함허당 득통의 『현정론』에 나타난 오류 비판

Abstract

Ki-hwa (己和), also known as Ham-heo Deuk-tong (涵虛得通, 1376-1433, hence ‘Ki-hwa’), who lived in the Goryo-Joseon Dynastic transition wrote the Exposition of the Correct or the Hyeon-jeon-ron (『顯正論』), which was in defense of Buddhism. Despite his efforts, Ki-hwa produced some major errors in this text. There have not yet been any specific critical studies on this work therefore, this paper discusses critical issues including the notion of permanence (常住論), which has been pointed out as particularly problematic. This paper reviews problems in the Hyeon-jeon-ron from the perspectives of upāya or skillful means (方便), Explanations of the Twofold Causality Spanning the Three Periods (三世兩重因果說), Buddhist chauvinism, and conceptualization or prapañca (戱論). Furthermore, these problems are associated with Ki-hwa causing upāya to be recognized as a principle doctrine of Buddhist theory along with such concepts as heaven and hell, among others. Unfortunately, from the point of view of Buddhist chauvinism he also limited harmonization with Confucianism. Finally, his establishment of prapañca was beyond recognizable thought. According to the above problems, Ki-hwa seems to have had an understanding of Buddhism based in the notion of permanence. Although he did not lean toward a notion of permanence nor of extirpation exclusively one must consider whether or not he applied the notion of permanence with the intent to explain Buddhist doctrines to those who rejected Buddhism. Whatever his intent, his Hyeon-jeon-ron caused various confusions and misconceptions in Buddhism. If this text is not explicit and complete (nītārtha, 了義), it does not serve as a skillful means (upāya), but rather as a distortion. Although his thought was based on upāya and national defense, these are problems that should be thoroughly reconsidered.