The Formation of the Bhik?u Ordination in 19th Century Choson Korea: Focusing on the Ten Wholesome Precepts of the Monk Paekp'a

Abstract

Ordination can be said to be the core of Buddhism and maintaining this tradition is the key to maintaining Buddhism. This was the realization of the monastics in early 19th century Korea such as Paekp'a (1767-1852), Taen (1780-1841), and Manha (d.u.) who were the pioneers in reviving the ordination tradition at a time when the sa?gha must have suffered a severe decline of this all too important tradition. Among these three monks, there were some commonalities such as the common geography of Chirisan area in the Hoam region where they started this movement and the fact that Paekp'a and Taen, belonged to the Pyongyang lineal clan, the lineal descendants of the great masters Hyujong and P'yonyang. The effort to revitalize the ordination tradition by Paekp'a and other monks were successful in establishing their lineal clan and, at the same time, significantly contributed to securing their lineage within the history of Korea Buddhism. However, because Paekp'a's method of the ten wholesome precepts was seen to be different from the traditional methods of ordination, its influence was. Taen's methods, on the other hand, by borrowing notions from the Brahma's Net Sutra which allowed monks to revitalize their lineal clan through one's own effort, drew support from eminent monks and became widely practiced. Similarly, the lineage that was formed by Manha by traveling to China on being recognized for its legitimacy came to be established as part of the mainline of Korean Buddhism. While such methods were successful in responding to the dire situation of the early 19th century, this movement also provided the foundation for the continuation to the modern period the traditional orthodox lineage that was started some 300 years earlier.