가야(加耶) 각국(各國)의 불교 관련자료 검토 = Research on Historical materials on Buddhism of the countries of Gaya

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The introduction of Buddhism to Korea peninsula is thought to have started in the late 4th and the early 5th B.C. It is verified by historical documents in case of Goguryeo(高句麗), Baekje(百濟), Silla(新羅). According to ‘Garakgukgi(駕洛國記)’, “Samgukyusa(三國遺事)”, the religion was also transmitted to Gaya, which ruled the southern part of Korea in the ancient. It is said Buddhism was introduced to Namgara(南加羅) in 48 B.C. However, it is difficult to trust the document because of its fictional aspects.
This study reviews that when and from where Buddhism came to the countries of Gaya with artifacts and documents related to Buddhism. To the countries of Gaya the time and agent of propagation of the belief was different from country to country. It stands to reason because Gaya was neither an unitary state nor a single union.
The introduction of Buddhism to Namgaraguk would be about 452 B.C. when Wanghusa(王后寺) was founded by King JilJi(?知王). It is hard to find out that from where it was introduced because of the lack of resources. Considering lotus design(蓮花文) in various artifacts, Garaguk already knew about Buddhism a bit in the 5th century B.C. It is highly possible that the country which brought the religion to Garaguk was either Baekje or a country of the south dynasty of China. Buddhism was also spread to Anraguk and Daraguk in the 5th century. It seems that Baekje was the agent of the propagation. A gilt bronze statue of the Buddha(金銅如來佛) with inscription which was found in Uiryeong, Gyeongsangnam-do, was the result of the transmission of Buddhism to Saigiguk, one of Gaya. It appears Baekje was the kingdom which introduced the religion to the country considering Saigiguk attended the council held in Sabi, the capital of Baekje, in 541 and in 544.