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

In late Koryo, Pure Land Buddhism had a tendency to be mixed with other Buddhist thoughts. At that time Seon(禪), T'ien-t'ai(天台), Hwaom(華嚴) and Tantric Buddhism(密敎) school's thinkers accepted Pure Land Buddhism as a kind of expedient to get the awakening(覺). Thingking or calling Buddha(念佛) was understood as a means, and Pure Land was understood not in the west(西方淨土) but in one's mind(唯心淨土). That's the character of Pure Land Buddhism at that time. This tendency could be found in the White Lotus group(白蓮結社). Although the leaders of the group recommended people who participate in the group to call Buddha(念佛), they warned people not to stay the observance of phenomena(事觀). They recommended participants to thinking of Amitābha by Observance of truth(理觀念佛). Their thought was based on the theory of Amitābha's thinking of mind(約心觀佛說) which was the important principle of Chih-li(知禮)'s practice of Pure Land of T'ien-t'ai(天台淨土觀).