Buddhist cults played a seminal role in the domestication of Buddhism in Silla Korea and the development of Korean Buddhist culture. Cults were particularly suited to Silla's highly-stratified society because they provided a means for expressing deep religious aspirations, methods for aristocrats and elites to ensure the continuation of their social ascendancy, and acceptable ways to display wealth and opulence. The aristocratic elite of Silla, through the influence of the Kogury[special characters omitted] kingdom, first imported and assimilated Northern Chinese Buddhism, with its special emphasis on the close relationship between the state (royal family) and the church (samgha). Silla's cultural and religious leaders domesticated Chinese Buddhist cults, specifically those of dhāranī (spells), Maitreya, Avalokiteśvara and Amitābha. All of these cults first flourished due to aristocratic and royal patronage. It was not until the eighth century that common people began to participate in these cults. This evidence resonates with the findings of Peter Brown with respect to the development of Latin Christianity in Europe.
This dissertation discusses the development of these four cults within their Northeast Asian context by drawing upon exegetical, hagiographical, and epigraphical materials. The cults of dhāranī and Maitreya remained highly aristocratic in Silla during the sixth, seventh, and eighth centuries. Dhāranī enhanced native Korean thaumaturgic traditions. The cult of Maitreya lent symbolism to the native hwarang tradition and was associated with merit-making practices, such as image-making and later offerings of tea. The cults of Avalokiteśvara and Amitābha spread throughout all strata of Silla society in the eighth century. Making and supplicating Avalokiteśvara images became the cult's most representative votive acts. The practice “recollection of Amitābha” ([special characters omitted]) passed through a process of simplification in exegetical materials before becoming standardized as “chanting the Amitābha's name.” During the eighth century, the Hwa[special characters omitted]m tradition was able to present a comprehensive vision of Buddhism that was able to incorporate many of the cultic practices that were fashionable in Silla society. The practices of the Hwa[special characters omitted]m tradition in Silla included the chanting of dhāranī the enshrining of dhāranī in stūpa, the circumambulation of stūpa, repentance rituals, and the worship of Avalokiteśvara and Amitābha.
