Intangible Culture ISSN:2799-3868(Print) 무형문화연구

The Bulbokjang Jakbeop is a Buddhist ritual to infuse nāma-rūpa into newly created Buddha statues. The protocol of this ceremony is 『Josanggyeong』. In 『Josangyeong』, the process of converting articles for Bulbokjang used for Buddhist rituals into relics of the dharma body through a consecration is shown. This process is also the process of transforming objects such as five grains and five aromas into sacred articles for Bulbokjang to create a new dharma body Buddha. In 『Josanggyeong』, after renunciant practitioner achieves only his Buddha body with perfectly proportioned limbs through the contemplation of the achieving the body of Vairocana through the fivefold meditation, he performs the ritual of Bulbokjang and dotting the eye. In the Bulbokjang maṇḍala Jakbeop, after the establishment of the maṇḍala, all the articles for Bulbokjang are sprinkle water and consecration, and this consecration can be said to be the first order to give birth to a children of the Buddha. This order can also be seen in the mutual offerings of the thirty-seven honored ones of the Vajradhātu maṇḍala based on the Vajraśekhara Tantra. The Vajradhātu maṇḍala is the nine assemblies. Each of the 9 mandalas are gathered to form one great maṇḍala, so it is also called the nine assembled maṇḍala. Among the 9 mandalas, mutual offerings starting from Vairocana appear in the forming-the-basis group in the center. Vairocana’s qualities are disclosed, the four buddhas, gives birth to the four perfect bodhisattvas, and makes offerings to the main deity, Vairocana, the honor again gives birth to a bodhisattva of internal affairs to the four Buddhas and makes offerings to bodhisattvas within four offerings. The thirty-seven honored ones are born in this process. These mutual offerings are forms in which Vairocana receives offerings from four Buddhas, praises and rejoices in their activities, and praises their qualities. In addition, the mutual offerings of Vajradhātu maṇḍala is accomplished through the birth of several other Bodhisattvas. The Bulbokjang Jakbeop based on 『Josanggyeong』 is also the same. Articles for Bulbokjang that have been transformed into relics of the dharma body, after undergoing a consecration, are also a children of the Buddha, Furthermore, it is because such Buddha-nature is posited in a newly created Buddha statue, and another Dharma body Buddha is born. It can be said that it is not different from the creation of Buddha statues by sentient beings through offerings of articles for Bulbokjang and the birth of thirty-seven honored ones through mutual offerings.