Beophwagye

Beophwagye (; ) is a collective designition of new religious movements within Buddhism in South Korea that started in the 20th century. It refers to modern Buddhist religious organizations that treat the Lotus Sutra translated by Kumārajīva as the central sutra (, 所依經典) with the option to accept two other related sutras or other sutras, particularly the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, a traditionally popular sutra among Korean Buddhists. Beophwagye denotes the nominalized Sino-Korean expression that means based on (teachings of) the Lotus Sutra. A modern Buddhist organization based in South Korea that centers around the teachings of the Lotus Sutra is called Beophwagye jongdan (, 法華系 宗團). Most of the Beophwagye jongdan with large numbers of followers follow the Buddhist doctrines with influence from Nichiren Buddhism during the colonial rule under the Empire of Japan.

History The Korean localization of Tiantai, the original Cheontae school of Buddhism that is based on the understanding of the teachings of the Lotus Sutra was present during the Goryeo. However, Buddhism was persecuted during the Joseon dynasty and the teaching of the Cheontae school of Buddhism collapsed.

Buddhism based on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Tiantai philosophy became available during the Japanese colonial administration of Korea.Jin Cheol-seung (page 64) "일제 시기 조선에 진출한 일본의 법화계(日蓮系) 종단인 본문법화종(本門法華宗)이나 본문불립강(本門佛立講) 등에 의해 종파로서의 법화계 신앙이 새롭게 소개되었다. 1920 - 30년대에 이들 일본 종단의 조선포교소에서 법화신앙을 …" "During the Japanese colonial era, Japanese Lotus Sutra-based sects such as Honmon Hokke-shū and Honmon Butsuryū-shū re-introduced Lotus Sutra-based teachings in Korea. During the 1920s and 1930s, these Japanese Buddhist sects established missionary centers in Korea and [propagated] Lotus Sutra-based teachings …" Korean Buddhism at that time also had to compete with propagation from religious groups such as Japanese Buddhism, Christianity, and Shinto. For example, the Nichiren-based Buddhist sects in Korea at that time mostly had Japanese people, as shown in the chart below with the numbers of followers in late December of 1939.Goh Byoungchul (page 20)

Nichiren Buddhist Sectsin Korea Number of Followers in Korea(both Japanese and Koreans) Number of Korean Followersin Korea Nichiren-shū 17,633 73 Hokke-shū 1,684 0 Honmon Hokke-shū 6,859 1,056 Kempon Hokke-shū 449 14 Fuju-fuse 137 0 Total 26,762 1,143

It was the 20th century Korean Buddhist monk, Hye-un (, 惠雲), who first created the modern day Beophwagye jongdan in Korea.Min Sun-euy (page 66) "선행 연구들에 따르면 현대 한국의 법화종은 김정운(金正雲, 1898~1947)이라는 인물로부터 비롯된다. [The previous research attempts suggest that the Beophwa Order was created by Kim Jeong-un (1898 — 1947).] He was the leading Korean person during the Japanese colonial period to study the Lotus Sutra as understood by Nichiren priests of his time. His greatest influences were two Japanese Buddhist priests: one from Honmon Butsuryū-shū and the other one from Honmon Hokke-shū.Min Sun-euy (pages 68-69) "그런데 주목할 만한 사실은 혜운이 평생에 걸쳐 두 명의 일본 승려와 깊은 인연을 맺었다는 점이다. 그는 1924년경 일본 일련종계의 본문불립강 학송사 주지인 일본승려 야스다(安田)의 도움으로, 1932년부터는 본문법화종 본능사 주지인 우에다(上田, 법명은 혜량 惠亮)의 도움으로 법화신앙의 체계를 세웠다고 한다." [However, the noticeable fact is that Hye-un had intimate ties with two Japanese monks. He established the Lotus Sutra-based faith [of his own] through the help of the head priest Yasuda (安田), of the [Korean-based] Honmon Butsuryū-shū Haksong-sa Temple (鶴松寺) and the help of the head priest of the [Korean branch temple of] Honmon Hokke-shū Honnō-ji, Ueda (上田, his dharma name was 惠亮).]

There were conferences for the purpose of creating a modern Korean Buddhist tradition centered around the Lotus Sutra during the later part of the Japanese colonialism under Hye-un.Beopbo 2004 "즉 일제하에서 법화운동을 편 인사들이 한국적 법화신앙을 정립하고자 몇차의 회동을 가졌으나 뜻을 이루지 못한채 광복을 맞자 다시 단체를 결성한다." [Thus, there were several congregations among [Korean] followers of the Beophwa movement to evolve their beliefs into more Korean flairs during the Japanese colonial era, but it failed and the independence arrived that later created an organization [devoted to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra-inspired beliefs] by them once again.] After the Korean independence, Daeseung Bulgyo Beophwahoe (, 大乘佛敎法華會) was created under his leadership in 1945.Jin Cheol-seung (page 65) "따라서 해방 후 한국에서 자생한 법화계 종단은 모두 김정운과 김혜선이 주도한 대승불교법화회에 뿌리를 두고 있다." [Therefore after the independence, all of the natively-grown Beophwagye organizations are rooted from Daeseung Bulgyo Beophwahoe of Kim Jeong-un (a.k.a. Hye-un) and Kim Hye-seon (the younger brother of Hye-un).] Its goal was to Korean-ize the Nichiren Buddhist doctrine and practices. However, the death of Hye-un negatively affected the operation of Daeseung Bulgyo Beophwahoe that later created Buddhist orders led by his subordinates that later became five major Beophwagye jondan today.Min Sun-euy (page 65) "III. 한국 법화계 불교종단의 역사적 전개: 1문, 2파, 3+1회, 4+1종" [III. The Historical Development of Beophwagye Buddhist Sects in Korea: 1 Gate, 2 Factions, 3+1 Assemblies, and 4+1 Sects]

There are other Beophwagye jongdan that did not root in Hye-un's involvements. The prominent examples are Yeongsan Beophwa Order of Korean Buddhism () and the revived Cheontae Order of Korean Buddhism ().Min Sun-euy (page 58) "… 이 중 영산법화종을 제외한 5개 종단이 김정운의 대승불교법화회에서 갈라져 나온 것으로 파악하였다." [… Except for the Yongsan Beophwa Order, these five sects are confirmed to be broken away from Daeseung Bulgyo Beophwahoe that founded by Kim Jeong-un.]Beopbo 2004 "앞의 4개 종단과는 달리 대한불교천태종은 독거의 인맥과 배경을 가지고 창종된다. 그러나 법화사상을 근본으로 한다는 점에서는 앞의 종단들과 다를바 없다." [Unlike the four aforementioned sects [being born out of Daeseung Bulgyo Beophwahoe], the Cheontae Order was founded based on its unique personal connnections. However, due to having the doctrinal foundation being pertaining to the ideas of the Lotus Sutra, it is not different from the four aforementioned sects.] However, the Cheontae Order that currently exists today can arguably be classified as a Tiantai-based Buddhist order similar to how Tendai Buddhism in Japan is its own classification.

List of Beophwagye jongdan There are numerous organizations pertaining to the doctrinal understanding based on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra today.

Daeseung Bulgyo Beophwahoe (, 大乘佛敎法華會) Gwaneum Order of Korean Buddhism (, 大韓佛敎觀音宗) Bulip Order of Korean Buddhism (, 大韓佛敎佛入宗) Beophwa Order of Korean Buddhism [Daehan] (, 大韓佛敎法華宗) Ilseung Order of Korean Buddhism (, 大韓佛敎一乘宗) Beophwa Order of Korean Buddhism [Hanguk] (, 韓國佛敎法華宗) Bomun Order of Korean Buddhism (, 大韓佛敎普門宗) Bulseung Order of Korean Buddhism (, 大韓佛敎佛乘宗) Yeonhwa Order of Korean Buddhism (, 大韓佛敎蓮華宗) Yeongsan Beophwa Order of Korean Buddhism (, 大韓佛敎靈山法華宗) Cheontae Order of Korean Buddhism (, 大韓佛敎天台宗) Yeore Order of Korean Buddhism (, 韓國佛敎如來宗)

Influence of Nichiren Buddhism impacted today Just like Nichiren-shū, Beophwagye jongdan express no discrimination between the Jeokmun ( section, 迹門) and Bonmun (, 本門) sections of the Lotus Sutra,Goh Byoungchul (page 40) "그렇지만 한국의 법화계 교단들이 적문과 본문을 엄격히 구분하지 않는다는 점, …" [However, the fact that the Beophwagye sects in Korea do not strictly discriminate between Jeokmun/Shakumon and Bonmun/Honmon, …] in accordance to the approach in Nichiren Buddhism.

Nichiren Buddhist organizations such as Honmon Butsuryū-shūYoon Gi-yeop (page 275) "그런데 당시 본문불립종은 서울의 학송사 주지로 있던 오카노 닛싱이 한국인 여신도 강을선(姜乙先, 1904~1984)에게 주지 직을 인계하고 떠남으로써 해방 후에도 그 명맥을 이어갈 수 있게 되었다." [However, when it came to [the presence of] Honmon Butsuryū-shū [in Japanese-occupied Korea] at that time, the [Japanese] head priest of Haksong-sa Temple (鶴松寺), Okano Nissin (岡野日眞), who planned to return to Japan, transferred the head priest position and operation of the temple in question to a female adherent, Kang Eul-seon (강을선/ 姜乙先, 1904 — 1984), therefore guaranteed the survival [of Honmon Butsuryū-shū] in Korea after its independence.] and Nichiren-shū exist in South Korea. However, Honmon Butsuryū-shū has weakened its presence and only one Nichiren-shū temple exists.Yoon Gi-yeop (page 278) 이처럼 한국 본문불립종은 오랜 포교역사에 비해 교세는 미미한 형편이고, 학송사가 교단의 명맥을 이어가는 실정이다. [As such, The Korean branch of Honmon Butsuryū-shū has a tiny presence despite the long history of missionary activities, to the point that the legacy is [merely] preserved through its Haksong-sa Temple.]

Nichiren Shōshū also exists in South Korea, although it has a negative public image.

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