圓悟의 『心要』에 나타난 禪思想 고찰

Study on the ‘Seon thought’(禪思想) in Xinyao (心要) of Yuanwukeqin (圓悟克勤)

『圓悟心要』는 『圓悟佛果禪師語錄』 20권에 의거한 참선 수행하는 모범과 방법, 宗旨의 心髓, 禪風의 精要를 보인 140여 법어를 모은 것이다. 내용은 조사선에 의한 깨달음을 위해서 ‘發心, 學道, 悟入, 修行, 方便의 차제로서, ‘理須頓悟, 事要漸修’를 내용으로 한다. 근본 내용은 見性成佛을 주장하여 眞正道人의 수행을 보여 頓悟漸修의 선풍을 나타낸다. 즉 수행방편과 견성성불을 주장하는데 그 사상적 내용은 直指人心ㆍ見性成佛에서 ‘本心’을 깨닫는 것이다. 곧 ‘明心達本’과 無事忘緣이라고 할 수 있다. 현성공안이란 임운자재의 湛寂凝然의 경지에 이르는 방편을 말한다. 이러한 경지는 곧 본래청정심의 연기성공의 경지로서 無心ㆍ無念ㆍ無事ㆍ無為ㆍ無計校ㆍ無分別을 말한다. 심인을 깨닫는 것은 미혹된 망념으로부터 벗어나는 것이지 특별한 신통이나 외도들의 술수가 불교의 전통적 수행과 궁극적 경지인 것으로 아는 것을 비판했다.

The book Yuanwuxinyao has the contents of resolution, study, spiritual awakening, asceticism and method required for enlightenment through Zen. The basic content is ‘becoming Buddha by understanding the character of self’. It describes the Zen mediation method of ‘learning the truth at one time and then discarding old habits gradually’ by performing true asceticism. The summary of content is as follows. First is becoming Buddha by the character of self and do not put writing or talk at the forefront. Second is ‘becoming Buddha by understanding the character of self instead of questioning or analyzing. This is becoming Buddha by understanding the character and mind of self, or, ‘making mind clean and arriving at essence’. Third is ‘if one place is truth, every place is truth, and, if one sentence is learned, every sentence is learned’. This is what the Avatamska Sutra said, that learning that mind goes through an eternal cycle and achieves the freedom of self. Fourth is when one learns the truth through the understanding of self, everything becomes calm and there will be nothing to discard because the person has finally arrived at nirvana. Fifth is the asceticism method, which is learning the truth by observing everything through clear eyes and clean mind. Then what is a clean mind? It is the ‘empty character’, which is the real character earned after one learns the principle of emptiness. In other words, it is ‘no mind, no thinking, no event, no deed, no plan, no differentiation’ mentioned in the Diamond Sutra. This asceticism is having a mind which is peaceful and free without any obstacle. Therefore, it is said that one mind is nirvana and ecstasy.