慧昭의 入唐求法과 道義와의 同行巡歷考 -『宋高僧傳』 「唐州 神鑒傳」과 관련하여-

Abstract

Hyeso (慧昭) introduced the southern Zen school of Buddhism (南宗禪) early on in the history of the Korean Peninsula. According to his epitaph, he entered China in 804 AD and studied under Shenjian (神鑒) in Henansheng Cangnzhou (河南省 滄州). He received upasampada (具足戒) in Shaolinsi Temple in Songshan (嵩山 少林寺)six years later and then came back to Cangnzhou to practice. He met another monk from his homeland, Doui (道義) in the southwestern area of China and accompanied him to search for the Dharma. After Doui returned to Silla in 821 AD, Hyeso spend nine more years in Zhongnanshan (終南山) and other places in order to practice Buddhism before returning to his own country. However, it is not clear which Buddhist sect Shenjian belonged to and in which area he actually dwelled. According to Hyeso’s epitaph, Shenjian lived in Cangnzhou but, beside the epitaph, there is no other record that confirms this information. The epitaph also states that Hyeso met Doui in the southwestern area of China and both searched all around for the Dharma, but the records fail to mention which areas they actually went to. In the epitaph of Kyeongyang (競讓), the author Lee Mong-yu (李夢游) of Koryeo mentioned that Shenjian belonged to the Hongju Sect. This information was referred to in the translation of Hyeso’s epitaph, and existing research consistently identifies Shenjian of Tangzhou, whose name is found in Sungkaosengchuan, as Shenjian of Cangnzhou. However, since Tangzhou and Cangnzhou are far apart from each other, it is essential to provide a proper account for the identification of this historical figure. I assume that Shenjian mainly dwelled in Tangzhou. He once visited Maju (馬祖) and devoted himself to Buddhist Chants called Beompae (梵唄) when he was young. These facts coincide with records from the epitaph of Hyeso. But the fact that Shenjian was active mostly in of the middle of the Chang River (長江中流) area is in discord with the note in Hyeso’s epitaph which says that Hyeso was mainly active in the Huabei (華北) area. The middle of the Chang River area was where Hyeso and Doui went to seek for the Dharma and this can constitute evidence to support the assumption about Shenjian’s habitation. Tangzhou must have been miswritten as Cangnzhou in the epitaph of Hyeso by the author Choi Chi-won (崔致遠). Hyeso and Doui must have met each other in Xichuansheng (四川省) in the southwestern area of China. Xichuansheng was where Master Musang (無相大師) from Silla dwelled and could have been where Doui started his long pilgrimage after his mentor Xitang (西堂) passed away in 814 AD. During the six or seven years of pilgrimage with Doui, Hyeso must have deeply realized the doctrinal truth of the southern Zen school of Buddhism under the guidance of Doui. Doui was a Buddhist dignitary who was an authentic successor to the lineage of the Hongju Sect while his mentor Shenjian is identified as a Buddhist priest who has attained spiritual enlightenment.