김법린의 민족운동과 대중불교운동

Abstract

Bumsan, Kim Bup Rin (1899~1964) is one of the representative intellects in modern Buddhism. He was a swarajist during the Japanese rulling era and played as a pioneer of the Buddhist society after liberation. Such life of Kim Bup Rin can be divided into national movement and popular Buddhism movement areas. His national movement era is during his early and late adulthood (age 21~47), from his leading of independence movement on Mar. 1 in Beomeo Temple, independence movement in China and France to studying abroad in France until liberation. The popular Buddhism movement ear is during his late adulthood and senescence (age 30~47), in which he participated in the popular Buddhism movement for education and mission, national movement and the reality participation movement for Buddhist society after liberation (age 47~66). His national movement was aimed at overcoming the national condition under Japanese rulling. The popular Buddhism movement of Kim Bup Rin advocated the social corrective Buddhism under the motto of 'people-oriented Buddhism'. In this movement, he set the regular people as the target for the mission and regarded spreading common sense and eradicating illiteracy as an urgent agenda. He thought the pioneering activities of Youth Buddhism Association might led to the realization of new Buddhism movement and demanded their activities. He asserted that the most important issue in the popular Buddhism movement was pupularization and modernization of Buddhist scriptures. In terms of mission, Kim Bum Rin advocated the advance of Buddhism in the rural areas. He asserted that the farmers should be educated to eradicate illiteracy, which means raising people's capacity for independence. On the contrary his advocation of separation of religion and politics means he asserted the religious freedom and independence. Therefore, spreading Buddhism to the people to him implied the national movement for independence, which is the same vice versa.