2. Mental Foundation and Ideology


Korean Buddhism offered a mental framework and ideology which corresponded to each phase of social development in the historical process. The important task of Buddhism in the initial period of introduction was the problem of establishment. Buddhism embraced the primitive thinking of Shamanism and so developed traditional thinking. Concepts such as the theory of karma replaced Shamanistic belief, hence it brought about social development and functioned as a prop and strengthener of the sovereign power. All the Three Kingdoms made Buddhist thought their central ideology. Especially Shilla before unification of the peninsula, made the best use of Buddhism, letting it influence every aspect of life so that the culture developed greatly. The ideology which was particularly popular was the Pure Land of Maitreya. Examples are the Shilla thought of Sankha, the universal monarch (Chakravatin) and the system of P'ungwoltto, the organization for training young men called hwarang.

The Shilla kingdom went one step further. There Buddhist thought was used as a pivot point for the accomplishment of the unification of the Three Kingdoms and then it was taken as the foundation ideology of the new unified state. Buddhism, especially Avatamsa philosophy, then became very influential as a socio-political ideology for the reconciliation and the integration which were needed by Unified Shilla. The foundation ideology of Koryo was also based on Buddhist philosophy. The theory of reconciliation of Confucianism and Buddhism in the Choson Period, was an active effort made to overcome the ideological gap of the time.