608 henrik h. sørensen
from the Chaŭn school, which indicates that the Mahāvairocana
sūtra enjoyed popularity and use beyond a strictly Esoteric Buddhist
context.
Esoteric Buddhist influence on the Pure Land tradition and the
cult of Avalokiteśvara took a variety of forms during the Koryŏ. An
important work is Wŏnjong’s (fl. thirteenth century; HPIS 207a)
Hyŏnhaeng sŏbang kyŏng (On the Cultivation of the
Scripture on the Western [Paradise]; HPC vol. 6, 860b–877a), which
combines doctrinal explanation and methods for practice relating to
rebirth in Sukhāvatī. The practices described include the use of spells/
mantras and bīja visualization. We also have the Paegwi hae
(The White-Robed Liberation)^38 composed by the scholar-monk
Hyeyŏng (1228–1305).^39 This work is a ritual text concerned with
repentance in order to rid oneself of evil karma and disease and fea-
tures mantras lifted from the Vajraśekhara (STTS) and other Esoteric
Buddhist sūtras (cf. Sŏ 1993, 208–241).
In the written sources relating to the Ch’ŏnt’ae school, in particular
during the latter half of the Koryŏ dynasty, we find several examples
of the use of Esoteric Buddhist practices. Yose, the founder of the
Paengyonsa on Mt. Mandŏk, was a practitioner of the fahua sanmei
chan yi (ritual of repentance according to the lotus
samādhi; T. 1941), which recommends the use of mantras as part of
its ritual proceedings. A further indication of the repertoire of Esoteric
Buddhist texts, as well as concepts of teaching and transmission used
by the Ch’ŏnt’ae monks during the period in question, can be found
at the very beginning of Ch’ŏnch’aek’s Sŏnmun pojang nok (HPC
vol. 6, 469c–484a). Here we find reference to the “yoga-abhisekạ of
the five divisions” (yuga kwanjŏng ŏbu ), “homa of the
three mysteries” (homa sammil ), and “mandala methods”
(mannara pŏp ).^40 In any case, the extant sources provide
enough information for us to ascertain that Esoteric Buddhist rituals
(^38) HPC vol. 6, 411b–417. See also Sørensen 1991–1992a, 182–83.
(^39) For biographical details on his life, cf. CKS I, 596–598; and HPIS 347ab.
(^40) Cf. HPC vol. 6, 470bc. Ch’ŏnch’aek is here saying that he is quoting from the
Song work, the Sengshi lüe (Abbreviated History of Monks) compiled by Zan-
ning (919–1002; cf. T. 2126). However, a comparison between this work and the
passage from the Sŏnmun pojang nok shows that this is actually not the case. Most
probably Ch’ŏnch’aek was referring to the Song gaoseng zhuan , which was
also compiled by Zanning.