고려시대 불교와 전염병 치유문화

Abstract

In the era of Goryeo, because of the limitations in medical treatment at times of epidemic disease occurrences, the government resorted to Buddhist rituals to heal epidemics. The basis for this attempt could be found in various Sutra such as the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra and the Thousand Eyes and Hands Sutra, which mentioned healing of diseases; it was also true that nothing but religious miracles were to be depended on. Buddhist rituals to heal epidemic diseases were the most frequently carried out from the reign of Sukjong(肅宗) to Kojong(高宗), in other words beginning from the 12th century to the mid-13th century. The main reason for this is that this was a time of the most frequent epidemics, due to famines and war. This resulted in the debate on the three catastrophes, namely war, contagious disease and famine, all of which were mentioned in the Sutra. The monk Muki(無寄) argues in his Seokgayoeraehangjuksong(釋迦如來行蹟頌), written in the 15th year of king Chugsuk's reign(the year 1328), that his own age was not the prophesied time of the three catastrophes. This is thought to be reflective of the suspicion held by his contemporaries. The healing of epidemics became an important focus of the Buddhist world, so that the healing of diseases through dharani was extremely emphasized in biographical narration of the work of Choyu(祚猷) and Honwon(混元), both of whom were designated as Taeseonsa(大禪師). Therefore monks encouraged adherents to rely on the miraculous power of Buddha, and in particular faith in the Avalokiteśhvara Boddhisattva (Gwahn-se-eum Bodhisattva) was advocated as the solution to hardships of life. Disease healing was included among the miraculous powers of Buddha and Boddhisatva, which was mentioned in detail by various Sutra. According to Hyeyoung(惠永), the kundika and williows depicted in the Water-Moon Avalokiteśhvara painting(水月觀音圖), which was sealed with approval at the end of the Goryeo era, are related to epidemic disease healing. Also various versions of the Thousand Eyes and Hands Sutra was distributed around the nation to elevate faith in the Avalokiteśhvara Boddhisattva. In this Sutra, it was said that epidemics could be cured by reciting the holy words of the Avalokiteśhvara Boddhisattva. Thus the frequent epidemics in the era of Goryeo is understood as one of the reasons behind the popularization of faith in the Avalokiteśhvara Boddhisatva.