9세기 신라 왕경의 비로자나불상

Abstract

Until now, little attention has been paid to the Vairocana Buddha Image, which would have been enshrined in Buddhist temples of the late Silla’s capital. This is because most of the Vairocana Buddha Images with a clear date of production seem to be concentrated in the provinces not capital, and research has been conducted around them. Also, one of the reasons is that among the Vairocana Buddha Images in Buddhist temples of Silla’s capital, the only notable statue is the gilt-bronze Virocana seated Buddha of Bulguksa temple, Gyeongju and that there was no other prominent statue. However, with due consideration on it, the number of the Vairocana Buddha Images enshrined in Buddhist temples of the late Silla’s capital is not quite small. Currently, there are approximately 25 statues of Virocana Buddha, of which eight gilt-bronze Buddha statues and the rest are stone Buddha statues. It is mainly concentrated in the middle of the 9th century, especially in the mid and late of the 9th century, and it was considered to be related to King Aejang's ban on the creation of temples in 806 and the prohibition of King Heungdeok in 834. The prohibition in 834 might also have had to do with floods, heavy snow, and droughts that occurred almost every year until just before. There were only 3-4 Buddhist temples newly built in the capital of Silla in the 9th century, and except for the Changrimsa temple, Buddhist temples were also small because individuals turned their houses into temples for charity. However, it did not mean that the Buddhist power of this period was shrunken, so more important Buddhist projects were carried out, and the ceremony was mainly held former royal family’s Buddhist temples the of royal family. In particular, the largest number of Buddhist projects (佛事) took place around the time of king Gyeongmun’s accession in 861. Gilt bronze Vairocana Buddha Images were prepared for the royal family’s Buddhist temples such as Bulguksa temple, Yeongmyosa temple. A seated stone statue of Virocana Buddha was prepared and enshrined at Changrimsa temple and Bunhwangsa temple. From the facts, it can be concluded that mainly Vairocana Buddha Images were prepared and enshrined at temples capital in the mid and late 9th century. This study attempts to suggest the possibility the Virocana Buddaha Images were popular not only in the provinces but also in the capital in the 9th century.