Korea Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

Jeungdogasasil(證道歌事實) is a commentary compiled and published by Seoryongseonro(瑞龍禪老) Yeon-gong(連公) on Nammyeongcheonhwasangsong –Jeungdoga (南明泉和尙頌證道歌), which is a text of the Unmun Order (雲門宗) of Zen Buddhism. In fact, Jeungdogasasil was heavily indebted to Jojeongsawon (祖庭事苑) in its compilation and annotation. Jojeongsawon itself was focused on understanding the Zen of the Unmun Order. The Unmun Order is a Buddhist order that led the practice of Zen Buddhism in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), representing the trend of ‘literary Zen(文字禪)’ which was popular at that time. Zen Buddhism of the Goryeo Dynasty adopted the Zen of the Unmun Order in the 11th century, and, in the 13th century it wrote and compiled its own Zen texts under the influence of Unmun Order literature. Until now, the studies on Buddhist history of the Goryeo Dynasty have understood that Ghanhwaseon(看話禪) was adopted and settled at the Sooseonsa(修禪社) stage in the 13th century. However, this is far from actual history. Ghanhwaseon was accepted in this period, yet at the same time, literary Zen still enjoyed wide currency. And the demand for literary Zen is proved by a variety of related documents. Further, we need to consider a modification of the conventional view that the Línjì Order(臨濟宗) is the legitimate school of Buddhism since the late Goryeo Dynasty. Publication and writing of Zen texts in the contemporary Zen Buddhist circles indicate that the history of Zen Buddhism in the 13th-century Goryeo Dynasty needs to break away from the viewpoint centered on the Linji Order, and instead, to be understood in terms of the various trends of Zen of the Song Dynasty.