지금까지 金東里와 佛敎의 關聯性을 밝히는 것은 素材的 차원에서의 반영 관계를 찾거나, 상식화 된 佛敎 개념이 작품 속에 적용되는 樣相을 탐구하는 모습을 보여주었다. 輪廻前生, 因果應報, 燒身供養 등의 佛敎的 소재 借用을 밝힌 것이 그 구체적 사례라 할 수 있다. 본고에서는 지금까지의 연구성과를 바탕으로 하여 金東里 소설에 나타난 세계관의 특징을 佛敎와 관련시켜 이해해보고자 한다. 이를 위해 레비 스트로스와 나까자와 신이치 등이 주장한 對稱性이라는 개념을 중심으로 하여 金東里 문학에 나타난 佛敎的 想像力을 살펴볼 것이다. 金東里 문학관의 핵심은 말할 것도 없이, ‘究竟的 생의 형식의 探究와 그 打開’로 요약된다. ‘究竟的 생의 형식의 탐구’는 ‘우리와 天地 사이에 有機的 관련이 있다는 것을 파악하고, 이와 관련하여 共通된 運命이 부여되어 있다는 사실을 발견’하는 것을 말한다. 金東里가 말하는 ‘有機的 관련 속에서 발견되는 공통된 운명’이야말로 對稱性 사고로서의 佛敎가 個體와 全體를 생각하는 방식과 연결되어 있다.

Examination on relation of Buddhism and Rim Dong Ri up to now has focused on exploration of relation in terms of material and application of concept of Buddhism into works. Explanation on borrowing of Buddhistic theme such as eternal cycle of birth, death and rebirth(samsara), previous life, punitive justice, belief and offering to Buddha is the concrete case. This study aims to explain the feature of view of the world that appeared in the novel of Kim Dong Ri based on the study performance up to now, with regard to Buddhism. For this purpose, we’ll examine Buddhistic imagination found in Rim Dong Ri literature focusing on the concept of symmetry suggested by Claude Levi-Strauss and Nakajawa Shinichi. Core of Rim Dong Ri literature can be summarized into “Research on Form of essential Life and Overcoming”. “Research on Form of essential Life and Overcoming” is to recognize that there is organic relation between us and the world and to identify the fact that common destiny is granted with regard to this. “Common destiny found in organic relation” referred to by Rim Dong Ri is connected to the way that Buddihism thinks the entity and the whole as the symmetric thought. It was 「Seolgeo」 in 3 pieces(「Solgeo」 (< Jokwang >, Aug. 1937), 「Ingyeoseol」(< Joseon Daily >, Dec. 8~24，1938), 「Wan- miseol」(〈 Sentence 〉, Nov. 1939)) when Kim, Dong Ri showed Buddhistic thought in novel. This 3-piece novel describes big descriptive stream connected from non-symmetric thought to symmetric thought, and persistent trace of non-symmetric thought of the mundane world that could not be resolved. Narration of 「Seolgeo」 3 pieces shows Tran non-symmetry to symmtry(「Bulhwa」)’-'non-symmtry(Jeongwon)'-'Symmetry(「Wanmiseol」)’ with regard to symmetric thought. 「Deorgshinbul」(< Sasanggye 〉, Nov. 1961) directly shows basic position on Buddhism of author as clearly shown in the title or theme. The process that the hero, Manjeok in 「Deongshinbul」， became Deongshinbul is the process of attaining Buddhahood and attaining the world of complete symmetry beyond the non-symmetric thought. 「Kachi-sori」(『Modern Culture』，Oct. 1966) can be also understood with regard to symmetry. In this work, direct symmetric relation is established between nature and nature, human and nature, human and human. However, 「Kachi- sori」 is transcendental and mechanic different from previous work with regard to symmetry. The reason why behavior of Bongsu who murdered Youngsook, listening to the sound of magpie, despite several foreshadow and suggestion, seemed to be not persuasive, is the result that view of the world of the author is directly applied, which thinks that the world is based on symmetry, omitting the drama of the reality where symmetry and nonsymmetry are connected. If that so, the Buddhistic thought may expose more complete form in the work, but the literary impression may reduce relatively. This problem of 「Kachisori」 can be also found in 「Snowy Afternoon」(〈 Monthly Jungang 〉, Apr. 1969) and 「Jeseongsoe」 (< Korean Literature 〉, Dec. 1977) created after that.