朝鮮後期佛畵와 儀式集에 보이는 來世救濟觀音信仰 (The Belief in Avalokitesvara for the Salvation of the Future Life on the Ritual Manuals and Buddhist Paintings in the Late Joseon Period)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 국립중앙박물관
· 수록지 정보 : 미술자료 / 79호 / 81 ~ 112페이지
· 저자명 : 황금순

초록

There is a group of Buddhist paintings which emphasize the Avalokitesvara iconography on the main platform paintings and gwaebul (掛佛, large hanging scroll paingings for outdoor rites) in the late Joseon period. The Avalokitesvara is placed directly under the Buddha, Sakyamuni or Amitabha, namely on the center of the lower part of the canvas. The paintings appeared around the 18th century, and currently 14 works have survived. The purpose of this article is to investigate the background of the production of those paintings with such a unique composition. We examine the background focusing on the ritual manuals that are published through the Joseon dynasty.
Avalokitesvara has two major roles in the procedure of ritual manuals. Both of the roles are based on the writings of the Dharani Sutra of Invoking Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva to Dissipate Poison and Harm (請觀世音菩薩消伏毒害陀羅尼呪經). One is to purify the site which the Buddhist ritual service will be held. The believers invoke the deity’s transcendental powers to the water which will be sprinkled to purify the place. The purification of the place is essential before the opening of the Buddhist rites, especially at Yeongsanhoi ritual (靈山會). The bodhisattva changes the water to have the supreme merits with the Dharani of the Thousand Eyes and Hands Sutra (千手經).
The other is to help the deceased have rebirth in the Western Paradise of Amitabha. This particular role of Avalokitesvara is found in the ritual manuals of offering food to the dead (施食儀文). Avalokitesvara sometimes shares his function with Ksitigarbha. This is due to the belief in two bodhisattvas. The images of Avalokitesvara and Ksitigarbha (觀音·地藏菩薩像) are created in a pair to increase the superior capacity and the power of the two deities in China from the late 7th century. They believed in the images mostly for the salvation of the next life. It is very interesting to see that the popular belief is reflected in the ritual manuals. Two bodhisattvas have their own mantras that extinct the karma of the deceased for their rebirth in the Pure Land. The mantras are recorded in the Jeungsuseongyosisikeuimun (增修禪敎施食儀文) which is compiled by Mengshan (夢山) in the Yuan period. This text has affected a lot to the ritual manuals of feeding and the iconographies of nectar ritual paintings (甘f露圖) produced in the Joseon dynasty.
The deity’s role for deliverance of the dead is even more enhanced in the ritual text from the 18th century onward. As the result, the other new version of the feeding ritual is recorded in the Jakbeobgwigam (作法龜鑑, the Model of the Buddhist Rites) published in 1827. In other words, the deceased take refuge in Avalokitesvara alone unlike the former times when they used to benefit by the merits of both Avalokitesvara and Ksitigarbha bodhisattvas. Later, the new text goes by the name of Gwaneumsisik (觀音施食, ritual manual of feeding hungry ghosts through Avalokitesvara) after the gradual revision and expansion. This is a big change in the text of feeding hungry ghosts, and very suggestive in the point of reflecting the Avalokitesvara faith at that time.
As mentioned above, the Buddhist paintings with an empasized Avalokitesvara iconography under Buddha appeared around the 18th century. It’s notable that the deity’s image is getting bigger as we go down the ages. In addition, the Avalokitesvara icon appears on the gwaebuls usually unfolded at the Cheondojae (遷度齋, the ritual that takes the soul of the deceased to Paradise) in the late 19th century. We clearly know the reason as to why Avalokitesvara sits under Buddha with a pure water bottle on his palm on the gwaebul. The deity is performing his two roles, that is, the purification of the place and the salvation of the deceased. Therefore it is revealed that the Avalokitesvara icon implies the desire for the welfare of afterlife. From this fact, the Avalokitesvara iconography on the main platform paintings can also be interpreted in the ritual context, and we realize that it has the same implication.
It should be noted that the aspect on Buddhist paintings through the change of the times corresponds to the changes that occurred in the ritual manuals in the 18th century and later date. It tells that the iconographies of Buddhist paintings are closely related with ritual manuals.
In conclusion, the Buddhist paintings with Avalokitesvara image represented under Buddha are a good example that show us the close connection between iconography of Buddhist paintings and the text of ritual manuals. We assume that the Avalokitesvara belief for the salvation of the future life prevailed in those days, because the ritual manuals reflect the faith of the contemporary believers. Hence those Buddhist paintings are very significant as a pictorial evidence providing information about the phase of the Avalokitesvara belief in the late Joseon period.

영어초록

There is a group of Buddhist paintings which emphasize the Avalokitesvara iconography on the main platform paintings and gwaebul (掛佛, large hanging scroll paingings for outdoor rites) in the late Joseon period. The Avalokitesvara is placed directly under the Buddha, Sakyamuni or Amitabha, namely on the center of the lower part of the canvas. The paintings appeared around the 18th century, and currently 14 works have survived. The purpose of this article is to investigate the background of the production of those paintings with such a unique composition. We examine the background focusing on the ritual manuals that are published through the Joseon dynasty.
Avalokitesvara has two major roles in the procedure of ritual manuals. Both of the roles are based on the writings of the Dharani Sutra of Invoking Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva to Dissipate Poison and Harm (請觀世音菩薩消伏毒害陀羅尼呪經). One is to purify the site which the Buddhist ritual service will be held. The believers invoke the deity’s transcendental powers to the water which will be sprinkled to purify the place. The purification of the place is essential before the opening of the Buddhist rites, especially at Yeongsanhoi ritual (靈山會). The bodhisattva changes the water to have the supreme merits with the Dharani of the Thousand Eyes and Hands Sutra (千手經).
The other is to help the deceased have rebirth in the Western Paradise of Amitabha. This particular role of Avalokitesvara is found in the ritual manuals of offering food to the dead (施食儀文). Avalokitesvara sometimes shares his function with Ksitigarbha. This is due to the belief in two bodhisattvas. The images of Avalokitesvara and Ksitigarbha (觀音·地藏菩薩像) are created in a pair to increase the superior capacity and the power of the two deities in China from the late 7th century. They believed in the images mostly for the salvation of the next life. It is very interesting to see that the popular belief is reflected in the ritual manuals. Two bodhisattvas have their own mantras that extinct the karma of the deceased for their rebirth in the Pure Land. The mantras are recorded in the Jeungsuseongyosisikeuimun (增修禪敎施食儀文) which is compiled by Mengshan (夢山) in the Yuan period. This text has affected a lot to the ritual manuals of feeding and the iconographies of nectar ritual paintings (甘f露圖) produced in the Joseon dynasty.
The deity’s role for deliverance of the dead is even more enhanced in the ritual text from the 18th century onward. As the result, the other new version of the feeding ritual is recorded in the Jakbeobgwigam (作法龜鑑, the Model of the Buddhist Rites) published in 1827. In other words, the deceased take refuge in Avalokitesvara alone unlike the former times when they used to benefit by the merits of both Avalokitesvara and Ksitigarbha bodhisattvas. Later, the new text goes by the name of Gwaneumsisik (觀音施食, ritual manual of feeding hungry ghosts through Avalokitesvara) after the gradual revision and expansion. This is a big change in the text of feeding hungry ghosts, and very suggestive in the point of reflecting the Avalokitesvara faith at that time.
As mentioned above, the Buddhist paintings with an empasized Avalokitesvara iconography under Buddha appeared around the 18th century. It’s notable that the deity’s image is getting bigger as we go down the ages. In addition, the Avalokitesvara icon appears on the gwaebuls usually unfolded at the Cheondojae (遷度齋, the ritual that takes the soul of the deceased to Paradise) in the late 19th century. We clearly know the reason as to why Avalokitesvara sits under Buddha with a pure water bottle on his palm on the gwaebul. The deity is performing his two roles, that is, the purification of the place and the salvation of the deceased. Therefore it is revealed that the Avalokitesvara icon implies the desire for the welfare of afterlife. From this fact, the Avalokitesvara iconography on the main platform paintings can also be interpreted in the ritual context, and we realize that it has the same implication.
It should be noted that the aspect on Buddhist paintings through the change of the times corresponds to the changes that occurred in the ritual manuals in the 18th century and later date. It tells that the iconographies of Buddhist paintings are closely related with ritual manuals.
In conclusion, the Buddhist paintings with Avalokitesvara image represented under Buddha are a good example that show us the close connection between iconography of Buddhist paintings and the text of ritual manuals. We assume that the Avalokitesvara belief for the salvation of the future life prevailed in those days, because the ritual manuals reflect the faith of the contemporary believers. Hence those Buddhist paintings are very significant as a pictorial evidence providing information about the phase of the Avalokitesvara belief in the late Joseon period.

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