고려 개경 사찰 설립 의의와 신행

The meaning and religious works of establishing Gaegyeong temples in Korea

Establishing the main temples in Gaegyeong, it was since the period of Wanggeon in Korea, when Husamguk(three countries-silla, taebong and hubaekje) was unified and it appointed the place, Gaegyeong, a capital. The first king of Korea, Wanggeon, believed that it was conducted by the mercy of Buddha to unify those three countries. His thought about Buddhism is described under Article 1, 2, 6 of Hunyosipjo and it influenced the Buddhism policy of other successive kings of Korea. The first king of Korea， Wang geon strongly believed that the unification of the three countries was due to the mercy of Buddha and he tried to defend the fatherland through the actual Buddhism issues on the basis of this strong belief. He built ten temples in Gaegyeong after two years that he ascended to the throne. Gaegyeoogsipchal by Wang geon was built in ten parts of North which were ones of five sections in Gaeseong, that is, Beobwangsa, jaunsa, Wangryunsa, Naejeseoksa, Sanasa, Bojesa, Sinheungsa, Munsusa, Weontongsa, Jijangsa. Though it was at the critical period of establishing a new country, Wanggeon built those ten temples as a great achievement. lt was because he tried to integrate many kinds of religions which had divided into several groups such as main nobles and power families, Zen buddhism and Gyojong. lt is proved that there are various thoughts about Zen buddhism, Gyojong, Hyeongyo, Milgyo in these temples. He continued to build 15 temples more after that. This 25 temples also represent his strong will to integrate the thought of people and religious works as the various Buddhism activities. There were a lot of temples built by other successive kings after him. We can see about 30 temples in the document we have. The first meaning of these temples is that most of them are admired as the royal Jinjeonsawon(The temple where has a family mortuary tablet of a royal family and holds a ceremony for the repose of the ancestors.) of the late mothers and kings. The second meaning is to have a major role in the Buddhism order. Most of temples, which control the place for tests to be a Buddhist priest or command those groups, were Gaegyeong temples. Furthermore, the Gaegyeong temples are the major ones for each religious sect and for managing a nation history of a royal family’s matters. The last, the temple is the center of Buddhism culture. Heungwangsa was the very place where cast Chojodaejanggyeong of Korea and compiled Goryeogyojang of Euicheon. And also the Gaegyeong temples were mostly in charge of managing Buddhism culture. It seems obvious that Gaegyeong temples were the center of Buddhism.