佛敎 業思想의 生態哲學的 硏究 = (An)ecological study on the theory of Buddhist Karma

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

With the advent of the 21st century, unusual meteorological phenomena such as hurricanes have become stronger and brought more damage than ever. According to a report in Time (cover story, Oct.3, 2005), many scholars insist that the recent hurricane which devastated the southern part of America was brought about by human contributions to global warming. If the current ecological and environmental problems remain unsolved, the North Pole iceberg will melt completely around the year 2060. Consequently, quite a lot of living things in the North Pole will perish and the subsequent rise in sea level will bring more serious natural disasters and threaten future life.
Whatever news report we read concerning ecology and the environment, the future of the Earth is bleak and dreary. These messages predict not only the extermination of all the other living creatures but the human species, because everything on the Earth is interrelated and interdependent(相依相關) as explained in Buddhist teaching. In the future, various kinds of calamities caused by environmental pollution might bring far more serious loss of human lives than current disease, terror and war.
With the coming of modern scientific civilization in the West, we have received many benefits and also suffered various kinds of side effects at the same time. However, the research and efforts to settle the environmental problems caused by scientific achievements, have also been initiated by Western people. In spite of the research and efforts, the current ecological condition is worsening more than ever, showing the limits of the Western ecological philosophy. While we are enjoying great material wealth and conveniences brought about by the modern industralization, the Earth is losing its ecological balance caused by the extermination of myriad species. This current ecological crisis is the very result of environmental contamination committed by ourselves. It is the retribution of our collective karma(共業) from a Buddhist perspective.
The present ecological crisis has been aggravated by environmental contamination and severity is ever-increasing. The extermination of species comes from many causes of environmental contamination, such as the global warming, the wildlife habitat destruction, and the indiscriminate hunting or fishing. Once a species becomes extinct, it cannot be restored.
Henceforth, the ecological problem should be focused on the prevention of the extermination of species. Species extinction caused by environmental contamination not only destroys the balance of eco-system but also threatens the very existence of our human species because all sentient beings are interrelated and interconnected. Nothing in this Earth is independent. Everything is interdependent in this world. In Buddhism, we call it Dependent Origination (緣起).
Therefore, I would like to provide a fundamental solution to the current ecological crisis from the perspective of Buddhist philosophy. In order to reduce our limitless desire that is the main culprit of the current ecological crisis, I would like to introduce the basic Buddhist theory, the Three Poisons(三毒心 i.e. greed, hatred and delusion) which should be eliminated according to the Buddha's teaching, ultimately contributing to solving the crisis. Also, we have to reinterpret the concept of 'killing(殺生)' in terms of a Buddhist perspective in order to reestablish an improved moral value. For example, the extinction of various animals and plants due to excessive materialism should be considered as an 'act of killing' in terms of the Buddhist precept. The concept of 'stealing(偸盜)’also should be considered according to a Buddhist ecological aspect. If we exhaust natural resources which should be shared with our future descendents, it is nothing more than an 'act of stealing'.
Accordingly, it is urgent for us to establish a new concept of ecological morality by introducing the theory of karma to eco-philosophy in order to solve the current ecological crisis. Concerning the Three Poisons[三毒心 i.e. greed(貪欲rāga), hatred(瞋恚dveṣa) and delusion(愚癡moha)], which are the fundamental causes of our karma. They are analysed as the root of the ecological crisis in this paper. On the other hand, the Three Activities[三業, three modes of activities: word(口業), thought(意業), and deed(身業)] have been reinterpreted according to the Buddhist ecological perspective.
The classification of karma in terms of the extent as collective karma(共業) and individual karma(不共業) show how far karma influences the individual person and society as a whole. It is vital to emphasize the social responsibility of collective karma along with individual karma
From this perspective, I feel that one way to solve the current ecological crisis is in terms of the Buddhist theory of karma:
1) The Buddhist theory of karma is an appropriate teaching to settle the current ecological crisis because the karma theory is a practical theory for our ordinary life problem.
2) In Buddhism, the root of all actions come from our mind. The cause of the ecological destruction from the Buddhist perspective lies in the three poison(三毒, i.e. greed, hatred and delusion). Accordingly, we should provide a Buddhist therapy to eliminate these three poisons)
3) We have to approach in the perspective of Ahimsa(不殺生, abstinence from taking life) to prevent the extermination of species because each diverse species is interdependent and coexist with in the entire eco-system.
4) Overconsumption is the main cause for the exhaustion of natural resources and the enviro- nmental contamination. So, we have to stop our overconsumption. We must direct ourselves towards reasonable spending and should not seek the happiness in terms of materialistic and quantitative perspectives.
5) We have to realize that there are limitations to solving the ecological problem in a capitalist- oriented way of thinking that emphasizes spending.
6) Population control is one of the key approaches in settling the ecological crisis. This applies to the over-populated poor countries, but also to the advanced rich countries with zero population growth.
7) The ecological problem should be approached in terms of practical aspect rather than theoretical aspects.
8) The cause and solution of the ecological problem should be approached in a comprehensive way in the perspective of both individual karma(不共業) and collective karma(共業) on the basis of the many causes and many effect(多因多果) principle.
9) The Pure Land, an ecological society of co-existence, could be attained on the basis of the idea that 'All sentient beings possess Buddha-nature'
The current ecological crisis has become the most critical problem of our human existence. The ecological problem has come to the fore and it is becoming the main issue in every sector of our society. Even though we all agree that we will face destruction if the current ecological situation remains unsolved, the environmental situation continues to worse. This indicates that the method to solve the ecological crisis still remains on a conceptual level and not in a practical stage. In other words, the current ecological approach is in it's verbal stage without any practical aspect.
Ecology is not a mere theory but it needs action to settle the current problem. The current ecological crisis is so serious that we have no time to discuss impractical idealism.
In this urgent situation, it is inevitable for us, Buddhist or otherwise, to suggest a way to solve the current environmental and ecological crisis according to the Buddhist philosophy. Accordingly, it is our responsibility as Buddhists to analyze the cause of the current ecological crisis and seek a way to solve it in the perspective of the Buddha's teaching(Ahimsa, Karma, Dependent Origination theory and etc.)
If we do not try to solve the current problem here and now at this juncture. The choice is ours to make. We have no choice but to face the co-destruction of all sentient beings. Henceforth, society's leaders of society, including policy-makers, should participate in this movement, stressing the ecological and environmental problem in stead of economic growth.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. 머리말 = 1
• 1. 연구목적 = 1
• 2. 연구범위와 방법 = 4
• Ⅱ. 佛敎 業思想의 특징 = 6
• 1. 불교의 根本敎理와 業思想 = 6
• 1) 業思想과 12處說의 관계 = 9
• 2) 緣起說과의 관계 = 13
• 2. 佛敎 業思想의 특징 = 23
• 1) 공허한 관념론의 止揚 = 24
• 2) 無我와 輪廻 = 28
• 3) 業의 可變性 = 32
• Ⅲ. 身·口·意 3업의 생태 철학적 해석 = 38
• 1. 意業의 생태 철학적 해석 = 38
• 1) 業의 근본원인과 생태문제 = 38
• 2) 意業과 생태문제 = 63
• 2. 身業의 생태철학적 해석 = 69
• 1) 殺生業과 생태문제 = 69
• (1) 불교에서 생명의 존엄성 = 70
• (2) 생태위기의 심각성 = 75
• (3) 불살생관 개념의 확장 = 82
• 2) 偸盜業의 생태철학적 해석 = 94
• (1) 偸盜業의 의의 = 94
• (2) 偸盜業의 생태철학적 해석 = 95
• 3. 口業의 생태철학적 해석 = 99
• 1) 口業의 의의 = 99
• 2) 口業과 생태문제 = 100
• 3) 口業과 廣告 = 101
• Ⅳ. 共業의 생태철학적 해석 = 108
• 1. 共業과 不共業의 개념 = 108
• 2. 不共業과 생태문제 = 113
• 1) 不共業의 정의 = 113
• 2) 五蘊과 五取蘊 = 115
• 3) 受蘊과 생태문제 = 122
• 4) 四食과 생태문제 = 126
• 3. 共業과 생태문제 = 137
• 1) 共業의 정의와 특징 = 137
• 2) 共業과 회향정신 = 148
• 3) 共業의 사회성과 생태문제 = 152
• Ⅴ. 業思想의 실천적 성격과 방향 = 160
• 1. 業思想의 실천적 성격 = 160
• 1) 止善과 行善 = 160
• 2) 生天과 涅槃 = 164
• 3) 전통적 불살생 실천 : 放生 = 166
• 2. 業報輪廻의 생태철학적 의의 = 168
• 1) 果報의 내용 = 168
• 2) 果報의 시기 = 182
• 3. 業思想의 결과론적 측면과 생태윤리 = 188
• 1) 불교의 동기론과 결과론 = 188
• 2) 善果 지향의 불교 = 190
• 3) 생태문제에서 결과론의 중요성 = 196
• Ⅵ. 맺음말 = 201
• 참고문헌 = 203
• ABSTRACT = 221