崔承老 佛敎 理解의 眞面貌：修身論・功德論

Abstract

True facts about how Ch’oe Sŭng-no understood Buddhism as appeared at his suggestion to Koryŏ’s King Sŏngjong were well revealed at his discussion related with cultivating oneself and Buddhist good deeds as per Article 20 of his Simuchaek (Measures to handle current affairs). That is, he suggested the theory of cultivating oneself, arguing ”To do in compliance with Buddhism is the basis of cultivating oneself and to do in compliance with Confucian is the root of governing a nation.” On the other hand, he argued in favor of the theory of good deeds, asking to the King: ”Dividing a year into 12 years, deal with political affairs and do Buddhist good deeds half and half from February to April and from August to October.” His suggestion in favor of the theory of cultivating oneself mentioning ”the basic of cultivating oneself” in the first place derived from Great Learning, a chapter of Liji (Book of Rites). Based on the so-called theory of ’Internal sage and external king’ therefrom -arguing cultivating oneself (external king) itself should be based on righteous mind (internal sage) -, he seemed to come to understand that Buddhism was the ’basis of cultivating oneself’. The fact that he then pointed Confucianism as the ’root of governing a nation’ could be understood as his attempt to emphasize the basis of ruling and managing a nation should be Confucianism more than ever. Meanwhile, his suggestion in favor of the theory of good deeds saying ’Deal with political affairs and do good deeds half and half,’ halving a year particularly was based on chapter Yueling of Liji but could be interpreted that he also sometimes acknowledged the importance of Buddhist’s practice of good deeds. His recommendation of Confucian political affairs handling and Buddhist good deeds to the king could be itself a specific evidence that Ch’oe Sŭng-no himself acknowledged the application of both Confucianism and Buddhism as an ideal political form ultimately.