A Monk of Mukti and Karma: The Life and Thought of Baek Yongseong

This paper sheds light on the life and thought of Baek Yongseong (1864-1940) and demonstrates his success at balancing mukti and karma. At the turn of the century, when Korea lost its independence, Baek saw the predicament Korean Buddhism was in, facing the inva- sion of Japanese Buddhism and the introduction of Christianity. Baek sought to revitalize Korean Buddhism by making it understood and accepted by the general public. He also declared economic indepen- dence for Buddhist organizations and decried the newly established Japanese Buddhist institution. Above all, his balance of mukti and karma has become the standard for many contemporary Korean Bud- dhists, and as such allows us to draw important lessons from him. First, as an important shaper of modern Korean Buddhism, Baek taught that individual salvation must be accompanied by action for the benefit of the people. He also advised Korean Buddhist organizations to neither claim exclusive use of the gongan method nor overemphasize words and letters (bullip munja). Finally, he never defined how bal- ance between mukti and karma should be maintained, but instead said followers must strike their own balance out of compassion for other beings.

keywords: Yongseong, mukti, karma, Manhae, Daegakgyo, Great Enlightenment Movement, Avalokitesvara, Seon meditation

Reference

Baek, Yongseong, (1941) Yongseong seonsa eorok=The Sayings of Seon Master Yongseong,

(1991) Yongseong daejongsa jeonjip=Complete Works of the Great Master Yongseong 18 vols, Seoul: Daegaksa Temple

Buswell, Jr Robert, (1983) The Korean Approach to Zen, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press

Han, Bogwang, (1981) Yongseong seonsa yeongu=A Study of the Seon Master Yongseong, Seoul: Gamnodang

(1998) Yongseong seunim-ui jeonban-gi-ui saengae—sanjung suhaengi-reul jungsim-euro=The First Half of Master Yongseong’s Life: Focusing on the Period of Ascetic Practices in Mountains, Daegak sasang=Journal of Maha Bodhi Thought

(2001) Yongseong seunim-ui huban-gi-ui saengae (2)—Daegak gyose-ui hwakjang-gwa haesan=The Second Half of Master Yongseong’s Life 2: the Expansion of the Great Enlightenment Movement and its Dispersion , Daegak sasang

Hanguk bulgyo japji chongseo=Collection of Korean Buddhist Journals , Seoul: National Library of Korea

Han, Yong-un, Han Yong-un jeonjip=Collected Works of Han Yongun Vol. 1, Seoul: Shin Gu Publishing Co

Huh, Woosung (Heo, U-seong), (2000) Manhae’s Understanding of Buddhism, Korea Journal

10.

Kim Gwang-sik, (1999) Yongseong, Seoul: Minjok Publishing Co

11.

Myeongjeong, (1997) Samsogul sosik 三笑窟消息=News from the Samsogul Hermitage, Yangsan: Tongdosa Temple Geungnak Seonwon

12.

Thurman, Robert. A. F, (1976) The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: A Mahayana Scripture, University Park and London: Pennsylvania State University Press

바로가기메뉴

Article Contents

Vol.45 No.1

A Monk of Mukti and Karma: The Life and Thought of Baek Yongseong

Abstract

Reference

Korea Journal