당시 역경원장은 운허스님, 역경장은 탄허스님, 편찬부장은 법정스님이었고, 이기영 박사, 김달진 시인등 당대 쟁쟁한 강백들이 강사진을 이뤘다.
“운허스님이 최고의 강사진을 투입하셨고, 역경실습과 논문 쓰기를 시키셨어요. 우리가 한문 실력이 모자라는 것을 보시고는 몇 개월간 강의를 전부 폐지하고 저마다 한문책을 정해 독송하도록 하셨어요. 나는 [맹자]를 정해서 일부분을 이천 번 읽었습니다. 용맹정진이 따로 없었죠. 같은 방을 쓰던 동기생과 닷새간 말 한마디도 안 할 정도로 공부에만 매진하던 시절이었습니다.”
역경원에서의 성과가 컸다.
특히 역경장이시면서 강의도 해주시던 탄허스님과의 만남이 그러했다.
“그때 탄허스님이 [화엄경]을 한창 막바지로 번역하고 계셨나봐요. 나중에 탈고를 하고 교정을 하는데 나를 찾았어요. 부산 삼덕사라는 절에서 통광스님, 각성스님, 비구니 성일스님, 민족사 윤창화거사, 교림출판사 우담거사 이렇게들 모였어요.”
하루에 열네 시간씩 다 같이 번역과 원문을 돌려 가며 읽었다. 그러면서도 일하는 대중의 요청으로 탄허스님께서 하루에 한 시간은 [화엄경]을 강의 해 주셨다.
At that time, the director of the translation institute was Unheo Seunim , the head of translation was Tanheo Seunim, and the head of the editorial department was Beopjeong Seunim. Leading Buddhist scholars of the time, such as Dr. Lee Gi-yeong and poet Kim Dal-jin, were part of the teaching staff.
“Unheo Seunim brought in the best lecturers. He made us practice translation and write theses. When he saw that our Chinese character skills were not good enough, he stopped all lectures for several months. He had each of us choose a Chinese book and read it aloud repeatedly.
I chose the book [Mencius] and read a part of it two thousand times.
It was a time of intense focus, like a warrior's training. My roommate and I shared a room but didn't speak a single word for five days because we were so absorbed in our studies.“
The achievements at the translation institute were significant.
Especially important was meeting Tanheo Seunim, who was both the head of translation and a lecturer.
"At that time, Tanheo Seunim was likely finishing his translation of the [Avatamsaka Sutra]. When he completed the draft and was proofreading it, he looked for me.
At a temple called Samdeoksa in Busan, Tonggwang Seunim, Gakseong Seunim, Bhikkhuni Seong-il Seunim, Mr. Yun Chang-hwa from Minjoksa, and Mr. Udam from Gyolim Publishing gathered.“
Together, they read the translation and the original text, rotating turns, for fourteen hours a day. Even with all that work, at the request of the people working there, Tanheo Seunim still gave a one-hour lecture on the [Avatamsaka Sutra] every day.