. esoteric buddhism under the chosn 637
; literally, “opening the light”) for the inauguration of Buddhist
images and paintings, the carving of scriptures, etc., all of which
involved elements of Esoteric Buddhist lore and practice.^38 However,
the most clear-cut example of Esoteric Buddhist practice set within
the teachings of Pou is found in the important Suwŏl toryang konghwa
pulsa yŏhwan binju mongchung mundap
(Questions and Answers in a Dream between Guest and
Host [Concerning] the Imaginary Water-Moon Bodhimaṇḍa and Illu-
sory Buddhist Affairs).^39 This work, which is written in the form of a
dialogue with an imagined questioner, is basically a discussion of the
true meaning and value of Buddhist rituals. In the text Pou integrates
the fundamental Sŏn Buddhist doctrines on non-dualism and focus-
ing on the mind with Esoteric Buddhist practice. While the general
trend of this work is in line with Sŏn Buddhist thought, there is at the
same time a serious attempt at encompassing within it ritual concerns
including both theory and practice. In line with this, Pou discusses a
wide range of topics related to Esoteric Buddhist lore, including the
establishing of the altar with offerings. The text also shows extensive
use of mantras and bījas written in Siddham script. The opening sec-
tion reads:
In an imaginary location among the white clouds there is a guest. One
day he asked the Mindless Man of the Way on Mt. Dharma Nature,
saying: “I have heard that commoners arrange maigre feasts (chae )
when worshiping the Buddha. As a further mystery they rely on mantras,
which certainly is far from abiding by the complete vision (wŏngwan
).^40 Is it so?”
The Man of the Way said: “It is so! Those of the four classes of
dānapati with very sincere minds establish dharma assemblies and cre-
ate bodhimaṇḍas (toryang ), noble and pure. They make altars, pre-
cious and clean [literally, “white”]. With incense, flowers, lamps, and
candles they join in the arrangements. Tea, fruit, rare foods they arrange(^38) For a contents list of the relevant texts in the Kwŏnyŏm yorok, see HPC vol. 7,
576ab. 39
HPC vol. 7, 594b5–599a. This work is one of the earliest Korean Buddhist texts
dealing with ritual practices to use Han’gul. It gained considerable popularity and
continued to be re-printed during the following centuries. For a brief discussion of the
historical data surrounding it, see Sørensen 1991–1992a, 159–200, entry no. 56. 40
This would seem to refer to the highest non-dual insight as gained by adepts of
Sŏn. It may also refer to the yuandun zhiguan (complete and sudden ceas-
ing and contemplation) that was developed in the Tiantai school, but this is less likely
given the present context.