• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.123
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• pp.347-377
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• 2012

We have numerous terms representing mind. We can understand them largely as the relationship of 'Discernible Mind' and 'Indiscernible Mind.' Because, our understanding mind is formed by linguistic discernment. When any discernment arise from our mind, we recognize the mind shown by discernment[Discernible Mind]. At the same time, we can think orignal mind[Indiscernible Mind] outside that discernment. Buddhism, generally, has understood mind in the relation with everything. That is to say, they have understood it from the perspective of dependent co-arising. In the early Buddhism and the abhidharma Buddhism, approaches to mind were mainly made by the discerning method. They explained arising and vanishing of 'Discernible Mind' by the law of dependent arising. Co-arisen 'Discernible Mind' is impermanent and temporary. But they never be denied on 'Discernible Mind' as an vainness. In $Mah{\bar{a}}y{\bar{a}}na$ Buddhism, $N{\bar{a}}garjuna$ understood the essence of dependent arising as the ${\acute{s}}{\bar{u}}nyata$ (emptiness) and the law of dependent arising as simultaneous dependence, not gradual dependences. $N{\bar{a}}garjuna$ criticized on vainness of Discernible Mind through ${\acute{s}}{\bar{u}}nyata$, and made possible to directly perceive Indiscernible Mind, before Discernment. Undiscriminating Mind can not be explained for being stayed beyond the state linguistic discernment(false discrimination), however, had been approached from various other names to potential consciousness or original nature. While ${\acute{s}}{\bar{u}}nata$ thought focused on criticizing vainness of discernment, Hwaeum thought suggested aspect of Indiscernible mind from the aspect of $ekay{\bar{a}}na$ dependant co-arising that everything has been co-arisen, the truth of discrimination. Furthermore, it opened the path to affirm the both indiscernible mind and discernible mind by illuminating that everything is manifestation of original nature itself, i.e. nature-arising. Hwaeum thought focused on perfect understanding by explicating the relation both indiscernible mind and discernible mind from the view point of non-abiding, rather than clarifying 'Discernible Mind' and 'Indiscernible Mind', itself. That is to say, from the aspect of dependant co-arising, Hwaeum thought plays a role that enters the indiscernible world from discernible world, and also, another role, from the aspect of nature-arising that is manifesting discernible world from indiscernible world. These aspects are important for righteous understanding on mind, and also simultaneously, very effective for healing disease of obsession, a kind of metal disease.