Intangible Culture 무형문화연구 ISSN:2799-3868(Print)

This text examines the characteristics and features of the ritual ceremony at Seoul Yeongsan Beophwasa, which is the head temple of the Yeongsan Beophwa sect, one of the traditional Buddhist sects in Korea, in comparison to the Avalokiteshvara ritual ceremony of traditional Buddhist sects. The ceremony at Yeongsan Beophwasa is based on the "Cheondo Beopyo Sik" and, following the general structure of ritual ceremonies, involves requesting the presence of deities, praising and making offerings, and conveying the spirits back to their original places. According to the standard criteria, the ritual structure of “Cheondo Beopyo Sik” at Seoul Yeongsan Beophwasa can be divided into three stages. The first stage includes the initial steps from inviting the deities during the Sambo ceremony to the second stage, which involves requesting the presence of the spirits (娛神), praising, offering, and conducting rituals such as Juwon (a ritual to request divine protection) and Chukwon Danggu Gapi (a ritual to drive away evil spirits). The third stage consists of the sending-off ceremony. In contrast to traditional Buddhist sects, “Cheondo Beopyo Sik” at Yeongsan Beophwasa emphasizes “just contemplate” without a separate ritual for inviting deities. Additionally, there is no distinct ceremony for requesting divine protection during the Sambo ceremony, and there are no teachings after the chanting. It is evident that all the ceremonies focus on contemplation, and the ritual of seeking divine protection is understood as Gapi (加被) for the ears.