정주학과 불교의 관계에 대한 고찰 ― 심성론과 공부론을 중심으로 ―

Abstract

This paper philosophically examines the relationship between ChengZhu and Buddhism by examining the theoretical acceptance and criticism of ChengZhu and Buddhism, focusing on the theory of human nature and the practical theory. From the perspective of the theory of human nature, the establishment of the concept of ‘Li’ as a universal and immutable basis for moral practice in ChengZhu was influenced by the ‘Buddha nature’ represented by the dharma realm of Li(理法界) and the Budda nature as ideal(理性). While we can see conceptual similarities between Buddha nature and Li, Yichuan's ‘One principal’(理一) has a different meaning from Buddhism in that it refers to an embodied morality of humanity. Next, Zhu-za interprets ‘One principle and Numerous manifestations(理一分殊) in terms of Buddhism's ’the moon reflects thousands of rivers’(月映萬川), which emphasizes the absolute and indivisible unity of the substance(本體), something that both the original Moon and One principal can share. However, they are at odds from a fractional point of view, as Buddhism understands the phenomenal world, which the Moon illuminates in all waters, as the dependent arising(緣起) without any own-being, whereas the Zhu-za understands individual objects as having physically endowed nature and actually existing. On the other hand, in the practical theory, this paper examined the relationship between ChengZhu and Buddhism in two ways. First, the idea that ‘sainthood can be attained’ from the thought of Budda nature by Chu, Dao-Sheng(竺道生) influenced the practical theory of ChengZhu, but the spirit of ‘sainthood can be learned’ is inherent in the Confucian thought itself. Second, in terms of the practice of sainthood, the ChengZhu opposed the sudden enlightenment(頓悟) of Zen and advocated ‘studying deep into the root of matter’(格物), but their strong sense of criticism did not go so far as to deny the enlightenment that can be attained through the sudden enlightenment and studying deep into the root of matter.