桐華寺 <阿彌陀佛會圖>를 통해 본 18세기 팔공산 지역 阿彌陀佛畵의 조성배경

Abstract

This work purposed on reviewing the manufacturing backgrounds and the distinguishing religious and iconic features of Buddhist paintings, by focusing on the Buddhist painting of the preaching assembly of Amitābha, which was enshrined as the Buddhist painting on scroll behind the Buddhist sculpture(後佛幀畵) at the main building of Donghwasa temple in Mt. Palgong, Daegu: the painting was made in 1699, namely, at the end of the 17th century. From 1699 to 1703, two large Buddhist paintings of Amitābha had been made in Donghwasa temple for four years. The manufacturing of large Buddhist paintings to be enshrined at two buildings of a temple for such a short time means that a belief in the authority of that Buddhist paintings prevailed in the locality of that temple. In other words, this shows the belief in Amitābha, namely, the belief in the Pure Land spread throughout the region. Donghwasa temple has a strong tie to Yujeong, Priest Samyeong(四溟堂 惟政)(1544-1610), who was a monk commander(僧將) in Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592. Yujeong led monk soldiers as the leader of all the Korean monks(八道都總攝) centering on Donghwasa temple during Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, and he remained there after the war. The belief in the Pure Land, related to the Pure Land(the western paradise) of Amitābha, was the nucleus of the collection of his literary works: the author judged such belief in the Pure Land of him influenced the Buddhist service to rebuild Donghwasa temple. It was Kwaeseon, Priest Giseong(箕城堂 快善, 1693～1764) who took over the responsibility to rebuild Donghwasa temple after Yujeong. He wrote Yeom-bul-hwan-hyang-gok[Songs of Buddhist Prayer to Return to Humanity(念佛還鄕曲) and other books based on the belief in the Pure Land, as well as reconstructed many buildings in Donghwasa temple and operated Buddhist services. His belief in the Pure Land can also be verified in the preface of the Amitābha Sutra[Sukhavativyuho nama mahayanasutrm](阿彌陀經) published in 1753 (he wrote that preface). The 1753 Amitābha Sutra bound the Buddhist literature on the miracles in the Pure Land emphasizing the virtuous rewards of Buddhist prayer(功德), with the volumes published in Sudosa and Eunhaesa temple in Mt. Palgong which were in the vicinity of Donghwasa temple; this shows the popularity of the belief in the Pure Land and Buddhist prayer around Mt. Palgong. Moreover, a number of books related to the Pure Land such as Yeom-bul-bo-gwon-mun[The Collection of Fine Buddhist Prayers](念佛普勸門) were published in Gyeongbuk area; those books well illustrate the idea of the Pure Land in the late Joseon Dynasty. As the result of such religious background, about 70% of existing Buddhist paintings of Amitābha in the 18th century were made in Gyeongbuk area.. As wars like Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592 had ended, rituals for the dead to reborn in the Pure Land were frequently performed in the-17th-century temples: the belief in the Lotus Sutra[Saddhamapundarīka-sūtra](法華經) was prevalent and the practices of virtual deeds for the deceased souls were authorized by the Lotus Sutra. On the large Buddhist banner paintings hung outdoors during such rituals for the dead, the icon of the preaching assembly of Sakyamuni(靈山會上) was painted in large numbers based on the Lotus Sutra; in the 18th century, Buddhist paintings to be enshrined in the temple buildings were vigorously made; also, the paintings of the preaching assembly of Sakyamuni and the paintings of three Buddhas(三世佛畵) were actively manufactured just as in the 17th century. What is peculiar is the wide development of the belief in the Pure Land centering on Mt. Palgong and the dramatic growth of that belief in Gyeongbuk area in the 18th century ― the manufacturing of Buddhist paintings of Amitābha was noticeable in that area of that time. The publishment of Buddhist scripture were closely connected to the rise of a belief, and such trend directly influenced to the manufacturing of Buddhist paintings. The Buddhist painting of the preaching assembly of Amitābha in Donghwasa temple is a representative example which shows the trend of the Buddhist scripture and the religious features dominating the area around Mt. Palgong in the 17th century.