한국 근현대사에서 호국불교의 재검토 - 역사적 사례와 이론 -

Abstract

The Patriotic Buddhism is one of unique phenomena of Korea Buddhism and has more adverse function than proper function in historic terms. The Patriotic Buddhism was originated from the collusion between Buddhism and the absolute authority of the king in the course that Buddhism in the epoch of the three Kingdoms was settled on this ground. The Patriotic Buddhism started from a kind of distorted appearance with disjunction feeling from the basic doctrine of Buddhism. Buddhism played a role of the Patriotic Buddhism by publishing Tripitaka Koreana Festival in the Goryeo Dynasty and showed asignificant appearance through active works of the monk forces in face of Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1952 in the Choseon Dynasty. Aword of the Patriotic Buddhism in the modern history from opening of port to the Japanese colonial era does not appear on literatures. That is why this period was belonged to the time when conflict between newly introduced Western ideas and traditional Confucian ideas was largely increased and when the true nature of a nation disappeared as the Patriotic Buddhism said. Considering that the start point of Korea modern history is the opening of port, the Buddhism field in the modern history was placed in the course of establishing and endeavoring for its identity in the status where it was under the control of national power. These end eavors were refracted in the Japanese colonial era and were subject to the power called as the Japanese Government General of Korea. The Patriotic Buddhism means that the Buddhism field defends the nation. Defense of the nation is obligation of the government responsible for the national management, not matter for the religious field to claim. Of course, since the Buddhism field is a member of the nation as well as a religious group, it cannot be free of this obligation. The religious group can provide a support for the work to defend the nation but it is thought that there is no need for the Buddhism field to stand on the first line to defend the nation. It is thought that Buddhists must fulfill respective role as a member of society. In the modern society since the Emancipation, the Buddhism field failed to properly exercise even the rights even though the freedom of religion in the constitution. The Patriotic Buddhism appeared as a pattern for maintaining the current status of the leader group of the religious group in collusion with the regime. The Patriotic Buddhism contains the meaning of defend the nation from the enemy and the concept of enemy is based on the proposition of a war to kill human life. If the basic purpose of Buddhism is to relieve the mankind, even enemy to be killed will be included in the concept of the mankind. The Buddhism field must establish the strict discipline climate with genuine efforts and emphasize a propagation to relieve the mankind. In the modern society, Buddhism must be renewed as Buddhism to defend the proper religion, not the Patriotic Buddhism.