ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

This study aims to examine the music-related activities of SGI(Soka Gakkai International) from the perspective of SGI doctrine and the Lotus Sutra and to explore the significance and role of music in contemporary religious practice. To this end, the relationship between SGI doctrine and the Lotus Sutra, the establishment and development of SGI, and its cultural movement were examined. Following this, the main contents of the Lotus Sutra were reviewed, and its musical elements were classified into heavenly music and instrumental music, song and dance, and the Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound. Additionally, SGI’s music-related activities were categorized into three case studies: the Music Corps and Fife and Drum Corps, the Culture Festival, and the Min-On Concert Association. The establishment background, philosophical and religious foundations, main activities, and significance of each were examined. The research findings are as follows: The Music Corps and the Fife-and-Drum Corps were founded based on SGI President Ikeda's vision of utilizing music as a means of religious practice and a peace movement. These groups are connected to the image of Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound, who praises the Buddhist teachings through music and encourages people. Their performances inspire faith and strengthen unity among believers at SGI events. They deliver messages of peace through music at peace-related events and foster cultural communication through music at local community events. The SGI Culture Festival has evolved into a comprehensive art event that reinterprets elements such as instrumental music, singing, and dance from the Lotus Sutra in a modern and cultural context. Inspired by musical offerings of the Lotus Sutra and stupa rituals, the SGI Culture Festival has become a platform for expressing the joy of faith and fostering collective unity while embodying a vow to world peace. The Min-On Concert Association is an SGI-affiliated organization that promotes peace through cultural exchange through music. Its philosophy of connecting the world through music aligns with the imagery of the Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound, who travels to and from the Saha World while connecting the universe through music. Additionally, The Min-On Concert Association fosters multicultural respect and mutual understanding through music cultural exchange, thereby modernizing SGI’s philosophy of peace and the Lotus Sutra’s principle of respect for life. These research results show that SGI's music-related activities play an important role not only in religious practice but also in cultural and social dimensions. Future research should explore the relationship between religion and music more deeply and expand the discussion on the significance of SGI’s music-related activities in contemporary society.

키워드