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

The Yeongsanheosangdo(as the background painting of Buddha’s image in the main hall) symbolizes his sermon of Saddharma-puṇḍarīka sūtra on the top of Mt. Gṛdhrakūṭa. It is the most general Buddhist painting in Korea that has been standardized since the late Joseon Dynasty; however, the structure and significance of the painting has not been sufficiently studied yet. Especially, even though it has the title of Yeongsanheosangdo, there are some unique viewpoints different from the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka sūtra. In this respect, this study can secure an important meaning. In Chapter II, the author shows that the circular structure of Joseon Buddhist paintings was caused to reflect the cultural change during the middle and the modern ages. Based on it, the significance of people’s position and size in the circular structure of Yeongsanheosangdo was analyzed. The relation of the Yeongsanheosangdo and the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka sūtra is different from the general viewpoint that the Yeongsanheosangdo is a ritual description of the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka sūtra. The Yeongsanheosangdo is a painting of the comprehensive group related with Buddha based on the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka sūtra. It seems to have come because the Mahayana Buddhism of Northeast Asia aims at the congregational communion rather than the analysis. Chapter III deals with the recognition of the Yeongsanheosangdo in the light of the Avatamska idea. It requires attention as it shows that the temple building arrangement and the golden hall viewpoint of Northeast Asia are not biased to either the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka or Avatamska, but exist in the one-in-two relation of the two. It is important for the appropriate understanding of the Yeongsanheosangdo were the Northeast Asian Mahayana Buddhism tends to accomplish ‘the Dignity of Buddha’ and ‘the Salvation of Multitudes’ together and inalienably. This is because they are not only the characteristics of Northeast Asian Mahayana Buddhism, but also contain the meaning of completion for the religious nature of Buddhism.