원효의 정토사상과 범본 『무량수경』1: 왕생자를 중심으로

Abstract

Wŏnhyo evaluates Muryangsu-gyŏng(Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha-sūtra) as the fourth gate of Assurance of Awakening(samyaktva-niyata), in which the lower people like first resolver of 10 abiding place, disciple(śrāvaka), sentient beings can go to the Land of Bliss(Sukhāvatī). Many different works(sūtras or śāstras) qualifies Buddha, the eighth earth(bhūmi), the first earth, or those who assured of following the correct path as attainer of the Land of Bliss. The four stages have been degraded by Wŏnhyo. Wŏnhyo himself called it ‘degradation(階降)’. I think it is a kind of gyŏpan(classification and evaluation of sūtras) based on the Pure Land Buddhism. So I want to call it ‘external degradation’. Moreover I understand that even though Wŏnhyo didn’t say it ‘degradation’, there is a more ‘degradation’. It degraded from the assurance of awakening, through disciples without determination Hīnayāna Buddhism and the sentient beings without believing Buddha’s wisdom, until those who conducted sins entailing immediate retribution(ānantarya). I considered it Wŏnhyo’s ‘internal degradation’ focusing the faculties of the attainer of Land of Bliss. Of these, the fourth sinners entailing immediate retribution and slanderer of right truth(saddharma) have been prescribed those who cannot attain Land of Bliss at the 18th vow in Muryangsu-gyŏng. But Wŏnhyo left the possibility of saving them in the lowest order of the lowest class(下品下生) of Kwan Muryangsu-gyŏng(Sūtra on the Visualization of the Buddha Amitāyus), evaluating them not without having bodhicitta as primal cause of attaining Land of Bliss but with obstacles. In other words they will be called ‘delayer of attaining Land of Bliss’. Wŏnhyo understands very well that the point of 11th vow is not ‘nirvāṇa’ but ‘assurer of awakening(samyaktva-niyata)’ which Sanskrit Version emphasized. In the case of 14th vow, there is no difference between Saṅghavarman translation and Sanskrit version. But not admitting all disciples(śrāvaka)’s going to Land of Bliss, Vasubandhu and Wŏnhyo contradicted the 14th and 18th vows in Muryangsu-gyŏng. On disbeliever Buddha’s wisdom, there have not been spoken four wisdoms not like in Sanskrit Version. So Wŏnhyo’s interpretaion on the passages of four disbelief on Buddha’s wisdom is apt to mislead believer to the way of Self-power. But fortunately, Wŏnhyo could come back to the way of Other-power preaching ‘only Believing(仰信, prasāda)’. He concluded his Muryangsu-gyŏng chongyo with telling ‘only Believing’ to us.