1. Individuality


Korean Buddhist thought is basically closely related to the philosophical thinking of Chinese Buddhism. Therefore the initial Buddhism to be introduced was directly or indirectly Chinese and it was the new research done by Korean masters which created what came to be called Korean Buddhism. This was a form of Buddhism which was different from Chinese Buddhism, even though some of the basic ideas were Chinese in origin.

In Koguryo, Master Sungnang's research on the Three Treatises become the foundation of the Chinese Three Treatises School. Another example of individual development is to be seen in Shilla Vijnanamatravada which also developed apart from the teachings in China. Thus Vijnanamatravada followed the teachings of Shilla Master Wonch'uk who advocated a different view from his comrade, Chinese Master K'uei-chi. In the case of Paekje Vinaya thought, Paekje Master Kyomik had already introduced the original Indian vinayas in five parts one century earlier than the foundation of Chinese Vinaya School during the T'ang Dynasty. The Vinaya texts were translated in Paekje and published in 72 volumes, so that an individual Vinaya thought, one suited to the Paekje social system, was established. Master Uisang's Avatamsa thought is also very different from his Chinese Dharma friend Master Fa-tsang. Whereas Master Fa-tsang attached weight to the philosophical understanding of Avatamsa doctrine, Master Uisang emphasized the practical part of Avatamsa centered around the idea of Ocean-seal Samadhi. Master Wonhyo also developed Avatamsa thought with his unique theory on the Awakening of Faith, without any Chinese influence.
Such original thinking and development of Korean Buddhism is again revealed in the introduction of Zen and its establishment in the late Shilla Dynasty. Shilla masters introduced Zen Dharma from various Chinese Zen schools, but they never proclaimed to belong to those schools. Instead, they either founded their own or joined the already existing Korean Nine Mountains of Zen and so held on to the Korean Zen tradition. This tendency is also seen in the Zen thought of Master Chinul in the middle Koryo Period. To devise a method of harmonization of Meditation and Study, he formed his own very individual Zen thought. To this end he accepted orthodox Chinese Zen thought on the one hand and quoted other studies like the Avatamsa theory of Li T'ung-hsuan -- which is considered a non-orthodox Chinese Avatamsa School -- on the other hand.

The holistic Buddhist practice of three approaches, meditation, studying sutras, and chanting in the period of forming a new direction can be seen as one example of the individuality of Korean Buddhism. This is due to the fact that, though it was a phenomenon which appeared in the process of overcoming problems, it certainly was a conclusion derived from Korean Buddhist thought which differed from its Chinese counterpart. In this way we can conclude that Korean Buddhist thought, in close connection with Chinese Buddhist thought, has firmly established its own individual identity.