象徵性과 一圓相의 연구 = Meanings of Circle Symbolism

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The symbol of circle reinforces the belief that it is the most fundamental one out of all types of symbols. Circle in Won-Buddhism represents the ultimate, one, absolute, and cosmic truth.
First, it symbolizes that the one truth is empty: An important meaning represented in the archtype of ○ is that the truth is emptiness. The emptiness refers to impersonal and no-form with natural properties. The fundamental base of the universe is a true emptiness.
Second, it symbolizes a perfect and impartial truth: Another meaning that the archetype involves is that the fundamental truth is to be perfect and impartial. It refers to Buddha(the enlightened)'s mind, nature of all living beings, and origin of the universe which are perfect and impartial.
Third, it symbolizes the truth which is continuously changeable and also constant all the time: The circle, Ilwonsang, is a religious symbol newly born in the modern historical situation in which the traditional religious symbols were in a trial. It is the future oriented religious symbol which involves a historical mission for playing a role as a new spiritual source for the mankind and a guider of life within itself. And this symbol gradually appears on the historical horizon. In this aspect, the symbol of Ilwonsang as a new religious symbol for the new era has some meanings such as melting mankind history and tradition into this symbol, letting religion and science go side by side, and suggesting it as an object for belief and a standard for practice.