내륙 아시아 불교 세계와 “묀람첸모(smon lam chen mo)”

The Inner Asian Buddhism World and the smon lam chen mo

This article mainly discussed about the smon lam chen mo, known as the Great Prayer Day as part of New Year celebrations in Tibet, since the 15th century. The smon lam chen mo originated from the era of Buddha Sakyamuni was reintroduced by Tsongkapa(1357~1419), the founder of the Geluk School. The biggest patron of the Tsongkapa, Phagmodru dynasty tired to restore the political authority from the ancient Tibetan Empire(Tu-bo, tib. Bo chen po). So first Phagmodru dynasty sponsored Tsongkapa to restore the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa built by King Songtsen gampo during the 7th century. Under the political leadership of the Phagmodru dynasty, Tsongkapa convened the tibetan public energy focused on the buddhism itself, but that time the lay aristocracy was reminded the ancient political supremacy from the temples in Lhasa and the Great Prayer festival held at Lhasa’s ancient shrines. Ostensibly the festival was designed for the reconstruction of the religious morality among the all sects in Tibetan buddhism world, on the other hand politically it was directed to establish the political order governing the Tibetan world by the Phagmodru dynasty. Eventually after the first festival in 1409, Tsongkapa established Ganden monastery in Lhasa, and then one after another Drepung and Sera monastery was founded by disciples of Tsongkapa. Based on these three monasteries, the Geluk School developed in Tibet as a major religious group. Around the 16th century as the Phagmodru dynasty’s leadership had soured, the Geluk School almost lost their strong supporter. Just at that moment Mongolian waves surged up towards Amdo area, the Mongolian connection in the Tibetan history restored between the Geluk and the Tumed Altan Khan. Especially after the Dalai lama had reincarnated in the Altan Khan’s family, Geluk School took the lead for religious conversion among the Mongols. During the 17th century the struggles for the reunited Mongol nation in Inner Asia grew fiercer, Dalai lama got the condition to be able to make himself as an arbitrator in Inner Asia. Under this situation, every prominent political figure in Inner Asia rushed to Lhasa for participating into the New Year festival smon lam chen mo as a patron, where had chance to make connection with the Geluk School. In that context smon lam chen mo rose to become the most influential religious event in Inner Asia.