五臺山 中臺 寂滅寶宮의 역사

Abstract

This paper deals with the large historical development of theBuddhist community in and around Mt. Odaesan, but it has focusedon the specific historical evolution of the Middle Terrace, particularlythe Treasured Temple for Buddha’s Relics(jeokmyeolbogung), or for thedeceased renown Buddhist monks. The later are believed to have beenbuilt by Jajang(慈藏), a renown monk of the Silla(新羅) dynasty on themiddle terrace of Mt. Odaesan. However, little has been written orinvestigated about the evolution of the Treasured Temple for Buddha’sRelics. Nonetheless I have reached the following conclusions tentativelyin my study. First, it is quite certain that the Treasured Temple for Buddha’sRelics is identical of the place where Buddha’s relics had been enshrinedfor worship from the middle of the Silla dynasty to the end of theGoryeo(高麗) dynasty. The Treasured Temple for Buddha’s Relics atMt. Odaesan had become the center of Buddhism in the course of longhistory, so that many temples for Buddha’s relics such as theWoljeongsa Temple plus its octangular and nine-story pagodas werebuilt under the supervision of the government for the sake of protectingand promoting Buddhism. The Treasured Temple for Buddha’s Relicsin particular had become known as the center of Buddhism and treatedas such by the end of the Goryeo dynasty. Second, construction and remodeling projects for all the templesscattered around the Mt. Odaesan area began by disciples of a greatmonk Naong(懶翁) at the end of the Goryeo dynasty and latercontinued to keep the above-mentioned projects going on by YiSeonggye(李成桂). He visited the temple in question to worship Buddhaat the Little Temple of a Lion rebuilt in 1401. Likewise, his successorssuch as King Sejong and King Seungjong followed suit. ParticularlyKing Sejo rebuilt the Sangwonsa Temple and visited there andTreasured Temple for Buddha’s Relics in person to performscent-burning rituals for Buddha’s relics in 1465. On the basis of allthis fact, it is reasonable to say that the Treasured Temple for Buddha’sRelics had come into being by the middle of the 15thcentury, at thelatest. Third and last, Great Master Samyeong(四溟大師) builted thelibrary for the Historical Records of the Joseon Dynasty at Mt. Odaesan located to the south of the Yoenggamsa Temple. To protectand/or manage the library the Joseon government appointed headmonk of the Woljeongsa Temple as head librarian. Many renownBuddhist monks were appointed to protect and/or manage theTreasured Temple for Buddha’s Relics on behalf of the government. The latter part of the Joseon Danasty, many government officials andliterary scholars visited the Treasured Temple for Buddha’s Relics onmany occasions, particularly during their sight-seeing tours there. Having disdained or belittled the importance of Buddhism, manyNeo-Confucian scholars gave low praises for it, writing many essaysabout their observations of the Treasured Temple for Buddha’s Relics. Most noteworthy is Yun Seonhak(尹宣擧) who first mentioned in hiswritings the word jeokmyeobogung or the Treasured Temple forBuddha’s Relics in 1664. From the middle of the 17th century to the19th century Jeokmyeobogungthe had been rebuilt many times and in1878 finally it has become what it is today. Particularly Buddhist monk Yeonp(蓮坡) built the Treasured Temple for Buddha’s Relicsin 1767. In 1788 Gim Hongdo(金弘道) used Yeonpa’s pattern of the TreasuredTemple for Buddha’s Relics as the model of his paintings titled theCollections of Four Counties around Mt. Geumgang(金剛四郡帖).