On September 16, 2001, at Shim Gwang Sa, The Mind Light Temple of the American Buddhist Shim Gum Do Association and the World Shim Gum Do Association, in Boston, Massachusetts, our members took time to honored those who lost their lives in our country's recent tragedy. Shim Gum Do Founding Master Zen Master Chang Sik Kim read his 'Memorial to the Tragedy of September 11, 2001', the Shim Gum Do members prayed and Zen Master Kim sent out special chanting to the spirits of those who have left us and to all of us who have survived. Here is Zen Master Kim's memorial poem:

Memorial to the Tragedy of September 11, 2001

Who can forget September 11, 2001. All the people of the world will never forget that day. On September 11, 2001 the sky was blue. Early in the morning, Sir Sun arrived in the sky and helped everybody go to work. In the airspace above New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania Sir Sun checked around and looked everywhere. At that moment, in Manhattan, at one of the World Trade Center Towers there was an explosion. Everybody who saw that was shocked and screamed, "Oh, my God!" Those sounds shook Manhattan. At that moment the Television stations were shocked; they ran to the World Trade Center. The television's face grabbed everything that was going on there. After a short time, in the airspace above New York City, another airplane was acting crazy, flying so low and then it crashed into the second World Trade Center Tower. The sound shook the sky and earth. At that moment black smoke and fire poured into the blue sky. The blue airspace was shocked, shaken and traumatized. Inside the World Trade Center buildings, the people were in a state of chaos. Life and death, you cannot even talk about the reaction the people were having inside. At that time another group of terrorists had hijacked another airplane outside of Washington, DC, flying crazily, it crashed into the Pentagon. Before the airplane hit, everybody had already arrived at work, and they were getting on with their day. At that moment everybody was shocked, they didn't know what was going on. People were dead, everywhere. At that time, in another place, another terrorist group had hijacked another airplane. Inside that airplane, above Pennsylvania, the people fought the terrorists. The pilot wanted to protect freedom, to save property and to save other people's lives. They completely gave their minds and bodies. Everybody learned from that clear action. It was a good example for all people. The airplanes that crashed killed many people instantly. They didn't have a chance to say one word, there was no time. The people nearby and people all over the world saw the terrible tragedy on television, everywhere. Everyone's mind was frustrated, they all had such a terrible feeling, they were too far away to help. Everyone felt so sorry for the people lost, their palms were sweating they were all so nervous. Everybody watched the television and listened to the radio. They couldn't sit down, they could only pace back and forth. Everyone watched the World Trade Center Buildings and the Pentagon. Time passed and one of the World Trade Center Towers collapsed. Not to long after that the other tower collapsed, both all the way to the ground. At that moment, watching the collapse, everyone's hearts wanted to stop, they were so shocked. Everyone looked at each others face, no one could talk, at that moment everybody was mute. Everyone's mind jumped into the World Trade Center buildings, drawing what was going on with the people inside. They could not help them, they had such a terrible feeling. The feelings of all the people through out the world were everywhere in the blue sky, coming and going. Everyone thought about the people who died and how terrible their deaths were. They thought about how much suffering and distress those who perished had. Everyone wondered why this happened. Everyone wondered about what was happening and about what would happen in the future. Finally they understood the action was due to terrorists. All the people of the world had the same feeling of anger towards the terrorists. The terrorists will go to hell. In hell they will be paid back more than one thousand fold for what they did. Everyone hopes that while in hell, the terrorists will realize the wrong they did. The terrorist's bad action killed so many who didn't have a chance to say good bye to their family and friends, they had to leave this life. They missed everything. The living and the dead cannot do anything, they cannot clean anything out. On the morning of September 11, the day was so clear, the sky was blue, Sir Sun's face appeared clearly, there was no reason why this tragedy should have happened. The blue sky and Sir Sun understood tragedy was going to happened, they appeared blue and clear to show those who would perish the way to heaven. In heaven, God's greatness makes love and compassion. Suddenly the peoples spirits came through, God grabbed them with both of his hands. God understood, that there were many things left undone in these people's lives - their work, the things they didn't have a chance to say. God collected the energy of these undone things from New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania, made seeds and spread them all out again. The seeds will make greatness flowers. The flowers will make the World Trade Center Towers again, make the Pentagon stand straight again and clean out the area in Pennsylvania and make greatness again. In heaven, the greatness of the spirits all together appears forever. They point to the day in the future when great things will appear again. They put heaven's flag on that point and stand it up. The flag waves on Manhattan's New World Trade Center Buildings, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. Right now, in Manhattan at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania, the mess is being cleaned out. The new building faces have life, they make dreaming sounds. The sound goes to all who are living, it makes their hearts beat strongly. Everyday the day is reborn. The blue sky and Sir Sun take care of their own situation. In the future, they want to help the new World Trade Center Towers appear. All of the spirits of those who have perished in the tragedy want to bring love and compassion into the next generation. They make beautiful flowers and present them to hearts of their loved ones that they have left. They want the beautiful country to be united. They announce that freedom is great, they announce all over the world that that spirit will never change. They hit the love and compassion bell. The bell's sound opens everybody's heart to love and compassion. It opened the eyes of the day, September 11, 2001. Here the hearts of families, friends and relatives of those who perished and all the people of the world beat strong, they will never stop. That great energy prays for the spirits of those who died, that they are always happy and make great dreams. Everybody holds hands; the energy of that love and compassion makes a special flower. Every day they open their eyes, brightly. Amen.

Written by World Shim Gum Do Founding Master
Zen Master Chang Sik Kim
copyright September 14, 2001