Hoon Dok Hae can be translated as “meetings for reading and studying”.
훈독회 (Hangul)
訓讀會 (Hanja)
Etymology
訓 (훈) [hun] – teaching;
讀 (독) [dok] – to read;
會 (회) [hae] – meeting, conference (alternative character used in Japan – 会);
Fragments
The Chinese character hoon (訓) consists of two characters joined together: “words” (言) and “stream” (川). The stream is water. Water flows. Water lives only when it flows. As the character hoon symbolizes the Word as water, the words need to constantly flow in order to remain alive. When water is still it stagnates. As water flows from higher to lower ground, the words need to be passed along over and over. To be clear, water has to flow; water that does not flow becomes murky. Pure spirits dwell in clear water. Hoon Dok Hae is like water. If you trap water, it will turn foul. The character dok (讀) combines the characters for “words” (言) and “sell” (賣). Accordingly, you should give or “sell” the words as if you were a salesperson. This meaning lies within the word Hoon Dok.
Sun Myung Moon, (371-188, 2002.02.27)