佛敎의『中庸』‘性’ 內涵 闡釋

Abstract

Comparing the genuine meaning of the human nature explained in the book Zhōngyōng-Zhízhǐ written by Ǒuyì Zhìxù, one of the four greatest Buddhist monks in the Ming dynasty with that translated by Zhū Xī who compiled Neo-Confucianism in the South Song dynasty, this study looks into the genuine meaning of the human nature in the unique viewpoint of Ǒu yì Zhìxù different from that of Zhū Xī. In his book Zhōngyōng-Zhízhǐ, he divides the Seong (性: human nature) into Cheon (天: heaven) and Myeong (命: life) to explain that Seong is SunSuJinYeo (純粹眞如: pure truth) of BulSaengBulMyeol (不生不滅: There is neither birth nor death) and JapBakJoAk (雜駁粗惡: Human nature is roughly mixed) of Saeng MyeolHwanMang (生滅幻妄: Birth and death of everything are all vain), which all means that the human nature can basically become not only the nature of pure reason of Gunja (君子: a Confucian standard person) but also the nature of Soin (小人: a person who is petty and crafty) harassed by passions. This is a part of his thoughts presenting the inner essence of human that a person can be good and bad as well; and implying that the object of discipline may be somewhere around such inner essence of human.
 On the other hand, Zhū Xī understands the Cheon as the pure truth and explains that the Myeong is given. He says that the Cheon consists of mainly ‘Yin-Yang and Five Elements’, which has Yi (理) and Gi (氣). It is noticeable that he appreciates: such Gi forms a body of JiWoo-Hyeon BulCho (智愚 賢不肖: mixed of wisdom, stupidity, goodness and badness) and such Yi is the essential source of human nature forming Deok (德: virtue) of GeonSun-OSang (健順 五常: Yin-Yang based virtues), which is the nature of InEuiYeJiShin (仁義禮智信: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and sincerity). Like this, he refers to Yi-Gi and YiYeok BuYeo (理亦賦焉: Yi is also given) to explain about the Cheon, so that he thinks that the Myeong of Cheon-Myeong is a kind of step given by the heaven, which is the step right before the human nature is given. Such human nature given by the heaven comes with such characters as JiWoo- HyeonBulCho based on each person’s GiJilPumSu (氣質稟受: characters and personalities) requiring everybody to be educated. That is, education is aimed at the recovery of the essential nature of human.