『네 사중주』에 표현된 시간과 불교의 찰나 생멸

Abstract

Medieval scholastic philosopher Augustine’s proposition on the question of time is also the central theme expressed in Four Quartets. Regarding the consideration of time, there have been many pioneers’ opinions throughout the East and West and scholars studying Four Quartets in Korea. But their views did not seem to be unified. The concept of time in Four Quartets can be broadly classified into three categories. The first is the concept of time in which the beginning and the end are interconnected, and cyclical. Second, it is divided into the time of phenomenal life and the time of pursuing transcendence. Third, it is a timeless concept of an eternal present where past and future are merged and conquered. On the other hand, my personal view on time is that it is instantaneous changes between birth and death as discussed from Buddhist perspective. Since time is a product of human discernment and in reality exists only as an idea, it can be said to be an illusion, virtuality, ‘Nothingness.’ However, another arguement is a ‘Nothingness but Somethingness’ rather than a ‘Nothingness to Nothingness’. This is pretty similar to “The still point”, “Incarnation” of Four Quartets, ‘Nirvana Samatha’ of Buddhism, ‘Uncertainty principle’ of quantum mechanics and ‘Pure consciousness’ and ‘True self’ of seers. However, I think it is very difficult to accurately express the definition of time in language that is also a product of discernment.