일승의 『법화경』과 유일신의 기독교가 지향하는 인간상

Abstract

In the main discourse, after grasping the point of thought of One Vehicle (Ekayāna) and monotheism, we examined the unique images of Buddhism by contrasting the Buddha and Jesus, and by comparing tathāgata-dūta (the deputy of the Tathāgata, 如來使) and apostle as the ideal human images of the two major relious traditions. The thoughts of One Vehicle and monotheism share the perception that all human beings are equal. However, equality in monotheism is only the equality between human beings. Human beings are regarded as cooperators for the self-actualization and self-manifestation of God and unconditional belief in God is required. On the other hand, the equality that is mentioned in the thought of one vehicle is the equality between the Buddha and the sentient beings as well as between all the sentient beings. In this point, the sentient beings are the objects and agents of salvation at the same time and the belief is directed toward the confidence in and the practical appropriation of The Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapūṇḍarīka-sūtra) as the right teaching. Jesus is equivalent to Bodhisattva as the incarnation or the deputy of the Buddha. If the self-sacrifice of Jesus is ‘the death on the cross’ and then the self-sacrifice of Bodhisattva is ‘to be born in the suffering world after giving up one’s own pure karma.’ Thus, the doctrine of One Vehicle and monotheism both lead to the practice of salvation by self-sacrifice. Finally, we can compare the tathāgata-dūta (the deputy of the Tathāgata, 如來使) and the apostle according to the three rules of ‘the abode (charity), robe (forbearance) and pulpit (the voidness=detachment) of the Tathāgata.’ The forbearance and charity (compassion) can also be understood as a virtue required in the case of the apostle. However, the apostles do not emphasize virtues such as the detachment which is the acquisition of voidness. In this respect, it can be said that the voidness (detachment) is a unique qualification of Buddhism required to the tathāgata-dūta. Therefore, in comparison with christianity, to be free from all obsessions is the core requirement of the human images as a Buddhist.