양계초 사상에 나타난 서학 수용의 일단면 ― 유식불교를 통한 칸트의 재해석 ―

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to research the contents Yang Qichao(1873-1929) reinterpreted the philosophy of Kant(1724-1804) with 'Consciousness-Only Buddhism'(唯識佛敎), and to find the meaning of this interpretation. Yang Qichao highly estimated Kant as one of the world's four saints, in based of the fact that Kant explained original nature as 'Liangzhi(良知, innate knowing)', and ethics as 'duty'. He said that Kant was a teacher of long time, and the Savior of dark ages. He compared the philosophy of Kant to Buddhism, and demonstrated Kant's philosophy resembled Consciousness-Only Buddhism. He thought that Kant inquired into the source, character and action of 'Wisdom'. Actually, he explained the ideas of Kant's 'Sensibility'(感性) and 'Understanding'(悟性) as the Buddhistic ideas of 'the First Five Consciousness'(前5識) and 'the Sixth Consciousness(第6意識)'. And he proved that the synthesized principle of understanding resembled the world view of Hua-yen Buddhism(華嚴佛敎). He explained Kant's priciples with the ideas of Hua-yen Buddhism and thought Kant and Hua-yen Buddhism all regarded everything of phenomenal world as one body. He also arranged the Buddhistic idea of 'True Thusness'(眞如) to the Kant's idea of 'True Self'(眞我). To him, so called 'Ignorance‘(無明) was identified with 'phenomenal self' which had'nt 'freedom', whereas so called 'True Thusness' is 'original self' which had 'freedom'. In these ways, Yang Qichao insisted the similarity of Kant's and Buddhism, but gave asendancy to Buddhism. The theory of Yang Qichao has a meaning that he presented the form of 'Zhongti xiyong'(中體西用論, Chinese substance and western applications) in the Kant's way of division of 'fact' and 'value'. I think that he tried to get bact the spirit of nationalistic self-respect, in the way of emphasizing the superiority of Buddhism.