정운문스님의 어린이찬불가 연구 -찬불가 가사내용을 중심으로-

초록

This study examines the children’s Buddhist hymn movement led by Venerable Jeong Un-mun, which sought to revive the disrupted tradition of Korean Buddhist hymns following the Korean War and to propose a new direction for children’s Dharma propagation. In response to the post-war social turmoil and a Buddhist culture centered on adults, Venerable Jeong organized children’s Dharma assemblies and choirs from the early 1960s and actively engaged in propagation through the creation of original Buddhist hymns for children. Focusing on the lyrics of 143 songs from the Great Teaching Hymnal – Children’s Songs Section (Daegyoju Chanyangga), this study categorizes the hymns into four themes—Buddhist rituals, doctrines, propagation, and praise of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas—and systematically analyzes their Buddhist meanings and educational values. The findings confirm that Venerable Jeong’s children’s hymns served as an effective medium of Dharma propagation by allowing children to emotionally and naturally internalize the teachings of the Buddha in everyday life. The pedagogical effectiveness of the lyrics was further enhanced by their simple and bright melodies, which children could easily follow. Furthermore, the study reveals that his hymn movement marked a shift from the enlightenment-oriented hymns of the pre-liberation era to a unique educational approach tailored to children’s perspectives. It also reevaluates the historical significance of his contribution to the popularization and integration of Buddhist music into daily life and proposes the need to explore diverse contemporary methods of Buddhist propagation.

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