한국 고･중세 백고좌법회와 ‘재승(齋僧)/반승(飯僧)’의 정치적 함의

Abstract

In this paper, we examined how the meaning and category of “hoguk” changed under the social conditions of Silla and Goryeo, focusing on the Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) as a political ritual and the “Banseung(飯僧)” procedure as an act of governance. The scripture based on the Buddhist texts of the Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) is the Inwanggyeong(仁王經). The Inwanggyeong(仁王經) is a Buddhist scripture established in China, and in the Inwanggyeong(仁王經) “nation protection(護國)” was treated as important. The “nation protection(護國)” of the Inwanggyeong(仁王經) is often regarded as the guardian of Buddhism, that is, “Buddha Dharma Protection(護法)” but it is generally understood as “nation protection(護國)”. In other words, the idea of patriotism was understood to be the most systematic theory that emerged during the negotiation process between the royal and religious authorities. In Silla, BaekgojwaBuddhism(百高座法會) was mainly practiced at Hwangnyongsa Temple(黃龍寺), a nation temple, and it was believed that the ideology of ruling the country through the Dharma of Buddhism was established in Silla. In other words, the Silla royal family played a role in preventing the gap between the nation and the protection of Buddhism by emphasizing Inwang(仁王) through Banya(般若) and promoting the national consciousness of protecting the laws of Buddhism. Silla's Baekgojwabuphwei (百高座法會) was practiced in Goryeo. Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) in Goryeo shows a slightly different pattern from Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) in Silla in that it was practiced regularly. The process of the Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) was completed with the ‘Banseung(飯僧)’ process in the Silla dynasty. Goryeo dynasty inherited Silla's Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) and regularly held Buddhist rituals. The ‘Banseung(飯僧)’ process of the Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) is to make monks who belong to temples throughout the country look like kings, participate in Buddhist rituals for the country for three days, and then give meals to the monks as the final process of Buddhist rituals. Monks who have participated in Buddhist rituals for the country return to their temples throughout the country after the ‘Banseung(飯僧)’ process is over. They return to the temples, which are the strongholds of the nation, with a message from the king through Buddhist rituals: “Protect the king and the state to protect the laws of Buddhism and the state of Buddha”. Among the Buddhist rituals of the Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會), the ‘Banseung(飯僧)’ procedure was an essential procedure for the king's rule. Therefore, the ‘Banseung(飯僧)’ procedure could not be performed at a time when it was disturbed by the circle. In short, Silla's Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) was inherited by Goryeo. In the late Silla dynasty, the procedure of Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) was completed with a ‘Banseung(飯僧)’ procedure, and in Goryeo, Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) was held regularly and institutionalized. Baekgojwabuphwei(百高座法會) was a Buddhist ritual and a political ritual that effectively conveyed the message of “protecting the king and the state to protect the law of Buddhism and the state of Buddha,” and was an act of the king's rule.