Intangible Culture ISSN:2799-3868(Print) 무형문화연구

In this article, I will explain the phenomenon of fusion of shamanism and buddhism during the Goryeo Dynasty and examine how it should be viewed from a buddhist perspective. In chapter 2, I will briefly examine the role of shamans and the development of shamanism during the Goryeo Dynasty. In chapter 3, I will examine the phenomenon of fusion of shamanism and buddhism during the Goryeo Dynasty, including Palgwanhoe and the fusion of Indra belief and shamanism. This fusion of Indra belief and shamanism can be confirmed in Samguk Yusa Gojoseon article, where Iryeon annotates Hwanin(桓因) as Indra. In chapter 4, I will examine Han Yong-un's critique of the phenomenon of fusion of shamanism and buddhism during the Goryeo Dynasty, and I expose the limitations of his argument and examine the expedient perspective. In Joseon bulgyo yusillon(朝鮮佛敎維新論), he presents a critical view of the phenomenon of fusion of shamanism and buddhism, developing his argument from a state of enlightenment or relying on common-sense logical reasoning. I agree with Han Yong-un's argument. However, he goes a step further and criticizes the idea that the fusion of shamanism and buddhism should be accepted from an expedient perspective. The point of the argument is that the object of religious belief can be only one thing and not multiple things, and if multiple things were the object of religious belief, then religious belief would not be established. This is a biased argument because in everyday life, faith in multiple objects can naturally occur. Therefore, a perspective of expedient is necessary, and one sutra that best embodies this expedient spirit is Lotus Sutra. Therefore according to Lotus Sutra, expedient means is necessary because the religious capacity of sentient beings are diverse. This is precisely the spirit of expedient means. From this perspective, the fusion of shamanism and buddhism can be accepted to a limited extent.

In Korean Buddhism, cremation (茶毘, jhāpita) is a funeral practice that became established with the introduction of Buddhism. This discussion examines how cremation became established in Korea, its historical development, and its characteristics. In Silla, it was customary to bury a king and build a magnificent tomb when he died, but the only king to perform a Buddhist cremation was King Munmu (681), the 30th king. Since then, a total of eight kings have performed Buddhist funerals through cremation. Beginning with Monk Jajang, the tradition of cremating the bodies of eminent monks and erecting stupas and monuments after their deaths has taken root. The tradition of building stone stupas began with the rise of Seon Buddhism and was established with the establishment of the Nine Mountains Seon School. Cremating eminent monks and collecting their sarira to erect stupas and monuments has become an important tradition in Korean Buddhism. During the Goryeo Dynasty, cremation and the scattering or collection of ashes to build a stupa became a tradition. This study analyzed 52 cases of cremation using Goryeo epitaphs. Furthermore, it revealed that while ordinary monks cremated and scattered the ashes in water, eminent monks established a more established funeral practice of enshrining the remains in a pagoda. During the Joseon Dynasty, the practice became widespread with the publication of ritual books outlining Buddhist funeral rites. Baekpa Geungseon's (白坡亘璇, 1767-1852) “Dabi Seol (茶毘說)” is particularly notable for its perspective on cremation from a Seon perspective, which helped establish this trend. This discussion summarizes the circumstances surrounding cremation during the Joseon Dynasty, examining various anthologies and records. After the cremation, miraculous signs, such as the appearance of mystical lights and multicolored clouds, were recorded, which were attributed to the monks' spiritual practices. This discussion demonstrates that cremation is a crucial ritual that demonstrates the religious characteristics of Korean Buddhism, and holds significant significance as a ritual that socializes the spiritual values of eminent monks through the practice of Seon and chanting. This precious tradition must be preserved as an important attempt to modernize the uniqueness of Korean Buddhism.

In this study, we looked at Chinese Siddhavastu around the 11th century. This is to examine the aspect of Siddhavastu for a period more than 200 years after Zhiguang's Xitan ziji, which was written around 800 years ago. The seven-volume Keiyū India's Syllabary source, written in 1035, has many parts that are similar in format to the Xitan ziji, but compared to the Xitan ziji, it does not have as many commentaries, and overall, it is composed of content that shows actual examples of generalized Siddhavastu. Representative examples include the 34 syllables that do not appear in the Xitan ziji and the combination of ña and ṇa, the ‘訖里(kṛ)章’ that appears in the Xitan ziji does not appear in the Keiyū India's Syllabary source, in particular, it is not mentioned at all in the Xitan ziji, but in most scriptures, only the basic meanings of the 12 declension vowels and 34 consonants are shown, whereas in the Keiyū India's Syllabary source, the meanings of all letters created by combining the 12 declension vowels and 34 consonants are explained in an entire volume. furthermore, by explaining the combination of the 12 declension vowels and 34 consonants through examples across four volumes, if the Xitan ziji is a basic textbook for those encountering Sanskrit for the first time, the Keiyū India's Syllabary source can be said to be a representative practical book on Sanskrit that was in common use until then.

This paper examines the characteristics of Dano and Buddhist Dano ceremonies, distinct from traditional Dano games, focusing on major temples. I examine how Buddhist Dano, distinct from traditional Dano, utilizes the salt-smearing ritual, a practice that prays for the peace of the temple through fire prevention. The Buddhist community's approach to Dano differs. Traditionally, all temples celebrated Dano as a major holiday. However, in today's urbanized world, temples sometimes celebrate Dano or omit it, depending on their individual circumstances and circumstances. Jogyesa Temple, a prominent temple in Seoul, holds a grand Danojae, while Bongeunsa Temple passes it by without any special events. Temples like Haeinsa Temple and Tongdosa Temple have slightly different names and rituals for their Dano ceremonies, but their common purpose is to prevent fires and other disasters and to pray for the well-being and peace of all the four classes of people. Buddhism is the only group that has preserved a significant portion of Korea's numerous seasonal customs. Dano, as observed by Buddhism, incorporates folk customs while incorporating unique Buddhist elements, forming a unique element of Korean culture. Because the subjects of Dano rituals and the purposes of the rituals differ between the private sector and temples, the sequence of rituals is also distinct. The ‘Yongwangje’ (Dragon King Ritual) and ‘Salt Burying’ rituals, which are gradually disappearing from village communities, are being passed down in temples, firmly rooted in the faith of a religious community where the four classes of people work together to protect the Three Treasures. These are representative examples that highlight Buddhism's role as a bridgehead for the inheritance of traditional culture based on seasonal rituals. While the historical significance and current status of Dano, symbolized by salt, are well-documented, the scriptural basis for Buddhist doctrine and the specific evidence for its acceptance as a Buddhist custom within folk customs are significant research topics requiring ongoing investigation.

This essay looks at the musical performance characteristics and composition of samhoehyang (三回向), a performance that serves as a causal and entertaining social gathering following a large food-offering ritual within the context of gyeongje (京制) Buddhist music. The first part of samhoehyang, the hoehyang homily, is a traditional style of talk–singing with its own specific musical characteristics that, similar to pansori, combines both homily (narrative) and folk-style Buddhist chanting (sound), for the purpose of proselytizing Buddhist doctrine. Hoehyang homily appeals to the sensibilities of the masses in order to transmit Buddhist doctrine in an entertaining manner while enabling for the open expression of emotions and other content that had been difficult to express through food-offering rituals. Additionally, it appears that the next stage of the samhoehyang, the prayer and well-wishing stage (chugwondeokdam祝願德談), incorporated the traditions of both gosa (告祀) Buddhist chanting and hwacheong (和請) Buddhist chanting, indicating that folk-style chanting was actively used within this ritual. That is, samhoehyang utilized (folk-style) Buddhist chanting practices that reflected the musical tastes of the masses and their needs. In this way, it effectively transmitted the teachings of the Buddha. In the third stage, which is the dancing stage, participants performed lively and exciting Buddhist dances and other dances that in some way conformed to a Buddhist worldview. The accompanying music also aligned with popular taste, providing participants with a rousing experience that expressed the joy and gratitude for the large food-offering ritual. The fourth stage, the japui (雜戲) stage, is the highlight of samhoehyang; all of the attendees participate, and it offers an enjoyable release through music following the difficult work of the food-offering ritual. The musical particularity of this performance is that it centers on popular folk music, indicating that the folk performances of Korean mask dances, which continue to be passed down to this day, were formerly performed at temples as a part of samhoehyang. In the final stage of the samhoehyang, the gathering comes to a calm conclusion through the acts of pagoda-circling (tapdori탑돌이) as a means of making prayers for wishes and reciting a transfer of merit (hoehyang). Moreover, it appears that pagoda-circling involved the combination of both folk songs (the Gyeonggi folk song “Tapdori”) and Buddhist chanting. In this way, it offers a glimpse into the essence of Buddhist folk games that included the common people. This paper confirms that samhoehyang, which belongs to gyeonje-style Buddhist music, was a Buddhist folk game that offered a fun and exciting social gathering that included common folk following a large food-offering ritual. Moreover, when considering the overall musical characteristics of samhoehyang, the first stage functions as a beginning via talk–singing. The second and third stages, which are the prayer and well-wishing stage and the dancing stages, respectively, bring excitement to the performance. The fourth stage, the japui stage, is the climax of the event, and the fifth stage, the transfer of merit stage, offers a conclusion. In this way, its composition has a beginning, a development, and an ending. Gyeongje-style samhoehyang is of great significance, as it capture the history of Buddhist folk games from the kiak (伎樂) of the Three Kingdoms period to the sandae japui (山臺雜戲) of Goryeo and the samhoehyang of the Choseon dynasty.

Somitachamseo housed at Daeseongsa Temple (Designated as Tangible Cultural Heritage of Seoul Metropolitan Government) underwent conservation treatment from September 24, 2023, to July 16, 2024, as part of the 2023 City-Designated Cultural Heritage Conservation Project. To begin the treatment, Somitachamseo has been moved to ⓒENGUARD conservation studio in a low-vibration vehicle, and the visual and technical examination on its structures and damages has been conducted in the climate-controlled environment to produce the treatment proposal. The treatment has been carried out on the approval of the conservation proposal by Seoul Metropolitan Government. Since its production in 1579, the manuscript had been used in Buddhist rituals, during which its covers and the binding cords were lost, and repair papers were attached to the inner leaves, causing uneven thickness and stains. Through the conservation treatment, the covers that are restored based on the remaining original fragments and the repaired inner leaves are bound together to recover its original form. As a result of this project, the manuscript is now more accessible for reading, can be more effectively utilized as scholarly material, and its longevity and cultural value are expected to be significantly enhanced.