고려말 禪僧의 入元遊歷과 元 淸規의 수용 (The Goryeo Seon Monk's Visit to Yuan: Their Journeys, and their embracement of the “Pure Rules(淸規)")

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국사상사학회
· 수록지 정보 : 한국사상사학 / 40호 / 29 ~ 66페이지
· 저자명 : 강호선

초록

太古普愚(1301~1382), 懶翁慧勤(1320~1376), 白雲景閑(1298~1374) 등 고려말 대표적인 선승들에 의한 원나라 淸規의 수용과 실천시도는 看話禪風의 수용과 함께 당시의 가장 보편적인 불교가 고려사회에 들어온 것이었다. 간화선과 청규는 원나라 선종의 양대 기둥인데, 이 두 가지는 시차를 두고 고려불교계에 수용되었다. 간화선풍의 수용과 확산이 고려 선종 교단 내부에서 13세기 말부터 일어난 변화라고 한다면 청규의 시행은 공민왕대 王師-보우와 혜근-에 의해 이루어졌는데, 왕사였던 보우와 혜근, 그리고 왕사는 아니나 청규실천을 중시했던 경한이 모두 원에 유학하며 강남지역 불교를 경험했다는 점이 주목된다. 보우와 혜근은 모두 왕사에 임명된 이후 청규를 시행하거나 청규의 실천과 확산을 강조했다. 이는 청규실천을 통한 불교 개혁에는 불교교단 뿐만 아니라 국가의 의지도 반영되었음을 보여준다. 그리고 공민왕의 후원 아래 왕사인 보우와 혜근이 실제 교단 및 禪刹 운영에 적극적으로 도입하고자 했던 『勅修百丈淸規』가 국가주의적 성격을 강하게 띄고 있었고, 寺院에 대한 국가의 통제와 관련된다는 점에서 공민왕의 개혁정치 및 왕권강화와도 연결되는 바가 있다. 공민왕대 청규에 바탕하여 불교교단을 변화시키고자 했던 불교계의 시도는 결실을 맺지는 못했고, 국가주의적 성격이 강하다는 점에서 한계를 갖고 있다. 그러나 고려말 불교교단 내에서 스스로 변화의 조짐을 보였고, 이를 통해 공민왕의 불교개혁의 방향성을 읽을 수 있다는 점에서 보우와 혜근을 중심으로 한 청규의 시행은 의미를 갖는다.

영어초록

The most renowned Seon Monks in the final days of the Goryeo dynasty, such as Tae'go Bo'wu, Na'ong Hye'geun, Baeg'un Gyeong'han, all adopted the so-called “Pure Rules(淸規)” from the Yuan empire. They embraced these “Rules” alongside the Gan'hwa Seon(看話禪), and tried to train themselves by them, which were regarded as the epitome of universal Buddhism at the time. Gan'hwa Seon and the “Pure Rules” were the two essential elements of the Zen Buddhism believed by the Mongol Yuan people, and were embraced by the Goryeo people as well, yet at different time points. The Gan'hwa Seon was introduced to the Goryeo people and then became quite popular throughout the Goryeo Seon Buddhist society in the ending days of the 13th century, yet the adoption of the “Pure Rules" were led by the Royal Preceptors(王師) such as Bo'wu and Hye'geun, during King Gongmin-wang's reign. Both Bo'wu and Hye'geun either officially enacted the “Pure Rules” or passionately argued its values, after they were named as Royal Preceptors. And Gyeong'han, who was not a Royal Preceptor, emphasized the importance of abiding by the “Pure Rules" too. All of them once visited the Yuan empire, and experienced the Buddhist traditions of the Chinese Jiangnan region during their stay. Bo'wu and Hye'geun's emphasis upon the “Pure Rules” in particular, shows us that the installation of the “Rules" and efforts to reform the Buddhist community based upon those rules, was not only the will of the Buddhist society but also the will of the government as well. With Gongmin-wang's support, Royal Preceptors like Bo'wu and Hye'geun tried to run the Buddhist community and individual monasteries based upon Pure Rules compiled by the order of the Emperor(勅修百丈淸規), so such adoption of the “Pure Rules” had to strongly reflect the government's agenda and interest, which would ultimately lead to the government's control of the Buddhist temples. In that regard, the adoption of “Pure Rules” was clearly related to King Gongmin-wang's plans for dynastic reform, and his efforts to reinforce his own authority. Yet such attempts to bring reforms upon the Goryeo Buddhist community based on such “Pure Rules” during King Gongmin-wang's reign did not succeed. And unfortunately it was an attempt launched by the government rather than the Buddhist community itself. But the Royal Preceptors were involved, so we could say that they indeed wished to pursue a meaningful change. Bo'wu and Hye'geun's embracement of the “Rules” shows us what were the objectives of King Gongmin-wang's Buddhism reforms, and what was the direction.

참고자료

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