. early esoteric buddhism in korea 589
mentioned in the later Korean records, but that their names and brief
accounts either come from Chinese or Japanese sources. This may be
taken as an indication that direct influence from orthodox Zhenyan
Buddhism on Buddhism in Silla was probably rather insignificant.
Esoteric Buddhist Practices and Early Korean Sŏn Buddhism
The impact of Esoteric Buddhist practices and beliefs on the various
doctrinal schools of Silla Buddhism has already been discussed, but we
still need to account for its influence on early Korean Sŏn Buddhism
(Ch. Chan ). More or less contemporaneous with Amoghavajra and
his Korean disciples, Sŏn Buddhism was starting to become popu-
lar in the Unified Silla. Contemporary records inform us of the large
numbers of Korean Sŏn pilgrims who went to Tang China in search
of an enlightened master under whom to train (see Sørensen 1988).
One of the most prominent of these Korean Sŏn monks was Hyeso
(774–850), who on his return to Silla settled in Mt. Chiri ,
where he founded the renowned Ssangye Temple around 835
C.E. (CKS I, 66–72). Hyeso’s epitaph, which is dated to 887 C.E., men-
tions that the master introduced the use of pŏmp’ae (ritualized
chanting in Sanskrit) in the liturgy, and that he used “secret methods
handed down by Śubhākarasiṃha as protection against wild animals”
(CKS I, 69). Although the inscription is not clear as to which Esoteric
Buddhist methods Hyeso employed, we must assume from the context
that the secret methods referred to were various dhāraṇīs and mantras
probably used as part of a larger ritual. Hyeso’s Esoteric Buddhist con-
nection in China is not mentioned explicitly in the account of his period
of training, but he probably came into contact with Esoteric Buddhism
while studying in 810 C.E. at the famous Shaolin Temple on
Mt. Song. Shaolin had been a center of dhyāna practices since
the late Northern Wei (386–535), and during the early Tang became
linked with the northern lineages of Chan Buddhism (cf. McRae 1986,
43–44, 56–59, 63–69). In addition we have documentation from the
first half of the eighth century that Esoteric Buddhism was cultivated
by the Chan adepts living there (McRae 1986, 68).
Another tradition within Korean Sŏn postulates a connection
between the culture hero Tosŏn (827–897),^45 another Sŏn monk
who is credited with introducing the p’ungsu geomantic system
(^45) HPIS 71ab. For his epitaph, see CKS I, 560–562.