‘관음주송(觀音呪誦)’의 종교학적 함의

Abstract

The ‘Bodhisattva thought‘ of Mahayana Buddhism, noble spiritual heritage in human history, can be the essence of humanism that puts other people‘s relief to the fore. The embodiment of great mercy to relieve all sentient beings and to practice mercy is Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. The Mahayana Bodhisattva thought, which is the mother of all living beings and becomes a sanctuary and solves the temporal affliction of this world, forms the basis of a dynamic faith and practice culture of Buddhist believers in the subordinate Buddhism, it is an ideological eruption that solves their religious thirst. ‘Avalokiteśvara Mantra', constantly shouting the name of the Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, a solver of troubles and problems of believer and the savior, plays a role of collecting the mind of the believer. Furthermore, the believer himself experiences the ontological transformation by inducing the experience to become one with the object of faith. In other Words, the object of faith functions as a mediator of practice at any moment. It is a function that performs a transformative function of making the believer subject equal to the object of faith. The power of faith toward the object of faith gradually promotes the dramatic experience that the object and the subject become united by promoting the self practice. This phenomenon is similar to the mystery experience in the mystic tradition. The pursuit of the ultimate goal of individual religious tradition or community through various sounds (religious language), such as Avalokiteśvara Mantra, makes various emotional changes and mental and physical healing possible. In addition, it can extend the horizon of awareness by making change of consciousness through non-routine experience by highly intensive training. The ‘Avalokiteśvara Mantra', which simply recites the Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, is itself a ritual ceremonial gesture and practice method, and co-ordinates the complex religious function that includes the attribute of prayer as ‘Avalokiteśvara Prayer'. In other words, it is verbal rite, performance and prayer itself. Furthermore, the person performing the ‘verbal ritual' called ‘Avalokiteśvara Mantra' conducts various roles of religion as the subject of the ritual, the performer, and the subject of prayer. Linguistic rituals tend to personalize practical rituals. And rituals in language are more dynamic, internally repletive way of salvation instead of somewhat formal, stereotyped rituals, done by gestures and anti-ritualism. Avalokiteśvara Mantra can be understood as a typical mantra performing method that intentionally embodies the state of consciousness which gives religious insight by breaking from daily consciousness by using language as a tool of practice. and it is an example that can be adequately analyzed through the concept of deautomatization and atered sates of cnsciousness in that it aims at religious insight that transcends language by utilizing language. I wonder how the Avalokiteśvara faith, which has been passed down through Mahayana Buddhism and has been handed down to the basement of faith and practice, will converge on the desires and wishes of modern people living in this age and become an ideal model.