본 연구는 불교탄압시책이 강화되고 유교시책이 전개되었던 조선전기 도성 궁궐내 도량인 정업원에 대해서 살펴 본 논고이다. 조선전기 정업원은 내원당(내불당)과 더불어 도성 궁궐내 불교의 중심이었을 뿐만 아니라 여성불교의 산실이었을 것이다. 정업원은 국초 한양정도후 도성과 궁궐, 종묘사직이 영건된 직후에 창건되어 몇 번의 치폐를 거듭했지만 조선중엽까지 존재했다. 정업원은 창건이후 2세기 동안 창덕궁 서동에 있었고 치폐가 거듭되면서 그 곁에 안일원이 존재했다. 지금의 숭인동인 연미정동에 있었다는 정업원은 영조대 이후 잘못 알려진 것이며, 바로잡아야 할 사실이다. 조선전기에 있어서 한성에 거주하는 승려는 모두 양반출신이었듯이 정업원의 비구니는 왕실녀들과 일부 사족출신이었다. 대개 왕의 후비를 비롯한 왕실녀들이 왕의 죽음후 출가하여 정업원에 머물렀다. 이들 뿐만 아니라 태종의 후궁이래 왕이 죽자 후궁들의 출가가 계속되었다. 이들도 정업원에 출가하여 그 일원이 되었다. 이들 가운데 일부가 정업원을 이끌었던 주지에 있으면서 호불성향이 짙은 왕비 등 왕실녀의 지원과 보호를 받았다. 그러나 성종대이후 사림들의 유교정치가 본격화되면서 불교계의 마지막 보루였던 정업원은 폐치될 대상에 올랐고 그 정업원의 수장인 주지와 비구니들은 탄압의 대상이 될 수 밖에 없었다. 결국 조선중기에 폐치되었지만 정업원은 조선전기 숭유억불시책이 전개되어 가는 와중에도 궁궐에서 도량의 면모를 유지해왔다. 당시 산중중심의 불교 시대에 있어서 도심, 그것도 심장부인 국도의 도성 궁궐 도량으로서 산중도량과 소통하였고, 여성이 핍박받는 시기에 있어서 불교지도자로서 정업원의 비구니주지는 조선전기 불교문화의 상징이었다.

This study looked at Jeongeobwon(淨業院), a temple located within the capital’s palace in the early period of Choseon Dynasty when the suppression of Buddhism was heightened while the faith in Confucianism was highly encouraged. Jeongeobwon, along with Naewondang(內願堂) or Naebuldang(內佛堂), which are places where Buddhists trained themselves based on the teachings of Buddha, were not only the center of Buddhism in the palace but also the cradle of Women’s Buddhism. Established right after the capital’s castle, palace, the shrines of the royal family and the altars to the gods of the earth and harvest were built after Hanyang(漢陽) was designated as the capital of the Korea’s last dynasty, Jeongeobwon went through a number of closures but existed until the middle times of Choseon Dynasty(朝鮮王朝). Just as most of the Buddhist monks living in Hanseong(漢城) came from the two upper classes of Joseon, so-called Yangban(兩班), most of the bhiksunis(比丘尼) in Jeongeobwon were from royal or distinguished family. The women of the royal family including the king’s wives usually entered the Buddhist priesthood and stayed in Jeongeobwon when the king passed away. Furthermore, a series of entrances into the Buddist priesthood by kings' wives continued after King Taejong(太宗)’s death caused his concubines' to seek the Buddhist priesthood and join the members of Jeoneobwon. Some of them led Jeongeobwon as a head priest and gained support and protection from the women of the royal family including queens who wanted to uphold the spirit of Buddhism. However, as Confucianism settled as a major principle of politics, Jeongebwon became the target of closure and the leaders of it including a head priest and bhiksunis faced suppression. Despite the policy to suppress Buddhism and promote Confucianism in early Choseon, Jeongeobwon maintained its standing as the palace’s temple until it faced closure in mid Choseon. Jeongeobwon, located in the palace of the nation’s heart led by women including bhiksunis and a head priest was a symbol of the Buddhism culture of the Choseon Dynasty at the time when the mountain was a stronghold of Buddhism and women experienced severe persecution.

This study looked at Jeongeobwon(淨業院), a temple located within the capital’s palace in the early period of Choseon Dynasty when the suppression of Buddhism was heightened while the faith in Confucianism was highly encouraged. Jeongeobwon, along with Naewondang(內願堂) or Naebuldang(內佛堂), which are places where Buddhists trained themselves based on the teachings of Buddha, were not only the center of Buddhism in the palace but also the cradle of Women’s Buddhism. Established right after the capital’s castle, palace, the shrines of the royal family and the altars to the gods of the earth and harvest were built after Hanyang(漢陽) was designated as the capital of the Korea’s last dynasty, Jeongeobwon went through a number of closures but existed until the middle times of Choseon Dynasty(朝鮮王朝). Just as most of the Buddhist monks living in Hanseong(漢城) came from the two upper classes of Joseon, so-called Yangban(兩班), most of the bhiksunis(比丘尼) in Jeongeobwon were from royal or distinguished family. The women of the royal family including the king’s wives usually entered the Buddhist priesthood and stayed in Jeongeobwon when the king passed away. Furthermore, a series of entrances into the Buddist priesthood by kings' wives continued after King Taejong(太宗)’s death caused his concubines' to seek the Buddhist priesthood and join the members of Jeoneobwon. Some of them led Jeongeobwon as a head priest and gained support and protection from the women of the royal family including queens who wanted to uphold the spirit of Buddhism. However, as Confucianism settled as a major principle of politics, Jeongebwon became the target of closure and the leaders of it including a head priest and bhiksunis faced suppression. Despite the policy to suppress Buddhism and promote Confucianism in early Choseon, Jeongeobwon maintained its standing as the palace’s temple until it faced closure in mid Choseon. Jeongeobwon, located in the palace of the nation’s heart led by women including bhiksunis and a head priest was a symbol of the Buddhism culture of the Choseon Dynasty at the time when the mountain was a stronghold of Buddhism and women experienced severe persecution.

Jeongeobwon(淨業院), Bhiksuni(比丘尼), woman of the royal family(王室女), king’s concubine(後宮), a temple in the palace(宮闕道場)