Korea Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

This paper aims at revealing the Mahāyāna Buddhist perspective on life by examining its thoughts of Buddha Nature(佛性). Mahāyāna Buddhism understands life as the process of a creative living. According to it, life makes one’s own self and world through one’s own living. This Mahāyāna Buddhist perspective on life shares a common with the modern theory of Santiago that argues that the world always changes in accordance with the structure of an organism cognizing the world. The theory of Santiago arguing that nothing exists without relating to a cognitive process is not different from the Buddhist doctrine of dependent arising(緣起) saying that life and the world are co-dependently arising inseparably.The Mahāyāna Buddhist perspective on life is based on the fact that the self and the world are co-dependently arising in the process of a creative living. Very this view gives the ethical ought to an altruistic living, an non-duel living of the self and others, a living not remaining only in one’s own happiness, and a compassionate living. This Mahāyāna Buddhist perspective on life is significant because it provides us with a clear answer on‘a true living that we should pursue.’ And the fact of its sharing a common with the perspective on life of modern science shows that the Buddhist perspective on life can be a universal view of life beyond the boundary of a religion of Buddhism. Furthermore, this Buddhist view of life being able to end conflicts and strifes, to bring the harmony of humans and environment, and to realize the co-existence humans and the ecosystem can be a foundation of bioethics and environmental ethics for the future generation of humans.