실수) and Failure (실패)
   Huh Kyung-young asserts a fundamental distinction between making an error (실수) and experiencing failure (실패). An error is merely a misstep in a process, something that can be corrected or learned from. For instance, constructing a building with a flaw is an error, not a failure, because it can be rectified. Similarly, human life, until its very end, cannot be definitively labeled as a failure or merely a series of errors. This perspective challenges the common adage, “Failure is the mother of success,” which Huh Kyung-young contends is fundamentally flawed. what people often perceive as failure is, in fact, an experiment (실험) or an experience (경험).

He illustrates this point with the example of Thomas Edison, who conducted 20,000 experiments before successfully developing the light bulb. When asked how he endured 20,000 failures, Edison reportedly stated that he never failed; he merely conducted experiments. Each attempt, even if it did not yield the desired outcome, was a step in the experimental process, a learning opportunity. This mindset emphasizes continuous iteration and adaptation rather than viewing setbacks as definitive endpoints. The concept of failure, in this context, only truly applies at the very end of one’s life, and even then, it is often determined by others, not by the individual themselves. To declare oneself a failure before death is considered an affront to the divine and a betrayal of one’s own existence.

2. The Philosophy of Continuous Experimentation and Resilience
   Huh Kyung-young extends the concept of experimentation to broader historical and spiritual contexts. He points out that religions like Buddhism and Christianity have undergone extensive periods of experimentation (실험) in Korea, adapting their systems and approaches over centuries. This continuous process of adjustment and refinement is inherent to their longevity and evolution. From this perspective, there is no room for despair (좌절), as despair implies a definitive end to the experimental process.

He draws a parallel with the Native American rain dance. Indigenous peoples, when performing a rain dance, continue until rain falls. They do not cease their efforts if rain does not appear after a day or a week; they persist until the desired outcome is achieved. This unwavering commitment stems from a belief system that does not acknowledge error or failure in the conventional sense. For them, the rain dance is an ongoing experiment, and its cessation only occurs upon success. This contrasts sharply with the impatience often observed in modern society, where people tend to abandon efforts quickly if immediate benefits are not apparent. Life, according to Huh Kyung-young, should be approached with the same relentless spirit as the Native American rain dance, continuing until the very end.

3. The True Measure of Success and Failure: Beyond Material Wealth
   Huh Kyung-young redefines success and failure, moving beyond conventional societal metrics. a person who lives a life of material comfort but fails to convert their blessings (복) into virtue (덕) is, in the eyes of the divine, a failure (실패자). This concept is elucidated through the etymological breakdown of the Chinese characters for “blessing” and “virtue.” The character for “blessing” (福) depicts a person looking at fertile land, symbolizing material abundance. In contrast, the character for “virtue” (德) incorporates the radical for “two people” (二人), signifying actions performed for the benefit of others.

Therefore, true failure is not about financial ruin or imprisonment, but about the inability to transform personal blessings into actions that benefit humanity. A wealthy individual who dies without contributing to society, despite their comfortable life, is considered a failure in the spiritual realm. This is akin to failing to “exchange currency” in the spiritual economy, leading to a lower rebirth. The concept of Noblesse Oblige (노블레스 오블리주), the idea that privilege entails responsibility, is presented as a natural duty rather than an act of charity. Fulfilling this duty is not a “good deed” but a fundamental obligation; neglecting it constitutes a transgression.

4. The Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심) and the Pitfalls of Self-Conscious Benevolence
   Huh Kyung-young introduces the concept of the Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심), which are crucial for spiritual growth and avoiding true failure. These four minds are: Purity of Mind (청정심), Immeasurable Mind (무량심), Compassion (자비심), and Wisdom (지혜심). The core principle underlying these is that acts of benevolence should be performed without any expectation of recognition or self-congratulation.

if one performs a good deed, such as donating to charity or helping someone in need, and then harbors thoughts of having done something praiseworthy, that act becomes tainted. This self-awareness transforms the act into a form of boasting (보시심), which is considered a transgression. For instance, giving a scholarship to a poor student should be done in a way that preserves the student’s dignity, not as a display of the donor’s wealth or generosity. The ideal is to act as if one is helping oneself, recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings. When helping a beggar, one should feel as if they are helping a part of themselves, rather than an external “other.” This selfless approach, where the act is performed without any mental ledger, is the essence of the Immeasurable Mind.

5. The Principle of Equality (평등심) and the Dangers of Discrimination
   the Four Immeasurable Minds can be summarized as the Principle of Equality (평등심). This principle dictates that all human beings should be viewed as equals, without discrimination. He criticizes historical examples, such as the ancient Israelites, for their perceived discriminatory mindset (차별심), which led them to view other ethnic groups as inferior. This arrogance, he suggests, ultimately led to their suffering.

The opposite of the Principle of Equality is Self-Serving Service (봉사심). If one believes they are “serving” others, they are still operating from a place of separation, viewing the recipient as distinct from themselves. True benevolence, aligned with the Immeasurable Mind, recognizes that helping others is akin to helping oneself. It is a natural extension of one’s own being, not an act of external service. Therefore, using terms like “service” or “contribution” with a sense of self-importance is indicative of a flawed mindset that can lead to spiritual downfall. The ideal is to act without any consciousness of “doing good” for others, understanding that all beings are interconnected.

6. The Cosmic Perspective: Human Birth as the Ultimate Success
   Huh Kyung-young offers a profound cosmic perspective on human existence, asserting that simply being born as a human is the ultimate success (성공). He explains that the universe contains an immense number of planets where life exists, including 720 planets within our own galaxy and 3.62 million planets across the cosmos that harbor human-like life. The probability of being born as a human on Earth is astronomically low, often cited as 300 million to 500 million to one.

Given this incredible rarity, every individual’s existence is inherently precious and a testament to an extraordinary triumph. Therefore, to consider oneself a “failure” in life is to disregard this profound initial success. Regardless of one’s material circumstances or perceived setbacks, the very act of being born human signifies an unparalleled achievement. This perspective encourages a deep appreciation for life and a rejection of self-deprecating labels, emphasizing that true failure lies not in external circumstances but in a lack of humility and an inability to recognize the inherent value of one’s own existence.

7. The Interconnectedness of Existence and the Role of “My Mind”
   the profound impact of one’s own mind (마음) on the perception of reality and the well-being of others. He states, “If my mind is righteous, all people become righteous.” This echoes the Buddhist principle of “All is created by the mind (일체유심조)” (일체유심조), suggesting that one’s internal state shapes their external world. If one’s mind is pure and benevolent, they will perceive goodness in others and, by extension, influence the world around them positively.

This principle extends to personal relationships: “I create my husband; I create my wife.” This means that the qualities one perceives in their spouse are, to a significant degree, a reflection of their own internal state and how they choose to interact with that person. There is no objective “good” or “bad” in others; rather, one’s perception is shaped by their own mind. Therefore, instead of attempting to change others, the focus should be on cultivating one’s own inner righteousness. This self-transformation is the most effective way to bring about positive change in the world.

8. The Importance of Hidden Virtue (음덕) for Future Generations
   Huh Kyung-young strongly advocates for the practice of Hidden Virtue (음덕), which refers to performing good deeds secretly, without seeking any recognition or allowing others to know. openly displaying one’s good deeds or accumulating wealth for one’s children can inadvertently lead to their downfall. Giving children excessive wealth or education can make them arrogant and incapable of appreciating the value of hard work, ultimately turning them into failures.

Instead, true protection and blessing for future generations come from accumulating Hidden Virtue. When good deeds are performed in secret, “in the dark and darkest places” where no one, not even the heavens, is aware, these actions create a spiritual inheritance that genuinely safeguards one’s descendants. This is considered the most profound form of inheritance (개산), far more valuable than material wealth or academic achievements. It ensures that children are protected and guided by an unseen force, allowing them to build their own lives with resilience and purpose, rather than being burdened by unearned privilege.

1. Learning Objectives

• Understand the difference between mistakes (실수), experiments (실험), and failures (실패), recognizing that true failure is a matter of perspective and not an end state.
• Explore the concept of Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심) – purity, boundless giving, compassion, and wisdom – as essential for a fulfilling life and avoiding true failure.
• Recognize the importance of empathy (남의 마음) and humility (겸손) in personal conduct and societal contribution, contrasting it with arrogance and self-serving actions.

2. Understanding Mistakes, Experiments, and Failure

2.1 Mistakes vs. Experiments

• A mistake (실수) is a small error that can be fixed.
  • Analogy: Building a house and making a small error in a wall. You can fix it.
• An experiment (실험) is trying something new to gain experience.
  • Example: Thomas Edison tried 20,000 times to invent the light bulb, seeing each attempt as an experiment, not a failure.
• Life is a continuous series of experiments until death.
  • Implication: There is no true “failure” until the very end of life, as long as you keep trying.

2.2 The Illusion of Failure

• Many people mistakenly call experiments (실험) or experiences (경험) “failures”.
  • Example: Bill Gates dropping out of college was seen as a failure by some, but it was an experience that led to his success.
• True failure (실패) is not about losing money or status.
  • Analogy: Like an American Indian rain dance, you keep going until you succeed; stopping is the only failure.
• Real failure is determined by others after one’s death, not by oneself.
  • Implication: Believing you have failed is an insult to life itself.

2.3 Success Beyond Material Wealth

Overview

Title: Huh Kyung-young Lecture 963: The Truth of Mistakes, Experiments, and Failure
Speaker: Huh Kyung-young
Date: February 14, 2015
Sacred Text Passage: Not explicitly cited, but draws on principles akin to Buddhist and Christian teachings.

One-Sentence Takeaway
Life is a continuous experiment, not a series of failures, and true success lies in cultivating a mind of equality, compassion, and selfless giving, rather than accumulating material wealth or seeking recognition.

Key Points

1. Distinguishing Mistakes from Failures

• Introduction: People often confuse mistakes with failures, leading to unnecessary despair.
• Message Development:
  • Mistakes as Experiments: Building a structure and making an error is a mistake, not a failure, because it can be corrected. Similarly, historical figures like Hitler were considered successful until their death, and Bill Gates’s college dropout was seen as a failure by peers, but it was merely an experience or experiment.
  • Edison’s 20,000 Experiments: Edison famously conducted 20,000 experiments before inventing the lightbulb, stating he never failed but only found ways that didn’t work. This highlights that repeated attempts are experiments, not failures.
  • Life as an Experiment: Just as religions like Buddhism and Christianity have experimented and adapted over centuries, human life itself is an ongoing experiment until death. Therefore, despair has no place.
  • The Indian Rain Dance: Indigenous people perform rain dances until rain comes, demonstrating a mindset free from the concept of failure; they simply continue until the desired outcome is achieved. This persistence is a metaphor for life.
• Key Message: True failure only occurs at the very end of life, and even then, it is judged by others, not oneself.

2. The Three Minds for a Righteous Life

• Introduction: To live a life aligned with divine principles, one must cultivate three specific mindsets.
• Message Development:
  • God’s Mind (하나님 마음): Always share with those who have nothing, treating guests as if an angel resides within them. This means seeing the divine in everyone, even the seemingly destitute.
  • Parents’ Mind (부모님 마음): Empathize with the struggles of others, especially those working hard, by imagining the love and effort their parents put into raising them. This fosters compassion and encourages support without judgment.
  • Others’ Mind (남의 마음): Put yourself in others’ shoes, especially when it comes to relationships, and prioritize their well-being and happiness over personal desires.
• Key Message: Living with God’s mind, parents’ mind, and others’ mind prevents selfish actions and fosters true compassion.

3. The Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심)

• Introduction: The four immeasurable minds are essential for avoiding sin and living a virtuous life.
• Message Development:
  • Pure Mind (청정심): Perform good deeds without expecting anything in return or keeping a mental tally. If you remember your good deeds, it becomes a sin.
  • Immeasurable Mind (무량심): Give to others without making them feel indebted or inferior. True giving is like a scholarship that preserves dignity.
  • Compassionate Mind (자비심): Feel pity and compassion for others, but recognize that this is a step towards true empathy, not the ultimate goal.
  • Wisdom Mind (지혜심): This is the fourth immeasurable mind.
• Key Message: When you help someone, view it as helping yourself, just as a mother feels full when her child eats. True giving is not an act of charity but an act of self-care, as all beings are interconnected.

4. The True Meaning of Failure and Success

• Introduction: Society often misinterprets failure and success, leading to a distorted view of life.
• Message Development:
  • Failure is Not Financial Ruin: Going bankrupt or even to prison for business failure is not true failure; it is an experiment and an experience. Such individuals learn and are less likely to repeat mistakes.
  • Failure is Not Converting Blessings to Virtue: The real failure is dying without transforming one’s blessings (복) into virtue (덕) by helping others. A wealthy person who lives comfortably but does not contribute to society is a failure in the eyes of heaven.
  • Noblesse Oblige: Those with privilege have an obligation to help others. Fulfilling this duty is not a good deed but a natural expectation; failing to do so is a sin.
  • The Danger of Pride in Good Deeds: Those who boast about their contributions or feel superior for their good deeds are considered failures by heaven. Conversely, those who acknowledge their shortcomings and feel remorse are seen favorably.
  • Equality (평등심) vs. Service (봉사심): The four immeasurable minds can be summarized as “equality.” The opposite of equality is “service mind” (봉사심), which implies a distinction between giver and receiver. True help is seeing others as extensions of oneself, eliminating the concept of “service.”
• Key Message: Success is not about material gain or public recognition, but about cultivating humility, empathy, and transforming personal blessings into collective virtue through selfless action.

5. The Importance of “Hidden Virtue” (음덕)

• Introduction: While accumulating wealth or knowledge for one’s children might seem beneficial, it can actually hinder their growth and lead to failure.
• Message Development:
  • Inheritance Can Be Detrimental: Giving children too much money or excessive education can make them complacent, arrogant, and unable to appreciate the value of hard work.
  • The Power of Hidden Virtue: Instead of direct inheritance, parents should accumulate “hidden virtue” (음덕) by performing good deeds secretly, without anyone knowing.
  • Protection for Descendants: This hidden virtue acts as a protective force for future generations, ensuring their well-being and success in ways that material wealth cannot.
• Key Message: True legacy is built not through visible wealth or status, but through unseen acts of kindness and virtue that protect and guide one’s descendants.

Application and Practice
This week, let’s practice:

• Empathy in Daily Interactions: When encountering someone in need, try to imagine their parents’ hopes for them or their struggles, fostering a sense of shared humanity.
• Selfless Giving: Perform acts of kindness or charity without seeking recognition or even acknowledging it as a “good deed.” See it as an extension of caring for yourself.
• Mindful Language: Be conscious of how you speak about others’ “failures” or your own “successes,” recognizing that life is a continuous experiment and true failure lies in a lack of humility and compassion.

Reflection Questions

• Q1: How can I reframe a recent “failure” in my life as an “experiment” or “experience” that has taught me something valuable?
• Q2: In what specific area of my life can I practice “hidden virtue” (음덕) this week, helping someone without seeking any recognition?
• Q3: How can I cultivate a “mind of equality” (평등심) in my interactions, seeing others as extensions of myself rather than separate entities to be “served”?

Other Useful Information

The Hardest Thing in the World
The hardest thing in the world is to be born as a human. Being born as a human is already a success, as it involves overcoming immense odds (e.g., 300-500 million to 1). Therefore, every human life is precious and should not be disrespected.

The Changing Nature of “Heaven’s Will” (인명재천)
Historically, it was believed that “human life is determined by heaven” (인명재천). However, in the 21st century, Mr. Huh suggests that “human life is determined by one’s spouse” (인명재처), emphasizing the critical role of a spouse in one’s well-being and longevity. This highlights the importance of treating one’s spouse well.

The Truth of Mistakes and Failures

1. Distinguishing Between Mistakes and Failures
   What people often refer to as failure is, in fact, merely a mistake or an experiment. For instance, constructing a building with an error is a mistake, not a failure, because it can be rectified. Similarly, a person’s life cannot be definitively labeled a failure until their very last breath.

Consider historical figures:

• Adolf Hitler was highly successful until his death at 54. From a conventional perspective, he was a powerful figure.
• Bill Gates dropped out of college due to financial difficulties, leading many to believe he had failed. However, this was merely an experience, an experiment.
  Thomas Edison’s invention of the light bulb after 20,000 attempts is a prime example. People often say, “Failure is the mother of success,” but Edison himself stated he never failed. He considered each attempt an experiment. He continuously tried different approaches, viewing each unsuccessful attempt as a step in the experimental process. He questioned how one could speak of failure when life itself had not yet ended.

This perspective extends to religious history. Buddhism has undergone over 2,500 years of experimentation in Korea, and Christianity over 150 years. These religions continuously adapt their systems, demonstrating an ongoing process of experimentation. Therefore, despair has no place in this worldview.

2. The Wisdom of the Native Americans and the Nature of Life
   The Native Americans offer a profound lesson on this concept. When they perform a rain dance, it always rains. Why? Because they continue the ritual until it rains. They do not cease their efforts if rain does not immediately appear, thus ensuring success. This unwavering persistence means they do not acknowledge concepts like mistakes or failures.

Life itself is akin to the Native American rain dance. It is a continuous endeavor until the very end. A person’s life is judged as a success or failure by others only after their death. From one’s own perspective, declaring oneself a failure is an affront to the divine and a betrayal of life itself.

3. The Three Minds: God’s Mind, Parents’ Mind, and Others’ Mind
   To live a truly fulfilling life, one must cultivate three essential mindsets :

• God’s Mind (하나님 마음): This involves sharing even a single cup of water with those who have nothing. It means treating every guest as if an angel resides within them, recognizing the divine in all beings.
• Parents’ Mind (부모님 마음): This is about understanding the immense effort and love parents invest in raising their children. When encountering someone struggling, one should feel the pain of their parents. For example, seeing vendors carrying heavy goods late at night evokes the sorrow a parent would feel for their child. This empathy leads to offering encouragement rather than pity.
• Others’ Mind (남의 마음): This is the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes. Instead of imposing one’s own will, one strives to understand and embody the feelings of others. This means considering what would bring happiness to others, rather than seeking personal gain.
  These three minds are interconnected. When one’s own mind is righteous, all others appear righteous. This aligns with the Buddhist principle of “Ilcheyusimjo” (一切唯心造), meaning “everything is created by the mind”. It implies that one should transform oneself before attempting to change the world.

4. The Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심)
   The concept of the Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심) is crucial for avoiding sin and living a virtuous life. These are:

• Purity of Mind (청정심): This is a mind free from defilement. It means performing good deeds without expecting anything in return or harboring a sense of superiority. For instance, providing a scholarship should be done discreetly to avoid shaming the recipient. Any act of charity (보시, bosi) becomes tainted if one feels they are “giving” to another. True purity means not keeping a mental record of one’s good deeds.
• Immeasurable Mind (무량심): This is a mind that gives without measure or expectation. It means not dwelling on the material aspects of one’s actions.
• Compassion (자비심): This is the feeling of pity or sympathy for others. However, if this compassion stems from a sense of superiority, it becomes arrogance (자만심). True compassion is a genuine feeling of empathy.
• Wisdom (지혜심): This is the understanding that when one helps another, it is akin to helping oneself. Just as a mother feels nourished when her child eats, helping others should feel like helping a part of oneself. Therefore, the act of “donating” (기부, gibu) is problematic if it implies a separation between giver and receiver. All people are interconnected, like members of one family. The vast network of people involved in producing even a single carrot demonstrates this interconnectedness.

5. The True Meaning of Failure and Success
   Failure is not about business bankruptcy or imprisonment. Those are merely experiments and experiences. True failure lies in failing to transform one’s blessings (복, bok) into virtue (덕, deok).

• Blessings (복, bok): The Hanja character for bok (福) depicts a person looking at a field of sustenance before them. It signifies having enough to live comfortably.
• Virtue (덕, deok): The Hanja character for deok (德) includes the radical for “two people” (二人). It represents acting for the benefit of others. It means transforming one’s own blessings into blessings for others.
  A wealthy person who lives comfortably but dies without contributing to others is considered a failure in the eyes of heaven. This is the essence of Noblesse Oblige (노블레스 오블리주): the obligation of the privileged to act with generosity and responsibility. Such acts are not “good deeds” but rather a fundamental duty.

Conversely, those who experience setbacks, like business failures or imprisonment, often harbor a sense of remorse. This humility is acceptable to heaven. However, those who boast of their contributions and successes are often seen as failures by heaven.

6. Freedom (자유) vs. License (방종)
   Freedom (자유, jayu) is a right earned by those who fulfill their duties. It is not merely doing as one pleases within legal boundaries. License (방종, bangjong) is the opposite of freedom. For example, if a young person remains seated on a subway while an elderly person or a pregnant woman stands, believing they have paid their fare and are entitled to the seat, this is license, not freedom. True freedom entails fulfilling one’s human obligations, such as offering one’s seat.

7. The Importance of Hidden Virtue (음덕)
   It is crucial to accumulate hidden virtue (음덕, eumdeok). This means performing good deeds secretly, without anyone knowing, especially one’s own family. If one’s good deeds become public knowledge, the blessings may not reach one’s descendants.

Giving money to children can make them failures. It deprives them of the joy of building something themselves. Even when providing business capital, it is better to give only a portion, allowing them to experience struggle and growth. Similarly, excessive education can lead to arrogance, causing children to disrespect others.

Therefore, instead of leaving wealth or excessive education to descendants, one should accumulate hidden virtue. This unseen virtue, performed in secret, is what truly protects one’s children and constitutes genuine inheritance.

8. The Rarest and Most Precious Thing
   The most difficult thing in this world is to be born as a human being. The odds of conception are astronomically low, perhaps 300 million to 1 or 500 million to 1. Simply being born as a human is already a success. Therefore, one should never disrespect another human being.

Success and failure are not determined by material wealth or worldly achievements, but by whether one is arrogant (교만하냐, gyomanhanya) or not. Even if one’s life seems to end in ruin, if one maintains a humble heart and faith in a higher purpose, they are not a victim. The preciousness of human life must be recognized.

The Truth of Mistakes and Failures by Huh Kyung-young

1. Basic Information

• Lecture Session and Date: Huh Kyung-young Lecture 963rd, February 14, 2015
• One-sentence main theme or title summary: Huh Kyung-young distinguishes between “mistakes” and “failures,” asserting that true failure lies not in external setbacks but in the inability to transform blessings into virtue and to live with a mind of universal empathy.
• Location: Not specified in the source.
• Key Segments:
  • Distinguishing Mistake from Failure: Huh Kyung-young clarifies that events like building errors or business bankruptcies are mere “mistakes” or “experiments,” not “failures,” as long as one is alive and learning. True failure is defined by the inability to convert one’s blessings into virtue for others.
  • The Mind of Empathy (Samuryangsim): He emphasizes the importance of living with a “God’s mind,” “parents’ mind,” and “others’ mind,” which he equates to Samuryangsim (Four Immeasurable Minds): Cheongjeongsim (Purity), Muryangsim (Immeasurable Mind/Generosity without expectation), Jabisim (Compassion), and Jihyesim (Wisdom).
  • The Concept of “Deok” (Virtue): Bok (blessings/fortune) must be transformed into Deok (virtue) by sharing with others. Failing to do so, even if one lives a comfortable life, constitutes a failure in the eyes of heaven.
  • Critique of “Noblesse Oblige” and “Service”: acts of charity or service, if done with the expectation of recognition or a sense of superiority, become “sins” or “failures.” True virtue comes from acting as if helping oneself, without any sense of “giving” or “serving.”
  • The Importance of “Eumdeok” (Hidden Virtue): He stresses that accumulating Eumdeok (virtue performed secretly, without seeking recognition) is the most valuable inheritance for one’s descendants, far more beneficial than material wealth or excessive education, which can lead to arrogance and failure.

2. Core Messages
3. “Life is an experiment, not a failure until death.”

• Explanation: Huh Kyung-young teaches that setbacks in life, such as business bankruptcy or personal errors, should be viewed as “experiments” or “mistakes” that provide experience, rather than definitive “failures.” True failure only occurs when one dies without having learned or transformed.

2. “True failure is the inability to convert ‘Bok’ (blessings) into ‘Deok’ (virtue).”

• Explanation: Possessing wealth or good fortune (Bok) without using it to benefit others or contribute to society is considered a failure in the eyes of heaven, regardless of worldly success. The purpose of blessings is to be transformed into virtue.

3. “Live with Samuryangsim (Four Immeasurable Minds): Purity, Immeasurable Generosity, Compassion, and Wisdom.”

• Explanation: These four minds—God’s mind, parents’ mind, and others’ mind—guide one to act with universal empathy, treating others as oneself, and giving without expectation or a sense of superiority.

4. “Acts of ‘service’ or ‘charity’ done with self-awareness or pride are sins.”

• Explanation: When one helps others, it should be done with the mindset that “I am helping myself,” as all humanity is interconnected. Acknowledging one’s own good deeds or expecting recognition negates the virtue of the act.

5. “The greatest inheritance for descendants is ‘Eumdeok’ (hidden virtue), not material wealth or excessive education.”

• Explanation: Providing too much material wealth or education to children can make them complacent, arrogant, and ultimately lead to failure. Instead, secretly performing good deeds that no one knows about accumulates Eumdeok, which truly protects and guides one’s descendants.

3. Detailed Summary

Block 1: Redefining Failure and Mistake

• Topic Keyword/Phrase: Life as an Experiment
• Main Assertions and Explanations: what people commonly label as “failure” (e.g., a failed business, a building error) is, in fact, merely a “mistake” or an “experiment.” as long as a person is alive, they are still in the process of experimentation and learning. True failure cannot be declared until one’s life has ended.
• Analogies, Examples, Biblical/Scientific/Historical References:
  • Hitler: He notes that Hitler was successful until his death at 54, implying that his ultimate “failure” was judged by history, not by his personal experience during his lifetime.
  • Bill Gates: People initially viewed Bill Gates’ college dropout as a “failure,” but it was merely an “experience” or “experiment” that led to his eventual success.
  • Edison: Edison’s 20,000 attempts to invent the lightbulb were not “failures” but “experiments.” Edison himself stated he never failed, only found ways that didn’t work.
  • Korean Religions: Buddhism (2500+ years) and Christianity (150 years) in Korea are described as ongoing “experiments” that continuously adapt their systems.
• Practical Message or Application: Do not be discouraged by setbacks or “failures” in life. View them as opportunities for learning and experimentation. “Despair does not exist.”

Block 2: The Indian Rain Dance and the Nature of Perseverance

• Topic Keyword/Phrase: Perseverance and Certainty
• Main Assertions and Explanations: Huh Kyung-young highlights the unwavering perseverance of Native American Indians in their rain dances. They continue the ritual until rain comes, demonstrating a mindset where “mistake” or “failure” is not an option because they simply do not stop until the desired outcome is achieved.
• Analogies, Examples, Biblical/Scientific/Historical References:
  • Native American Rain Dance: Indians perform rain dances until it rains, never stopping prematurely. This contrasts with modern people who quickly give up if immediate results are not seen.
• Practical Message or Application: Cultivate a mindset of relentless perseverance. Do not give up on your goals until they are achieved, as true failure only occurs when you stop trying. “Our life is like the Indian rain dance until the very end.”

Block 3: The Three Minds and Samuryangsim (Four Immeasurable Minds)

• Topic Keyword/Phrase: Empathy and Universal Consciousness
• Main Assertions and Explanations: Huh Kyung-young introduces the concept of living with three minds: God’s mind, parents’ mind, and others’ mind. He then elaborates on Samuryangsim (Four Immeasurable Minds) as the foundation for a virtuous life, emphasizing that these minds should be practiced without self-awareness or expectation of reward.
• Analogies, Examples, Biblical/Scientific/Historical References:
  • God’s Mind: Sharing even a cup of water with a thirsty person, seeing an angel within them.
  • Parents’ Mind: Feeling the pain of parents raising their children, especially when seeing someone struggling. He recounts buying rice cakes from struggling vendors, feeling their parents’ pain.
  • Others’ Mind: Thinking of a woman’s parents’ hopes for her future rather than selfish desires.
  • Samuryangsim Components:
  • Cheongjeongsim (Purity): Acting without any thought of personal gain or merit.
  • Muryangsim (Immeasurable Mind/Generosity without expectation): Giving without making the recipient feel indebted or inferior, like a scholarship given anonymously.
  • Jabisim (Compassion): Feeling pity or sympathy for others, which he clarifies is a positive, empathetic circle.
  • Jihyesim (Wisdom): The ultimate mind that allows one to see others as oneself, eliminating the concept of “helping others” because it’s like helping oneself.
• Practical Message or Application: Cultivate deep empathy by putting yourself in others’ shoes. When helping, do so with a pure heart, without expecting anything in return, and without making the other person feel inferior.

Block 4: The Transformation of Bok (Blessings) into Deok (Virtue)

• Topic Keyword/Phrase: True Success and Nobility
• Main Assertions and Explanations: Huh Kyung-young explains the difference between Bok (blessings/fortune) and Deok (virtue). Bok is having personal wealth or good circumstances, while Deok is the act of transforming that Bok into something beneficial for others. a person who dies having accumulated Bok but failed to convert it into Deok is a “failure” in the eyes of heaven, regardless of their worldly success.
• Analogies, Examples, Biblical/Scientific/Historical References:
  • Chinese Characters for Bok and Deok: He breaks down the characters for Bok (福) and Deok (德) to illustrate their meanings. Bok implies having enough to eat and a field to cultivate, while Deok involves two people (meaning others) and love for the world, signifying sharing and benefiting others.
  • Noblesse Oblige: He reinterprets Noblesse Oblige not as a commendable act of charity, but as a fundamental duty. Failing to fulfill this duty is a sin, and performing it is merely doing what is expected, not something to be praised.
• Practical Message or Application: Do not hoard your blessings. Actively seek ways to use your fortune, talents, and resources to benefit others. Understand that this is not an act of charity but a fundamental duty, and doing so without self-congratulation is the path to true virtue.

Block 5: The Dangers of Self-Conscious Service and False Success

• Topic Keyword/Phrase: The Pitfalls of Pride and Self-Righteousness
• Main Assertions and Explanations: Huh Kyung-young warns against the dangers of performing good deeds with a sense of self-importance or expecting recognition. such actions, even if outwardly benevolent, are considered “sins” or “failures” in the spiritual realm. True virtue requires acting without any awareness of “giving” or “serving,” seeing it as an extension of helping oneself.
• Analogies, Examples, Biblical/Scientific/Historical References:
  • Scholarships: Giving a scholarship directly to a poor student can hurt their pride; it’s better to give it through a foundation to avoid making them feel inferior.
  • Mother Feeding Child: A mother feels full when her child eats, even if she herself is hungry. This is the ideal mindset for helping others—seeing their well-being as one’s own.
  • The Prodigal Son vs. The Elder Son: He contrasts the prodigal son, who repents and is welcomed, with the elder son, who is self-righteous and resentful of his father’s generosity. The elder son, despite his obedience, is seen as a “failure” in heaven’s eyes due to his pride.
  • Jewish People’s “Failure”: He describes the Jewish people as “failures” in heaven’s eyes due to their arrogance, strict adherence to self-made laws, and discriminatory view of other nations, which led to their suffering.
• Practical Message or Application: When you help others, do so with humility and without any expectation of praise or recognition. Understand that all beings are interconnected, and helping others is ultimately helping yourself. Avoid pride in your good deeds.

Block 6: The Power of Eumdeok (Hidden Virtue) and the Dangers of Inheritance

• Topic Keyword/Phrase: True Legacy and Child-Rearing
• Main Assertions and Explanations: leaving material wealth or excessive education to children can actually harm them, making them complacent, arrogant, and prone to failure. The most valuable inheritance is Eumdeok (hidden virtue)—good deeds performed secretly, without anyone’s knowledge. This Eumdeok protects and guides one’s descendants.
• Analogies, Examples, Biblical/Scientific/Historical References:
  • Inheriting Wealth: Giving children too much money can make them “failures” by depriving them of the joy and satisfaction of building something themselves.
  • Excessive Education: Over-educating children can lead to arrogance and a sense of superiority, causing them to look down on others and potentially commit misdeeds, as exemplified by some Seoul National University professors.
  • Hidden Virtue: Performing good deeds in secret, “in the dark of night,” ensures that the virtue goes directly to one’s descendants, as heaven acknowledges it without human interference.
• Practical Message or Application: Focus on accumulating Eumdeok by performing good deeds secretly. Do not spoil your children with excessive wealth or education; allow them to experience hardship and build their own lives.

Block 7: The Importance of Humility and the Value of Human Life

• Topic Keyword/Phrase: Respect for All Beings
• Main Assertions and Explanations: the importance of humility and respect for all people, regardless of age or academic background. simply being born as a human is an immense success, given the astronomical odds. Therefore, no one should be looked down upon.
• Analogies, Examples, Biblical/Scientific/Historical References:
  • Not Asking Age or Academic Background: In the new era, one should not ask about age or academic background, as these are irrelevant to a person’s true worth.
  • Odds of Human Birth: Being born as a human is a 300 million to 500 million to 1 chance, making every human existence inherently precious and successful.
• Practical Message or Application: Treat every person with respect and humility, recognizing the inherent value of their existence. Avoid judgment based on superficial factors like age or education.

4. Key Quotes Collection
5. “Life, until death, you don’t know if it’s a failure or a mistake.”

• Context: Distinguishing between temporary setbacks and ultimate failure.

2. “Edison never failed once. He said he was experimenting.”

• Context: Explaining that setbacks are experiments, not failures.

3. “Despair does not exist.”

• Context: Encouraging perseverance and a positive outlook on challenges.

4. “Our life is like the Indian rain dance until the very end.”

• Context: Emphasizing unwavering persistence until a goal is achieved.

5. “All things are made by my mind.”

• Context: Explaining the Buddhist concept of Ilcheyusimjo (everything is created by the mind).

6. “If my mind is righteous, all people become righteous.”

• Context: Highlighting the power of individual transformation to influence the world.

7. “If I help that beggar, and I become that beggar’s mind, then I haven’t helped anyone.”

• Context: Explaining the concept of Jihyesim (Wisdom) in Samuryangsim, where helping others is seen as helping oneself.

8. “A person who fails to convert ‘Bok’ (blessings) into ‘Deok’ (virtue) is a failure.”

• Context: Defining true failure not by material loss but by spiritual stagnation.

9. “Noblesse Oblige is a duty. If you don’t do it, you commit a sin.”

• Context: Reinterpreting social responsibility as a fundamental obligation, not a commendable act.

10. “If you put [your good deeds] in your mind, it becomes a sin.”

• Context: Warning against pride and self-awareness in acts of charity or service.

11. “The greatest inheritance for children is ‘Eumdeok’ (hidden virtue).”

• Context: Advocating for secret good deeds over material or educational inheritance.

12. “Being born as a human is the most difficult thing in this world.”

• Context: Emphasizing the inherent preciousness and success of human existence.

5. Mindmap Structure

• Central Node: The Truth of Mistakes and Failures by Huh Kyung-young
  • Level 1: Redefining Failure
  • Level 2: Mistake vs. Failure
  • Level 3: Mistakes are experiments (Edison, Bill Gates)
  • Level 3: Failure only at death (Hitler)
  • Level 3: Despair does not exist
  • Level 2: Perseverance
  • Level 3: Indian Rain Dance analogy
  • Level 3: Never give up until the goal is met
  • Level 1: The Mind of Empathy (Samuryangsim)
  • Level 2: Three Minds
  • Level 3: God’s Mind (seeing angels in others)
  • Level 3: Parents’ Mind (empathizing with struggles)
  • Level 3: Others’ Mind (considering their happiness)
  • Level 2: Four Immeasurable Minds (Samuryangsim)
  • Level 3: Cheongjeongsim (Purity)
  • Level 3: Muryangsim (Immeasurable Generosity)
  • Level 3: Jabisim (Compassion)
  • Level 3: Jihyesim (Wisdom – seeing others as self)
  • Level 1: Transforming Blessings into Virtue
  • Level 2: Bok (Blessings) vs. Deok (Virtue)
  • Level 3: Bok is personal fortune
  • Level 3: Deok is sharing Bok with others
  • Level 3: Failure to convert Bok to Deok is true failure
  • Level 2: Critique of “Noblesse Oblige”
  • Level 3: It’s a duty, not a commendable act
  • Level 3: Not doing it is a sin
  • Level 1: Dangers of Self-Conscious Good Deeds
  • Level 2: “Service” and “Charity” with pride are sins
  • Level 3: Giving without making recipient feel inferior (scholarships)
  • Level 3: Mother feeding child analogy
  • Level 3: Prodigal Son vs. Elder Son (humility vs. pride)
  • Level 2: Jewish people’s “failure”
  • Level 3: Arrogance and discrimination
  • Level 3: Excessive self-made laws
  • Level 1: The Power of Eumdeok (Hidden Virtue)
  • Level 2: True Inheritance
  • Level 3: Material wealth can make children failures
  • Level 3: Excessive education can lead to arrogance
  • Level 3: Eumdeok protects descendants
  • Level 2: How to practice Eumdeok
  • Level 3: Perform good deeds secretly, “in the dark of night”
  • Level 1: Inherent Value of Human Life
  • Level 2: Humility and Respect
  • Level 3: Do not ask age or academic background
  • Level 3: Being born human is the greatest success (500 million to 1 odds)
  • Level 3: All people are precious

6. Historical / Doctrinal Connections
   This lecture by Huh Kyung-young deeply connects with and builds upon his established teachings, particularly his emphasis on spiritual transformation, universal empathy, and a redefinition of success and failure that transcends material outcomes.

• Divine-Human Theory and Universal Interconnectedness: The core message of living with “God’s mind,” “parents’ mind,” and “others’ mind” directly aligns with his divine-human theory, which posits that humans have the potential to embody divine qualities. The idea that “I am helping myself” when helping others, and that all people are “my limbs” or “my family,” reinforces the concept of universal interconnectedness, a cornerstone of his philosophy. This lecture extends this by explicitly stating that all people are “our ancestors’ siblings”.
• Critique of Materialism and Conventional Success: His redefinition of “failure” as the inability to convert blessings into virtue, rather than material loss, is a consistent theme in his teachings. He frequently challenges the materialistic values of modern society, asserting that true success is spiritual and moral. This lecture further solidifies this by stating that even a rich person who dies without contributing to others is a “failure” in heaven’s eyes.
• Emphasis on Inner Transformation over External Action: The strong warning against self-conscious acts of charity or service (which he calls “sins”) directly relates to his emphasis on inner purity and intention. This is a recurring theme in his lectures, where the “mind” (마음) is the ultimate determinant of spiritual outcome, not just outward actions. The concept of Muryangsim (Immeasurable Mind) and Eumdeok (Hidden Virtue) are practical applications of this principle.
• “Ilcheyusimjo” (Everything is Created by the Mind): His reference to the Buddhist concept of “Ilcheyusimjo” (일체유심조) directly links to his teaching that one’s internal state shapes external reality. “If my mind is righteous, all people become righteous” is a direct application of this principle, emphasizing personal responsibility for one’s perception of the world.
• Critique of Legalism and Discrimination: His criticism of the Jewish people’s “failure” due to their arrogance, excessive laws, and discriminatory views aligns with his broader message against rigid dogmas and any form of prejudice. He advocates for Pyeongdeungsim (Equality Mind) as the opposite of such discriminatory attitudes.
• Newly Emphasized Points/Developments:
  • Explicit Definition of Samuryangsim: While the concepts of empathy and selfless giving are always present, this lecture provides a very clear and structured breakdown of Samuryangsim (Cheongjeongsim, Muryangsim, Jabisim, Jihyesim) and their practical implications, particularly the warning against self-awareness in good deeds.
  • Stronger Warning Against Inheritance: The lecture offers a particularly strong and detailed warning against leaving material wealth or excessive education to children, explicitly stating that it can make them “failures.” This is a more direct and forceful articulation of a concept that might have been implied in previous teachings about self-reliance and spiritual growth.
  • “Eumdeok” as the Ultimate Inheritance: The concept of Eumdeok (hidden virtue) is presented as the definitive and most effective way to protect and bless one’s descendants, offering a concrete alternative to conventional inheritance.

7. Action Items & Blessing Guidance

8. Reframe Setbacks as Experiments: When faced with difficulties or “failures,” consciously view them as “mistakes” or “experiments” that provide valuable experience, rather than definitive endpoints. Do not despair, but persevere like the Indian rain dancers.

9. Practice Samuryangsim (Four Immeasurable Minds) with Humility: Act with Cheongjeongsim (Purity), Muryangsim (Immeasurable Generosity), Jabisim (Compassion), and Jihyesim (Wisdom). This means treating others as yourself, giving without expectation, and never taking pride in your good deeds. Avoid the mindset of “serving” or “donating” with self-awareness.

10. Transform Blessings into Virtue (Bok to Deok): Actively seek ways to use your personal blessings (wealth, talents, good fortune) to benefit others and society. Understand that this is a fundamental duty, not an optional act of charity. Failing to do so is considered a spiritual failure.

11. Cultivate Eumdeok (Hidden Virtue) for Your Descendants: Instead of leaving material wealth or excessive education to your children, focus on performing good deeds secretly, without anyone’s knowledge. This Eumdeok will truly protect and guide your descendants, preventing them from becoming complacent or arrogant.

12. Respect All Human Beings: Recognize the immense value and inherent success of simply being born as a human. Avoid judging others based on age, academic background, or social status, and treat everyone with humility and respect.

13. One-Sentence Overall Summary
    Huh Kyung-young teaches that life’s setbacks are mere experiments, not failures, and true failure lies in the spiritual inability to transform personal blessings into virtue for others, emphasizing that genuine success is achieved through selfless empathy, hidden good deeds, and profound respect for all human existence.

what is the primary difference between a “mistake” (실수) and a “failure” (실패)?

① A mistake is a minor error, while a failure is a complete collapse.
② A mistake is an experience or experiment, while a failure is a judgment made by others after one’s death.
③ A mistake is something that can be corrected, while a failure is irreversible.
④ A mistake is a personal error, while a failure impacts society.

(②, The lecture defines a mistake as an experience or experiment, like Edison’s 20,000 attempts, which are part of a process. Failure, however, is a final judgment made by others, typically after one’s life has concluded, not by the individual themselves. A common misconception is that failure is simply a bigger mistake, but the lecture emphasizes the difference in perspective and finality.)

True or False: “failure is the mother of success” is a correct saying.
(False, The lecture explicitly states that the saying “failure is the mother of success” is incorrect because Edison himself claimed he never failed, only experimented. what people call “failure” is actually just “experimentation” or “experience.” A common misconception is that this proverb is universally true, but the lecture challenges this by redefining what constitutes a failure.)

What is the first of the “Four Immeasurable Minds” (사무량심) mentioned in the lecture?
(청정심 (Pure Mind), The lecture identifies 청정심 (Pure Mind) as the first of the Four Immeasurable Minds. This mind involves acting without expecting anything in return or keeping a record of one’s good deeds. A common misconception is that these minds are about outward actions, but the lecture stresses the internal state and intention.)

Fill in the blank: the phrase “일체유심조” (Everything is created by the mind) is similar to the idea that if “my mind is righteous, then all people become _____.”
(righteous, The lecture explains that “일체유심조” means everything is created by one’s own mind, and similarly, if one’s own mind is righteous, then all other people will also appear or become righteous. A common misconception is that this implies controlling others’ minds, but it’s about how one’s internal state influences their perception of the world.)

What does the lecture suggest is the most difficult thing in the world?
① Achieving great wealth
② Becoming a successful leader
③ Being born as a human
④ Mastering multiple languages

(③, The lecture concludes by stating that being born as a human is the most difficult thing in the world, given the immense odds (e.g., 300 million to 1). Therefore, simply existing as a human is already a success. A common misconception is that success is measured by external achievements, but the lecture redefines it as the inherent value of human existence.)

Intermediate
what is the true meaning of “Noblesse Oblige” (노블레스 오블리주) and how does it relate to “giving” (기부)?
(Noblesse Oblige means that the wealthy or privileged have an inherent duty to help others. The lecture argues that such acts are not “good deeds” to be praised or boasted about, but rather a “natural duty” (당연한 것). If one views their giving as a good deed or expects recognition, it becomes a “보시심” (charity mind) which is considered a “sin” (죄) because it lacks the “무량심” (immeasurable mind) of true selflessness. A common misconception is that giving is always a praiseworthy act, but the lecture emphasizes the importance of the internal motivation and lack of self-recognition.)

True or False: The lecture asserts that if a person performs many good deeds and contributions to society, they are guaranteed to be seen as successful by heaven.
(False, The lecture argues that those who boast about their good deeds or contributions, or keep track of them in their minds, are actually considered “failures” by heaven. Conversely, those who commit wrongs but feel genuine remorse and humility are seen as having potential. The key is the internal state of humility and selflessness, not the outward appearance of good deeds. A common misconception is that outward good deeds automatically equate to heavenly approval, but the lecture highlights the importance of inner intention.)

The lecture discusses the concept of “남의 마음이 내 마음이 되는 것” (making others’ hearts your own). How does this concept apply to helping a beggar or a struggling street vendor?
(This concept means truly empathizing with others to the point where their struggles become your own. When helping a beggar, it’s not about “donating” to someone else, but rather feeling as if you are helping yourself, as if “that person is me.” Similarly, when buying from a struggling street vendor, it’s about understanding their hardship as if it were your own, offering encouragement without patronizing them. This perspective removes the ego of “helping others” and fosters genuine connection. A common misconception is that helping others is an act of charity, but the lecture reframes it as an act of self-compassion and unity.)

What is the lecture’s interpretation of “공소시효” (statute of limitations) in the context of a criminal who evades capture?
① It means the crime is forgotten after a certain period.
② It signifies that the criminal has served their sentence by living as a fugitive.
③ It is a legal loophole that allows criminals to escape justice.
④ It is a divine intervention to give criminals a second chance.

(②, The lecture interprets “공소시효” as a period during which a criminal, by living as a fugitive, is considered to have “served their sentence outside” (바깥에서 형을 살았다). The constant fear and guilt of being a wanted person are seen as a form of punishment, leading to remorse. A common misconception is that it’s merely a legal technicality, but the lecture gives it a moral and spiritual dimension, suggesting that the internal suffering counts as atonement.)

The lecture mentions three conditions for happiness: 선 (goodness), 미 (beauty), and 의 (righteousness). How does the concept of “음덕” (hidden virtue) relate to these conditions, especially in the context of raising children?
( “음덕” (hidden virtue), which is performing good deeds secretly without anyone knowing, is crucial for the well-being of one’s descendants. It states that accumulating wealth or excessive education for children can make them “failures” by depriving them of the joy of self-achievement and fostering arrogance. Instead, secretly performing acts of “덕” (virtue, not just “복” or fortune) ensures that children are protected and guided by an unseen force, which is the true “inheritance” (계산). This aligns with “선” (goodness) and “의” (righteousness) by promoting selfless action and preventing the negative consequences of pride and material dependence. A common misconception is that providing material wealth or extensive education is the best way to help children, but the lecture argues for the spiritual benefit of hidden virtue.)

Advanced
The lecture contrasts the “선민의식” (chosen people mentality) of the Jewish people with the concept of “평등심” (equality mind). How does this contrast explain the historical suffering of the Jewish people, according to the speaker?
(The lecture attributes the historical suffering of the Jewish people, including the Holocaust, to their “선민의식” (chosen people mentality) and “차별심” (discriminatory mind). their excessive focus on creating and adhering to numerous laws (율법) and their view of other nations as inferior led to arrogance and a lack of “평등심” (equality mind). This, according to the lecture, caused heaven to “punish” them, using figures like Hitler, to prevent them from dominating the world with their discriminatory mindset. A common misconception is that their suffering was random or solely human-driven, but the lecture presents a spiritual interpretation linking it to their collective mindset.)

Explain the lecture’s reinterpretation of the Chinese characters for “복” (福 – fortune) and “덕” (德 – virtue), and how this reinterpretation defines a “failure” in life.
(The lecture reinterprets “복” (福) as having material possessions and comfort (represented by “밭” (field) and “입” (mouth) visible to “눈” (eye)), which one “looks at” and possesses. “덕” (德), however, is explained as transcending personal gain, involving “두 사람” (two people) and “사랑” (love) for “시방세계” (the ten directions of the world), meaning one’s “복” is transformed into “남의 마음이 내 마음이 되는 것” (making others’ hearts your own). A “failure” is defined not by financial ruin or imprisonment, but by the inability to transform one’s “복” into “덕” – meaning, dying without having used one’s fortune for the benefit of others, even if they lived comfortably. A common misconception is that failure is purely material, but the lecture elevates it to a spiritual and moral dimension.)

The lecture discusses the “삼극” (three extremes) of “심기신” (mind, energy, body) from the Cheonbugyeong (천부경). Elaborate on how the lecture explains the origin of each of these three components, connecting them to human experience and environment.
@@(The lecture explains the origins of “심기신” as follows:
심 (Mind): Originates from “성품” (nature/disposition), which is shaped by one’s environment and experiences (e.g., people from coastal areas having different dispositions due to historical threats like pirates, leading to fear).
기 (Energy): Originates from “명” (life/destiny), which is directly linked to “목숨” (breath/life force).
신 (Body): Originates from “정자” (sperm/essence), which in turn comes from the “남녀의 촉감” (physical touch between male and female).
This framework suggests that human existence is deeply intertwined with both internal and external factors, from the physical act of conception to the environmental influences on one’s character. A common misconception is that these are isolated concepts, but the lecture connects them in a holistic system.)@@

How does the lecture differentiate between “자유” (freedom) and “방종” (license/indulgence), and what is His concern regarding modern youth in this context?
(The lecture defines “자유” (freedom) as a right that can only be enjoyed by those who have fulfilled their “의무” (duties). In contrast, “방종” (license/indulgence) is described as doing whatever one pleases “within the bounds of not breaking the law” (법을 어기지 않는 한도에서 마음대로 하는 것), but without fulfilling one’s moral or social duties. He expresses concern that modern youth often mistake “방종” for “자유,” leading to a lack of consideration for others. For example, sitting on a subway seat while an elderly or pregnant person stands, thinking “I paid my fare,” is considered “방종” because it neglects the duty of compassion. A common misconception is that freedom means doing anything permissible by law, but the lecture adds a crucial ethical dimension.)

The lecture discusses the difference between Korean and Roman kings. What is the key distinction highlighted, and what does it imply about the fundamental nature of the Korean people?
@@(The lecture highlights two key distinctions:
Treatment of subordinates: Korean kings traditionally used honorifics (존댓말) with their subjects, while Roman kings used informal language (반말) and commanded them.
Fate of kings: Roman kings almost invariably died by assassination or poisoning, never of natural causes, indicating a constant state of instability and betrayal. In contrast, Korean kings often died of old age, suggesting a more stable and loyal environment.
This distinction implies that the Korean people are fundamentally “선하다” (good) and possess “충” (loyalty/centrality of mind), meaning they are a people with a strong moral core and a sense of unity. A common misconception is that all monarchies are similar, but the lecture draws a cultural and ethical contrast.)@@

Lecture Information

• Lecture Number: 963rd
• Title: The Truth of Mistakes and Failures
• Date: February 14, 2015
• Main Topic: Distinguishing between “mistakes” and “failures,” and the importance of a mindset rooted in universal love and responsibility.

Core Messages

• Failure vs. Experimentation: What people often call “failure” is merely an “experiment” or “experience.” True failure only occurs when one gives up or dies without fulfilling their purpose.
• No Room for Despair: Despair does not exist. Like the Native Americans who perform rain dances until rain comes, one should persist until the desired outcome is achieved.
• The True Meaning of Failure: Real failure is not about financial ruin or imprisonment, but about failing to convert one’s blessings (복) into virtues (덕) by sharing them with others.
• Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심): These are the foundation of a righteous life, emphasizing purity, boundless compassion, and wisdom, all without attachment or expectation of reward.
• Equality and Responsibility: All humans are interconnected, like parts of one’s own body. Treating others with equality and fulfilling one’s duties are paramount.

Summary of Key Contents

Distinguishing Mistakes from Failures

• Mistakes vs. Failures:
  • A mistake is something that can be corrected or learned from, like an error in building construction.
  • Failure is only determined at the very end of life, or by others after one’s death.
• Life as an Experiment:
  • Life is a continuous series of experiments and experiences, not failures.
  • Thomas Edison’s 20,000 attempts to invent the light bulb were not failures but experiments.
  • Religious histories in Korea, like Buddhism for 2,500 years and Christianity for 150 years, are also described as experiments in adapting and evolving their systems.

The Mindset of Persistence and Compassion

• No Despair: Despair does not exist. One should persist until the goal is achieved, similar to Native Americans performing rain dances until rain falls.
• Three Core Minds:
• “Everything is Created by the Mind” (일체유심조):
  • If one’s mind is righteous, everyone else appears righteous.
  • The world reflects one’s inner state; therefore, one must change oneself before attempting to change the world.
  • One’s spouse or circumstances are created by one’s own mind.
• Helping Others is Helping Oneself: When helping someone, one should feel as if they are helping themselves, like a mother feeding her child.
• Interconnectedness: All people involved in one’s daily life, from farmers to vendors, are extensions of oneself.

The Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심)

• Definition: These are four boundless states of mind that humans must cultivate to avoid sin.
• Components:
• Against “Service Mind” (봉사심): The concept of “service” is problematic if it implies one is helping “others” rather than seeing them as part of oneself.
• Equality (평등심): The Four Immeasurable Minds are equivalent to the concept of equality, seeing all humans as equal.

True Success and Failure

• Converting Blessings to Virtues: True failure is failing to convert one’s blessings (복) into virtues (덕) by sharing them with others.
• Noblesse Oblige: Those with privilege have a duty to help others; this is not a good deed but a natural obligation.
• Humility vs. Arrogance:
  • Those who acknowledge their mistakes and feel remorse are seen favorably by heaven.
  • Those who boast about their contributions and good deeds are seen as failures by heaven.
• The Parable of the Prodigal Son: Heaven favors the repentant “prodigal son” over the arrogant “elder son” who boasts of his obedience.
• Inheritance and Education: Giving children too much wealth or education can make them failures by depriving them of the experience of earning and learning humility.

Policy and Proposals

• “Human Life is in the Wife’s Hands” (인명이 제처): In the 21st century, human life is no longer solely in the hands of heaven (인명이 제천) but also significantly influenced by one’s spouse, especially the wife.
  • This highlights the importance of treating women well for household harmony and personal well-being.

Philosophical and Cosmic Insights

• Cheonbugyeong (천부경) and the Universe:
  • The universe is described as having no beginning and no end (무시무종), with creation and completion being interconnected.
  • The “Three Extremes” (삼극) in Cheonbugyeong refer to Mind (심), Energy (기), and Body (신).
  • Mind originates from one’s nature/disposition (성품), which is shaped by environment and experiences.
  • Energy comes from life/destiny (명), which is breath.
  • Body comes from sperm (정자), which originates from the touch between male and female.
• Human Birth as the Greatest Success: Being born as a human is the most difficult and precious achievement, overcoming odds of 300 million to 500 million to 1.
• Planets with Human Life: There are 720 planets in our galaxy where humans can live, and 3.62 million such planets across the universe.

Critique of Reality and Alternatives

• Critique of License (방종): Many young people confuse license (방종) with freedom (자유). True freedom comes with fulfilling one’s duties and responsibilities.
• Critique of Jewish People: The Jewish people are seen as having failed due to their arrogance and discriminatory mindset, believing themselves to be a chosen people and creating excessive laws, leading to their suffering.
• Korean History and Character: Korean kings historically treated their subjects with respect, unlike Roman emperors who were often assassinated, indicating a fundamentally good and loyal national character.

Practical Implications

• Mindful Conduct: One’s actions and demeanor influence how others perceive and treat them. Maintaining a positive and respectful attitude is crucial.
• Spreading Grace and Justice: Extend grace and justice widely, as one will inevitably encounter others again. Avoid making enemies.
• Conditions for Happiness: Happiness is achieved through goodness (선), beauty (미), and justice (의).
• Education for the Future: Children should be taught these principles and multilingualism (English, Chinese, Japanese) for future success.
• Hidden Virtue (음덕): Accumulate virtue secretly, without anyone knowing, as this is the true inheritance that protects one’s descendants.

One-Line Core Summary
Huh kyung young’s lecture redefines failure as an experiment, emphasizing that true failure lies in not transforming blessings into virtues. It advocates for a mindset of boundless compassion, equality, and humility, urging individuals to cultivate hidden virtues and fulfill their duties, recognizing that all humanity is interconnected and that being born human is the ultimate success.

The Truth of Mistakes and Failures: A Lecture by Huh Kyung-young

Introduction to Mistakes and Failures
Huh Kyung-young defines mistakes as actions that can be corrected, distinguishing them from failures. Life, until death, remains a series of experiments, not failures. A building constructed with errors is a mistake, not a failure, as it can be rectified. Similarly, human life, before its end, cannot be definitively labeled a failure.

The Nature of Experimentation
Life is an ongoing experiment.

• Edison’s 20,000 Attempts: Edison developed the light bulb after 20,000 attempts. He did not consider these attempts failures but rather experiments. He stated he never failed, only conducted experiments.
  • His research into converting energy into light was inspired by lightning.
• Indigenous Rain Dances: Indigenous peoples perform rain dances until rain falls. They do not perceive this as failure because they continue until the desired outcome is achieved.
• No Room for Despair: Despair does not exist in this framework of continuous experimentation.

Redefining Success and Failure
The conventional understanding of success and failure is often flawed.

• Hitler’s Life: Hitler was considered successful until his death at 54, holding absolute power in the free world.
• Bill Gates’ Dropout: Bill Gates dropping out of college was seen as a failure by many, but it was merely an experience or experiment.
• True Failure:
  • A person who lives a life of comfort but fails to contribute to others is a failure in the eyes of heaven, even if they appear successful to society.
  • Failing to convert one’s blessings into virtue (덕) constitutes failure.
  • A person who, despite outward success, engages in morally questionable acts (e.g., a National Assembly member involved in scandal) is a failure.
  • Those who boast about their charitable acts or contributions are failures, as their actions are not truly selfless.
  • The Jewish people, despite being chosen, failed by becoming arrogant and creating excessive laws, leading to their suffering.
• True Success:
  • Being born as a human is the greatest success.
  • Those who commit wrongs but feel remorse are acceptable in the eyes of heaven.
  • Individuals who undergo hardship and learn from their experiences are not failures; they are experimenting and gaining experience.

The Three Minds and Four Immeasurable Minds
the importance of cultivating specific mindsets.

The Three Minds

1. God’s Mind: Living with God’s mind means sharing even a cup of water with those who have nothing, treating guests with reverence, recognizing an angel within the thirsty or poor.
2. Parents’ Mind: Embodying parents’ minds means understanding the sacrifices and hopes parents have for their children.
3. Others’ Minds: Making others’ minds one’s own means considering their happiness and well-being as if they were one’s own child.

• This involves empathy, such as feeling the pain of a struggling street vendor.
• It means encouraging others without diminishing their self-esteem.
• It is the opposite of imposing one’s own will on others.

The Four Immeasurable Minds (사무량심)
These four minds must be practiced without attachment or self-awareness of one’s good deeds.

1. Purity of Mind (청정심): Performing good deeds without expecting anything in return or keeping a record of them.

• Donating to charity or performing religious duties should not be done with the expectation of recognition or reward.
• Helping others should be done discreetly to avoid hurting their pride.
• Keeping track of good deeds, even for one’s spouse or parents, negates their value.

2. Immeasurable Mind (무량심): Giving without the thought of “giving” or “receiving.”

• When helping a poor person, one should feel as if one is helping oneself.
• A parent feeding a child feels full themselves; similarly, helping others should feel like helping oneself.
• The concept of “donation” itself can be problematic if it implies a separation between giver and receiver.

3. Compassion (자비심): Feeling pity or sorrow for others.

• This is a positive quality, distinct from self-importance.

4. Wisdom (지혜심): The ability to discern and act appropriately.

Equality of Mind (평등심)
The Four Immeasurable Minds collectively represent equality of mind.

• This means viewing all humans equally, without discrimination.
• The opposite of equality of mind is service mind (봉사심), which implies an awareness of helping others and can lead to arrogance.
• Other terms for this include Bodhi mind (보리심) and Bodhisattva mind (보살심) in Buddhism.

The Concept of Virtue (덕)
Virtue (덕) is a higher state than blessing (복).

• Blessing (복): Symbolized by seeing one’s own fertile land (문전옥답) for sustenance.
• Virtue (덕): Involves acting for others, making others’ minds one’s own, and transforming one’s own blessings into blessings for others.
• Hidden Virtue (음덕): Accumulating virtue secretly, without anyone knowing, protects one’s descendants.
  • Giving wealth or excessive education to children can make them failures; instead, allowing them to experience hardship and secretly bestowing virtue is true inheritance.

Responsibility and Freedom
Freedom is a right earned by those who fulfill their duties.

• Duty (의무): Humans have duties to family and all people.
  • Treating everyone as family (siblings, parents, children) prevents immoral thoughts.
  • Giving up one’s seat for an elderly person or a pregnant woman on public transport is a duty, not an option.
• License (방종): Acting freely without regard for rules or others’ well-being.
  • This is the opposite of freedom.
  • Many young people mistake license for freedom.

The Principle of “My Mind Makes All Things” (일체유심조)
All things are created by one’s own mind.

• Inner Transformation: If one’s mind is righteous, all people appear righteous, and the world transforms.
• Self-Reflection: Instead of trying to change the world, one must first change oneself.
• Personal Responsibility: One creates one’s own spouse; their character is not objectively good or bad.
• The Purpose of Teaching: Teaching is necessary because few possess a righteous mind.

The Importance of Human Life
Being born as a human is the most difficult and precious achievement.

• Rare Birth: Each person is born by overcoming odds of 300 million to 500 million to one.
• Inherent Success: Simply existing as a human means one has already succeeded.
• Respect for Life: Disregarding human life incurs divine punishment.

The Three Conditions for Happiness: Goodness, Beauty, and Righteousness
Happiness is achieved through the practice of goodness (선), beauty (미), and righteousness (의).

• Goodness: Performing good deeds.
  • Those who act righteously receive blessings, while those who do not receive misfortune.
• Righteousness: Spreading grace and loyalty widely.
  • One must extend kindness to all, not just those in specific situations.
  • Avoid making enemies, as they will inevitably be encountered.
• Beauty: Living beautifully.
  • Always maintain a bright and smiling demeanor towards others, as if they were family.

The Evolution of Human Destiny
The traditional saying “Human destiny lies in heaven (인명재천)” has changed.

• Modern Destiny: In the 21st century, human destiny is often in the hands of one’s spouse (마누라).
  • A harmonious household depends on treating one’s spouse well.
  • If one does not have a spouse, destiny lies in the hands of the cook (재미있어), as they control one’s food.
• Shifting Power: This signifies a shift in societal power dynamics, where women, once considered property, now hold significant influence over life and death.

The Korean People’s Innate Goodness
The Korean people possess an inherent goodness and a strong sense of loyalty.

• Respectful Monarchy: Unlike Roman emperors who often died by assassination, Korean kings frequently lived to old age and treated their subjects with respect.
• Loyalty (충): The character for loyalty (忠) signifies a centered heart, indicating a people with strong moral foundations.
• Contrast with the West: Western societies, historically, relied on force (칼) rather than inherent goodness.

The Truth of Mistakes, Failures, and the Path to True Success

Huh Kyung-young’s philosophy offers a profound re-evaluation of what constitutes mistakes, failures, and true success in life. He explains that what people often label as “failure” is, in reality, merely an experiment or a mistake. For instance, building a structure that requires correction is a mistake, not a failure, because it can be fixed. Similarly, historical figures like Hitler, who seemed successful until their death, or Bill Gates, who dropped out of college, were not failures but rather undergoing experiences and experiments. Edison, who developed the light bulb after 20,000 attempts, never considered these attempts failures but rather experiments. This perspective highlights that true failure only occurs when one gives up or when life ends.

A central tenet of Huh Kyung-young’s teaching is the concept of “Odo Jeongjeok” (五道正的), which means that if one’s own mind is righteous, all people will appear righteous. This aligns with the Buddhist principle of “Ilche Yushimjo” (一切唯心造), meaning “everything is created by the mind”. This implies that instead of trying to change the world or others, one should first change oneself. He questions why he gives lectures if his mind alone can change everything, concluding that it is because righteous minds are rare, and his lectures provide an opportunity for people to learn and cultivate such a mind.

Huh Kyung-young introduces the “Samuryangsim” (四無量心), or the Four Immeasurable Minds, which are crucial for living a righteous life. These are:
Cheongjeongsim (清淨心 – Pure Mind): This involves giving without expecting anything in return, ensuring that the recipient’s pride is not hurt. True giving, like providing scholarships, should be done discreetly to avoid making the act feel like a donation from a superior position.
Muryangsim (無量心 – Immeasurable Mind): This means not keeping track of one’s good deeds. If one remembers or boasts about their contributions, it negates the purity of the act.
Jabisim (慈悲心 – Compassionate Mind): This is about feeling empathy and compassion for others, seeing their struggles as one’s own. When helping someone, one should feel as if they are helping themselves, just as a mother feels full when her child eats.
Jihyesim (智慧心 – Wisdom Mind): This mind guides one to act with discernment and understanding, ensuring that actions are truly beneficial and aligned with higher principles.

These four minds collectively lead to Pyeongdeungsim (平等心 – Equanimity/Equality Mind), where all humans are viewed equally. The opposite of Pyeongdeungsim is Bongsasim (奉仕心 – Service Mind), which, paradoxically, is seen as a form of failure. If one believes they are “serving” others, it implies a distinction between the helper and the helped, fostering a sense of superiority. Instead, one should realize that helping others is helping oneself, as all humanity is interconnected.

Huh Kyung-young also redefines failure not as financial ruin or imprisonment, but as the inability to transform one’s “bok” (福 – blessings/fortune) into “deok” (德 – virtue/merit). A wealthy person who lives comfortably but fails to contribute to society or help others is considered a failure in the eyes of heaven. This concept is akin to Noblesse Oblige, where those with privilege have a duty to society. Fulfilling this duty is not an act of charity to be boasted about, but a natural obligation.

true freedom comes with responsibility and duty. Bangjong (放縱 – license/indulgence), often mistaken for freedom, is acting without considering others or one’s duties. For example, not offering a seat to an elderly or pregnant person on public transport, despite having paid the fare, is indulgence, not freedom.

The lecture also touches upon the importance of “Eumdeok” (陰德 – hidden virtue), which means performing good deeds secretly, without anyone knowing. This hidden virtue is believed to protect one’s descendants, whereas openly accumulating wealth or knowledge for one’s children can inadvertently lead them to failure or arrogance.

Finally, the most difficult thing in the universe is to be born as a human. Given the astronomical odds (300-500 million to 1) of conception, simply being born is already a success. Therefore, true success and failure are not measured by material wealth or societal status, but by one’s humility and whether they live with a righteous, compassionate, and equitable mind.

In essence, Huh Kyung-young’s philosophy challenges conventional notions of success and failure, advocating for a life of continuous learning, selfless contribution, and profound empathy, where true achievement lies in cultivating a pure and equitable mind that sees all beings as interconnected and worthy of respect, rather than in material gain or public recognition.