고려시기불교계(高麗時期佛敎界)의 포시활동(布施活動) = Alms Activities of the Buddhist Circle in the Goryeo period

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Corresponding with their social and economic status, Buddhist monks and temples in the Goryeo period held various alms activities. Buddhist teaching that encouraged alms also promoted such activities. Monks themselves often held alms activities to help the poor. When Buddhist events were conducted, food was offered to the poor. Also when constructing a bell or repairing a temple, the monks of the temple relieved the poor by offering meals to those who involved in the work, It was the monks of the Beopsang School(法相宗) that played a prominent role in activities to relieve the poor. Temples and monks in the Goryeo period also helped travelers. They secured the safety of travelers, offered accommodation and food to them, and fed the travelers` oxen and horses. They provided different accommodations according to travelers` social status. Temples which were situated at traffic roads and whose primary task was to supply accommodations and food to travelers were normally called Won(院). Temples and monks also took the lead in treating civilians suffering from diseases. Some monks had outstanding medical skills and knowledge, and they were considered to have played a significant role in treating civilian patients as well as high status people. Buddhism emphasizes giving something to nature, which was embodied into the prevention of the taking of life and the encouragement of the freeing of animals. These can be considered as alms to nature. Performing alms, monks also encouraged alms. There were sayings such as ``When you give one, you get rewarded ten thousand times,`` and ``Alms makes you comfortable and live longer`` Alms was also important in reducing one`s sins. Devout civilians Buddhists and those who had an in-depth understanding of Buddhist teaching were more aggressive in alms than other people. Thanks to temples and monks that held various alms activities and aggressively promoted the theory of alms, alms activities could be firmly established as a culture in Goryeo society.