呑虛 宅成의 생애와 사상 - 한국불교사적 지위와 한국불학사적 위상 -

Abstract

With Toeong Seongcheol(退翁性徹, 1912~1993), Tanheo Taekseong(呑虛宅成, 1913~1983) has been known as the representative intellectual of Korean Buddhism world in the last 20th century. If Toeong Seongcheol was ancestral temple of Dharma-treasure ‘Gayasan Tiger' around Haeinsa, Tanheo Taekseong roaring around Woljeongsa was a place of enlightenment of Manjusri ‘Odaesan Lion'. Tanheo concentrated on doctrine but did not disregard seon and Seongcheol concentrated on seon but did not disregard doctrine. While coexisting in the same age, two people became the representative people of Korean Buddhism that is mentioned as harmonization of doctrine and seon or combined learning of doctrin and seon. And the 20th century when two people lived was the age of extreme chaos but Korean Buddhism showed the perseverance to lead Korean society. Tanheo's Buddha's affairs of a man of talent and Buddha's affairs to translate scripture was begun and completed in the skirt of Odaesan where mountain faith are succeeded. Therefore, the spirit of Odaesan coming from Baekdu-Daegan is contained in his book. Beyond the recognition that Odae mountain school has been the residence place of Manjusri since the age of Unified Silla, recently, the mountain school has been reborn as the school to participate in various problems of Korean society. It was possible because Tanheo who kept the desire of his master Hanam Chungwon(漢巖重遠, 1876~1951) established Odae mountain school newly. Here, Tanheo restored tradition and nurtured talented people by running abbeys in Odaesan and Yeongeunsa. After his role, he went forward to restore another tradition through Buddha's affairs to translate scripture. His insight about life and nature enabled people to escape from hard life with outstanding foresight and detailed precognition. By drawing a stroke in their hard lives, he enabled them to have an opportunity to live a new life. It was possible because he had mercy toward people and good conduct. Tanheo devoted himself to the communication among Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. As a result, he has been an unique communicator between Buddhism and Confucianism since the age of Daehan. In addition, he has been an communicator between Buddhism and Taoism. When it comes to Tanheo, the communication between Buddhism and Confucianism or between Buddhism and Taoism was available because he tried to find change rather than discrimination among Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. He usually quoted the language of Huayan to emphasize with original position beyond the discrimination between speaking and silence and he was a seon master before he became Huayan scholar. For him, Huayan was an important material to deliver dhyana. It can be said that Tanheo's one road of elevation(向上一路) seon trend was harmonized with ten abidings-ten practices-ten to turn towards-ten stages-absolute universal enlightenment-wonderful enlightenment of Huayan to acquire the system of theory and practice and the concreteness of seek after truth and salvation. Tanheo was the successor of Huayan seon that has been succeeded from Uisang and Jinul. Tanheo's viewpoint to understand Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism in one framework is contrasted to Seongcheol's viewpoint to located Buddhism in the top rank. Therefore, Tanheo's civilization eye and cultural vision to see three religions generally and show the difference are the wisdoms that we have to learn. In the history of Korean Buddhism, Tanheo was educator and philosopher who integrated Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism after combination of three teacings of Choi Chi-Won in the age of Unified Silla and in the history of Korean Buddhist learning, he was learner and pioneer of Huayan seon who learned Huayan and seon. Tanheo Taekseong's life and thinking way that was shown to us enabled us to know how to solve the issue to succeed tradition and embrace multi-cultures in the age of multi-cultures and multi-religions. It is the reason that we focus on Tanheo again in this age.