종교수행의 목표로서의 초월존재

Abstract

This work purports to shed light on the relationship between the religious practice and the ontological characteristics of the Transcendental Being, more directly God. Confucianism and Daoism, their ontological presuppositions and desired manner of practice, are the core of its discussion. The author pay special attention to relevant passages from the Lunyu, the Daodejing, the Zhunagzi and the Liezi. The conclusion led by the author argues that Confucianism suggests a certain object of practice, granted to man by the Heaven, making it clear that human beings will be ontologically distinguished from the Heaven with the best accomplishment in their religious practice, while Daoism attempts to obtain the ontological characteristics of the Transcendental Being themselves. The author, arguing that the ontological differentiation between the Transcendental Being and human being is the major reason of the occurrence of religious practice, suggests that this is one of the main concerns that are possessed by all the major religions. Accordingly, the author first provide the analysis of ontological differences envisaged by a several religions and their similarities and show how such awareness would postulate the necessity to reduce the distance between the Transcendental Being and human being and to religiously practice. In Confucianism the concepts of heaven and ren clearly suggest that the goal of religious practice is not obtain the equality to the Transcendental Being. On the other hand, in Daoism, regardless the possibility in reality, through its careful speculation, to obtain equality to the Transcendental Being is continuously found as the major object of its religious practice. In addition, the author suggests to consider finding one of the universalities of religion in the respect of religious practice.