禮敬과 善業을 위하여: 繞匝을 위한 塔과 像

Abstract

A study of Buddhist art based upon Buddha images and stupas has been focused on some subjects like who the artists and sponsors were and what the major functions of those works were. This kind of study is an attempt to investigate the characteristics of such images when they were first created. Much emphasis, however, has been placed upon the ritual context of Buddhist art. The creation of Buddha images and stupas requires a huge amount of money and time for their creations. Furthermore, these products lasted for several generations once they were made. Accordingly, these products require a long period of time for preservation and conservation. They also need a large space. In this regard, one may assume that the initial purposes of such artistic works can vanish after some time period. Then it is necessary to examine how long people have made some sorts of relations with such Buddha images and stupas. This implies a need of study investigating social and religious values of such Buddha images and stupas. This essay focuses on the act of circumambulation (yojap) as individuals' ways of worshipping the Buddha. Circumambulation is a ritual, which leads the mass to participate in the Buddhist worshipping ritual and promotes their faith via enhancing the sense of cooperative spirits. According to the Buddhist scripture, circumambulation began in India since the time of Buddha Shakyamuni. During the time, people made rotations from their east(right) side (wuyo [pradaksina], whose meaning was "turning towards the righthand"). Pradaksina was one of the important rituals, which were emphasized from the early period of Buddhism. When this ritual was introduced in the Silk-Road area and China, the forms could be easily accepted in China. As Pradaksina was a simple act, which required only encircling around pagodas, it could be settled within a short period of time. In the Three Kingdoms and Unified Shilla periods in Korea, circumambulation and the act of encircling around Buddha images became popular. Some records from the Samguk Yusa (Additional Material on the Three Kingdoms) and careful examinations of the temple sites of those times reveal that there were various ways of circumambulation during the time. These included encircling around stupas, at the first floor of the wooden stupas, or the space inside the wooden stupas. As indicated in the main chamber of the Seokguram Grotto for circumambulation, there was always a space for encircling around the Buddha image. Particularly, it seems that the main chamber of the Seokguram was created as a space to raise such an illusion to its devotees that they felt as if they were accompanying the Buddha and his disciples. In addition, as seen in the case of the Geukrakjeon in the Muwisa, there is an empty space around the Buddha image at the center, which was also used as a space for the act of circumambulation. Circumambulation could be a personal and daily act of worshipping for the Buddhist in Korea, and this ritual had an impact on the construction of stupas and temples in Korea. The open spaces for the circumambulation in those temples have functioned as private spaces for the devotees worshipping the Buddha. Accordingly, the meaning of these passages for circumambulation should be reexamined from new perspectives. Previous scholarship has neglected the significance of circumambulation. The temple served as a public space for Buddhist devotees. The act of circumambulation played a important role in transforming the temple into an important public space.