『화엄경』 계율의 현대적 조명

Abstract

Human beings in modern society of a rapid technological development have not a few problems socially and emotionally, while producing lots of brilliant achievements technologically. That is because human relationships are getting worse in the process of industrialization and urbanization, and many people feel a sense of alienation and frustration without the aim or course in their lives. Those people who crave for fulfilling their desires and emotional pleasure in the modern state of chaos are forgetting the real value of lives, and finally losing the dignity of themselves. In this sense, what is needed for human beings in this era is to build up character in general. And the first step for this is to think much of virtue and to put the moral standard in practice. Śīla and vinaya, the key precepts in Buddhism, is not only a medicine that cures people from these kinds of diseases, but also a way of removing those problems by the roots. That is because śīla and vinaya is a teaching of building the spiritual strength to be away from the improper lives by themselves. True meaning of happiness in one's life can be achieved when people purify their body and mind as well as build up their character, not by pursuing emotional pleasure. In this sense, it is worthy of notice that 『avataṃsaka-sūtra』, which teaches to lead a life of enlightenment, lays stress on śīla and vinaya. Buddha is the perfect example of life for all buddhists. Bodhisattva tries to follow a right way of life with the belief in Buddha, and raises a strong will and vows to realize a wise and merciful life of enlightenment, following his' example. With this will and vows, bodhisattva purifies his life and leads a bright one. It is shown in 「Chapter of Xianshou」 of Xianshou bodhisattva's teaching that if bodhisattva believes in Buddha all the time, he can learn what to do following śīla-carya, and śīla-carya opens the origin of bodhi from budh. Therefore, if there is no śīla-carya, bodhi from budh also can not exist. That is why Fahui bodhisattva , in「Chapter of the law of mantra」preached a pure practice that bodhisattva should pursue and the importance of following several precepts, and emphasized no to violate precepts when he is practicing. Besides, bodhisattva who are sticking to desires should focus on the teaching in 「Chapter of the ten necessary activities」 that preaches to enrich perform which helps not only oneself but also others, and says not to cling to objects of all the senses, keeping pure precepts. In this way, 『avataṃsaka-sūtra』 puts press on several precepts. But, among them, it is remarkable that it focuses on the ten commandments. As concerned above, there is always the ten commandments in the core of the preaching of the collection of rules in 「Chapter of the ten boundless treasuries of a bodhisattva」, the three cumulative commandments in 「Chapter of the ten stages」vimala, and ten prohibitions in 「The vinaya piṭaka」that explain precepts. In that case, it can be said that the ten commandments is the fundamental precept in 『avataṃsaka-sūtra』. The ten commandments has been already focused in 『agama』 as an important one. Although the ten commandments is for Buddhist priests on the whole, basically it is for bodhisattva. In addition, it can be considered in many views that 『avataṃsaka-sūtra』 preaches the ten commandments, not dividing priests from bodhisattva. However, that might be because the 250 precepts for priests has a limit to follow as a bodhisattva who has to practice acts of compassion positively in society. Even though precepts in 『avataṃsaka-sūtra』 are based on the ten commandments, it is clear that it has a feature of altruistic. All the precepts taught in『avataṃsaka-sūtra』 clearly show the spirit of bodhisattva that considers giving benefits and comfort to others as a basic in practice. Also it can be shown in the view that ‘One should abandon dharma of Two Vehicles’, in the sense that śravaka and pratyekabuddha only pay attention to their own achievement without considering others. Therefore, acts of helping others and compassion for bodhisattva highly emphasized in 『avataṃsaka-sūtra』 can give a suggestion for modern people to realize their true ago and faithful meaning of lives in the society of extreme individualism egoism.