화엄대회를 통해 본 조선불교사 재고 (A Study on the History of Chosun Buddhism through Hwaeom Rallies)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국불교학회
· 수록지 정보 : 한국불교학 / 59호 / 129 ~ 162페이지
· 저자명 : 김진현

초록

조선시대 불교계의 과제로 세 가지를 들 수가 있겠다. 첫째 강제 통폐합된 불교계를 화회해야 할 과제를 안게 되었다. 둘째는 출가자의 교육 문제를 들 수 있겠다. 셋째는 배불로부터 불법을 수호하기 위해 유교와의 화회가 필요했다. 이러한 문제의 해결책으로 나온 것이 30여 회 이상 지속적으로 개최된 화엄대회이다. 굳이 ‘화엄대회’라고 한 것은 강제 통폐합된 기존의 각 종파를 화엄 사상으로 화회시키고자한 것으로 보인다. 조선 중후기에 219년 넘게 지속적으로 나타난 화엄대회는 서산이 입적한 뒤 비롯되었다. 제자들은 스승의 유지를 받들어 묘향산에서 대둔사로 거처를 옮겼다. 청련은 대둔사에서 1607년 겨울부터 1608년 1월 23일까지 대법회를 열고, 마지막 서산의 기일에 큰 재를 올렸다. 이후 화엄대회는 대둔사와 송광사에서 경쟁적으로 개최되면서 점차 선암사와 미황사, 대광사 등 주변사찰로 확대되었다.
이러한 화엄대회는 일종의 특별 연수교육으로서 禪敎 교육의 장이었다.
특히 1754년 선암사 대회의 경우는 21일간 사부대중이 두루 동참하는 소통의 장이 되면서 자생불교의 모습을 보였다.

영어초록

The Hwaeom rallies prevalent around middle and late Chosun originated after the nirvana of Seosan, whose pupils respected his dying wishes and moved their dwelling from Mt. Myohyang to Daedun Buddhist Temple. Cheongryeon held grand Buddhist ceremonies from the winter of 1607 to January 23, 1608 and a huge Buddhist service for the deceased on the last anniversary of his death. Since then, grand Buddhist ceremonies were held at Daedun Buddhist Temple and expanded to other Buddhist temples around such as Songgwang and Seonam Buddhist Temple. Daedunsaji recorded "Of Seosan's pupils, Soyo and Pyeonyang most prospered. As a result, the Munho made huge development for the following couple of hundreds of years...The 12 Jongsas all graduated from Seosan's teaching and continued Hwaeom rallies in succession."There were Hwaeom rallies of particularly large size such as Hwanseong's Hwaeom rally held at Geumsan Buddhist Temple of Gimje in 1725 and Sangwol's Hwaeom rally held at Seonam Buddhist Temple in 1754, both of which attracted more than 1,000participants.
During Chosun, the Buddhist community was faced with three tasks; first, the issues of Seon and Gyo, which used to be separate during Goryeo, were forced into reconciliation during Chosun when Buddhist sects were integrated by force; secondly, the qualifications of those who entered Buddhist priesthood were problematic; and finally, the Buddhist community needed to reconcile with Confucianism to protect Buddha's teaching from exclusion. Hwaeom rallies were held to solve those problems and continued through more than 30 occasions.
Hwaeom rallies functioned as an irregular training session and took a special form of current auditorium. They are in fact the origin of Hwaeom Sanrim, which is often held at many Buddhist temples these days. Hwaeom rallies contributed to the greater substance of Seon and Gyohak, which were deteriorated those days.
Then the Shimseong controversy between Mukam and Yeondam followed along with the Sagi era of Inak and Yeondam, which was proven by the Sammun instructions that appeared later. Likened to the blind, Seon and Gyohak managed to be established right, which contributed to the atmosphere of the Sammun instructions along with Buddhist prayers.
Those findings raise a need to consider Buddhism during Chosun in terms of the 'period to guard Buddha's teachings' instead of Sanseung Buddhism. Specifically, 219 years from 1607 to 1826 when Hwaeom rallies were held was defined as the period when both 'Seon and Gyo' were cultivated with the period right before and after the period defined as the period of transition and decline,respectively. Being held consistently, Hwaeom rallies helped Buddhism maintain its subjecthood and inherit the life of Buddha during middle and late Chosun despite the hardship caused by the policies to suppress Buddhism.

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