약카(Yakkha) 신앙의 불교적 해석과 수용 - Āḷavakavaṇṇāna를 중심으로 -

초록

Yakkha is a tree spirit that symbolizes abundance and prosperity among ancient Indians, and has been worshiped as a cult. For the Brahman tradition, and other religious traditions such as Buddhism and Jainism, the Yakkha worship was absorbed and reinterpreted in their own form. In the case of Buddhist tradition, Yakkha, reinterpreted from a Buddhist perspective, emerges through vast commentary literature. In Buddhist literature, Yakkha is mainly described as a unique character with both good and evil through narratives. They are sometimes depicted as monsters hiding in trees and cannibalizing, or as sincere Buddhists who go on a trip to listen to the Buddha's teachings. In the commentary, Yakkha was depicted as a tyrant with a huge palace and maids, not a tree spirit. They have cannibalism, as well as transformation and flight ability, and they were like tribes, so they had different names, abilities, and tendencies. In particular, Alavaka Yakka is described as an attractive villain who continues a macho but delicate psychological change despite being violent. From this research, it was also possible to confirm the process of Buddhist tradition absorbing folk beliefs at the time, the hermeneutic intentions and methods of extensive commentary literature, and the archetype and development of Buddhist narratives.

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