高麗前期 ‘賜紫沙門’의 의미와 역할

Abstract

Saja appeared when monks were treated like officials and bang-po of purple color was bestowed, which was institutionalized. Saja was a title given to monks who performed meritorious deeds or who were respected nationally. Being given purple clothes was called Saja and this was used as a tile of monks. Influenced by Song dynasty, Goryeo recognized Saja and further the nation itself conducted Saja. Monks who owned the title of Saja as Goryeo monks were mostly those who managed temple construction, participated in Buddhist rituals by engraving epitaphs, or editors, communers, and scribes of Buddhist books. In addition, monks who were in charge of formal posts were also Saja given that those who were mobilized for patriotic Buddhist ceremonies were called purple clothes. Moreover,Samgukyusa mentioned that groups of purple clothes were one of styles of Chinese verses and monkes who belonged to Seungroksa put on purple clothes, suggesting that groups who put on purple clothes, in other words, Saja took charge of controlling other monks as monk officials. Further, monks who belonged to Seongroksa were expressed as those who put on purple clothes and their priesthood was also Saja because their position was lower than these officials. In other words, in Goryeo era, monk officials were called groups of purple clothes or Saja. Monks in Goryeo era received a hierarchical public post of monks. Monks who had the title of purple clothes encompassed all monk class of non-Zen Buddhism from Daedeok to Seungtong. Probably those who made a contribution or were appointed as Buddhist officials among monks with a position who participated in all kinds of Buddhist event received saja additionally. Even though an original Buddhist monk class system existed, the reason why monks served as the post of Saja and expressed it is because of the internationality of then the Buddhist world. Goryeo Buddhist world frequently contacted China both directly and indirectly and in actuality monks and Buddhist books were much exchanged. Amid such international exchanges, Goryeo’s monks proved that they had been recognized by their nation in China through Saja. That is, when monks did international activity, Saja guaranteed their identity and therefore they served as Saja together with their own Buddhist position. In particular, communers or compilers of Buddhist books like Gyojang thought that the books would circulate in China as well and therefore when expressing their position, they mentioned Saja even though they did not record their own position in Goryeo.