현대사회에서 성물(聖物)의 유통방식에 대하여: 부처의 진신사리를 중심으로

Abstract

It is worth noting that a large number of Buddhas relics of Southeast Asian countries are brought into Korean society under the names of 'gift-giving or donation. So, the main issue of this article is why the groups/individuals who provide as well as receive Buddhas relics make use of the term gift-giving, which designates a specific mode of exchange. Firstly, some local and international factors are mentioned which make Korean temples keener to acquire Buddhas relics. Secondly, related theories on gift or gift-giving are introduced, and multiple meanings/mechanisms of gift-giving or gift-exchanging were discussed by giving specific examples. Thirdly, focusing on Buddhas relics themselves, the following issues are addressed; which relics are movable/alienable and which are not, and whether the status or value of a certain Buddhas relic is intrinsic. For that, this author set up a value-hierarchy/level of Buddhas relics hypothetically. Lastly, it is stressed that every sacred object could be a commodity in the course of its transfer, depending on the specific socio-cultural context the object meets.