Korean Buddhism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search An image of Shakyamuni Buddha at a Seokguram Temple in South Korea Part of a series on Buddhism Dharma Wheel.svg History[show] Dharma Concepts [show] Practices[show] Nirv??a[show] Traditions Canons [show] Outline Portal icon Buddhism portal v t e Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internal ly inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new holistic approach to Budd hism. This approach is characteristic of virtually all major Korean thinkers, an d has resulted in a distinct variation of Buddhism, which is called Tongbulgyo ( "interpenetrated Buddhism"), a form that sought to harmonize all disputes (a pri nciple called hwajaeng or ûúîµ) by Korean scholars.[1] Korean Buddhist thinkers refined their predecessors' ideas into a distinct form. As it now stands, Korean Buddhism consists mostly of the Seon lineage, primarily represented by the Jogye and Taego orders. Seon has a strong relationship with other Mahayana traditions that bear the imprint of Chinese Ch'an teachings, as w ell as the closely related Japanese Zen. Other sects, such as the modern revival of the Cheontae lineage, the Jingak order (a modern esoteric sect), and the new ly formed Won, have also attracted sizable followings. Korean Buddhism has also contributed much to East Asian Buddhism, especially to early Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan schools of Buddhist thoughts.[2][3][4][5] Contents 1 Historical overview of the development of Korean Buddhism 2 Buddhism in the Three Kingdoms 2.1 Goguryeo 2.2 Baekje 2.3 Silla 3 Buddhism in the North South States Period (668?935) 3.1 Unified Silla (668?935) 3.2 Balhae (698?926) 3.3 Seon 4 Buddhism as state religion in the Goryeo period (918?1392) 5 Suppression under the Joseon Dynasty (1392?1910) 6 Buddhism during Japanese colonial rule 7 Buddhism and Westernization (1945?present) 7.1 South Korea 7.2 North Korea 7.3 Current situation 7.3.1 Antagonism from Korean Protestantism 8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 External links Historical overview of the development of Korean Buddhism Monks going down to their rooms after evening prayers at Haeinsa. When Buddhism was originally introduced to Korea from Former Qin in 372,[6] or a bout 800 years after the death of the historical Buddha, Shamanism was the indig enous religion. As it was not seen to conflict with the rites of nature worship, Buddhism was allowed to blend in with Shamanism. Thus, the mountains that were believed to be the residence of spirits in pre-Buddhist times became the sites o f Buddhist temples. Korean Shamanism held three spirits in especially high regard: Sanshin (the Moun tain Spirit), Toksong (the Recluse) and Chilsong (the Spirit of the Seven Stars, the Big Dipper). Korean Buddhism accepted and absorbed these three spirits and, even today, special shrines are set aside for them in many temples. The Mountai n Spirit receives particular recognition in an attempt to appease the local moun tain spirits, on whose land the temple stands. This blend of Buddhism and Shaman ism became known as Korean Buddhism, although the fundamental teachings of the B uddha remained. Though it initially enjoyed wide acceptance, even being supported as the state i deology during the Goryeo period, Buddhism in Korea suffered extreme repression during the Joseon Dynasty, which lasted for over five hundred years. During this period, Neo-Confucian ideology overcame the prior dominance of Buddhism. Only after Buddhist monks helped repel a Japanese invasion at the end of the 16t h century (see Imjin wars) did the persecution of Buddhism and Buddhist practiti oners stop. Buddhism in Korea remained subdued until the end of the Joseon perio d, when its position was strengthened somewhat by the colonial period, which las ted from 1910 to 1945. After World War II, the Seon school of Korean Buddhism on ce again gained acceptance. A 2005 government survey indicated that about a quarter of South Koreans identif ied as Buddhist.[7] However, the actual number of Buddhists in South Korea is am biguous as there is no exact or exclusive criterion by which Buddhists can be id entified, unlike the Christian population. With Buddhism's incorporation into tr aditional Korean culture, it is now considered a philosophy and cultural backgro und rather than a formal religion. As a result, many people outside of the pract icing population are deeply influenced by these traditions. Thus, when counting secular believers or those influenced by the faith while not following other rel igions, the number of Buddhists in South Korea is considered to be much larger.[ 8] Similarly, in officially atheist North Korea, while Buddhists officially acco unt for 4.5% of the population, a much larger number (over 70%) of the populatio n are influenced by Buddhist philosophies and customs.[9][10] Buddhism in the Three Kingdoms When Buddhism was introduced to Korea in the 4th century CE, the Korean peninsul a was politically subdivided into three kingdoms: Goguryeo in the north, Baekje in the southwest, and Silla in the southeast. There is concrete evidence of an e arlier introduction of Buddhism than traditionally believed. A mid-4th century t omb, unearthed near P¡¯y?ngyang, is found to incorporate Buddhist motifs in its ceil ing decoration. Some Korean Buddhist monks traveled to China or India in order to study Buddhism in the late Three Kingdoms Period, especially in the 6th century. In 526, The m onk Gyeomik (ÌÅìÌ) from Baekje travelled via the southern sea route to India to learn Sa nskrit and study Vinaya. The monk Paya (÷îå´; 562?613?) from Goguryeo is said to have st udied under the Tiantai master Zhiyi, and other Korean monks of the period broug ht back numerous scriptures from abroad and conducted missionary activity throug hout Korea. Several schools of thought developed in Korea during these early times: the Samnon (ß²Öåðó, or Sanlun in Chinese) school focused on the Indian M?dhyamika (Middl e Path) doctrine, the Gyeyul (Ìü×Èðó, or Vinaya in Sanskrit) school was mainly concerned with the study an d implementation of moral discipline (??la), and the Yeolban (æîÚéðó, or Nirv?na in Sanskrit) school, which was based in the themes of th e Mah?parinirv?na-s?tra Toward the end of the Three Kingdoms Period, the Wonyung (ê­ë×ðó, or Yuanrong in Chinese) sc hool was formed. It would lead the actualization of the metaphysics of interpene tration as found in the Huayan jing(ü¤åñÌè) and soon was considered the premier school, espe cially among the educated aristocracy. This school was later known as Hwaeom (ü¤åñðó, or Hua yan in Chinese) and was the longest lasting of these "imported" schools. It had strong ties with the Beopseong (Ûöàõðó), the indigenous Korean school of thought. The date of the first mission from Korea to Japan is unclear, but it is reported that a second detachment of scholars was sent to Japan upon invitation by the J apanese rulers in 577. The strong Korean influence on the development of Buddhis m in Japan continued through the Unified Silla period; only in the 8th century d id independent study by Japanese monks begin in significant numbers. Goguryeo In 372, the monk Sundo (â÷Ô³, or Shundao in Chinese) was sent by Fu Ji?n (?̱) of Former Qin to the court of the King Sosurim of Goguryeo. He brought texts and statues with him and the Goguryeo royalty and their subjects quickly accepted his teachings. Buddhism in China was in a rudimentary form, consisting of the law of cause and effect and the search for happiness. This had much in common with the predomina nt Shamanism, which likely led to the quick assimilation of Buddhism by the peop le of Goguryeo. Early Buddhism in Silla developed under the influence of Goguryeo. Some monks fr om Goguryeo came to Silla and preached among the people, making a few converts. In 551, Hyeryang (û³ÕÕ), a Goguryeo monk was appointed the first National Patriarch (kuk t'ong) of Silla. He first presided over the One Hundred Seat Dharma Assembly (pa ekchwa hanghoe) and the Dharma of Eight Prohibitions (p'algwan pop). Baekje In 384, the Indian monk Marananta arrived in Baekje and the royal family receive d the similar strain of Buddhism he brought. King Asin proclaimed, "people shoul d believe in Buddhism and seek happiness." In 526, the Baekje monk Gyeomik went directly to Central India and came back with a collection of Vinaya texts, accom panied by the Indian monk Paedalta. After returning to Baekje he translated the Buddhist scriptures in Sanskrit into seventy-two volumes. The Vinaya School in B aekje was established by Gyeomik, about a century earlier than that of in China. As a result of the work, he is regarded as the father of Vinaya studies in Kore a. Silla Reliquary Buddhism did not enter the kingdom of Silla until the 5th century. The common pe ople were first attracted to Buddhism here, but there was resistance among the a ristocrats. In 527, however, a prominent court official named Ichadon presented himself to King Pophung and announced he had become Buddhist. The king had him b eheaded, but when the executioner cut off his head, it is said that milk poured out instead of blood. Paintings of this are in the temple at Haein-sa and a ston e monument honoring his martyrdom is in the National Museum of Kyongju.