한국불교에서 관세음신앙 성립의 특수성 고찰

Abstract

Among the practice system of Korean Buddhism, the belief in Avalokitesvara is given much more weight compared to other believes or practice system of any Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. Since the Buddhism was imported to Korean peninsula the belief of Avaloki- tesvara was widely spreaded from royal families to the masses of Silla and other nations nearby, and put down its root to the emotional bases of Korean masses mind by way of Koryo and Chosun dynasty. Examine the historical development of Korean’s Avalokitesvara belief it is found the specific idea of Avalokitesvara of Silla that accepted the belief by the ideas that is on foundation of Emanating Buddhas Body(現身成佛) system. In the latter period of Silla the belief of Avalokitesvara was developed on the grounds of ritual system of Buddhist cannons which is classified by Esoteric Buddhim and it was handed down to the period of Koryo’s Buddhism which the Esoteric Buddhism was popular. The practice system of Koryo’s Esoteric Buddhism was systematic and well organized for the purpose of for the practitioners to attain Buddhahood and those system was adopted to that of Avalokitesvara practice. But at the same time the incantational aspects of Avalokitesvara practice was still prevailed all over the Korean peninsula. It is characteristic of Korean Buddhism that the belief of Ten Thousands Hands Avalokitesvara(千手觀音) and that of King of Six Letter Dharani(六字大明王眞言) has been widely believed since the latter period of Koryo dynasty, but it is still obvious that the belief of Avalokitesvara of Korea was founded mostly by the system of Esoteric Buddhism.