Indonesian Young Buddhist Association Hosts Korean Monk Haemin Sunim on Book Tour

South Korean Seon (Zen) monk and bestselling author Haemin Sunim, who recently went on a book tour in Indonesia, met with the public in Surabaya, Java on November 16. The event was organized by Gramedia People's Library, Indonesian Young Buddhist Association, Mitra Uttama, Surabaya University Buddhist Activities Unit, Airlangga University Buddhist Activities Unit, Ciputra University Buddhist Community, and Widya Kartika University Buddhist Student Activities Unit.

The Young Buddhist Association (YBA) is the leading Buddhist youth organization in Indonesia. With a deep belief in the Buddha's message of compassion, growth, and liberation, the association promotes a positive lifestyle among young people in order to cultivate a society based on wisdom, compassion, and gratitude. The association is involved in establishing Buddhist organizations nationwide, spreading Dharma study among young people, and providing leadership training.

During the event, Haemin Sunim gave a Dharma talk on self-acceptance and overcoming mental health issues, beginning his explanation with a parable of plastic bottles of different sizes. He compared a medium-sized 600 ml bottle to oneself, then introduced a larger one-liter bottle.

“Usually, opinions arise, such as ‘I am bigger than you,’ ‘I am better than you,’ etc.,” Haemin Sunim explained. “However, when a smaller 350 ml bottle appears, we suddenly feel superior to it. This reflects human nature: the way we constantly compare ourselves to our surroundings.”

Haemin Sunim explained that the problems of daily life actually come from our opinions and perspectives based on external factors that are beyond our control. The more we seek or pursue what we call “happiness” in external things, the more difficult it becomes to find true happiness, because true happiness can only come from within each person: “If we focus on ourselves, on what we feel at the moment, on what is currently before our eyes, then we can find true happiness.”

He also used sunglasses as a metaphor for how we perceive the world and our surroundings. When we become accustomed to living with sunglasses, we only recognize the world filtered through the tinted lenses, representing our preoccupation with our past and future lives. We often don't realize that if we take off the sunglasses, there is another state of being that we are missing: life in the present and the moment.

“If we position ourselves to focus our attention and emotions on what is before our eyes right now, we no longer feel regret for the past or worry about the future,” Haemin Sunim said. “At that moment, we can live life with a calm mind and slowly free ourselves from worldly attachments.”

Gramedia Popular Library Editor-in-Chief Kathrine Gabby Kusuma said that Haemin Sunim's first book, Things You Can Only See When You Slow Downwas a bestseller since its first publication in 2020: “It has sold over 30 copies (in Indonesia alone).”

She added that Surabaya was the second city of Haemin Sunim's book tour, after Yogyakarta and will be followed by Jakarta on November 17: "So there are three cities that will host this book tour. Hopefully, it can benefit everyone.

Meanwhile, YBA President Limanyono Tanto observed that amid the fast-paced and stressful dynamics of modern life, many people were facing various mental health issues, especially, increasingly, the younger generation. He added that Haemin Suim's books, Things You Can Only See When You Slow Down, Love for imperfect thingsand more recently, When things don't go your waywere works that could guide all people to understand themselves, accept their shortcomings, and cultivate sincerity.

“Through this collaboration, we hope to continue to inspire a generation of young Buddhists, and indeed all young people, to love reading and to make reading part of their daily lifestyle,” Limanyono said.

He added that the book tour was also a space for self-reflection, a place where people could take the opportunity to deepen their minds and understand the importance of life balance. On behalf of the Young Buddhist Association, he expressed his gratitude to Gramedia for inviting Haemin Sunim to present this meaningful event.

“Haemin Sunim teaches the importance of serenity, acceptance and compassion towards oneself and others,” Limanyono concluded. “We hope that through this event, more young people can find inspiration, strength and serenity to face all of life’s challenges.”

Although officially a secular nation, Indonesia is home to a diversity of religious and spiritual communities and traditions. Islam is the most widespread religion, observed by 87 percent of the population, according to 2022 national data. Christian traditions account for a total of 10,5 percent, Hinduism 1,7 percent, and Confucianism, folklore, and other traditions account for a combined 0,07 percent.

Buddhism, practiced by 0,73% of the population, or about two million people, is the second oldest spiritual tradition in Indonesia after Hinduism. According to historical accounts, Buddhism first flourished on the archipelago around the 900th century, which was followed by the rise and fall of a number of powerful Buddhist empires, including the Shailendra dynasty (c. XNUMXth–XNUMXth centuries), the Srivijaya Empire (c. XNUMX–XNUMXth centuries), and the Mataram Empire (c. XNUMXth–XNUMXth centuries). Today, the majority of Indonesian Buddhists are affiliated with the Mahayana schools of Buddhism, although there are also communities of Theravada and Vajrayana practitioners.

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