The present article deals with the concept 'ekayāna' as the spirit of the times
in the period of Unifying War in Shilla, which is embodied in the thought of
Wonhyo and Euisang.
This article is divided into five sections.
Section I introduces the back...
The present article deals with the concept 'ekayāna' as the spirit of the times
in the period of Unifying War in Shilla, which is embodied in the thought of
Wonhyo and Euisang.
This article is divided into five sections.
Section I introduces the background of research history regarding the spirit of
the age during the Unifying War, and explaines the reason why we adopted two
thinkers such as Wonhyo and Euisang, especially the concept 'ekayāna' of the
two as a subject for inquiry.
Section II discusses on the hermeneutical difference between the Chinese
Faxiang sect and Wonhyo regarding the interpretation of one passage from
Saṃdhinirmocana-Sūtra, in which the relation between ekayāna and triyāna is
explained. It is noteworthy that Faxiang sect places emphasis on the
differentiation of triyāna, but Wonhyo gives emphasis to equality of ekayāna.
Section III refers to the hermeneutical horizons of Wonhyo which is connoted in
the interpretation of Saṃdhinirmocana-Sūtra, especially focusing on the concept
'ekayāna'. Here we can make a conclusion as follows;
Firstly, the 'ekayāna' in Wonhyo is immanent in 'triyāna' and at the same
time transcendental from 'triyāna', so to speak 'com-transcendetal' with 'triyāna'.
Secondly, there is inseparable and unmixable relation between 'ekayāna' and
beings. In another words, 'ekayāna' is śūnyatā.
Thirdly, 'ekayāna' is a kind of universal truth(普法pŭ fă) in that it offers the
benefit to open and develop the immanent buddhadhātu of all living lives.
In addition to Wonhyo's thought on ekayāna, section Ⅳ refers to the concept
'ekayāna' of Euisang. On Euisang, 'ekayāna' is 'the perfect teaching(圓敎yuán
jiào)' and 'pratītyasamutpāda'. From this point of view, we can conclude that the
thought on ekayāna between the two, Wonhyo and Euisang is not different, and
completely coherent.
As a result, as it is concluded in section Ⅴ, it is also clear that ekayāna has
'com-transcendental' relation to triyāna. Therefore we can safely make a
conclusion that the spirit of the times in the period of Unifying War in Shilla
among the leading thinkers is the vision for 'com-transcendency'.