The epigraphs in the late period of Goreyo show how Buddhist rituals in its late period differ from those in its early period in three characteristics.
First, Buddhist rituals with elements of S?n Buddhism had increasingly become popular due to a s...
The epigraphs in the late period of Goreyo show how Buddhist rituals in its late period differ from those in its early period in three characteristics.
First, Buddhist rituals with elements of S?n Buddhism had increasingly become popular due to a shift in Goryeo’s Buddhist society from the Textual School to the S?n School. After Ch’oe Ch’ung-h?n ended the political turmoil, he started enthusiastically to support S?n Buddhism’s Sus?nsa(修禪社) that deplored the corrupt Buddhist society of those days. With such support, Chogye Buddhist Sect(曹溪宗) became a mainstream of Goryeo Buddhism. This change influenced rituals as well. The epigraphs in the late period show that congregations for discourse on S?n were frequently held, whereas they did not appear during the early period.
Second, practice of penitence gained prominence in Goryeo Buddhism, because of the influence from gyeolsa movements(結社佛敎) that arose in the late period of Goryeo. Practice of penitence was not found in the epigraphs in the early period. However, the epigraphs in the late period contains four cases regarding it. Although the number seems to be very small, they do provide invaluable information about Buddhist rituals. These four ones show that practice of penitence was emphasized by all sects of Goryeo’s Buddhist society. Moreover, a word, ‘penitence’ became a central theme in Goreyo’s Buddhism, and rituals also began to adapt it as well.
Third, because of the Mongols’ invasion and Yuan(元)’s interventions in Goreyo’s politics, Buddhist rituals related to Yuan imperial family appeared. Incessant ceremonies and a large-scale royal treatment of monks to dinner praying for Yuan imperial family’s long and happy lives serve good examples how strongly they influenced Goreyo’s Buddhist rituals. Such an influence is also well-described in the epigraphs in the late period unlike those in the early period of Goreyo.