Korea Journal of Buddhist StudiesISSN:1598-0642(Print)불교학연구회

The Gwan-Hwa-Seon(看話禪) of Korean Buddhism has been influenced directly by Meng-shan(蒙山). But Gwan- Hwa(看話) of Meng-shan(蒙山) can be seen as having many ideological changes compared to the Gwan-Hwa(看話) of Dae-hye(大慧). Due to this, the reality of Gwan-Hwa-Seon(看話禪) of modern Korean Buddhism cannot uphold its true spirit and practitioners of the Gwan-Hwa-Seon(看話禪) have lost direction and are content on being within the shade of mystery.Therefore this study will research the reasons that Gwan- Hwa-Seon(看話禪) of Korean Buddhism has lost its vigor in the Gwan-Hwa(看話) of Meng-shan(蒙山) and through an analysis of Meng-shan’s(蒙山) biography analyze the problem.By the method of comparison with Gwan-Hwa(看話) of Dae-hye(大慧), I will try to analyze the characteristics of Meng-shan(蒙山)’s Gwan-Hwa(看話).First, if you look at the characteristics of Dae-hye’s Gwan- Hwa, it can be called ‘Discovering Hwa-Du(話頭)’. This is the description of the existential appearances of the mind that can be found and confirmed in various aspects of our lives, which has the appearance of all things. That is why it is called ‘Existential Hwa-Du(存在的 話頭)’.Second, another characteristic of Meng-shan’s Gwan- Hwa(看話) is ‘Creating Hwa-Du.’ This can be called ‘Disciplinal Hwa-Du’ whereby you overcome the many delusions of worldly desires through a personal effort and build a thought through self-mortification and labor. However, there is little chance in succeeding with ‘Disciplinal Hwa-Du’ because it requires infinite effort to achieve enlightenment. Thus, today the Gwan-Hwa-Seon(看話禪) is ignored by the practitioners of Korean Buddhism and has become a cause of indifference with regard to saving mankind.Therefore in this thesis, I think that the cause for stagnation in Gwan-Hwa-Seon(看話禪) Korean Buddhism today originated from Meng-shan’s Gwan-Hwa(看話), I will analyze examples to be found in Meng-shan’s(蒙山) biography, Meng-shan’s concept about Sitting in Seon Meditation(坐禪) and Hwa-Du, Meng-shan’s disciplinal course, and method of Permission(認可).