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

The most theoretical ground in which thinkings of both, Buddhism and feminism can touch each other lies in the fact that the life-ism, an ism that all mankind is of the nature of Buddha, which should acknowledge he existential sanctity up to the non-sentient things as well as the sentient things, comes to be accepted as a major concept of humanism. In this said paper, I try to reveal out the feminine meanings of found in {Samkukyusa : the history of three kingdoms} carrying Mahayanist Buddhism on its bottom through the symbol that implies 'the eye'. The song of a poor woman that brought itself in the tradition of , a literature of the gentility of buddist priests and Hwarang, etc. in origin, firmly came to establish itself as a scripture of the history of Korean literature by the 'choosing' from the unbiased point of view of Ilyeon, the author of {Samkukyusa}. This equalitarian way of description has no less than an implication even from the viewpoint of feminism of today.Especially, the Buddha as the motherly image called Gwaneum(the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy) provides an opportunity of precious speculation toward the sacred image of woman who settles agony. Besides, the contents of {Hymn for blessed eye} that the healing power of Gwaneum works a miracle through the dearest wish of motherhood indicates very cherishable belief seen from the theoretical context of modern feminism that lays emphasis on a wide-ranged recognition about maternity. The 'blinded eyes' of the child in {Hymn for blessed eye} are not the token of merely physical handcap but symbolize the existential anguish due to Karma caused from wrong-doing, sublimating to the meanings of religious desire that cures the personal suffering and practicing the conduct of Mahayana. The dream of the grief-stricken mother who hopes all the while for a miracle of openning the eyes of her child could, at last, draw up the curing power of Gwaneum, givig a birth to the miracle. The minds of both, Gwaneum and the mother, therefore, belong to oneness, and the mother, at this point, come to be defined eventually as an individual who already carries the mind of Buddha in.The aspiration and the belief that are set to overcome the personal agony and to heal and to save the anguish of others, by regaining one's self innate Buddhahood is the very humanistic starting point of Buddhism that was originated from the insight of pang and pain of mankind. This is the most significant part that is able to communicate with the modern feminism that has given ear to the feminine wounds and sufferings constantly impaired through the wrongly-constituted eye of cognizance and that has re-specified the dignity and value of its existence in a wide range.