사후 사찰 기재의 현대적 실천방안 연구 = A Study on Modern Methods of Posthumous Buddhist Temple Writings

국문 초록 (Abstract)

본 논문은 불교 생사관의 관점에서 인간의 죽음문제를 분석하고 사후(死後) 행하고
있는 유교식 제(祭, 제사) 형태와 불교의례 행위를 살펴봄으로써, 전통기제를 불교식
재(齋) 문화로 전환 모색하고자 한다. 불자(佛子)들에게 불교식 재가 필요한 근본적인
이유는, 유교는 견고한 자아의식(自我意識)을 기본으로 하며 사후세계(死後世界)나 피
안(彼岸)의 내세관 그리고 영혼윤회(靈魂輪廻)를 인정하지 않는다. 반면에 불교의 가
르침은 고정 불변하는 실체적 자아를 부정하고 윤회의 주체를 업으로 본다. 불교의
윤회는 인과관계 변화에 따른 종합적인 연기(緣起, 붓다의 존재론)사상으로, 사람이
죽으면 모든 것이 멸하는 것이 아니라 그 ‘식(識)’은 생전의 업에 따라서 삼계육도(三
界六道)의 생사세계를 지속한다. 이것은 불자 가정에서 불교 생사관에 근거한 불교
재가 이뤄져야 하는 이론적 근거가 된다.
삶과 죽음 그리고 사후세계에 대한 문제는 우리 인간들이 가장 본질적이고 근원적
으로 추구하고 있는 사유적인 문제이면서 종교적인 문제이다. 불교 생사관의 관점에서
는 사람마다 근기나 욕구가 다르다 하더라도 최종적인 구경의 목표와 체득하는 내용
은 같다고 본다. 마음의 실상인 무상(無常)과 무생(無生)의 청정한 진여자성(眞如自性)
을 체득하여 생사대사를 초월하는 것이다.
유교의 사후관은 기(氣)의 존재성과 기의 활동인 응취(凝聚)와 취산(聚散)으로 설명하고 있다.
그러나 불교에서는 영혼(靈魂, 識)이 윤회하는 것으로 본다. 이와 같이 유
교와 불교는 죽음에 대해 서로 다른 인식을 갖고 있으므로, 조상에 대한 재 의례에 대
해서도 실행 의도와 내용이 다르게 요구된다.
전통 기제는 은혜에 보답하는 효의 실천을 기반으로, 조상에 대한 성의 표현과 가
족의 안녕을 기원하는 의식이다. 그러나 근대화와 도시화의 과정에서 핵가족화, 저
출산 등으로 인하여 제 의례는 다양한 종교 문화와 사상 등으로 흡수되거나 전환, 축
소되고 그 의미가 상실되고 있다.
불교의 사찰 기재는 부정한 것을 멀리하고 몸과 마음을 청정하게 하는 재계(齋戒)
라는 점에서, 종교의 궁극적인 완성과 수행이 동시에 요구되는 의례이다. 사자(死者)
가 무상(無常)의 도리를 깨우치고 극락왕생하기를 서원하는 의식이다. 사찰에서 행하
는 기재는 위와 같이 전통제례의 ‘효’의 개념을 흡수하면서도 붓다의 가르침을 통해
동참자 스스로가 삶의 방식을 성찰할 수 있는 재(齋)의의 현장인 것이다. 또 기재를 통
하여 가족들은 고인과 만나는 주기적인 추모의 시간을 갖게 되며, 상호 이해의 시간
을 만들 수 있다.
현재 불자 가정에서 행할 수 있는 불교식 가정기제가 준비되어 있다. 그러나 상황
이 충분히 반영되지 못하고 보급의지가 없었기 때문에, 실천적으로 이뤄지는 경우는
거의 없다. 이런 점에서 본 논문에서 검토한 재의 방법론과 실천 원리들이 그동안 불
자 가정에서 유교식 전통 기제를 행하면서 경험하게 되는 불교 가르침과의 괴리감을
해소하는 데에 도움을 줄 수 있을 것이다.
본 논문의 연구 성과를 통해, 불자 가정 포함하여 많은 사람들이 불교에서 행하는
재의 의미를 바로 알아서 자기를 돌아보는 성찰의 계기가 되고, 여법하게 ‘재의 불교
화’를 실천하길 기대한다.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• 제Ⅰ장 서론 ·················································································································· 1
• 1. 연구 목적과 의의 ··········································································································· 1
• 2. 연구 범위와 방법 ··········································································································· 5
• 제Ⅱ장 유교 사상과 전통 기제 ·············································································· 11
• 1. 유교 사상 ······················································································································· 11
• 1) 유교의 인·천(人·天)사상과 제 ···················································································· 11
• 2) 죽음 및 제와 연관된 유교사상 ·················································································· 15
• 2. 유교식 전통 기제와 화장(火葬) 문화 ······································································· 20
• 1) 전통 기제의 의의 및 형식 ······················································································· 20
• 2) 사후 화장 문화와 효 ································································································· 27
• 제Ⅲ장 불교 죽음관과 사후 의례 ·········································································· 30
• 1. 불교의 죽음관 ··············································································································· 30
• 1) 불교 경전의 죽음관 ··································································································· 30
• 2) 불교 열반사상 ··········································································································· 34
• 2. 불교의 사후관 ············································································································· 38
• 1) 사후 영혼 윤회 ············································································································· 38
• 2) 사후관의 변화와 임종행의 ························································································ 45
• 3. 사후 불교의 의례 ········································································································· 52
• 1) 의례의 의미와 변화 ··································································································· 52
• 2) 의례의 중요성과 개선 방향 ······················································································ 62
• 제Ⅳ장 불교식 재(齋)의 이해 ················································································· 69
• 1. 재의 의의 ······················································································································· 69
• 1) 재의 의미와 변천 ······································································································· 69
• 2) 재에 대한 불교계 인식 ······························································································· 76
• 2. 불공의식의 3대 재 ······································································································· 82
• 1) 3대 재의 범패 ············································································································· 83
• 2) 불교 주요행사의 재 ··································································································· 87
• 3. 기재의 염불과 지장기도 ····························································································· 94
• 1) 염불의 중요성 ············································································································· 94
• 2) 지장기도 ······················································································································· 97
• 제Ⅴ장 불교식 기재의 실천 ·················································································· 103
• 1. 불교식 가정 기제 ······································································································· 103
• 1) 불교식 가정 기제의 의의 ······················································································· 103
• 2) 불교식 가정 기제의 형식 ······················································································· 107
• 2. 사찰 기재의 의의 및 형식 ······················································································· 112
• 1) 사찰 기재의 의의 ····································································································· 112
• 2) 사찰 기재의 형식 ····································································································· 115
• 3. 사찰 기재의 필요성과 효과 ····················································································· 119
• 1) 사찰 기재의 필요성 ································································································· 119
• 2) 사찰 기재의 효과 ····································································································· 121
• 제Ⅵ장 결론 ············································································································· 135
• 참고문헌 ··················································································································· 137
• Abstract ·················································································································· 144