关于朝鲜民主主义人民共和国保护、研究和解释、切实实现八万大藏经的报告

内容摘要：这论文首先介绍了佛教的经典八万大藏经，介绍了朝鲜怎样保护并保存它为珍贵的法宝、具有国宝价值的民族文化遗产，还介绍了朝鲜怎样进行经典解释工作并把它体现在现实的具体情况。

关键词：八万大藏经 壬辰祖国战争 妙香山普贤寺 6．15联合宣言

尊敬的各位代表！

我首先代表全体朝鲜佛教徒向去年五月在中国四川省发生的巨大地震灾难中不幸遇难的无数的牺牲者及其家属表示深深的哀悼。同时高度赞扬中国人民齐心协力在消除地震灾害后果的斗争中所取得的成就。

我还向邀请我们参加第二届世界佛教论坛的中华宗教文化交流协会和中国佛教协会、国际佛光会、香港佛教联合会深表谢意，并向为成功举办这次研讨会给与积极支持和帮助的中国政府和江苏省人民政府表示深深的谢意。

各位代表！

通过这次论坛，小僧想要对《关于朝鲜民主主义人民共和国保护、研究和解释、切实实现八万大藏经》[1]问题进行讨论。

我们佛教徒在建设和平与繁荣的和谐世界事业中的一个重要的问题是保护、继承佛法并把它很好地体现在不断发展的现实之中。

在实现佛教的生存和发展、和谐世界建设的事业中，培养佛教徒、译经、广泛普及佛教是一项最基本的任务，为此，我们要保护、继承、研究发展我们的法宝——大藏经。

今天我国佛教经典——八万大藏经在佛教徒和国家的巨大的关心下，已成为珍贵的法宝，被定为一个具有国宝价值的民族文化遗产。

我首先介绍一下我国的八万大藏经。

我国第一个大藏经出版于高丽[2]时期（公元1011年至1086年），但这些大藏经在1236年被外来侵略者毁灭，现存的大藏经是在公元1236—1251年这16年期间出版的第三版，它一共有1537种，总共6793册，是至今流传下来的大藏经中最庞大、最完整的一部。这里有着解释佛教的教理、戒律、伦理的三藏（即经、律、论）以及传记、游记等，是一部佛法的丛书。

大藏经一般是指把佛教经典和佛教书籍集大成于一书的丛书，也叫一切经，八万大藏经是我国特有的大藏经的名称。

这一名称有很多种意思，它意味着印刷大藏经使用了八万六千六百多块木板，还意味着佛教上常用的“八万四千”这一数字，把断绝教徒脑力的一切杂念的八万四千个法门之说法。

今天我国很好地保护和保存了我们佛教徒和人民的光辉的法宝、佛法的丛书——八万大藏经。

好好保护和管理光辉的法宝、佛法的丛书——大藏经，这在研究和继承发展佛教、保护民族文化遗产方面是一个重要的问题。

因此，我国佛教徒和我国人民自从八万大藏经问世以来直到今天的漫长的历史期间，为了保护和保存八万大藏经尽了一切努力。

我国人民在冲破反对外来侵略的1592——1598年壬辰祖国战争[3]和40年的日帝殖民地统治、1950—1953年朝鲜战争的火海中，依然完好地保存了八万大藏经，使之没有受到丝毫的损失。

伟大的金日成主席早已教导说要好好保护管理佛教徒和我们民族的自豪、珍宝——八万大藏经及其木刻本[4]，并为此给了多次教导，亲自制定了永久保存方法，采取了具体措施。

敬爱的金正日将军遵循伟大主席的教导解决了永久保存八万大藏经方面的一切问题。这样，由国家进行投资，二十世纪八十年代在妙香山普贤寺[5]里很好地建立了具有现代化永久保存设备的八万大藏经保存库，如今，在那儿原封不动地保存着大藏经和木刻本。它将以修道正进的基本指标、培养教徒的基本教科书、珍贵的法宝世代相传。

要让大藏经作为法宝代代相传，永放光芒，就应该让人们能够容易去理解，并在现实生活中体现其真谛，这也是一个重要的问题。

我们国家不但做好了保护、保存、继承八万大藏经的工作，并很好地进行了其解释工作。

八万大藏经份量多、内容难、而且又是古汉文，所以要看着原本理会其佛法，是非要下一番苦功夫不可。

即使是在寺庵里修道正进的老僧，不学习汉文就无法理解原书的意思，尤其是信徒就更理解不了。

不少人断绝世俗的人缘，为了遵循佛法入佛门后又走还俗之路、为了成为佛子进入寺院以后又回到世俗，与这不无关系。

翻译解释好大藏经，以便让人们容易理解大藏经，这在搞好继承佛教命脉、培养佛教徒的工作中，已成为一个非常迫切的问题。

我国不仅动员了佛教学者，而且召集全国各地的优秀的历史学者组织了强有力的翻译解释集体，把这一工作视为国事加以进行。

这样，仅仅用了七年的时间就完成了原需要数十年的时间的八万大藏经翻译解释工作，把6793册的所有经典，从头到尾，根据原本经典的体系，不加丝毫的自我解释，翻译解释成为我国文字，它共有二十五卷。八万大藏经解释本终于问世。

因此，我国佛教徒能够容易理解和体会八万大藏经的所有内容，做好传教工作，很好地开展了培养佛教徒的工作。

八万大藏经自从问世以来整整过了750年，今天它才得以翻译解释，这在佛教经典历史中又是一个值得引以自豪的成就、具有世界性意义的大事。

我国在保护、保存、解释八万大藏经的工作中所取得的成就里渗透着爱国家、爱民族的崇高思想的伟大的金日成主席和敬爱的金正日将军的具体指导和英明领导以及对我们佛教徒的关爱，我们可以看出他们为继承和发展民族的灿烂文化费尽心血的伟大风貌。

各位代表！

大藏经虽为一个法宝，但在不但变化发展的现实生活中不能够体现其真理，这就只能成为避免现实要求的伦理。

佛陀曾说过，只是遵守戒律、进行祈祷、朝拜圣地、牺牲自己，就不能断绝邪恶的思想。这意味着不要坐视现实，而要进行积极的实践行动。

尤其对暴力和杀生横行的现实生活视若无睹，只从事于经典保护和研究工作，只专心于修道和遵守戒律，这就不能说继承了真理的法宝——大藏经，也不能说尽到了佛徒的责任和作用。

朝鲜的佛教徒依照佛法，为实现脱苦与乐的理念和当今世界地上净土建设，进行了积极的参与活动。

今天，对朝鲜民族来说，国家的分裂已成为最大的“苦”，只有实现祖国统一才能从这“分裂之苦”中摆脱出来。

祖国统一是在当今世界建设地上净土的基础和保证。

所以我国佛教徒与全体同胞一起把祖国统一事业视为最重要的任务，并为实现祖国统一进行着积极的活动。

朝鲜半岛北、南首脑奠定的2000年6.15联合宣言和2007年10.4宣言是实现民族和解与团结、统一和和平繁荣的保证。

因此，朝鲜半岛的北、南佛教徒高举“由我们民族自己”的旗帜积极开展履行6.15联合宣言和10.4宣言的各种现实性参与活动。

反对战争、保卫和平是实现朝鲜半岛的统一和维护亚洲和世界和平的保证，也是坚持佛教的和平理念的道路。

战争是对人类的最大的恶行，和平则是最大的慈悲。

我国佛教徒坚持和平理念和不杀生的戒律，积极参加在朝鲜半岛反对战争维护和平的反战维和运动。

各位代表！

我深信向往和平与繁荣、和谐世界建设的世界所有佛教徒积极支持和声援朝鲜佛教徒和朝鲜人民实现祖国的和平与统一的正义事业。

朝鲜佛教徒今后将深入开展保护、保存和研究、切实实现法宝——大藏经的工作，为建设和平繁荣的、和谐的地上净土做出一切努力。

谢谢。

Protection, Study, Bibliographical Introduction and Embodiment of Tripitaka Koreana in the DPR of Korea

Most Ven. Sim Sang Jin

Chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Buddhists Federation

Abstract: This paper introduces the Tripitaka Koreana, the collection of Buddhist Sutras, and tells that it has been protected and preserved as a precious Buddhist treasure and cultural heritage of the Korean nation and bibliographically explained and creatively materialized in reality in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Key words: Tripitaka Koreana Imjin Patriotic War Pohyon Temple in Mt. Myohyang June 15 Joint Declaration

Esteemed delegates,

First of all, in the name of all the Korean Buddhists, I extend deep condolences to the victims and their bereaved families as regards the strong earthquake that hit Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province of China in May last year. Also, I highly appreciate the successes the Chinese people have achieved in their single-minded struggle to eradicate the aftereffects of the earthquake.

I also express my deep thanks to the China Religious Culture Communication Association, the Buddhist Association of China, the Hong Kong Buddhist Association and the Buddha’s Light International Association for having kindly invited us to the Second World Buddhist Forum and to the Chinese government and the Jiangsu Provincial people’s government for their positive support and aid to this forum.

Dear delegates,

On this occasion I’d like to talk about the protection, study, bibliographical introduction and embodiment of the Tripitaka Koreana[6] (the complete collection of Buddhist Scriptures printed from 80,000 wooden blocks) in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

To protect and inherit the Lord Buddha’s teachings and realize them in the changing reality is an important matter for the Buddhists in building a harmonious land of purity on earth, peaceful and prosperous.

The apprenticeship training, bibliographical introduction and propagation are the major tasks for the existence and development of Buddhism and building of a harmonious world. For this the collection of Buddhist Scriptures should be protected, inherited and developed.

In the DPRK the complete collection of Buddhist Scriptures is preserved eternally as a precious national treasure under the deep care of

the government.

First of all, I’d like to introduce the Tripitaka Koreana.

In Korea the first collections of Buddhist Scriptures were printed in 1011 and 1086 respectively during the period of Koryo[7], which were burnt up by foreign invaders in 1236. The existing collection of Buddhist Scriptures, which was printed for the third time in 16 years between 1236 and 1251, consisted of 1,537 categories and 6,793 volumes. This is the most enormous and complete one among the existing collections of Buddhist Sutras. Making a synthesis of the dogmas, precepts and logical explanation of Buddhism as well as biographies and travel sketches, it is known as the library of Buddhism.

The Tripitaka Koreana, which consists of Buddhist Scriptures and Buddhism-related books, is the complete Buddhist literature peculiar to Korea.

To protect and preserve well the complete collection of Buddhist Scriptures, a brilliant treasure and library of Buddhism, is an important matter for the scientific research and development of Buddhism and for the protection of the heritage of national culture.

The Korean Buddhists and people, therefore, have done their utmost to protect and preserve the Tripitaka Koreana for a long period since its publication. It was preserved without any damage even during the 1592-1598 Imjin Patriotic War[8] provoked by Japan’s invasion of Korea, the 40-year long Japanese imperialists’ colonial rule and the 1950-1953 Korean War^。

The great President Kim Il Sung gave detailed instructions for the preservation of the Tripitaka Koreana and the wooden blocks[9] and took measures for their permanent preservation, saying that they were a pride and a precious treasure of the Buddhists and the Korean nation.

True to the President’s intention, the respected General Kim Jong Il solved all the problems arising in eternally preserving them.

Thus, a depot equipped with modern preservation facilities was built with state investments at Pohyon Temple[10] on Mt. Myohyang in the early 1980s to keep the Tripitaka Koreana and wooden blocks in their origin for ever.

In order for the Buddhist Scriptures to shine as a treasure generation after generation, it is also important to give a bibliographical explanation of them so that they can be understood easily and materialized in reality.

In the DPRK the Tripitaka Koreana was bibliographically introduced successfully.

As the Tripitaka Koreana was enormous in quantity and difficult in content in old Chinese characters, it was hard to understand them.

This was the reason why not a few people, who had renounced the profane world to follow Buddhism, left the priesthood.

In order to develop the apprenticeship training and realize the successful inheritance of Buddhism it was urgent to give bibliographical explanation of the Tripitaka Koreana.

This work was done in the DPRK as a state affair by involving not only Buddhist scholars but also historians from across the country.

Thus, the bibliographical introduction, which might take decades of years, was carried out in only seven years. All the Sutras numbering 6,793 volumes were bibliographically explained true to the original ones

and the complete collection of Buddhist Scriptures, 25 volumes in all, was published in the Korean language.

As a result, we Buddhists have been able to have an easy understanding of all the Scriptures, to propagate Buddhism and to do the apprenticeship training better.

The bibliographical introduction of the Tripitaka Koreana over 750 years after its publication was another great fruit in the history of Buddhist Sutras and an auspicious event of historic significance.

The successes made in the preservation and bibliographical introduction of the Tripitaka Koreana are associated with the wise leadership of President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il endowed with noble love for the country and the nation, their warm love and care for the Buddhists and their noble intention to add glory to the brilliant heritage of national culture generation after generation.

Dear delegates,

If the truths in the Buddhist Scriptures are not applied creatively to the changing reality, they will only remain as unrealistic preaching.

The Lord Buddha said that one cannot give up wicked thinking only by merely keeping precepts, offering a prayer, making a pilgrimage and sacrificing oneself. This means that we should not remain mere spectators but involve ourselves in practical actions.

By only resorting to study of scriptures, asceticism and precepts, turning aside from the present complicated situation of the world where violence and killing are prevalent, we cannot add glory to the Buddhist Scriptures, the treasure of truth, nor can we fulfill our duty and role as Buddhists.

The Korean Buddhists, true to the teachings of the Lord Buddha, are conducting positive activities to carry out the idea of liberation from suffering and realization of happiness and build a land of purity on earth.

For the Korean nation the country’s division is the greatest suffering, and liberation from the suffering is in national reunification.

National reunification is the basis and guarantee for the building of a land of purity on earth for the Korean people.

This is the reason why the Korean Buddhists, together with all the fellow countrymen, are dynamically struggling for the reunification of the country, regarding it as their most important task..

The June 15, 2000 join declaration and the October 4, 2007 declaration adopted by the top leaders of the north and south of Korea are the guarantee for reconciliation and unity, reunification and peace and prosperity of the Korean nation.

The Buddhists in the north and south of Korea, therefore, are conducting various activities to implement the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration under the banner of “By our nation itself”.

To prevent war and defend peace is a guarantee for realizing Korea’s reunification and securing peace of Asia and the rest of the world and a way to realize the Buddhist idea of peace.

War is the worst evil to humanity, whereas peace is the greatest mercy. Therefore, the Korean Buddhists are taking an active part in the movement for preventing a war and securing peace on the Korean Peninsula according to the Buddhist idea of peace and non-killing.

Esteemed delegates,

I express the belief that all the Buddhists of the world desirous of peace, prosperity and harmony will extend full support and solidarity to the Korean Buddhists and people in their struggle for peace and reunification of the country.

The Korean Buddhists will, in the future, too, do their best to protect and deeply study the Buddhist Scriptures and materialize them in reality in order to build a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious land on earth.

Thank you.

[1]八萬大藏經：朝鮮公用的佛教經典名稱。它不是佛教個別的經典，而是集經、律、論三藏大成的佛教經典。

[2]高麗：自918年到1392年為止，朝鮮半島上存在的第一個統一國家名稱。

[3]壬辰祖國戰爭：打退日本侵略者侵略朝鮮的戰爭。

[4]木刻本：為了印刷八萬大藏經，雕刻經典的木板。

[5]普賢寺：位於朝鮮有名的妙香山的寺廟名稱。

[6] The name of the Sutras used in the north and south of Korea. It is the collection of Buddhist scriptures, laws and treatises.

[7] The first unified state that existed on the Korean Peninsula between 918 and 1392.

[8] The 1592-1598 war provoked by Japan’s invasion of Korea. The Korean people repulsed the Japanese aggressors and emerged victorious in the war.

[9] 80,000 engraving wooden blocks were used to print the Tripitaka Koreana.

[10] The Buddhist temple situated in Mt. Myohyang, a celebrated mountain of Korea.