The Scriptures of Won Buddhism

Foreword

Foreword Wŏnbulgyo—‘‘Consummate,’’ or ‘‘Circle,’’ Buddhism—is a Korean new religion formed in the early twentieth century that purportedly derives from the unique enlightenment experience of its founder, Sot’aesan (1891–1943). After his enlightenment, Sot’aesan researched different religious systems to guide him in framing his insights before finally deciding that his realization had profound af- finities with Buddhism. Because of these affinities, Sot’aesan originally called his new religion the Pulbŏp yŏn’guhoe, the Society for the Study of the Buddha-dharma, and later his followers came to call their tradition Wŏnbulgyo. In this book, Professor Bongkil Chung, a lifelong student and scholar of this religion, offers the first complete scholarly translation of the core canonical materials of Wŏnbulgyo along with a valuable introduction to Wŏnbulgyo history and thought and the wider milieu of fin-de-siècle indigenous Korean religion. Despite calling itself Wŏnbulgyo, the religion’s connections to the broader Buddhist tradition have rarely been as transparent as the name might imply. The Wŏnbulgyo ecclesiastical leadership has at various points in time been decidedly ambivalent about their religion’s associations with mainstream Buddhism. Some later redactions of their canonical materials have even sought to obscure these associations by replacing emblematic Buddhist explanations of religious development in favor of explanations unique to Wŏnbulgyo. After a lifetime of research on these texts, Professor Chung has become an outspoken advocate of the Buddhist underpinnings of Wŏnbulgyo thought and in this translation has restored what he believes to be earlier, more authentic, Buddhistic interpretations that have been expurgated in later church redactions. This decision has not been without its consequences: Professor Chung’s attempts to defend his scholarly views have led to a personal estrangement from some church leaders; and even though this translation was promoted by the church itself to serve as a definitive new translation of Wŏnbulgyo texts for overseas proselytization, the church leadership has withdrawn its imprimatur from his activities. Professor Chung details the reasons for his decision to restore these readings in Appendix I; but the detailed analysis he provides there of internal changes in the Wŏnbulgyo canonical recensions provides little x i hint of the profound personal ordeal he endured in defending his translation. However one may regard his translation, we must applaud Professor Chung’s courage in adhering to the highest standards of scholarly integrity and academic independence in its preparation. The Western-language translation of Korean Buddhist materials, especially those written in vernacular Korean, is still in its infancy and there are few precursors available to help guide the translator. We therefore are fortunate that, in many respects, Professor Chung has been preparing for much of his adult life for this task of translating Wŏnbulgyo materials. After graduating from Won Kwang College (now University) in Korea, Professor Chung came to the United States to study Western philosophy and to build the background necessary to convey Wŏnbulgyo concepts accurately in English. Much of Professor Chung’s scholarly research has also focused on analyzing the contours of Wŏnbulgyo thought. Finally, he has spent years developing a terminology that would make Wŏnbulgyo ideas accessible to readers of English. Professor Chung has drawn on all the tools in his scholarly arsenal to convey the flavor and meaning of the original Korean texts. Written vernacular Korean was still very much a work in progress during the early twentieth century and the meaning of the Korean texts is not always clear-cut, even to the specialist. Professor Chung has taken an important first step in making this material intelligible to a Western audience. Wŏnbulgyo has arguably been the most successful of the Korean new religions and in recent decades has even made substantial strides toward establishing a worldwide presence for itself. The patient reader of Professor Chung’s book will be rewarded with a full set of documents on this uniquely Korean innovation in religious thought, which sought creatively to adapt Buddhist ideas and practices in ways better suited to modern, secular society. Robert E. Buswell, Jr. Los Angeles, California xii F oreword ...