Perception of Baekje Buddhism in Samguk Yusa(三國遺事) : Focusing on the ‘King Mu’(武王) Section

Within the diverse and vast body of research on Baekje Buddhism, it is difficult to find studies that investigate narrative characteristics focusing specifically on the Baekje Buddhist entries in Samguk Yusa. Furthermore, as most studies targeting Samguk Yusa are Silla-centric, it is necessary to examine whether the inclusion criteria and narrative attitudes of Silla Buddhist entries are equally applied to those of Baekje and Goguryeo Buddhism. Accordingly, this paper examines the characteristics of the descriptions related to Baekje Buddhism recorded in Samguk Yusa and the perceptions of the compiler contained therein, focusing on the ‘King Mu’ section. First, the part most noted is the perception of Baekje Buddhism centered on Maitreya faith. By organizing the ‘King Mu’ section into the Gii(紀異) part and describing the origin of the construction of Mireuksa Temple, the author intended to emphasize that King Mu was a Chakravartin(轉輪聖王) who personally revered Maitreya and that Baekje was a land with a karmic connection(有緣國土) through the appearance of the Maitreya Triad and the construction process of filling in the pond. This shows that Mireuksa was recognized not as a center for creating temples or stone pagodas, but as an aspect of King Mu's representative Buddhist achievement. Additionally, it is characteristic that by setting the Iksan region as a place of karmic connection for the appearance of Maitreya, a status comparable to the capital was granted in terms of Buddhism during the reign of King Mu. This narrative trend centered on Maitreya faith is also consistently found in the ‘Mireuk Seonhwa, Misirang, and Monk Jinja’ section, where the Silla monk Jinja meets the incarnation of Maitreya at Suweonsa Temple in Gongju, a Baekje region. Meanwhile, the description of Baekje Buddhism in Samguk Yusa significantly highlights the connection with the Silla Buddhist community. In the ‘King Mu’ section, records are included stating that King Mu united with Princess Seonhwa, the daughter of King Jinpyeong of Silla, and that King Jinpyeong sent craftsmen to help build Mireuksa Temple; it also emphasized that Monk Jimyeong of Sajasa Temple played a decisive role in King Mu's accession and the founding of Mireuksa by exercising supernatural powers to send gold to Silla. Furthermore, it recorded cases such as the fact that the Goguryeo monk Bodeok moved to Mount Godalsan in Jeonju, a Baekje region, and that Wonhyo and Uisang were recorded to have learned from him. These records of exchange between Baekje and Silla show that, regardless of the political situation at the time, ideological and cultural exchanges were possible through the medium of the Buddhist community, such as monks and craftsmen. Furthermore, by showing that the teachings of the Nirvana and Vaipulya Sutras were commonly believed in the Three Kingdoms centered on Bodeok, it can be seen as reflecting the intention of the compiler of Samguk Yusa to reveal that the foundation for the Silla-centered integration of the Three Kingdoms had been prepared early on. The description of Baekje Buddhism in Samguk Yusa can be said to show the characteristics of emphasizing the authority of the Baekje king and the Buddhist status of the state through Maitreya faith, while simultaneously highlighting the Buddhist connectivity among the Three Kingdoms by actively recording the aspects of Buddhist exchange with Silla.