易學을 통해본 圓覺經의 成佛論 -周易과 正易을 중심으로-

Abstract

In this paper, the relationship between the original destiny to attain Buddhahood and spiritual practice, as set forth in the Complete Enlightenment Sutra, was considered based on the principle of inverted and reverse generation and completion (倒逆生成) in the Jeong Yeok (正易), which is a classic text of studies in the Book of Changes, based on thoughts unique to Korea. If a person is destined to attain Buddhahood, not only is spiritual practice unnecessary, but also ignorance cannot exist—and if ignorance exists, a person cannot be said to be a Buddha. This is a problem that arises when spiritual practice is discussed from the dichotomous viewpoint that understands nature and phase, people and Buddha, and ignorance and complete enlightenment separately from the viewpoint of things. Problems arising from the viewpoint of things or the viewpoint of “beginning followed by ending” are resolved only when the problems are understood from the viewpoint of “ending followed by beginning.” This is a method for considering spiritual practice—not from the opposite viewpoint, which is from people directed toward Buddha—but from the viewpoint of the original destiny to attain Buddhahood, that is, in the forward direction, from Buddha toward people. The two approaches are not two, but the representation of what was originally one approach but from two separate viewpoints. The Book of Changes indicates changes from ending to beginning as inverted generation and reverse completion (倒生逆成), and changes from beginning to ending as reverse generation and inverted completion (逆生倒成), thereby indicating that the two ways are one body but can be distinguished from one another. If spiritual practice is understood from the viewpoint of reverse generation and inverted completion, based on inverted generation and reverse completion, life per se will be a spiritual practice. If life is represented from the viewpoint of inverted generation and reverse completion centering on wisdom, life itself will be a manifestation of complete enlightenment. If the manifestation of complete enlightenment is represented from the viewpoint of reverse generation and inverted completion, it will be ignorance, people, and an inherent sense of the past, that is, of the aspect of all phenomena, the final, complete enlightenment and Buddhahood in the the future—that is, the aspect of the main body—and an awakening and epiphany in the present. These three viewpoints can be represented as one, following awareness.