From Eternity to Eternity: Memoirs of a Korean Buddhist Nun - Paperback

by Bulpil Sunim (Author), Eunsu Cho (Translator), Eunsu Cho (Introduction by)

A vivid, firsthand account of life as a Buddhist nun, by the most respected female Zen master in Korea.

From Eternity to Eternity is the story of Bulpil Sunim, arguably the most respected female Seon (Zen) master in Korea. Written with candor and an unpretentious sense of humor, her memoir provides both a fascinating record of her life and a deeply accessible window into Buddhist thought and spirituality. Describing and reflecting on her own experience of meditation and her journey as a woman in a male-dominated religious practice, she reveals the largely unknown realities of female monastic life in Korea. She also provides an unprecedented glimpse into her relationship with her father, the legendary Seon Master Seongcheol Sunim, who was widely considered a living Buddha in Korea. This lyrical autobiography, the first of its kind in Korean Buddhist literature, offers readers a chance to learn about Korean Seon meditation and practice from a woman's perspective and will be of interest not only to scholars of Buddhism but to general readers curious about Buddhism, the experiences of religious women, or simply the remarkable life of a great spiritual leader.

Author Biography

Eunsu Cho is Professor Emeritus of Buddhist Philosophy in the Department of Philosophy at Seoul National University and Visiting Professor in the Council on East Asian Studies at Yale University. She is the editor of Korean Buddhist Nuns and Laywomen--Hidden Histories, Enduring Vitality, also published by SUNY Press. Soojin Oh is a freelance translator. She studied at Reed College.