삼국-고려 전기 고승의 洗骨葬과 장례 문화

초록

This study examines the nature and significance of the Bone-Cleaning Burial (洗骨葬) practiced among eminent monks from the Three Kingdoms to the Early Goryeo period. This funerary method involved temporary burial to remove flesh and later reinterment of purified bones, reflecting the belief in the sanctity of bones. Based on textual, epigraphic, and archaeological evidence, the Bone-Cleaning Burial was widely practiced until the 11th century and represents a continuation of traditional bone veneration imbued with Buddhist meaning. After death, monks were temporarily buried to allow the process of flesh removal (肉脫) in stone chambers near temples, where it received offerings from disciples while also functioning as an object of Buddhist self-sacrifice (捨身). The period of temporary burial lasted about one to three years, and the remains were revered as monastic śarīra (僧舍利). From the early Goryeo period onward, cremation became increasingly prominent. Rather than a simple replacement of Bone-Cleaning Burial, this shift reflects a transformation in the method of flesh removal, likely influenced by the adoption of Song cultural practices.

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