Intangible Culture ISSN:2799-3868(Print) 무형문화연구

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.