[미주현대불교 2025. 3,4월호] 이달의 법문-부처님이시라면 현 시국에 어떻게 대처하셨을까?_덕일스님

[파란연꽃]

이달의 법문

많은 불자님들이 ‘현재 한국의 혼란스러운 시국에서 부처님께서 계셨다면 어떻게 하셨을까?’라는 질문을 합니다. 경전을 살펴보면, 한편으로는 부처님께서 중생들이 비극으로 치닫는 것을 막기 위해 적극적으로 정치에 개입하시는 듯한 모습이 보이기도 하고, 다른 한편으로는 중생 개개인이 갈등과 혼란에서 벗어나 자신의 근원적인 문제를 해결해야 한다는 가르침을 주시는 모습도 발견할 수 있습니다. 예를 들면, 꼬살라국의 왕이 개인적인 원한으로 까삘라국의 석가족을 학살하려 할 때, 부처님께서 세 차례나 이를 막으려 하신 장면이 있습니다. 또한, 부처님께서는 왓지(Vajji) 족이 도덕을 존중하고 공화제 정치 체제를 유지하기 때문에 그 미래가 밝다고 칭찬하시기도 했습니다.

반면, 세상의 흐름에서 한 걸음 물러서서 각자가 갈등과 혼란을 초월해야 한다고 가르치신 모습도 있습니다. 대표적인 예가 꼬삼비 비구들의 이야기입니다. 꼬삼비의 한 불교 도량에서 두 파벌이 사소한 문제로 다투었으나, 부처님의 훈계조차 소용이 없었습니다. 결국 부처님께서는 그곳을 떠나 숲속으로 가셨고, 코끼리의 시봉을 받으며 머무시는 장면이 경전에 묘사되어 있습니다.

이처럼 경전 속 부처님의 모습은 현실 참여적인 경우도 있고, 갈등에서 벗어나 조용히 머무시는 모습도 있습니다. 이 두 가지 모습은 언뜻 상반되어 보이지만, 사실 매우 자연스러운 것입니다. 부처님께서는 팔십 평생 동안 다양한 상황 속에서 상대에 맞게 시의적절하게 법을 설하셨지, ‘정치는 무조건 멀리해야 한다’거나 ‘정치에 반드시 참여해야 한다’는 고정된 입장에서 출발하시지는 않았습니다. 중생들이 탐욕과 집착으로 인해 비극으로 치닫는 것을 보시고 대자비심을 일으켜 이를 막으려 하셨으며, 동시에 중생의 바다에 갈애(渴愛)의 흐름을 완전히 차단하는 것은 불가능하기에 근본적인 해결책으로서 수행을 강조하셨습니다. 

결국, 부처님의 가르침은 중생 개개인이 수행을 통해 탐욕과 집착에서 벗어나 흔들림 없는 행복을 누릴 수 있도록 이끄는 데 있습니다. 하지만 사회의 무질서는 그런 수행 자체를 아예 가능하지 못하게 만들기 때문에 ‘막을 수 있는’ 혼란과 비극은 부처님께서 막으려 최선을 다하시지 않으셨을까 생각합니다.

현 한국의 위기와  부처님의 가르침

현재 한국의 정치, 경제, 민생은 매우 어려운 상황에 놓여 있습니다. 대통령이 계엄을 통해 내란과 외환을 조장하며, 자신과 맞지 않는 정치적 반대 세력을 숙청하고 독재를 시도했습니다. 이러한 행위는 민주주의 헌법 질서와 국민의 생존을 위협하는 것으로, 어떤 이유로도 정당화될 수 없습니다.

정치적 혼란 속에서 경제도 크게 흔들리고 있습니다. 주식 시장은 투자자들의 심리에 크게 영향을 받기에, 불안한 해외 투자자들은 한국 주식을 매도하고 있습니다. 이로 인해 외화가 지속적으로 빠져나가고, 원화 가치는 사상 유례 없이 하락하고 있습니다. 기획재정부와 한국은행은 환율 방어를 위해 국민들의 소중한 연기금을 투입하는 임시방편을 사용하고 있지만, 근본적인 해결책이 되지는 못하고 있습니다.

한국은 또한 급변하는 국제 환경에 적절히 대응하지 못하고 있습니다. 세계 경제는 자국 중심의 보호무역 체제로 빠르게 전환되고 있으며, 글로벌 공급망도 재편되는 중입니다. 정치적으로도 기존의 진영 논리가 약화되고 각국이 오직 자국의 이익만을 우선시하는 흐름이 강해지고 있습니다. 예를 들어, 러시아-우크라이나 전쟁이 우크라이나의 패배로 마무리되는 가운데, 오랜 기간 전쟁을 지원해 온 미국이 우크라이나에 희토류 자원의 대가를 요구하는 상황이 벌어지고 있습니다.

이뿐만 아니라, 과학기술 분야에서는 인공지능 개발 전쟁이 본격화되면서 미래 산업 경쟁이 가속화되고 있습니다. 이러한 급변하는 국제 정세 속에서 한국 정부는 국가적 위기를 극복하고 미래를 대비해야 하지만, 탄핵 정국에 갇혀 국론을 모으지도, 장기적인 비전을 세우지도 못하고 있습니다. 따라서 우리는 이 혼란의 시기를 슬기롭게 극복하고, 빠르게 새로운 질서를 정립해야 합니다.

국난을 극복한 역사와  미래에 대한 희망

우리 한국인은 위기 속에서 단결하여 국난을 극복해온 전통과 저력을 갖고 있습니다. 1987년 민주화 운동 당시에는 사회 각계각층이 힘을 모아 군부 독재를 무너뜨리고 민주주의를 확립하였습니다. 1997년 IMF 외환위기 때에도 국민들은 자발적으로 금을 모아 국가 경제를 되살리는 데 기여하였고, 3년 9개월 만에 위기를 극복할 수 있었습니다. 또한, 코로나19 팬데믹 시기에는 체계적인 방역 시스템과 국민의 질서 있는 대응으로 세계적인 모범 사례를 만들었습니다. 이번에도 한국의 젊은이들은 광장에 나와 당당하게 민주주의를 외치며, 스스로 국난을 극복하려는 모습을 보여주고 있습니다.

부처님께서 계셨다면, 이러한 상황에서 어떻게 하셨을까요? 저는 그 해답을 불교 수행의 근본이자 ‘칠각지(七覺支)’의 시작점인 ‘마음챙김(念, Sati)’과 ‘법의 분별(擇法, Dhammavicaya)’에서 찾고 싶습니다. 수행자는 이 두 가지 요소를 통해 자신의 내면뿐만 아니라, 외부 환경의 변화와 그 인과 관계까지도 정확히 인식하고 대응할 힘을 갖추게 됩니다.

따라서 저는 부처님께서도 ‘막을 수 있는 비극이라면 미연에 방지하도록 가르침을 주셨을 것’이라고 생각합니다. 지금 한국 사회는 정보 통신과 SNS를 통해 서로 긴밀히 연결되었고, 젊은 세대는 똑똑하고 당차며 창의적인 사고를 갖추고 있습니다. 이러한 역량을 바탕으로 우리는 머지않아 위기를 극복하고 새로운 질서를 확립할 것입니다. 결국, 이번 국난을 극복하는 과정에서 한국 사회는 더 큰 도약을 이루게 될 것이며, 정치·경제·민생 전반에서 한층 더 발전한 미래를 맞이하게 될 것입니다.

How Would  the Buddha Respond  to the Current Situation?

Many Buddhists ask, “If the Buddha were present in Korea’s current turbulent situation, what would he do?” The scriptures offer insights into two contrasting yet complementary approaches the Buddha took in response to worldly affairs. At times, he actively intervened to prevent suffering and injustice. At other times, he emphasized transcending conflict and focusing on one’s own spiritual practice as the ultimate path to liberation. For instance, when the King of Kosala sought to massacre the Śākya clan in Kapilavastu out of personal vengeance, the Buddha intervened three times to stop him. He also praised the Vajji people for upholding moral principles and maintaining a republican political system, stating that their future was bright because of their governance.

Conversely, there are accounts where the Buddha distanced himself from worldly strife, teaching that individuals must rise above discord and cultivate inner peace. A wellknown example is the story of the monks of Kosambi. In a Buddhist monastery, two factions quarreled over a trivial matter, refusing to reconcile. Even the Buddha’s guidance failed to resolve their dispute. Seeing no benefit in staying, he left the monastery and retreated to the forest, where he lived in solitude, receiving the service of an elephant. Thus, the scriptures portray both the Buddha’s active engagement with the world and his withdrawal into meditative seclusion. These two aspects may seem contradictory, but they reflect the Buddha’s wisdom in responding to different circumstances. Throughout his life, he adapted his teachings to the needs of the time, never rigidly adhering to a singular stance of either complete engagement or total detachment. When people were driven by greed and attachment toward disaster, he intervened out of great compassion. At the same time, he recognized that eradicating the tide of craving in the world was impossible, emphasizing individual spiritual practice as the fundamental solution. Ultimately, the Buddha’s teachings guide individuals toward liberation from greed and attachment through disciplined practice, allowing them to attain lasting peace and happiness. However, when social disorder becomes so severe that spiritual practice itself is nearly impossible, I believe the Buddha would have done his utmost to prevent such chaos and suffering.

Korea’s Current Crisis and  the Buddha’s Teachings

South Korea is facing severe political, economic, and social turmoil. The president attempted to consolidate power by imposing martial law, inciting rebellion, fabricating external threats, and eliminating political opponents. These actions undermine the democratic constitutional order and threaten the stability of the nation—something that cannot be justified under any circumstances. This political turmoil has also triggered economic instability. Foreign investors are losing confidence in the Korean market, leading them to sell off Korean stocks, causing capital outflows and a historic depreciation of the Korean won. In response, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Bank of Korea have been using national pension funds to stabilize the currency. However, such measures are temporary fixes rather than sustainable solutions. At the same time, South Korea is struggling to respond effectively to shifting global dynamics. The world economy is moving toward protectionism, with supply chains being swiftly reorganized. Politically, traditional alliances are breaking down as nations prioritize self-interest over ideological alliances. For example, the Russia-Ukraine war is approaching its conclusion with Ukraine’s likely defeat. The United States, after years of supporting Ukraine, is now demanding compensation in the form of rare earth resources. Furthermore, a fierce technological race in artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of industries, requiring nations to make strategic advancements to remain competitive. In this rapidly evolving environment, South Korea must take decisive action to secure its future. However, the government remains paralyzed by political crises, unable to unite the nation or establish a longterm vision. To navigate this period of upheaval, Korea must swiftly restore order and focus on national resilience.

A History of Overcoming National Crises and Hope for the Future

Koreans have a deeprooted history of unity in times of crisis, overcoming national hardships through collective effort. In 1987, people from all walks of life joined forces to bring down military dictatorship and establish democracy. During the 1997 IMF financial crisis, citizens voluntarily donated their gold to help restore the national economy, enabling the country to recover in just three years and nine months. More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Korea demonstrated an exemplary response, showcasing one of the most effective quarantine systems in the world. Once again, we see young people—high school students, young parents, and citizens from all sectors—gathering in public squares, courageously advocating for democracy and justice. This spirit of resilience and determination is a testament to Korea’s enduring strength.

How would the Buddha respond to this situation? I believe the answer lies in the foundation of Buddhist practice, particularly the Seven Factors of Enlightenment (七覺支, Satta Bojjhaṅgā)—starting with Mindfulness (念, Sati) and Discernment of Dhamma (擇法, Dhammavicaya). Through these two elements, a practitioner cultivates not only selfawareness but also the ability to perceive the causal relationships in unfolding events and influence external conditions with wisdom and insight.  If a preventable tragedy were looming, I believe the Buddha would have taught ways to stop it before it escalated. Today, Korean society is more interconnected than ever through telecommunications and social media. The younger generation is intelligent, bold, and innovative. With these strengths, they will overcome this crisis and establish a new order. In the end, as Korea navigates this national crisis, the country will not only recover but also take a significant leap forward—politically, economically, and socially—toward a more prosperous and just future.