본고는 18세기 후반 지리산 벽송사에 귀의하여 禪敎대종사로 칭송을 받았던 경암 응윤의 산거문학을 살펴보아, 문학사적 의의를 찾아보는 것이 목적이다.
鏡巖 應允(1743-1804)은 조선 정조 년간에 활동한 스님으로, 俗姓은 驪興 閔氏이고, 처음의 법명은 慣拭이었으나, 뒤에 應允이라고 고쳤으며, 법호는 鏡巖이다.
경암은 생의 대부분은 佛門에 귀의했어도 조선 후기 이후 여느 승려와 마찬가지로 유가의 철학과 가치체계를 긍정한 儒釋不二한 삶을 살았다. 이러한 그의 儒釋不二의 의지와 삶을 추구는 때로는 동료 스님과 반목하기도 했으며, 자기 자신과의 내면적 갈등을 낳기도 했다.
경암에게 있어서 지리산은 생을 영위하는 삶의 터전이고, 遊樂의 장소였으며, 修禪의 공간이었다. 그는 지리산에서 평생을 살며 다양한 형식의 시 83수를 통해 자신의 삶과 철학을 드러내었다.
그의 시세계는, 첫째, 僧俗不二의 實踐의 모습으로 드러난다. 이는 그가 儒彿一致論을 주장하였고, 이를 바탕으로 유자들과 어울려 지리산을 유람하거나 시문을 주고받으며 僧俗不二한 삶을 살았기 때문이다.
둘째, 安身樂道의 餘裕로 드러난다. 이는 그가 13세에 불문에 귀의한 이후 그의 삶의 터전은 지리산이었다. 그는 安身樂道의 여유에도 불구하고 때때로 萬行에 대한 동경과 이에 따른 심적 갈등을 드러내기도 하였지만 생의 대부분을 지리산에 살면서 安身樂道의 여유를 즐겼기 때문이다.
셋째, 一心法界의 追求로 드러난다. 이는 그 자신이 禪敎 兩宗 대종사답게 화엄사상에 대한 깊은 이해와 탁월한 선지식을 가지고 있었다. 그는 만유의 실체인 一心을 강조하여, 그의 사상과 삶의 궤적은 대립과 차별 보다는 조화를 강조하였기 때문이다.
경암 산거시의 문학사적 의의는 시문학의 작가층이 지방의 在地 승려들까지 확대되어 일반화 된 것을 보여준다. 또한 시문의 내용이 ‘성정’을 바로잡는 도구라는 기존의 문학관과 거리가 먼 자신의 체험의 시화하는 변화된 문학관을 보여준 것이 의의가 있다.
The objectives of this study were to examine the mountain dweller literature of Gyeongam Eungyun who entered the Byeoksong-sa Temple in Mt. Jiri in the late 18th century and was praised as a great master of ZenBuddhism(禪敎) and to discuss its meaning in literature history.
Gyeongam Eungyun (1743-1804) is a Buddhist monk who was in activity during the reign of King Jeongjo in the Chosun Dynasty. His secular family name is Min (閔氏) from Yeoheung, and his initial Dharma name was Gwansik but renamed Eungyun later and his Dharma pseudonym is Gyeongam.
Although most of his life was committed to Buddhism (佛門), Gyeongam lived a life of Seungsokbulyi (僧俗不二: Monks and common people are not different), an idea acknowledging the philosophy and value system of Confucianism, like other monks in the late Chosun Dynasty, and his later years until his death were devoted to Zen training (禪修行). His will and pursuit of Seungsokbulyi sometimes raised conflicts with his colleague monks and brought him internal conflicts with himself.
For Gyeongam, Mt. Jiri was the ground of his life, a place for pleasure (遊樂), and a space for Zen training(修禪). He took pleasure in exchanging poems with secular Confucians who visited the mountain and led a life of Jayeonilyeo(自然一如 - Becoming one with nature) like a mountain hermit, and sometimes he gave himself over to deep Zen meditation (禪定). His life and philosophy as such were manifested in 83 poems written by him in various forms.
A characteristic of his poetic world is the expression of his practice of Seungsokbulyi. It was because the Buddhist circle in those day advocated the theory that Confucianism and Buddhism are the same (儒彿一致論) and, based on this idea, he travelled around Mt. Jiri and exchanged poems together with Confucians as a part of his Seungsokbulyi life.
Second, his poems reveal his leisurely life of Ansinnakdo (安身樂道 - The way of enjoying peace by comforting the body). Since he entered into Buddhism at the age of 13, Mt. Jiri had been the base of his life. Despite his composure in Ansinnakdo, he hinted his being captured by Manhaeng (萬行 – Secular thoughts) and resultant mental conflicts, but through most of his life he lived in Mt. Jiri and enjoyed Ansinnakdo.
Third, his poems pursue Ilsimbeopgye (一心法界 - One mind encompassing the whole universe). As the great master of Zen Buddhism, Gyeongam had deep understanding of Hua-Yen thought and outstanding Zen knowledge. Emphasizing one mind, which is the true entity of all things in the universe, his idea and life track sought harmony rather than confrontation and discrimination.
The meaning of Gyeongam’s mountain dweller poems in literature history is found in that they show the expansion and generalization of poetry writers to monks in provincial areas. What is more, the contents of his poems are meaningful in that they exhibit Gyeongam’s view of literature versifying his experiences different from other views of literature in his days.