Won Buddhism

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Won Buddhism
Hangul
원불교
Hanja
Revised RomanizationWonbulgyo
McCune–ReischauerWŏnbulgyo

Won Buddhism (원불교, Wŏnbulgyo) is a form of modernized Buddhism. Won Buddhism can be regarded either as a syncretic new religious movement combining Korean Seon with features from Donghak Neo-Confucianism, or as an offshoot of Seon Buddhism.[1]

Translations of the name[]

The name "Won Buddhism" comes from the Korean words 원/圓 won ("circle") and 불교/佛敎 bulgyo ("Buddhism"), literally meaning "Round Buddhism" or interpreted as "Consummate Buddhism." By "consummate," Won Buddhists mean that they incorporate several different schools of Buddhist thought into their doctrine; that is, where some schools focus only on practicing meditation (samādhi), some schools devote themselves fully to studying scriptures (prajñā), and still others practice only their school's precepts (śīla), Won Buddhism believes in incorporating all three into daily practice.

History[]

Early life of the founder[]

According to Won Buddhism traditions, Pak Chungbin (박중빈 朴重彬, 1891–1943, a.k.a. Sot'aesan) began asking questions about universal phenomenona at age 7 and expanded his inquiries to problems of life and death and existence.[2] After attending sihyangje (時享祭,a ritual of ancestral worship), he heard about the powers of Sansin and prayed in the mountains for four years at "madangbawi (마당바위 trs. yard rock)."[2] From ages 15 to 20 he made great efforts to meet Daoshi.[2]

Achieving bodhi and the first hint of religious doctrines[]

At age 20, his father, who supported his searching, died, and from age 25, he entered a period of inaction and not thinking of anything.[2] He attained bodhi on April 28, 1916, at age 26. The day is commemorated as the founding day of the religion.[2] Pak visualized his enlightenment as the shape of a single circle before expressing it in words and described the circle as the origin of everything in the universe, the mark of the heart of all buddhas and saints, and the nature of Sattvas which is based on the eternal Tao and the principle of retribution.[3]

Choechobeopeo[]

In May,1916, the first "teaching" called 'Choechobeopeo (最初法語)' was given to the 9 disciples of Pak. It is considered the basis of all of the Pak's teachings and the practical methodology of human revolution and mental enlightenment.[4] There are four methods outlined in choechobeopeo. The first is the method of "Training oneself (修身)" for example keeping up with current affairs and information in academics, training the mind and gaining inner peace in order to keep a strong sense of justice, making the right decisions by identifying the good and beneficial or the bad and malicious, and making sure what one thinks is consistent with what one does by doing well in "Jakeopchwisa (作業取捨)."[4] "Jakeop" means the reactions of the human sensory organs, and "chwisa" is the action of choosing justice and discarding the unjust.[5] The first method of self training is often called collectively "Samhak (三學)."[5] The second method is "managing the family (齊家)," living a frugal life, studying and travel, seeing to the education of children, serving elders, leading the young (上奉下率), and achieving harmonious family relationships.[4] The third method is "Jinhwasang" (進化上), essentially strengthening all by helping the weak to become strong and the weak following the strong as their leader.[4] The last method is "Preparing to becoming a leader".[4] These four methods were held to be key in saving the world from the illnesses that afflict societies.[4]

Early communities and later developments[]

In 1917, Pak founded a savings union with his disciples in his hometown Baeksoo of Yeonggwang County in South Jeolla Province and participated in community labor, which helped the religion earn substantial money.[6] In 1919, "The union to make the Society of the Study of the Buddhadharma (佛法硏究會期成組合)" was established, and in 1924, Pak founded a new religious order by creating the Society of the Study of the Buddhadharma (佛法硏究會) at Iksan, North Jeolla Province, which made him president of the Society and Seo jung An (徐中安) chairman.[6] In 1943, Song Gyu (송규, 1900–1962) became the Second Patriarch, and in 1948, he renamed the order "Wŏn Buddhism."[6]

Scriptures and writings[]

Pak's original doctrine was published as the Pulgyo Chŏngjŏn (The Correct Canon of Buddhism) in 1943. It was later redacted and expanded to its current form in 1977 and today is included in the Order's main doctrinal book Wŏnbulgyo Chŏnsŏ.[7] Wŏnbulgyo Chŏnsŏ includes Chŏngjŏn (The Principle Book of Won Buddhism), Taejonggyŏng (The Scripture of the Founding Master), and eight canonical Mahāyāna texts.

Connection to other Eastern philosophies[]

Won Buddhism can be considered an amalgamation of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.[8]

Calendar[]

The religion uses its own calendar called Wongi, which sets Year 1 in 1916 when Park Chungbin experienced his first bodhi.[9]

References[]

  1. ^ Michael Pye, "Won Buddhism as a Korean New Religion," Numen 49, no. 2 (2002): 113–141.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e 박중빈(朴重彬) (in Korean). Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  3. ^ 일원상(一圓相) (in Korean). Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f 최초법어(最初法語) (in Korean). Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b 삼학팔조(三學八條) (in Korean). Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 2015-04-23.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c 불법연구회(佛法硏究會) (in Korean). Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  7. ^ Wŏnbulgyo Chŏnsŏ, (Iri: Wŏnbulgyo Ch'ulp'ansa, 2014). First published 1977.
  8. ^ Henrik Hjork Sorensen, Ole Bruun, and Arne Kalland, eds, Asian Perceptions of Nature (Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, 1992).
  9. ^ http://www.wonnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=112387

Further reading[]

  • Baker, Don. "Korea's Won Buddhism: Is it really a new religion?", Paper presented at the CENSUR Center for Studies on New Religions International Conference. Danshui, Taiwan, 2011.
  • Chung, Bongkil. "Won Buddhism: A synthesis of the moral systems of Confucianism and Buddhism", Journal of Chinese philosophy 15 (1988): 425–448.
  • Chung, Bongkil. "Sot`aesan's Creation of Won Buddhism through the reformation of Korean Buddhism." In Makers of Modern Korean Buddhism, edited by Jin Y. Park, 61–90. Albany: SUNY Press, 2010.
  • McBride, Richard D. "Won Buddhism", in Religions of the World, edited by J. Gordon Melton and Martin Baumann, 3121–3122. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2010.
  • Park, Y. "Won Buddhism", in Encyclopedia of Buddhism, edited by Damien Keown and Charles Prebish, 834–835. London: Routledge, 2010.
  • The Doctrinal Books of Won-Buddhism (Wŏnbulgyo Kyosŏ), Translated by the Committee for the Authorized Translations of Won-Buddhist Scriptures (Iksan: Wonkwang Publishing, 2016).

External links[]

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