Written Records and Artistic Expressions of the Belief in Silla as a Buddha-land

This study examines the Belief in Silla as a Buddha-land, deeply rooted in the foundation of Silla's Buddhist beliefs, by dividing it into four categories. Moving beyond the predominantly political and religious perspectives in previous research on the Belief in Silla as a Buddha-land, this study incorporates a new art-historical perspective to restore a closer approximation of its original form. To achieve this, it focuses on the visual outcomes of the Belief in Silla as a Buddha-land, namely its art and culture, and synthesizes political and religious interpretations to more closely approach the original state of the Belief in Silla as a Buddha-land. By examining historical records to outline the general framework of the Belief in Silla as a Buddha-land and by directly and indirectly analyzing extant art and cultural artifacts, this study clarifies the characteristics of the art of the Belief in Silla as a Buddha-land and comprehensively reveals the entirety of the Belief in Silla as a Buddha-land. Through historical records and art, the Belief in Silla as a Buddha-land is categorized into four types. First, the lineage of Śākyamuni Buddha, a royal of Kapilavastu, was equated with the Silla royal lineage. In this case, the Buddha-land is Kapilavastu. However, clear evidence of art depicting Kapilavastu in Silla has not been confirmed. Second, the sites in North India where Śākyamuni Buddha was active from his renunciation and enlightenment until his Nirvāṇa, such as Śrāvastī and Rājagṛha, were identified with Gyeongju or Geumseong(金 城), the capital of Silla, and recognized as the Buddha-land. This reflects the perception that the sacred traces of Śākyamuni Buddha existed in Silla, exemplified by the sixteen-foot tall Buddha statue of Hwangnyongsa Temple, stone meditation seat, and Seokbulsa. Third, the entirety of India, the abode of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas other than Śākyamuni Buddha, was recognized as the Buddhaland, equating the entire Silla territory with the dwelling places of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in India. Examples include the identification of Mount Potalaka, the abode of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva in southern India, with Naksan in Yangyang, and the transposition of Mount Wutaishan in China, the sacred site of Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, to Mount Odaesan in Pyeongchang. Fourth, a space beyond India, the entire minor world system centered on Mount Sumeru, was recognized as the Buddha-land. This is evident in the perception of Mount Nangsan in Gyeongju as Mount Sumeru, the central mountain of the world, and the alignment of Sacheonwangsa Temple on the mid-slope of Nangsan with the Four Heavenly Kings' Heaven surrounding Mount Sumeru.