As an exemplar of socially engaged Buddhism in the spirit of Thich Nhat Hanh of Vietnam and Preah Maha Ghosananda of Cambodia, the revered Korean monk Venerable Pomnyun Sunim has become a contemporary beacon of Buddhist wisdom and compassion in a troubled world. Sharing the Buddhadharma freely and living it unflinchingly, he embodies the ideals of the bodhisattva path that seeks to put wisdom into action and compassion into practice, working to alleviate suffering and empowering people and communities to become the agents of their own happiness and liberation.
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim has founded numerous organizations, initiatives, and projects across the world that stand as living expressions of Buddhist compassionate engagement: JTS, an international humanitarian relief organization working to eradicate poverty and hunger; Jungto Society, a volunteer-based community that aspires to embody the Buddhist ideal by promoting a simple lifestyle centered on social engagement and sustainable living; EcoBuddha, which promotes environmental ethics and sustainable living informed by Buddhist principles; and Good Friends, which fosters reconciliation and cooperation between the North and South Korea. Ven. Pomnyun Sunim also serves as patron to the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB).
In recognition of his decades of selfless dedication to reducing the suffering of oppressed and disadvantaged communities, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding in 2002 for his compassionate action to mitigate the human cost of the division of North and South Korea and for his work toward reconciliation and reunification. In 2020, the Niwano Peace Foundation in Japan presented him with the 37th Niwano Peace Prize for his international humanitarian work, environmental and social activism, and his intensive efforts to build trust and goodwill across cultural and religious boundaries toward the aspiration of world peace.*
More recently, after many weeks and months of extended international travel to deliver in-person Dharma teachings across Asia, Europe, and North America—and to spearhead vital humanitarian projects on behalf some of the world’s most vulnerable communities in locations as diverse as Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Syria, Thailand, Türkiye, and the Philippines—Ven. Pomnyun Sunim turned his attention homeward to deepen his connection with his sangha in South Korea. On 16 February, he conducted a formal opening ceremony for the 2025 Dharma Talk Festival: 100-Day Dharma Talks—a special period of focused Dharma teachings and practice running from 17 February–1 June that builds up to celebrations for the birth anniversary of Shakyamuni Buddha being observed this year on 5 May.
As the relentless chill of a particularly fierce Korean winter surrendered to the gentle fragrances and warm colors of spring—mirroring the bodhisattva heart: a turning toward warmth and renewal, nurturing seeds of hope and thawing icy fetters—BDG had the privilege of sitting down with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim to talk about his aspirations as a socially engaged monastic, the guiding values of his work, and the intentions behind this rare and powerful 100-day Dharma practice period.
▶️ Published by BDG on May 5, 2025
▶️ Read more: https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/100-days-of-dharma-the-bodhisattva-path-of-ven-pomnyun-sunim/
