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

Religious marketization refers to the phenomenon that religions exist as if they were commodities to be chosen from according to the principle of market economy. In this phenomenon, propagation becomes a spiritual marketing that sells holy religions as if they are secular products. The present study analyzes the religious marketization of Korean society from a critical perspective and then suggests the missionary orientation to help propagation to be Dharma-transmission and edification, not to sell Buddha. The religious market in Korean society is shared by three main religions: Buddhism, Christianity, and Catholicism. Minority religions face barriers to entry. This can be seen as the result of active propagation of the three main religions. However, the influence of biased legislation and policy from the interaction between the government and these three religions cannot be overlooked. As the religious population decreases in Korean society, each religion fiercely propagates their doctrines, subsequently, intensifying religious marketization. In this market of religions, in order for Buddhist propagation to become edification, not to sell Buddha, it is essential to understand how and why the Buddha taught people. The orientation of propagation following the path that the Buddha showed can be found in the following: ① To relieve sentient being’s pain instead of expanding the Buddhist power and organizations ② To focus on developing religious mind instead of spiritual marketing ③ To obtain the leadership of Buddhist body through de-secularization of Buddhist monks and nuns ④ To get involved in inter-religious dialogue under the spirit of Harmonizing Disputes.