Transcript The Dynamics of Korean Buddhist Thought and - East

Buddhism in Korea
Past and Present
Don Baker
University of British Columbia
Basic Assumptions of Buddhism
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“Real” means unchanging and uncaused.
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Yet Buddhists realize that human beings experience
the “unreal world” every moment of every day.
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Therefore the purpose of Buddhism is to escape the
inevitable disappointments constant changes bring,
either by rising above the realm of change or by
working to make sure that change moves in positive
rather than a negative direction.
What is Buddhism in Korea?
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Buddhism of Practice: anthropocentric
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Meditative Buddhism-- dissolving belief in individual identity by
stilling the mind
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The wisdom of the sutras-the sacred teachings of the Buddha
himself grant salvation through understanding.
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Buddhism of Faith:
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The ritual power of monks, and the monastic community
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Pure Land Buddhism-chanting and faith in Amitabha Buddha-theocentric Buddhism
• esoteric Buddhism--mantras and rituals because words and
understanding are inadequate.
Buddhist Priests
Temple Rituals
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Philosophy or Religion?
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If religion requires belief in God, then meditative
Buddhism is a philosophy rather than religion. The
same might be said of sutra-based Buddhism.
However, the role of ritual in even philosophical
Buddhism leads us to give it the “religion” label
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Popular Buddhism, the Buddhism of chanting and
prayer is theistic, some would even say
polytheistic. That form of Buddhism, therefore,
easily meets the criteria for being classified as a
religion.
History of Buddhism in Korea
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Reached Korea via China and Central Asia in the
late 4th century (Paekche and Koguryŏ). Wasn’t
accepted in Silla until the martyrdom of Ich’adon in
the 6th century.
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Most famous Silla monk is Wŏnhyo (617-686). Said
to have brought both Pure Land chanting and Flower
Garland Sutra-based Buddhism (the
interconnectedness of everything) to Korea. Known
for reaching enlightenment without having to leave
Korea for China.
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Another famous Silla monk is Chajang, who brought
Buddhist relics back from China. Founded Tongdosa.
Pulguksa and Sŏkkuram
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Buddhism and the state
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In the Three Kingdoms, Mature Silla, and Koryŏ,
Buddhism was supported by the state. Buddhism was
valued for its ritual power, the ability it was believed to
have to protect the throne.
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Government-run clerical exams in Koryŏ, divided into
sutra-based and meditative.
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Government-promoted printing of Buddhist texts:
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First book ever printed with movable metal type was a
Koryŏ Buddhist text.
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Koryŏ Tripitaka is the pre-modern world’s most complete
collection of Mahayana texts (over 81,000 woodblocks)
Paekche royal temple to
Maitreya
Chinul (1158-1210)
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Rejected state-supported Buddhism
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Insisted on the need for gradual cultivation after
sudden enlightenment.
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Introduced the use of the Koan to Korea
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Said the purpose of meditation was to “trace the
radiance back to the mind”
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Seen as the founder of the largest Korean order
today.
Koryŏ Buddhism
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Chinul
The woodblocks of the Tripitaka
Haein-sa
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Buddhism in Chosŏn Korea
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“Persecution”--an end to significant state support
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Kiwa argues for compatibility with Confucianism
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retreats to the mountains
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number of denominations reduced significantly
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becomes a larger part of the folk religion
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monks used as a defense force. 71-year-old Monk
Hyujŏng was a military commander against Japanese
invaders.
Buddhism in Modern Korea
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Japanese restored many temples, and protected
temples and their art as national cultural treasures.
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Japanese encouraged monks to marry and eat meat.
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post-1945 Purification Movement
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Buddhism has had to respond to the challenge of
Christian proselytizing
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Has now overcome its image as a religion for village
women and ignorant monks.
Denominational Fragmentation
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Chogye--most visible. Says it is a Sŏn (Zen) order but
also has rooms in temples for chanting, prayer, sutra
study, etc.
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T’aego---like Chogye, except with married monks
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Pomun---like T’aego and Chogye but run by nuns, not
monks.
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Ch’ŏnt’ae and Ch’ingak --esoteric (mantra-based)
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Hanmaŭm sŏnwŏn (affiliated with Chogye)
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Won Buddhism
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Maum Meditation
Objects of the Buddhist
spiritual gaze
Sakyamuni
“Sŏkkamoni-bul)
Vairocona (Pirojana-bul)
Amitabha (Amit’a-bul)
Maitreya (Mirŭk-bul)
The Healing Buddha (Yaksayŏrae)
The Boddhisatva Guan Yin (Kwanŭm
Posal)
Sakyamuni,the historic Buddha
Amitabha
Vairocona
Maitreya
The Boddhisatva Kwan[se]ŭm
Healing Buddha
Chijang Posal (Bodhisattva)
Temple Guardians
Creating Buddhist art
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What Buddhists do today
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Meditate
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Chant, usually the name of a Buddha but sometimes a
mantra or a short sutra
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Engage in study of the sutras
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Go on a pilgrimage to sacred sites in Korea
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Perform rituals (bowing 108 times, etc.)
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Place little rocks around outdoor Buddhist statues.
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Perform other rituals.
Rocks and Buddhist Temples
Traditional Buddhist
chanting
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Buddhist ritual music and
dance
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Folk gods in Korean temples
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The hermit sage
Big Dipper god and Mountain god
Buddhism and death
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49 days between death and reincarnation
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Mourners can go to a temple and pray that the
departed will not be judged too harshly but
instead will be reborn in a better state than their
behavior in their past life would qualify them for.
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Large temples usually have a separate building
for praying for the recently departed. There are
often framed photos of the dead in those halls.
Praying for the dead
Buddhism and Fengshui
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Sites for many Buddhist temples are chosen
according to geomantic principles (Fengshui)
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Sometimes the placement of temple buildings and
stupas is used to remedy geomantic deficiencies
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Temples can also be used to collect geomantic
energy (as in the case of Silsang-sa)
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The late Silla monk Tosŏn is said to have introduced
fengshui to Korea.
Buddhism and Shamanism
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A shaman’s shrine
Shamanism as Buddhism
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Shamans in Korea often call what they do
“Buddhism”
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Among the many gods they interact with are
Buddhist deities, particularly the Healing
Buddha.
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There are some buildings in Korea that identify
themselves (by their name and by the reverse
swastika symbol) as a Buddhist temple but are
actually a shaman shrine.
Modern types of Buddhism
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Nungin Sonwon in southern Seoul
Meditating at
Nungin Sonwon
Hanmaŭm Sŏnwŏn
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Founded by a charismatic nun with almost no
formal education
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Originally provided Buddhism for housewives-services were at 10 am, after the husband and
kids had left the house for the day.
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Uses colloquial rather than technical language to
teach Buddhism.
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Focuses on Sakyamuni only.
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Is now affiliated with the Chogye order.
The nun Daehaeng
and her main temple
Maum Meditation
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Won Buddhism
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A new religion with Buddhist roots
Won Buddhism’s founder
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Park Chungbin (1891-1943)
Unique features
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Founder, often referred to as Sot’aesan, was a Korean
who was active in Korea in the first half of 20th century.
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Won Buddhism doesn’t worship him or any other
personality, human or divine.
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Won Buddhism has its own scriptures, its own rituals, and
its own clerical costumes and clerical discipline. It also
has a distinctive object of its spiritual gaze--- a circle
(Ilwonsang)
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It calls itself a new religion for a new age. Yet it also says
many of its teachings are the same as those of
Buddhism.
Buddhist elements
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Won Buddhism accepts the mainstream Buddhist
notions of karma and reincarnation.
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Won Buddhism, like meditative Buddhism, is
anthropocentric, teaching that we can save
ourselves through our own efforts and don’t need to
rely on supernatural assistance. (It also promotes
meditation.)
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Won Buddhism, like mainstream Buddhism, teaches
that suffering arises from the way we use our minds,
and that if we change the way we think, we can
eliminate our suffering.
A Won Buddhist
sunday service
Buddhism
and Korean Culture
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About 24% of South Koreans call themselves
Buddhists today
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Temple stay vacations are becoming popular with both
Koreans and foreigners. So is temple food.
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Koreans talk about “karmic connections” more than
Westerners do. Meditation is not seen as “exotic.”
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Many Koreans who aren’t Buddhists believe in
reincarnation, and go to temples to pray.
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Buddhism seen as an integral part of traditional culture.