Esoteric Buddhism under the Koryŏ in the Light of ... - Buddhism.org

International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 85
beyond limited sectarian confines. The fact that Esoteric Buddhism was
practised within the contexts of virtually all the major Buddhist schools
from the middle of the dynasty and onwards, indicate that its doctrines
and practices can best be understood as part and parcel of general
Buddhist beliefs. Undoubtedly it was its rich ritual tradition which made
Esoteric Buddhism especially attractive to Buddhists throughout the
country. As far as we know Esoteric Buddhism did not exist as a
separate school under the Song, but its practices functioned as a
under-current in Buddhism as a whole much like it did in Koryŏ. It is
unclear how the situation was under the Liao and under the Jin, but in
Heian and Kamakura Japan, the Shingon School of Esoteric Buddhism
existed as a distinct and separate Buddhist denomination, and only
shared some of its practices with the other schools of Buddhism.
No matter the type of Esoteric Buddhism which flourished under
the Koryŏ, we have noted a curious absence of Esoteric Buddhist
iconography in the surviving objects of Buddhist art from the period.
The meagre evidence that exist suggest that Esoteric Buddhist
iconography was not particularly widespread if indeed well-known on
the Korean Peninsula during the Koryŏ. In any case it is sufficiently
clear that the Esoteric Buddhist art of the Koryŏ was not like that of
Heian Japan in which a very rich tradition with roots in the late Tang
dynasty existed.
Extant data on the dh2ra!6-pillars and related material indicate
that under the Koryŏ beliefs and practices based on a series of powerful
dh2ra!6 were widespread, and that Korean Buddhists at that time shared
this belief with Buddhists in the other East Asian as well. This is a
good example of a continental pan-East Asian form of Buddhist practice
in which the Koreans also participated.
Hoguk pulgyo understood as Buddhism functioning on behalf of the
ruler and the kingdom was clearly a reality under the Koryŏ. It should
not be read as “nationalist” or even “patriotic Buddhism,” but that one
of the roles of the religion was to carry out special services on behalf