티베트 불교에서의 의례를 통한 치병기도 - 『장애를 정화하는 연기공양』을 중심으로 -

Abstract

One of the main objectives of religion is to comfort those who are suffering and help alleviate their pain. In pre-modern times, the clergy often engaged in medical practices, and religious institutions frequently served as hospitals. This trend continues in modern times, where it is common to find individuals who are both clergy and medical workers, and hospitals and nursing facilities operated by religious organizations are widespread. Buddhism, from its early days, has shown a practice where monastics handle or manufacture medicinal substances. In Tibetan Buddhism, for instance, traditional medicine, known as gso ba rig pa, is intertwined with Buddhist teachings, treating this medicine as an extension of the teachings of the Medicine Buddha. Consequently, in Tibetan medicine, many remedies for diseases involve religious rituals and meditation practices. Among these is a prayer ritual using incense smoke to heal spiritual and physical ailments. This prayer, known as “molnol bsang” or “the prayer that purifies obstacles”, is frequently practiced by both monastics and laypeople due to its simplicity and ease. Notably, despite its brevity, the prayer encapsulates all the significant religious elements of Tantric Buddhism. This paper sets aside the question of the prayer's practical medical effects to focus instead on recognizing the existence of a remedy-seeking prayer within Buddhist rituals. It aims to elucidate the significance of this ritual in contemporary society, which is grappling with mental and physical pain.