- Speaking Disrespectfully of the Spirits
- 1 One day, when a man spoke disrespectfully of the way of spirits,
- 2 Sahng-jeh-nim thundered, in a voice not like His usual voice, “Decapitate and disembowel him! Rip out his tongue and gouge out his eyes!”
- 3 The man was terrified and bowed to the ground to ask for forgiveness. Sahng-jeh-nim gently warned him, “Because the spirits have heard My reprimand, they will forgive you. Never do this again.”
- 4 Sahng-jeh-nim’s gentle voice of caution was as peaceful as a spring breeze, renewing all listeners’ perceptions.
- 5 One of the disciples asked, “Why did You speak so harshly at first?”
- 6 “In this age of spirits, he would have been destined to die because he had angered all the spirits.
- 7 I saved his life by assuaging their anger.
- 8 Facing the destiny of gae-byuk, in which the way of spirits fully blossoms, how can you expect to live when you insult them?”
- (JSD Dojeon 4,36)
