대승불교사상과 사회참여 一考

Abstract

Mahāyāna means itself the 'Great Vehicle', which has the great teaching of conveying all others as well as oneself from this shore of suffering and death to the other shore of comfort and life. The Mahāyāna Buddhism originated to overcome the Abhidharma Buddhism that was excessively immersed in pedantry interpretations of the teachings and failed to communicate with people as a 'living religion'. On that ground, Mahāyāna Buddhism lays emphasis on the perfecting of self for perfecting others as well as the attaining of Enlightenment. It restores the religious vitality of Buddhism in itself, and sympathizes with people in society while it plays an active role of practice and Engaged Buddhism to save them from sufferings and delusions. Mahāyāna Buddhism takes in reality as it stands, not separating nirvāna from life and death, and conceiving as oneness with the ultimate truth and the relative truth. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are incarnated in phenomenal world to save suffering sentient beings. These Non-dualism of the two Truths and Incarnation are ideological bases for social practice and social engagement in Mahāyāna Buddhism. In the Mahāparinirvāna Sūtra, a person's suffering and pleasure are influenced by four variables-the four primary elements of earth, water, fire, or wind; the time of the year; the land; the people- as well as the karma, the consequences of one's all actions from former lives. As a kind of social ethics, this teaching tells us to overcome social difficulties or natural disasters through our collective actions and efforts. It is the time for Buddhists with the spirit of Mahāyāna to give affectionate attention and help to the people in suffering. Furthermore, we should make collectively social endeavor to change the organizational contradictions of enlargedly reproducing conflicts and discontents in the present policy, society and economy.