When Buddhism was introduced to Korea, its ideas penetrated and influenced Korea's society and culture. However, during the Joseon period, the anti Buddhism policy was established by the government. By end of the Joseon period, the government's polic...
When Buddhism was introduced to Korea, its ideas penetrated and influenced Korea's society and culture. However, during the Joseon period, the anti Buddhism policy was established by the government. By end of the Joseon period, the government's policy led many problems for Buddhism. Buddhist population had decreased because of its misleading images. They valued minor aspects of Buddhism. People were more eager about having feasts to Buddha without the practice of meditations and lessons. Moreover, disappearance of various meditation made people to wedded to Sudden Doctrine(頓悟禪法), even though in dharma there is nither sudden nor the gradual.
Laymen Wol-chang Kim Dae Hyun(月窓居士 金大鉉) felt that true meanings of Buddhism was fading in Joseon dynasty. He decided to write a book to save Buddhism and to pass down its true meanings; the book was called Seon Hak Ip Moon.
Laymen Wol-chang Kim Dae Hyun(月窓居士 金大鉉) tried to preserve the various seon lessons, but he felt that Sudden Doctrine(頓悟禪法)was not appropriate for various capacities(根機).
Seon Hak Ip Moon(禪學入門) was based upon the Shi-chan-bo-luo-mi-ci-di-fa-men(釋禪破羅密次第禪門), which has the characteristics of gradual method. Although it has the characteristics of gradual, variable, and sudden. But Seon Hak ip Moon(禪學入門) should not be consider as gradual method only because it is the Complete Doctrine's gradual method therefore Seon hak ip moon(禪學入門)contains the gradual, variable, and sudden method which is helpful to various capacities. Wol-chang wanted help people to understand both Buddha's teachings and various ways of meditation through his book based on the Shi-chan-bo-luo-mi-ci-di-fa-men(釋禪破羅密次第禪門).
Seon(禪)-Thought of Laymen Wol-chang was checked through his other books, Sul Mong Shae Un(述夢瑣言).
So far, in the process of checking, it was found that Sul Mong Shae Un(述夢瑣言) had 87 chapter and the Hanguk Bulgyo Chonso (韓國佛敎全書) was used as a reference book mainly in Sul Mong Shae Un(述夢瑣言) translation book which was introduced to the general public.
while writing this thesis, one hundred chapter of Sul Mong Shae Un(述夢瑣言) was find. Through that, we could find the contents of 13 piece which was omitted in previous Hanguk Bulgyo Chonso (韓國佛敎全書) Sul Mong Shae Un(述夢瑣言), consist of one hundred chapter, was possibly transcribed by Monk Kumha.
Laymen Wol-chang is handling the fundamental problem of life comparing the life to dream through Sul Mong Shae Un(述夢瑣言). In the main contents, it teaches to live a realistically awakened life based on the Buddhism.
It is assumed that the real intention of Laymen Wol-chang was making many people to convert to the Buddhist life through Sul Mong Shae Un(述夢瑣言) or Seon Hak Ip Moon(禪學入門).