• Discourtesy in the Bridegroom’s House
  • Occasionally, to correct the habits of someone who was rude or treated others with disrespect, Sahng-jeh-nim flicked one of His fingers,
  • and the person, no matter how strong and stout, was flung a great distance.
  • Once, when a young woman in the village was to marry into a family of another village, several men trained in the martial art Taek-gyun escorted the bride to her new home. Sahng-jeh-nim and Ho-yun went along with them.
  • When the group arrived at the groom’s house, Sahng-jeh-nim and the bride’s escorts were not treated hospitably. They received only a few bowls of rice wine as if they were not important guests.
  • Seeing the table, Sahng-jeh-nim said, “How could you slight guests of honor like this?”
  • He thundered, “Is this poor table meant for the in-laws and guests of honor!”
  • A servant of the house, a man of great strength, rolled his eyes at Sahng-jeh-nim. “You came here as guests, so you’re guests. Who do You think You are? Who are You to complain?”
  • Sahng-jeh-nim flicked a finger and the servant was hurled out of the room and onto the wooden floor outside.
  • The other servants rushed one of the escorts and flung him outside the house.
  • 10 Sahng-jeh-nim went outside, slapped the escort, and said, “You! Did you study Taek-gyun just to stand there like an idiot?”
    With just His thumb, Sahng-jeh-nim took another servant by the neck and tossed him.
  • 11 The servant jumped to his feet, tore off his shirt, and, huffing, darted for Sahng-jeh-nim. Before the man got near, Sahng-jeh-nim motioned with His leg as if to trip someone.
  • 12 The rushing man stumbled to the ground and got up only to fall again. He muttered, “I didn’t drink anything. What’s wrong with me?” Still talking to himself, he withdrew to a corner of the yard.
  • 13 Sahng-jeh-nim then went into a room full of people. Standing in the center, He swung His towel to the left and all the people in the room vanished.
  • 14 He swung His towel to the right and they reappeared. Sahng-jeh-nim did this once more, and when the people reappeared, they were so afraid they bowed again and again, apologizing.
  • 15 Sahng-jeh-nim said, “Have the bride come out. Let us go home.” The bride, in her colorful dress, walked out without her feet touching the ground.
  • 16 The groom’s family, even more aghast, begged forgiveness. Sahng-jeh-nim called them over, had them kneel, and severely rebuked them,
  • 17 “To slight a person is the most hateful act, and to neglect a person when serving food is the most vile.”
  • Sahng-jeh-nim Admonishes Gim Duk-chahn
  • 18 Once, when Sahng-jeh-nim used deafening thunder and blinding lightning in a work of renewal, Gim Duk-chahn, who was always arrogant toward Him, cowered in fear.
  • 19 Sahng-jeh-nim remarked indifferently, “Why be afraid when you are not guilty of anything?” Even more frightened, Duk-chahn did not know what to do. From then on, he treated Sahng-jeh-nim with the utmost respect.
  • 20 If someone did something wrong and Sahng-jeh-nim slapped that person lightly on the cheek, the person’s face would contort, twisting to one side, and stay that way until Sahng-jeh-nim removed His hand.

  • (JSD Dojeon 3,163)




    No Records.