[4]Gale finds that the history of the erection of the
Seoul pagoda was originally inscribed upon the turtle-borne
slab that accompanies it. Of the pagoda itself,
he says:
1. The Pagoda was therefore built in 1464-1466
A.D.
2. The builder was King Se-jo, who reigned
from 1456-1468 and all the workmen were
Koreans.
3. The form of it was modelled after the
Pagoda in Pung Tuk County, which had already
been standing nearly a hundred years, and had
been built by Chinese workmen. There is no
evidence that this pagoda had ever been brought
from Peking though it finds its final resting
place now in Tokyo.
4. It was built to commemorate the excellence
of the Wungak Sutra from which it takes its
name.
5. It is by far the most interesting Buddhist
monument in Korea. p. 22.
[5]The list of the thirty head-temples follows:
- Yongju-sa
- Pongeum-sa
- Chǔntung-sa
- Pongsǔm-sa
- Makok-sa
- Pawpchu-sa
- Songkwang-sa
- Sǔnam-sa
- Těhung-sa
- Pǎkyang-sa
- Uipong-sa
- Posawk-sa
- Tongdo-sa
- Pomo-sa
- Hǎin-sa
- Tonghwa-sa
- Chuim-sa
- Unhǎ-sa
- Koun-sa
- Kumyong-sa
- Peyak-sa
- Sawngpul-sa
- Yungmyung-sa
- Pawphung-sa
- Pohyun-sa
- Kǔnpong-sa
- Yuchom-sa
- Ualchung-sa
- Sawkwang-sa
- Kuichu-sa
[6]The magazine conducted by Yi Nung Hwa has
had several breaks in publication and after each the
name has been changed. As here given the names are
English translations of the original:
Monthly Magazine of Chosen Buddhism.
Nineteen issues, from January 25, 1911 to
August 25, 1913.
Buddhist Magazine of the Eastern Sea. Eight
issues from November 20, 1913 to June 20,
1914.
Monthly Magazine of the Association of Rising
Buddhism. Nine issues from March 15, 1915
to December 15, 1915.
Kingdom of Chosen Buddhism. Three issues
from April 5, 1916 to June 5, 1916.
General Magazine of Chosen Buddhism, from
March 20, 1917. Three numbers had appeared
when I received this note in May 1917.
[7]The texts most commonly read in Korean monasteries
are the
Hokkekyo,
Kegon,
Kishinlon,
Fumonbon
and
Amidakyo, according to Madame Gordon.
These are Japanese pronunciation.
[8]The Japanese names of the four guardians are:
- Bishamon: east; blue; tower.
- Komoku: south; red; jewel.
- Jikoku: west; green; lute.
- Zocho: north; flesh; sword.
[9]Three Buddhas have preceded Sakyamuni in the
present
kalpa and one is still to come before the
kalpa
ends. The entire list is:
- Krakuchanda (Pali, Kakusanda), “who solves doubt.”
- Kanakamuni (P. Konagamana) “body radiant as gold.”
- Kasyapa (P. Kassapa) “swallower of light.”
- Sakyamuni.
- Maitreya. Legge: Fa-hien, p. 51.
[10]The eight scenes in the Life of Buddha are:
- (a) Incarnation.
- (b) Birth.
- (c) Encounter with age, sickness, death.
- (d) Escape—with aid of the four heavenly kings.
- (e) Asceticism.
- (f) Enlightenment.
- (g) Preaching—“turning the wheel.”
- (h) Nirvana.
Transcriber’s Notes
- Retained the copyright notice from the printed edition (although this book is in the public domain.)
- Silently corrected a few palpable typos.
- In the text versions only, delimited italicized text in _underscores_.