“Buddhism that relies only on monks has no future”… Why Professor Lee Jung-pyo published ‘Buddhist Sutra’

by times news cr
Professor Lee Jung-pyo said, “Buddhist scriptures are so vast that‍ it​ is impossible to read them all even if you read them all in a lifetime, so it was not easy​ to create scriptures that everyone‍ can ⁤easily access, like the Bible and Koran.” He added, “Through the ‘Buddhist scriptures’ translated from the Nikaya and Aham Sutras, it was not easy to learn about the Buddha. “I hope many people know what true teachings are,” he said. Reporter Jeon Young-han [email protected]

⁢ “There‍ is no future for Buddhism if we only rely on monks. “This is because if the monk passes away, the source of⁣ support ⁤will disappear.”

Lee Jung-pyo (71, philosophy), professor emeritus ⁤at Chonnam National University,‍ whom I met⁣ at his home in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul on the 12th, said this when asked why it took 16 years⁤ to publish the first Korean‌ Buddhist​ scriptures, ‘Bulgyeong (SUTTA)’. ‘Buddhist ‌Sutra’ is a Korean translation of ‘Nikaya’ and ‘Aham Sutra’, which contain teachings directly preached⁣ by the Buddha among ​the numerous Buddhist scriptures. He said, “Most religions have ⁤scriptures ⁤that anyone can easily⁢ read, but it‌ was very unfortunate that Buddhism relies on Buddhist statues without Buddhist scriptures.”

“Buddhism that relies only on monks has no future”… Why Professor Lee Jung-pyo published ‘Buddhist Sutra’
Professor Lee Jung-pyo meditating. He said, “Buddhist scriptures are so vast ​that‌ it is impossible ‍to⁤ read them all ‍even if you read them all in a lifetime, so it was not easy to create scriptures that anyone can ⁢easily ​access,⁢ like the Bible and Koran.” He added, “The true teachings⁤ of the Buddha through the ‘Buddhist scriptures’ translated from the Nikaya and Aham Sutra. “I‍ hope many people know what this‍ is,” he said. Reporter Jeon Young-han [email protected]

―There ⁤are many sutras, including the​ Diamond Sutra ⁤and the Avatamsaka Sutra, but what does it mean to say ⁢that there are no Buddhist sutras?

“The Sutra containing the Buddha’s words or teachings, the Vinaya containing the precepts, and the discourses in which the Buddha’s disciples discussed the Sutra and the Vinaya⁤ are called the Tripitaka. After Buddha’s Nirvana, there was a ⁢movement to systematize‍ and theorize the‌ teachings, and ⁣in​ this process, many treatises were created that did not properly understand the Buddha’s teachings. So, ⁣the Mahayana Buddhist movement arose to reveal the ⁤true face‌ of Buddhism again. As a ​result, another book containing numerous ⁢interpretations, explanations, and annotations was published, and the⁣ scriptures⁢ we know by name, such as the Diamond Sutra, were⁢ created.”

―The Tripitaka Koreana is​ the collection of all of them.

“The Tripitaka Koreana is a⁣ compilation‌ of all of the things mentioned above and even‌ related literature‌ created in China. As a ⁤result,⁢ there is too much overlap ⁢and there are also different interpretations of the same content. The ​Tripitaka Koreana is so vast⁣ that ⁢one would not be able to ​read it all even if one were to ‌read it in a lifetime. “It cannot be ​used as a scripture that people, especially ordinary ⁤believers, read.”

―Is there a reason why ⁢you chose ‘Nikaya’ and ‘Aham Sutra’ ‌among the many sutras?

“Buddha⁤ always told his disciples, ‘Take the teachings as your lamp and ​refuge, and do not‍ use anything‌ else as your refuge.’ After the Buddha’s death, his teachings were​ passed‍ down orally by his disciples and then written down in later generations. However, as the Buddhist denomination split,⁤ what was written in Pali in the south ‌was called ⁤Nikaya, and what‌ was written in Sanskrit in the north⁤ was translated into Chinese ‌characters⁣ and left‌ behind was called Aham Sutra. There is only a difference ​in the⁢ letters, so the content is almost the same. “I thought it would be ‍difficult for the Mahayana scriptures created after Buddha’s nirvana to become common Buddhist ‌scriptures for everyone because they are not ⁢the Buddha’s direct ⁣teachings.”

Professor Lee Jung-pyo meditating. He said, “Buddhist scriptures are so ⁤vast‌ that it is⁣ impossible to read them all even if you read​ them all​ in a ⁢lifetime, so it was ‍not ⁢easy ⁤to create scriptures that anyone can easily access, like the Bible and​ Koran.” He​ added,‍ “The true teachings of the Buddha through the ‘Buddhist scriptures’ translated from ⁣the Nikaya and Aham ⁣Sutra. “I‌ hope many people know what this is,” ⁣he said. Reporter Jeon Young-han scoopjyh@donga.com

Professor Lee Jung-pyo ⁣meditating. He said,‌ “Buddhist scriptures are so vast that⁣ it is impossible to read them all even if you read them all in ⁢a lifetime,‍ so it was not easy to create scriptures that anyone can easily access, like the Bible and Koran.” He added, “The true teachings ⁣of the Buddha through the⁤ ‘Buddhist scriptures’ translated from the Nikaya and Aham Sutra. “I hope many people know⁤ what this is,” he said. Reporter Jeon Young-han [email protected]

―Korean‌ Buddhism ‌emphasizes enlightenment more‍ due to the ⁢influence of Zen Buddhism.

“As Korean Buddhism inherited the ⁤teachings of Hyeneng, the Sixth Patriarch, a Zen monk during the Tang⁢ Dynasty, the mystical aspect of enlightenment has received ⁣too much attention. As a result, studying the scriptures is often seen as⁢ a kind of preliminary step to doing good⁤ deeds. ‌Moreover, since our Buddhism is ‍Mahayana Buddhism, not many people ‍study the Aham Sutra as Theravada⁣ Buddhism. I don’t think you can achieve enlightenment without studying. Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch, was also a person who studied a lot, but it is a pity that this ⁢aspect is not mentioned often. “What kind of practice can‍ I achieve ​by reciting Chinese character scriptures without even knowing what they mean?”

-I went back to being a monk this January.

“I became a monk when I was⁢ 19, but I returned to secular​ life in ‍my late 20s because I wanted​ to study Buddhism more⁣ academically. It’s not easy to just study when you’re at a temple. As I am finishing this book, I plan ⁤to do various things⁣ in ⁤the future, such as​ holding a Buddhist service using this⁣ ‘Buddhist sutra’ and developing a spiritual practice program. It is also something I have to do‍ as a‌ monk,⁣ so I became a monk again and received​ the ​Buddhist name ⁣’Junggagak’. It’s back to where⁤ it ‍came⁤ from. ha ha ha.”


Reporter Lee Jin-gu [email protected]

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