근⋅현대기 한⋅일 비구니의 존재양상에 대한 시론적 고찰 (A Consideration of the Changes of the Korean and Japanese Buddhist Order System during Modern and Contemporary Period and the Modes of Bhikkuni’s Existence)

서지정보

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· 수록지 정보 : 대각사상 / 22호 / 199 ~ 240페이지
· 저자명 : 강문선

초록

본 논문은, 근대기 조선불교의 법령과 일제이후 ‘조계종’교헌에서 현대기의 ‘대한불교조계종’ 법령에 이르기까지 법령의 변천과 특색 및 일본의 조동종의 근대기 종제(宗制)의 변화과정에서의 <승려법>을 고찰하고, 한⋅일 불교교단의 종헌법령에서 승려의 평등성과 차별성을 비교하고자 하였다.
근대기 조선불교계는 불교의 정체성과 전통성을 선양하고 계승하는 의미에서 승려의 균등한 법계와 교육의 체계성을 법령으로 정하였지만 비구니 수행교육과 제도의 실천은 그렇지 못했으며, 근대이후 대한불교조계종 종단의 법령에 이르러서는 불평등한 제도가 성문화되기까지 하였다. 한편, 일본불교의 근대기는 ‘배불훼석(排佛毁釋)’과 승려의 재가화라는 메이지유신 정부의 방침과 이에 맞선 교단의 저항으로 시작되었으며 결국 교단은 정부시책에 순응하고 종령(宗令)을 개정하였다. 그러나 승니의 차별적 제도에 니승들은 자발적인 다양한 사회봉사로서 평판과 우호를 얻고 교단에 대한 불평등한 제도에 대해 집단적 항거(抗拒)운동으로서 근대기 말, 승니의 차별이 철폐되고 균등한 종제를 이끌어 내었다. 이러한 일본불교계와 한국 불교교단의 종단법령의 변천과정에서의 비구니에 대한 종단 제도의 차별성에 대한 원인분석과 이를 해소하기 위한 방향에 대해 논구해 보았다.

영어초록

This paper investigated Buddhist-related legislations in Korea during the Japanese Colonial Period, the Charter of the Jogye Order after liberation, the Ordinances of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, and the Soto-shu’s (曹洞宗) Law of Buddhist Monk in the midst of the changes in its order system during the modern period. And it also compared Buddhist monks’ equality and discrimination between the Korean and Japanese Buddhist order system.
Although the Korean Buddhist circle during the Japanese Colonial Period established equal Dharma rank (法階) and systematic education through ordinances for the purpose of enhancing and inheriting the Buddhist identity and tradition, system and reality were different. This could be known from reading ‘A Report on a Visit to Japan’ (見學記) written by Bhikkuni Su-ok Jeong (鄭守玉), who was the first visitor to Japan as Korean Bhikkuni at that time. In those days Korean Bhikkunis had no consciousness of the Buddhist order system, and no awakening of the right and status in the order. Probably the reason for the discriminative system for the Bhikkuni manifested in the order system during modern and contemporary period is the influence of the idea that men are superior to women, which had existed since the Joseon Dynasty, and the Bhikku’s wrong and discriminating prejudice related to disciplinary precepts.
Korean Buddhist body started the ‘Purification Movement’ (1954) for the eradication of Japanese-style Buddhism and the establishment of the order centered on Bhikkus, and Bhikkunis who actively participated in that movement. In this process the body made Bhikkunis the abbot of the Headquarter temples like Donghwa-sa Temple and Seonam-sa Temple, but this did not last long. The abbots of those temples were changed again into Bhikkus and no definite explanations were presented. Besides, when the ‘Reformation Movement’ (1994) for the reform of the Jogye Order, Bhikkunis also took an active part in it and demanded a revision of the laws and regulations for the advancement of Bhikkunis. But the demand was not accepted. The reason was said to be the eight precepts specifically for Bhikkunis (八敬戒) and absence of right persons. The Korean Bhikkus’ discrimination against Bhikkunis are well reflected in such examples. The combined order of Bhikkus and married Buddhist monks laid down unequal Buddhist laws in the aspects of Dharma rank and the others. Such discriminatory system has been maintained and applied to a position of a Buddhist monk.
The Japanese Buddhist circle violently protested against the ‘exclusion of Buddhism and the defamation of the Buddha’ (排佛毁釋) and the policy of making Buddhist monks marry by the Meiji Restoration (明治維新) government (1872). But finally the Buddhist orders adapted themselves to governmental policies, and revised their ordinances. However, the discriminatory system relevant to Bhikkunis continued to exist. In wartime, and after the war, Japanese Bhikkunis had a good reputation from society and Buddhist orders through various services and dedication, voluntarily starting collective protest movement against the orders’ unequal systems. At last at the end of modern time (1946) the discriminatory structure and system were abolished, leading to the orders’ system guaranteeing the equality of Bhikkunis.
Examining Japanese Bhikkunis’ consciousness of their order system and improvement movement in the past, we can conclude that there is a need for Korean Bhikkunis to enhance the awareness and awakening of the order's laws and regulations and to intensify their concentration power and petition. Moreover, they should put effort into cultivating their high-level skills at teaching Buddhist Dharma linked to society, history, and culture, which could also be another direction of correcting the discriminative ordinances. Without these efforts, the orders’ systems centered on Bhikkus will never change.

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