新羅中代の國家と佛教

Abstract

Hitherto it has been commonly stated that the Buddhism of Silla was strongly national in character. However, upon consideration of the historical process of change at work and upon examination of the relation and character of Buddhism and the state in the Silla dynasty, one finds that a great transformation took place in the middle of the 7th century. This is primarily obvious in the change undergone in the administrative organization of Buddhism. In the middle of the 6th century, monk-officials 僧官 had been first established in order to protect and promote Buddhism. In 640's, these gained the substance and functions as a controling system, and as for the controlling system for civil officials, In 651, filling up the system as daedoseo 大道署 was performed. With this development, one can certainly say. Buddhism began to occupy a position in the very center of the political structure of the state. Another important change of the era lay in the establishment of the office regarding temples 寺院成典 in the administrative offices of the central government. This was connected with the administrative reform of the year 651. This office was established for the erection and management of state-protecting temples 護國寺院. These temples were erected for safety of the nation and salvation from the catastrophe in the case of external threat, natural disasters, or famines. Thus, the building of state-protecting temples gained momentum. Seen in a macroscopic perspective, the Buddhism of the Silla period accomplished an elemental transformation in the middle of the 7th century, i.e., from royal to state religion. This transformed Buddhism of the middle Silla period faced a new level of development. And now it can be appropriately called State Buddhism.