The Origin and Development of Myeongbu Belief: Focusing on King Yeomna, Yama, and Siwang

Myeongbu belief (冥府信仰) is an important concept in Buddhism, and its closely related practice of Sangjeonyesujae (生前豫修齋) generally dates from the Joseon Dynasty. Sangjeonyesujae has its ideological roots in Shiwang beliefs, and Korean Buddhism is strongly influenced by Chinese Buddhism. As Buddhism was introduced and settled in China, traditional indigenous Chinese folk beliefs were absorbed into Buddhism, sometimes resulting in rituals that differed from those of Indian Buddhism. This phenomenon is equally frequent in Korean Buddhism, and it is therefore not uncommon to find the origins of Korean Buddhist Myeongbu beliefs in Chinese Buddhism. However, given that Buddhism was born out of the ideas and culture of the Indian tradition, the origins and meaning of Korean Buddhist Siwang beliefs should be found in Indian Buddhism. In this regard, this paper examines the origins of ‘King Yeomna’(閻羅大王) in the Vedic mythology of India, which provides a key ideological foundation for the Myeongbu belief, and the subsequent adaptation and transformation of Yama