REL 134xg Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Platform Sutra, Taoism, Jinul
Document Summary
Rel 134 lecture 18 10-20: buddhism in korea. Buddhism was officially introduced in silla, paekche, koguryo kingdoms. Confucianism was also introduced at this time. Informally disseminated earlier through material culture, trade routes from china. Monastic life, replacing korean tribal shamanism (ancestral veneration) Tool for the state bureaucracy, promoting nationalism. Large-scale, organized philosophy and moral teachings supported by texts. Chinese culture was also transmitted: language, medicine. Buddhist scriptures were written in chinese, so koreans needed to learn chinese character system. Chinese characters were the first writing system in korea. Korean buddhists helped introduce buddhism in japan. Abandons trip to china to study with xuanzang after realizing everything is an experience of the mind, doesn"t need to go to china. Was sleeping in a tomb, thought he was drinking from a gourd but he was drinking from a skull. Can practice buddhism in korea authentically without going to china. Gives up vows and becomes a layperson.
