고립의 시대, 사회적 진단과 불교적 해법

초록

This era is ‘the lonely century’ that forces members of society to lead a fragmented and individualized life. A world dominated by isolation and loneliness emerged along with extreme competition. As a result, human society is driven to alienation, exclusion, polarization, and political extremism. As long as the characteristics of a market economy are maintained, it will be difficult to avoid competition. However, if only competition is emphasized as in neo-liberalism, the problem of isolation will intensify along with social conflict. Therefore, it is also necessary to make efforts to ensure harmony and balance between the capitalist market economy area, which is aimed at pursuing profit, and the social economy area centered on solidarity and reciprocity. It will be right here that the effort to escape from the lonely century meets the Buddhist wisdom that seeks the harmony of benefit to self and benefit to others. The peace of mind that Buddhism aims for is related to a mind of compassion for the suffering of others, not just enjoying one's own solitude and pursuing enlightenment. Compassion in Buddhism is a wish for the well-being and benefit of all beings, and is an expression of the will to remove their suffering. Just as you want your pain to go away, you can internalize that other beings do too. In particular, Buddhism can provide the following help to restore a community based on care and compassion. First, it makes them realize that caring for others is beneficial to themselves. If you look at the relationship between yourself and others right away, pursuing the benefit of others is beneficial to your own perfection. Second, it helps to get out of the narrowness of self-centered compassion. True compassion does not discriminate between near and distant objects, and can extend beyond the narrow fence of the self to a wider horizon. Third, it is possible to continue caring for others without fatigue due to empathic stress. Through the interpretation of the Four Immeasurable Minds (四無量心), it is possible to have a benevolent mind like a friend, have a practical will to eliminate the pain of others, rejoice with the joy of others, and support the universality of seeing all beings equally. This kind of mind would not be lacking as an element of hope to overcome the ‘the lonely century’ and restore the community of care and compassion.

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