Maitreya=彌勒菩薩; Jesus Christ; Bodhisattva; Korea; Protestantism; Messiahship
摘要
This dissertation offers a comparative analysis of Jesus Christ, the messianic figure in Korean Protestantism, with Maitreya, the messianic figure in Korean Buddhism.
The introduction constitutes the first chapter. Chapter two provides the textual study of Maitreya. Since the historical Buddha declared Maitreya to be the future Buddha, many Buddhist texts have provided a treatment of Maitreya. These Buddhist texts include sutras, commentaries, and Buddhist apocryphas. Maitreya appears as a major or minor character in these texts.
In the third chapter, the historical study of Korean Maitreya faith is conducted. Maitreya became an important figure after he was introduced into China from India. Although the Maitreya faith declined in China after the seventh century, Korean people continued to hold the Maitreya belief in high esteem. Today, the Korean Maitreya faith has been absorbed into a folk religion, making it popular among the common people of Korea.
Chapter four portrays religious understandings of the Korean Maitreya faith. Korean Buddhists consider Maitreya not only as the future Buddha, effective in the future, but as a savior Boddhisattva, effective in their present life. Two pure lands, the Tushita heaven in the present and the Dragon-Flower world in the future, are believed to belong to Maitreya. Therefore, the Korean Maitreya faith has twofold aspects, viz, ascent and descent beliefs.
Chapter five deals with Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Korean Protestantism. Korean Protestantism, throughout its history, has seen the emergence of many religious trends. Author classifies these trends into three distinguishable groups: "evangelistic pietism," "socio-political involvement," and "indigenization." These three groups have developed different viewpoints in their understandings of messianism. The messianic beliefs in Korean Protestantism have two representative expressions. One is eschatological and the other socio-political.
Chapter six offers the comparison of Maitreya with Jesus Christ. The fundamental similarities and differences between the two figures and two faiths are identified. Author also discusses three themes in the dialogue between these two faiths.
