전통 재회의 다름과 같음, 그리고 어울림의 철학 -아랫녘 수륙재와 진관사 수륙재를 중심으로- = The Philosophy of Difference, Sameness, and Harmony in Korean Buddhist Rituals -Focusing on the Southern Suryukjae and Jingwansa's Suryukjae-

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study examines the Suryukjae rituals of Jingwansa Temple and the Southern Suryukjae to explore how the Buddhist ritual known as jaehoe(齋會) functions not as a mere repetition of formal procedures, but as a living practice dynamically shaped by the cultural sensibilities and philosophical orientations of local communities. While both rituals are grounded in the core Buddhist principle of non-discriminatory equality (mucha pyeongdeung), the Jingwansa Suryukjae emphasizes integration through order and formal structure, whereas the Southern Suryukjae pursues coexistence through participatory and responsive engagement. This distinction illustrates that the Buddhist notion of equality operates not as uniform sameness, but as a relational respect for particularity and context.
In particular, this study draws on the cognitive concept of “the homogeneity of sameness and difference,” noting that external differences are often more sharply perceived within structurally similar frameworks. As Ven. Seongnim of Gwaneumsa in Busan. “It may appear different, but it is not truly different.” From this perspective, the ritual differences are not seen as deviations, but as diverse expressions unfolding from a shared philosophical foundation. Suryukjae, in this light, becomes a practice of relational equality that embraces difference―not merely a rite of deliverance for the deceased, but an ethical practice that reconstructs communal life among the living.
Through this analysis, the study offers a contemporary interpretation of mucha pyeongdeung and illuminates the philosophical significance embedded in Buddhist ritual. Ultimately, it argues that such rituals continue to endure not as static traditions, but as evolving cultural practices that remain alive within today’s lived experience.