담양 용화사 소장 불서의 종류와 가치

Abstract

The Mukdam Museum in Yonghwasa Temple in Damyang houses various artifacts left by Mukdam Sungwoo. The collection in the museum contains a considerable amount of Buddhist books and they have been examined several times. But the entire scale of the collection and its value has not been elucidated thoroughly until now. In the summer of 2017, the writer of this study has conducted an overall research on the collection and catalogued the examined books. Accordingly, this study aims to explain the variety and the value of the pre-modern Buddhist books housed by the Mukdam Museum. In regard of the block books, there are 303 volumes of 73 books including 2 volumes of 2 books that are printed with Chinese woodblocks. So the total is 301 volumes of 71 books except the Chinese block books. Sorted by periodical orders, the collection has 6 volumes of 4 books published during the Goryeo period along with 16 volumes of 9 books published during the early Joseon period, 269 volumes of 50 books published during the late Joseon period, 3 volumes of 2 books published during the Korean Empire period, and 7 volumes of 6 books from unknown periods. Sorted by subjects, the collection has 4 volumes of 6 books of the Tripitaka Koreana along with 8 volumes of 4 books of Buddhist precepts, 234 volumes of 26 books of teaching materials taught for Buddhist trainees, 13 volumes of 10 books of Seon Buddhism (K. seonhak 禪學), 6 volumes of 5 books of Jeongto(淨土) Buddhism, 12 volumes of 10 books of Buddhist history, and 5 volumes of 5 books in other subjects. There are 166 volumes of transcribed books. Even though they all seem to be transcribed during the late Joseon period, it is difficult to specify the age of some volumes. Accordingly, the transcribed volumes have not been classified by period. Sorted by subjects, there are 21 volumes of Buddhist scriptures along with 4 volumes of Buddhist precepts, 111 volumes of individual commentaries on Buddhist scriptures (K. sagi 私記), 8 volumes of Seon Buddhism, 13 volumes of Buddhist rites, 3 volumes of Buddhist history, and 6 volumes in other subjects. Among the Buddhist books housed in the Mukdam Museum, the writings of Buddhist precepts and rites, and individual commentaries on Buddhist scriptures such as Dalmadaesagwansimron (Ch. 達磨大師觀心論) have a great value of research. In regard of the fact that Mukdam was the 9th precept master (K. yulsa 律師) of the Korean Sect of Buddhist Commandments and was an expert of the ritual practice of enshrining sacred materials in Buddhist statues, it is possible to surmise the special significance of the Buddhist precepts and ritual books. And some of the individual commentaries on Buddhist scriptures, included in the 111 volumes of transcribed books, were written by Yeondam Yuil, Inak Uicheom, and Baekpa Geungseon. They also have a high academic value.