본고는 퇴계와 그 직전 제자들의 “內聖”에 관한 논의를 분석하여, 퇴계학파의 내성학이 가지는 원형적 특성을 살펴보고자 하는 목적으로 작성되었다. 퇴계의 학문은 “심위태극”이라는 명제로 이학적 근거와 심학적 귀결을 압축할 수 있고, 그 도학적 전개는 “존체응용”이라는 표현으로 대신할 수 있다. 이러한 논의는 주자의 입론과 크게 다르지 않으나, 이에는 ‘상정학 배이교’라는 퇴계의 역사의식이 전제되어 있다. 퇴계의 제자들은 미발심체에 담기는 理學的 本體와 이 심체가 실제 현실에서 주체로서 지각하는 心學的 主宰性에 대한 체득의 문제로 일련의 논쟁을 진행하였는데, 이는 理氣不雜을 주장하는 주자학에서 본체가 과연 活物로서의 主宰者인가 하는 문제와 연결된 것이기도 했다. 퇴계의 제자들은 일반적으로 知覺을 가진 活物로서의 心 本體에 대한 이해를 가지고 있었으며, 이를 體認, 保存하고자 노력하고 있었다. 이러한 ‘活物로서의 본원’은 퇴계학파 수양의 출발점이자 종착지로서 “心爲太極”이라는 말로 압축된다. 이러한 본체는 대상과 만나는 지점을 기준으로 그 이전[未發]과 그 이후[已發]를 나눠, 대상을 접하기 이전에 대상과의 만남에 대한 충분한 대비를 하고[涵養], 접한 뒤에는 자신을 돌이켜[省察] 접하기 이전의 순수 상태를 一貫시키고자 한다. 이러한 일련의 노력을 “敬”이라고 한다. 敬은 心의 본질이자 결론적 상태라고 할 수 있고, 動態까지 一貫된 “主宰”이다. 그러므로 敬은 動靜을 一貫하는 心의 主宰이다. 이러한 內聖은 “存體應用”이라는 방식으로 실천된다. 다만 존체응용이라는 퇴계의 입론이 왕도를 실현하는 聖王을 상정하는 반면, 제자들의 논의는 內聖의 연장선에서 자신들의 당위적 방향 설정에 머무르고 있다. 이는 퇴계와 제자 간의 개인적 성취의 차이로 해석할 수 있을 듯하다. 일반적으로 외왕은 내성과 무관한 것이 아니라 내성의 완전한 실현을 전제로 성립할 수 있다는 것이 퇴계의 “존체응용”이기 때문이다.

This paper tried to search the archetype of the self-cultivation learning of ToeGye and his first academical successors. The goal of ToeGye school’s neo-confucian study is being sage and put it in practice. The subject of practice is the sage and his innateness can be expressed the Great Absolute. This thought was from the teachings of Chu-tzu, but there was the historical sense of responsibility to his own time and nation. ToeGye and his student had thought Human Mind, a revelation of the Great Absolute, the real thing which has the discretion. It is the Subject, Reality, and their self-cultivating journey’s end. They think every human being can be a sage by self-cultivating based on this Real Mind. Sometimes this Real Mind can be covered by physiological limitation and acquired selfish desire, but the origin of Real Mind haven’t covered and everyone can recover his Real Mind by self-cultivating. Self-cultivating process of ToeGye School start and end by the Piety. The Piety has three steps. First, self-awakening. Second, preparation before meeting outer things. Third, searching own soul and behavior. All of these steps practiced by the Piety. The Piety is real face of Human Mind. And the Piety is consistent through cognition before and after. All of these self-cultivating theory may convert to administration or enlighten people. ToeGye asserted this thought for Sage King as a neo-confucian sage, but his successors followed as a student who try hard to be a sage like his master. Neo-confucian practice should be based on individual perfectness but they were not sage yet.

This paper tried to search the archetype of the self-cultivation learning of ToeGye and his first academical successors. The goal of ToeGye school’s neo-confucian study is being sage and put it in practice. The subject of practice is the sage and his innateness can be expressed the Great Absolute. This thought was from the teachings of Chu-tzu, but there was the historical sense of responsibility to his own time and nation. ToeGye and his student had thought Human Mind, a revelation of the Great Absolute, the real thing which has the discretion. It is the Subject, Reality, and their self-cultivating journey’s end. They think every human being can be a sage by self-cultivating based on this Real Mind. Sometimes this Real Mind can be covered by physiological limitation and acquired selfish desire, but the origin of Real Mind haven’t covered and everyone can recover his Real Mind by self-cultivating. Self-cultivating process of ToeGye School start and end by the Piety. The Piety has three steps. First, self-awakening. Second, preparation before meeting outer things. Third, searching own soul and behavior. All of these steps practiced by the Piety. The Piety is real face of Human Mind. And the Piety is consistent through cognition before and after. All of these self-cultivating theory may convert to administration or enlighten people. ToeGye asserted this thought for Sage King as a neo-confucian sage, but his successors followed as a student who try hard to be a sage like his master. Neo-confucian practice should be based on individual perfectness but they were not sage yet.

the Piety, Human Mind, the Great Absolute, the ToeGye School, self-cultivation Learning