• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.26
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• pp.45-75
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• 2016

The aim of this study is to explain characteristics of Maitreya and Maitreya belief from a point of view that 'Jeungsan is the very Maitreya(甑山卽彌勒)'. In 『Jeon-gyeong』, Maitreya is mentioned several times. Thus, new religions of Jeungsan of Daesoonjinrihoe take 'Jeungsan is the very Maitreya' belief for truth. Due to the fact that characteristics of Maitreya are so multi-layered and complicated, it is necessary to explain clearly what kind of feature Maitreya has in 『Jeon-gyeong』. If believing and following 'Jeungsan is the very Maitreya' without clarifying it, they will be faced with a problem that they regard Jeungsan of Supreme being of the Ninth Heaven as one of Maitreya and take its belief for truth. Furthermore, with respect to the characteristics of 'Jeungsan is the very Maitreya' belief, while believing in Mireukasaeng, longed-for Millenarian movement by people through Messianism and Mireukasaeng belief is found in Daesoon Thought, whereas there is a need how to understand the point that we cannot finped Messianism and Millenarian movement in Daesoon Thought. To solve this problem, I draw a conclusion that 'Jeungsan is the very Maitreya' in 『Jeon-gyeong』 has to be understood with two meanings by four demonstrations. First of all, the people perceived late Joseon dynasty as the age of decadence but Maitreya's divinity which is desired by the people is not divinity of Maitreya Sutra(Mileuggyeong). Maitreya's divinity is reflected in the people's cherished desire and it is newly created as the Messiah. Thus, the idea of Jeungsan being the very Maitreya was developed in a way that the people desired the Messiah, encompassing this inclination. That is the Messiah of the people and the divinity of Jeungsan. Although Jeungsan as Supreme being of the Ninth Heaven satisfied the people's desire, it shows a different way to salvation from the way in Maitreya Sutra(Mileuggyeong). It is 'the Great Reordering of the Universe' and 'the Great Reordering of the Three Realms'. Reordering in Jeungsan shows that divinity of Jeungsan is not limited to the people's Messiah. In other words, divinity of Jeungsan is established as The Messiah, surpassing divinity of Maitreya Sutra(Mileuggyeong). And following statements prove this divinity of Jeungsan. Jeungsan's emphasis is not only the people's desire and the Gods' appeal. Jeungsan's emphasis is that only does Supreme being of the Ninth Heaven correct heaven and earth, which is the Gods' appeal. Therefore, 'Jeungsan is the very Maitreya' belief embraces the people's Messianism and at the same time it runs with he Gods' appeal. Thus, Reordering through the Great Reordering of the Universe and the Great Reordering of the Three Realms builds up a new ideal world.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.145
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• pp.217-244
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• 2018

This paper reviews how $J{\ddot{u}}rgen$ Moltmann embraces and transforms the philosophy of Ernst Bloch. For what are the hopes of the two thinkers who presuppose opposing worldviews? This question will provide a good opportunity to look at how different religious types, based on different worldviews in modern philosophy of religion, can understand and communicate with one another. Ernst Bloch was a philosopher who originally interpreted Judeo-Christian thought through Marxism and Persian Dualism and helped to carry out the intrinsic criticism of the doctrine of Christian eschatology by developing atheism of Christianity into a philosophy of hope. Bloch and Moltmann deal with the concepts of future, humanity, nation, and hope in the eschatological horizon, but their worldviews are so different. For example, the connection between the Beginning and Ending, Disjunction or Continuation, the Core of Existence and Resurrection, Messianism and Marxism, Atheism and Theism, Persian Dualism and Judeo-Christian Monotheism. Therefore, a one-sided interpretation that ignores worldview differences in the hopes of these two thinkers should be avoided. Moltmann actively embraced the Messianism of the Jewish thinker, Bloch, by excluding Marxism, made the spectrum of broad-minded horizons diminished in the union of Messianism and Marxism. Moltmann replaced the utopian possibilities of matter in the Ontology of Not-Yet-Being, with the resurrection of Christ, who was crucified, and with the God of Creation and the God of Exodus. By overthrowing the position of atheism in Christianity, which was very important for Bloch, with the system of Trinitarian Monotheism, it resulted in the disconnection and conflict between the Old Testament and the New Testament, especially the ignorance of the tension between God the Lord and Jesus Christ.

• Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.71-92
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• 2024

The world we live in is becoming more convenient thanks to the inventions of science and technology. Still, the world is also becoming more and more unpredictable with the current situation of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity). The Covid-19 pandemic brought the biggest global disaster ever with 774,631,444 infected people and 7,031,216 deaths (WHO on February 11, 2024) but it seems that humanity is gradually forgetting this disaster. Meanwhile the economic stimulus packages worth trillions of dollars from governments after the pandemic have further caused the world debt bubble to swell. The bubble burst scenario is something that many economic experts fear. Apparently, in the transitional period of the early decades of the 21st century, the world's economic, cultural, political, social, natural, and environmental aspects have undergone profound transformations: from the real estate and finance crises in the United States since 2008; through the melting of the Arctic ice over the past several decades; to the double disaster of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011. Especially, in the context of the world economic crisis after the COVID-19 pandemic, the human achievements of the past thousands of years are in jeopardy of being wiped out in an instant. Many people are predicting a bad scenario for a chain collapse. Facing the signals of an imminent economic catastrophe based on the appearance of "the Gray Rhino, Black Swan and White Elephant," many drawn in by Eschatological thought declare that Doomsday will occur shortly. This is the time for many other people to hope for the incoming Messiah. The Messiah is said to appear when people feel despair or suffer a great disaster because faith in the Savior can help them overcome adversity mentally. This research will find out how adherents of Buddhism view and deal with civilizational crises by examining history via symbols associated with Maitreya as based upon the Buddhist Messiah, Maitreya.