영주 부석사 무량수전의 성격에 대한 고찰

Abstract

Muryangsujeon Hall of Buseoksa-Yeongju, which is National Treasure #18, has been widely known as Korea's best wooden structure, but considered a Buddha Hall inside Buseoksa Temple in terms of its character as a religious structure. However, the position of Amitabha enshrined inside Muryangsujeon (無量壽殿:Amitabha hall) or the traffic of worshippers are very different from that of other temples. Muryangsujeon is facing south and in case of Daewoongjeon, which is usually the Buddha Hall, the Buddhist statue was generally enshrined at the front. In case of Muryangsujeon of Buseoksa Temple, the Buddhist statue is enshrined to the west without any bodhisattvas or other statues, making it very unusual. These characteristics of the building are not found in other Buddha Halls of other temples. Therefore, I have focused on the tiles engraved with 'Lecture hall' and compared them with the related literature and engravings related to lecture halls to review and reinterpret various historical resources. As a result, I have come to argue that Muryangsujeon of Buseoksa Temple is a lecture hall, not a Buddha Hall. Along with this, it has been verified through a field study that the current boundary of Buseoksa was not just on a longitudinal axis, but also on a latitudinal axis. Unlike what has been suggested in regards to the scale of Buseoksa at the foundation, it seems that most of the buildings and facilities such as ‘Massive stone walls’ were built from around 676 to complete the view of a Big Temple before the early or mid 8th Century. Any studies related to Buseoksa Temple were concentrated on the spaces around Muryangsujeon, which is the central structure. As a result of my study, however, it has been found that Buseoksa Temple has an hermitage zone and a another temple zone that lead from east to west in addition to the central zone on the longitudinal axis. In particular, based on the Stele for State Receptor Oneyung(圓融::964~1053) in Buseoksa Temple, which is Gyeongbuk Intangible Cultural Asset #127, it was emphasized that the enshrinement of Buddhist statues in Muryangsujeon is a specific product of Huayan Yana(華嚴一乘) succeeded from Chi Yan (602-668) to Uisang (625-702). It was assumed that there were many problems raised and debates in regards to the layout of the temple back in the 11th Century. As a Buddha Hall was needed a separate hall could have been built at the temple site in Bang-dong Bukji-ri Buseok-myeon Yeongju-si with the stone seated Buddhs of Bukji-ri Yeongju-si, which is Treasure #220. In regards to the functions of Muryangsujeon of Buseoksa Temple, the records of Stele for State Receptor Beopin(法印:900~975) of Bowonsa Temple Site, Seosan, which is Treasure #106 and Ennin's 『Ennin and the Tang Patrol』 showed an aspect a Buddhist ritual that was performed at Muryangsujeon, which was a lecture hall. Therefore, it has been assumed that Muryangsujeon is not a place for lectures, but a place for practical training including Buddhist prayers and worshipping rituals.