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

In general, it is the application of the methodology that differentiates the modern science from the traditional approaches to the human knowledge. In that sense, Kwon Sang-ro is the pioneer who introduced the modern methodology to the study of Buddhism. And indeed, he clearly marks the beginning of the true modern Buddhism of Korea. Kwon Sang-ro seems to have an accurate understanding on both of the comparative and evolutionary approach that were the only available heuristics in the early stage of the religious study, and based on that, developed quite unique theories on the religious typology and the origin of religion as well. Furthermore, he come to a clear recognition of the religious pluralism, where he believes, Buddhism must strive for the promotion and renovation in order to survive and progress as well in the time of religious rivalries. It is the motive behind which his effort has been put up with in the search for the methodology of the modern Buddhism. Kwon Sang-ro, based on the thoroughly pragmatic and primitive egalitarianism embedded in the Buddhism, shows a level-headed critical ethos on the real picture of the Korean Buddhism, in that he left behind with a large volume of pioneering works as concentrating on the establishment of the history of Korean Buddhism in accordance with the evolutionary approach. In addition, he has steered the orientation of the Korean Buddhism by placing into the academic arena for such issues as the periodic classification, the origin of branches of thoughts, clarification on traditions, debate on the nature of Korean Zen Buddhism, etc.