상월조사 행적에 대한 법화사상의 적용

Abstract

Priest Sangwol(상월조사) is known as the successor of Daegak Buddhism of Cheontae Order who registered it as a religion with the Korean Government in 1967. His religion became the Cheontae Order of Korean Buddhism the following year. The Cheontae Order follows the virtues of <Pundarika Sutra(법화경)>. The fact that Priest Sangwol adopted these virtues is closely related to his personal history. He applies the Exquisite Rule of One vehicle(일승묘법) and retrieves it in the process of regeneration. This study examined the history of Priest of Sangwol and how he realized the ideologies of <Pundarika Sutra(법화경)> through his accomplishments. Priest Sangwol was born in the mountains of Samcheok in Gangwon-do Province. Samcheok was geographically isolated from the urban areas. <Sinjeung Dongguk Yeojiseungram(신증동국여지승람> admits the fact that Samcheok is an isolated region. It is surrounded by high mountains and valleys and is adjoining the East Sea. Because of its geographical characteristics, Samcheok succeeded mountainous culture and developed shamanism or other group religions that worshipped the gods of nature or home. Priest Sangwol was born amongst this religious background. Later, he was led to enter religious meditation on Mt. Samtae. He meditated on Mt. Samtae and eventually reached the highest state. Then, he began rescuing and helping the poor living in the mountains. As he organized the Buddhist sect of Gongju, he envisioned a movement of Buddhism for the public. As soon as he arrived at Barkja-ri Yeongchun-myeon Danyang-gun of Chungbuk on Mt. Sobaek, he was admired as the true saint who enlightened the commoners who were lost in despair because of the Korean War. He reconstructed Guinsa Temple and later rebuilt the Cheontae Order to succeed Korea’s Buddhism that had developed in the Goryeo Dynasty but was forbidden in the Joseon Dynasty. Rebuilding the Cheontae Order, Priest Sangwol adopted <Pundarika Sutra> as the general doctrine and injected his accomplishments and believes into the ideologies. He used Buddhist expediencies to save the public and retrieved the expediencies in the process of regeneration. This study described this process.