허운(虛雲, 1840-1959)은 평생 선종의 실천에 힘쓴 중국 근현대 불교의 최고봉이다. 그는 5가의 법맥을 이어 받았고 수많은 사찰을 중건하였다. 또한 그는 중국불교협회 창립에 참여하였을 뿐만 아니라, 입적할 때까지 수많은 법문을 통해 선종의 대중화에 앞장섰던 중국 근현대 불교의 중흥조이기도 하다.
이 글은 허운의 선사상에 나타난 특징을 ‘허운 선맥의 종합과 마조계열 임제선풍의 계승’에서 찾아보고, 특히 원융회통(圓融會通) 사상의 의의에 관하여 살펴본 것이다. 나는 이글을 통하여 허운의 원융회통 사상을 주로 선정겸수(禪淨兼修) 사상과 삼교회통(三敎會通) 사상의 두 가지 측면에서 조명해보았다.
(1) 선종은 정토종을 비방하고 정토종은 선종을 비방하는 현실에서, 허운은 이 두 가지가 그 근원에서는 하나로 일치한다는 선정겸수 사상을 제창하였는데, 이것은 결과적으로 선종의 입장에서 정토종을 포용하는 데로 나아갔다. 허운의 선정겸수의 사상은 결정적으로 불교계 내부의 화해와 대중불교 확산에 이바지하는 결과를 낳았다.
(2) 허운은 선종의 기준으로부터 유가와 도가를 포용하는 유불도 삼교 회통론을 제창하였다. 그는 『논어』의 일상성을 빌어 ‘도’가 행주좌와의 일상을 떠나지 않는다는 점을 강조했다. 또한 『맹자』, 『대학』, 『중용』 등을 원용하여 자기법문의 방편으로 활용하였을 뿐만 아니라, 『노자』와 『장자』에 나타난 조파(照破)의 정신과 도의 무차별성 및 평등성에 대해서도 주목한 특징이 있다.
이외에도 허운은 선종과 교종의 원만한 회통을 이루어냈는가 하면, 선계쌍수(禪戒雙修)의 회통을 제창함으로써, 실천적 불교의 대중화를 이루는데 기여한 공이 크다. 그러나 본고는 허운이 강조한 선악인과(善惡因果) 사상이라든가 회광반조(回光返照) 사상 등에 대해서는 언급하지 못한 한계가 있다. 이러한 논의들은 앞으로의 과제로 남겨둔다.
Heo Woon, who endeavored all his life to Zen Buddhism, has been the most outstanding authority in modern Chinese Buddhism. He succeeded the teachings of 5 schools of Zen Buddhism and reconstructed many temples. Also he made an effort to the popularization of Zen Buddhism by teaching as well as founded The Association of Chinese Buddhism. This study investigated the Heo Woon's Zen Buddhism in the origin of Heo Woon's lineage and the succession of Imje, especially focusing on the thought reconciling different thoughts. This study interpreted Heo Woon's thought reconciling different thoughts from two perspectives using thought of co-cultivation of Zen and Purity and intermixture of the three religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. (1) When Zen Buddhism and the Pure Land Buddhism criticized each other, Heo Woon argued co-cultivation of Zen and Purity, and announced that these two thoughts are originally same. This approach leaded Zen Buddhism to adopt Pure Land Buddhism. Heo Woon's co-cultivation of Zen and Purity brought about the reconciliation of different thoughts of Buddhism and the development of popular Buddhism. (2) Heo Woon argued to adopt Confucianism and Taoism, on the basis of Zen Buddhism. He also put emphasis on the argument of Analects of Confucius, that Tao does not leave daily life. He not only borrowed from Confucian classics such as Mencius, but also have an interest in the Zhuangzi's negative spirit and indiscrimination of Tao. Heo Woon succeeded in the communication between Zen Buddhism and non-Zen Buddhism. And he proposed the co-cultivation of Zen and religious precepts, and contributed the popularization of practical Buddhism. The future work of this study will the examination of Seonak In-gwa(善惡因果) or Hoigwang Banjo(回光返照) that Heo Woon emphasized.
Heo Woon, who endeavored all his life to Zen Buddhism, has been the most outstanding authority in modern Chinese Buddhism. He succeeded the teachings of 5 schools of Zen Buddhism and reconstructed many temples. Also he made an effort to the popularization of Zen Buddhism by teaching as well as founded The Association of Chinese Buddhism. This study investigated the Heo Woon's Zen Buddhism in the origin of Heo Woon's lineage and the succession of Imje, especially focusing on the thought reconciling different thoughts. This study interpreted Heo Woon's thought reconciling different thoughts from two perspectives using thought of co-cultivation of Zen and Purity and intermixture of the three religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. (1) When Zen Buddhism and the Pure Land Buddhism criticized each other, Heo Woon argued co-cultivation of Zen and Purity, and announced that these two thoughts are originally same. This approach leaded Zen Buddhism to adopt Pure Land Buddhism. Heo Woon's co-cultivation of Zen and Purity brought about the reconciliation of different thoughts of Buddhism and the development of popular Buddhism. (2) Heo Woon argued to adopt Confucianism and Taoism, on the basis of Zen Buddhism. He also put emphasis on the argument of Analects of Confucius, that Tao does not leave daily life. He not only borrowed from Confucian classics such as Mencius, but also have an interest in the Zhuangzi's negative spirit and indiscrimination of Tao. Heo Woon succeeded in the communication between Zen Buddhism and non-Zen Buddhism. And he proposed the co-cultivation of Zen and religious precepts, and contributed the popularization of practical Buddhism. The future work of this study will the examination of Seonak In-gwa(善惡因果) or Hoigwang Banjo(回光返照) that Heo Woon emphasized.
