정량부(Saṃmitīya) 뿌드갈라(Pudgala)론의 모순성 검토 - 『三彌底部論』 ‘자아에 대한 논의’ 장을 중심으로 -

Abstract

Vatsīputrīya and Saṃmitīya postulate the concept of pudgala (person) which is established on the basis of skandhas (aggregations), while being neither the same nor different from them. They interpret the Buddha’s expression of designation, namely, ‘Here is a pudgala’ as pertaining to the dharma realm of the inexpressible, transcending the conventional truth. Accordingly, this shows the contradiction of being a nominal existence (saṃvr̥tisat) in appearance and a real existence (paramārthasat) in reality. To avoid this contradiction, Saṃmitīya presents a third internal category, pudgala, in the form of a 4th proposition (neither nominal nor real), while criticizing all other views expressed in catuṣkoṭi. However, for this purpose, it should apply parameterization (using several perspectives) or dialectics. Only then, it could be explained why another 4th proposition, the existence of pugala can be an orthodox view, unlike all other propositions in catuṣkoṭi. For parameterization to be possible, the existence of the same pudgala could be proposed from different perspectives or under the presupposition of non-difference within the same origin of Buddha dharma. Further, for a dialectical understanding on the logic of ‘neither the same, nor different’ between the real and the nominal, it could propose a pudgala (an und für sich) by sublating the nominal (an sich) into the real (für sich), or by negating the self-contradiction of the real within the nominal, while becoming sublated into a 3rd category (an und für sich). However, the pudgala theory as a 3rd category does not apply to both. There are also many uses of arbitrary reasoning. Therefore, it seems that the pudgala theory presented in ‘the Discourse of Self’ in Saṃmitīya-Nikāya-Śāstra failed in resolving the contradiction between the ‘nominal self’ and the ‘inexpressible real self’.