The basic idea behind Sotaesans reformation of Buddhist doctrine and the monastic system was based on the idea of skillful-means (方便, K. pangp`yon; S. up2ya). He considered the Buddha`s teachings and Buddhist systems as the skillful-means that must be properly applied to the contemporary Korean society. Throughout his ideas on the reformation of Buddhism, Sot`aesan maintained the main principle of modifying or renovating some Buddhist doctrines as well as the whole of the monastic system, without changing the main tenets of the Buddha`s teachings. In the Hyokshillon, Sot`aesan pointed to six central ideas of his reformation: (1) No Buddha Statue: Enshrinement of Irwonsang (一圓相, One Circle) as the Symbol of Dharmak2ya, (2) Imported Buddhism (from India and China) to a thoroughly Korean Buddhism, (3) Buddhism for a few to Buddhism for the majority, (4) Reformation of the Monastic System: Buddhism for Monks and Lay Devotees, (5) Buddhism Without Discrimination against Gender, (6) Unifying the Divided Subjects in the Educational System of Buddhism, i.e., Three Practices (三學, K. Samhak; S. triuiks2). Sotaesans main purpose in the reformation of Buddhism was to bring Buddhist thought and systems down from the mountain to the people in order to apply Buddhism to the contemporary secular world.
目次
Abstract 169 I. General Introduction 170 1. No Buddha Statue : Enshrinement of Irwonsang (One Circle) as the Symbol of Dharmakaya 172 2. Imported Buddhism (from India and China) to a thoroughly Korean Buddhism 180 3. Buddhism for a Few to Buddhism for the Majority 181 4. Reformation of the Monastic System: Buddhism for Monks and Lay Devotees 183 5. Buddhism Without Discrimination against Gender 185 6. Unifying the Divided Subjects in the Educational System of Buddhism , i.e., Three Practices (K. Samhak; S. triuiksa) 186 II. The ninefold aspect of the truth of Irwon in practice of one's nature 190 III. Conclusion: Critical View on Sot'aesan's Reformation 190 Glossary 193 References 194
