「近代仏教」としての日本仏教の語り方 –近年の研究動向をふまえて–

Abstract

This study aims to discuss ‘modernity’ of Japanese Buddhism. For this purpose, first, this study looked into the development of discourses on Japanese Buddhism as ‘modern Buddhism’ discussed in Japan and other countries at home and abroad. In addition, this study pointed out the limitations of previous research and sought a possibility of Japanese Buddhism as ‘modern Buddhism’ in the colonial space. In order to discuss Japanese Buddhism as ‘modern Buddhism,’ first, it is necessary to focus on the problem of the conceptualization of religion. It is necessary to pay attention to how the concept of Buddhism as a religion was settled and what aspect the segmentation process in which this conceptualization process spread inward/outward showed. What should not be overlooked here is that in order for a concept to be established, there should be a subject of cognition to establish the concept, and in order for the subject to exist, it must be accompanied by an object, accordingly. Of course, in this process, oppressive ‘violence’ is implied according to the subject of cognition. The limit of the trends of research on modern Buddhism in Japan is that they pay attention only to ‘the West-the East (Japan)’ relationship in discussing the problems of the subject and object. However, the modernization of Japan had two faces of modernity, as the suffering East in encountering the West and as another East in a mask of the West in encountering the other East. Thus, ‘modernity’ in Japanese Buddhism should be discussed with a sight of the West-the East/Empire-Colony relationships. Focusing on this, this study discussed an aspect of modernity of Japanese Buddhism in the colonial space by suggesting problems such as the problem in the conceptualization of Joseon Buddhism and the problem of social work of Japanese Buddhism in the colonial Joseon.