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

Even though Li Tongxuan or Qingliang Chengguan of China mentioned Samseong Wonyung 三聖圓融 (The Interfusion of the Three Holy Ones), it had not been handled with importance. However, it later emerged as a very important concept in the Hwaeom (Ch. Huayan) ideology of Yeondam, an influential scholar-monk of later Joseon. Yeondam said, "Vairocana, who interfuses 圓融 the three holy ones 三聖 together and manifests them as the same body, is the origin of all Buddhas." The three holy ones are Vairocana, Manjusri, and Samantabhadra; the wisdom of Manjusri, representing the virtue of the Buddha, and the Bodhisattva practice of Samantabhadra are like the two wings of a bird in the interfusion of the three. The importance of this concept is demonstrated by the fact that the three Hwaeom holy ones appear in fascicles 1 to 74 of the 80-fascicle Flower Ornament Sutra. Although Yeondam accepted the opinions of Qingliang Chengguan, he criticized his theory of a dichotomy between the body and wisdom. On the other hand, he moved beyond Chengguan's combination of the three holy ones and argued that they were originally one body. Benevolent Bodhisattva conducts can only stem from the view that one shares a body with all beings. At that stage, "that person is the very Vairocana." As far as Yeondam was concerned, the three holy ones were one body, and all things were harmonized in one mind. While the former is an interpretation based purely on the Flower Garland Sutra, the latter is a distillation of the Flower Garland Sutra from the perspective of Zen Buddhism. Yeondam regarded Manjusri as being in the realm of nonobstruction between principle and phenomena 理事無礙, and Samantabhadra as being in the realm of nonobstruction between phenomena 事事無礙. The two are in correlation of aspects. Chengguan maintained that these principles are only attainable at the stage of interfusion, whereas Yeondam argued that one could attain Buddhahood quickly since the principles were observed in the early days of practice at the stage of distinction 行布.