무상, 시간, 영원의 관계 ‒ 설일체유부와 유식학파를 중심으로 ‒

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore how Sarvāstivādins and Yogācāras understand time and eternity. According to Sarvāstivādins, time is not a substance, but a phenomenon created by saṃskṛta dharmas (有爲 法, conditioned dharmas). They assert that we should escape from saṃskṛta dharmas, if we want to transcend time. They also believe that asaṃskṛta dharmas (無爲法, unconditioned dharmas) are eternal substances. Sarvāstivādins’ theory of time-eternity is one of dualism that acknowledges the impermanence of saṃskṛta dharmas and the eternality of asaṃskṛta dharmas. On the other hand, Yogācāras assert that the world we see is nothing but the manifested phenomena created by our consciousness. Time is a vague concept created by our consciousness, based on the imaginary self and dharma, which comes from our misunderstanding of impermanence. Therefore, to be free from time is not to be free from impermanence, but from wrong thinking. Time and eternity are not different from each other in the sense that they are both based on impermanent phenomena, but are not the same in the sense that wisdom perceives eternity, while ignorance perceives time. Time and eternity are neither the same nor different.