梵鍾의 佛敎的 機能과 意味 = The Functions and Significanes of the Buddhist Temple Bell

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Precedently, the functions and significances of the Buddhist temle bell wer examined. Although there is no tangible documentation, the intorduction of Buddhism and the temple bells came to Korea at about the same time. Currently, ther are a number a temple bells that wer made after the Unified Shilla, which still exist. Specifically the bell sound of Seong-duk Dae-whang Shin bell(聖德大王神鍾), which has pereserved its beautiful resonance gives Korea a sense of cultural price.
The functions of the temple bell were to gather the people at fixed times, or used in Buddhist ceremonial rituals. Up until now, the long time tradition of striking the bell at dawn or in the evening announces the beginning of Ye-bul(禮佛, the worship of Buddha). A prime example of this practice can be found within Kang-kyong-ui-sik(講經儀式, the resolute ritual); the teaching of the sutras during the Tang dynasty in Beop-hwa temple(法花院) in Chuk mountain(赤山).
It was believed that the sound of the bell could penetrate into the sky above as well as reac the bottom of the infernal grounds. Thus, accordingly, it was thought that Sang-ku-bo-ri(上求菩堤, the persistence of striving for bodhi while cultivating one's moral sense) along with Ha-hwa-jung-sang(下化衆生, the teaching of Buddhist prayer) of what obtained was significant.
The belief that the bell sound could redeem those suffering in inferno was spread throughout places like China an Korea. The sound of the bell could also free mankind from suffering. According to the folktale of Cha-ung bell(雌雄鍾), a snake could transcend to the heavens as a dragon. the folktale of Seon-sonn-mae-a(孫順埋兒) reveals that the function of the temple bell was magnified to the point of salvation. The bell sound was an opportunity for Seon-soon's filial piety to be head by the king, which in turn would free his family form destitution. The people who recognized the bell sound as part of Bub-um(法音) and Won-um(圓音) from Il-sung(一乘,yana) by which they followed, could be enlightened. This, in turn, is why the people listened to the bell sound, in belief that they could come to Bub-ki(法器) and be enlightened from a trance-like state of mind. Ascetics devoted themselves in absorbing the sounds of the bell, and humankind could free themselves form agony and earthly temptations through austere prayer.
Thus the charitable Buddhist morality was prodigious and participation in the process of the casting of the temple bell was considered a charitable morale. Mo-yeon(募緣, the donations contributed for the materials) for the casting of the temple bell were recorded, which was a tradition since the Shilla dynasty. Under the circumstances the prayers of the caster or benefactor were engraved on the bell. The universal prayer comprised of hope to overcome hardship and obtain some auspicious fortunes. the most common prayers seen ton the temple bells of the Shilla dynasty, were to pray for human suffering to obtain absoluteness, within humane sentiment of Bub-kye(法界, the realm of Buddha) by which to fulfill the teaching of Bul-do(佛道, the Buddhist doctrinces). However, the casting of the temple bell was not always understood to function as a pure religous symbol.
Occasionally, depending on the circumstances, the engravings on the bell may have been politically bound or intended accordingly to the king's or monarch's specifications for future generations. Engraved on Seong-duk DAe-whang Shin bell(聖德大王神鍾), was the prayer for the transmission of the praised king's merits. However, the religious desire was to apprehend Buddhist teachings. In contrast to this, the temple bells made in the early stages of the Choson dynasty hung in the royal court or in the bell tower, where the significance of the bell was eliminated to just praising the King's merits and morale. The temple bell without religious Bi-won(悲願, desirable prayer) continued to lose its original religious significance.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. 머리말
• Ⅱ. 梵鐘의 機能
• Ⅲ. 梵鐘의 功德
• Ⅳ. 梵鐘의 意味
• Ⅴ. 맺음말