<사복불언>에 나타난 모자(母子)의 수행과 성불

Abstract

Sabokbuleon(蛇福不言) which means that Sabok does not say a word keeping silence is included in the Uihae(義解) section of Samguk Yusa. Uihae means understanding and interpreting the meaning of Buddhist doctrine. The Uihae section of Samguk Yusa contains biographies of eminent monks who are outstanding in that respect. In particular, their practices and journeys for attaining Buddhahood are the core of biographies. We must also, therefore, focus on and interpret the Sabokbuleon in that context. Interestingly, not only Sabok but also his mother appeared as a major figure and participated in the practice of Buddhist discipline and attained Buddhahood. In this study, I will analyze the practice of Sabok and his mother and their attaining Buddhahood in the narrative of Sabokbuleon, and interpret its hidden meaning. In Sabokbuleon, Sabok’s mother was a widow who gave birth to a son without a husband; Sabok was a disabled son who could not speak nor stand up until he was twelve years old. Sabok’s mother went to Wonhyo(元曉) and heard his teachings of Buddhism and told her son so that Sabok could also practice Buddhist discipline. And through mother, the uncertainties and the question of the son were conveyed to Wonhyo and the answer was given to the son again. In this process, the mother naturally became a Buddhist laywoman. Its meaning is contained in the words of Sabok who went to Wonhyo and said, “The cow on which you and I once loaded the Buddhist scriptures is now dead.” Finally, Sabok became enlightened, and his mother became a tiger of wisdom which means that she achieved Buddhahood through practicing Buddhist discipline. It is proved by the fact that Sabok recited the song and entered the underground world called Yeonhwajang Segye(蓮華藏世界) with his mother’s body. Sabok and his mother becomes Buddha at the same time. The main principles hidden in the Sabokbuleon are non-dualism and equivalence. These principles penetrate the relationship between the widow as a laywoman, her son as the disabled, and Wonhyo as monk, and their respective practice and achievement. Sabok and his mother were not two as practitioners. Sabok realized that life-death and Nirvana is not separate but one and the same, and that this land of sentient beings is the land of the Buddha. The logic of equivalence was realized on the principle of non-dualism. In practicing Buddhist discipline, Sabok and his mother as a practitioner were equal to Wonhyo who renounced the mundane world, and the disabled and the normal were equal. And also in attaining Buddhahood, men and women were equal as revealed by the Sabok and his mother’s becoming Buddha.