『日本霊異記』にみる韓日仏教交流

Abstract

本稿は『日本霊異記』に現れる渡来系僧侶に関する記事を中心に、『日本書紀』や『三国遺事』などを参考にしながら韓日両国の仏教交流について考察したものである。 『日本霊異記』では、百済と高句麗出身の渡来人僧侶が日本に渡ってきて霊験を示したり、朝廷に認められ高い地位についたり、お寺や橋を造ったりしている。ところが、新羅だけ渡来した人物の話はなく、役の優婆塞の逸話の中で道照法師と虎という組合わせで登場するのみである。それは役の優婆塞が新羅と関係の深い人物であることに起因する。また道照法師に法華経の講義を要請したのは新羅の人ではなく、虎と書かれているのは、韓国と古くから虎と深い縁で結ばれており、特に新羅の地に虎に関する逸話が数多く残っているからであろう。 新羅の僧侶でありながら留学先の中国で認められ、『唐高僧傳』にも名を連ねる圓光法師や初めて仏の砂利を新羅にもたらした覺德のように、道照法師もまた中国で勉強をし、徳を積み高僧になったので、新羅に来て説法を開くことができたと思われる。すなわち『日本霊異記』上巻28縁の道照法師と新羅の500匹の虎の話は、韓日両国間の仏教文化の双方交流をよく示しているものであろう。

This paper examines the Buddhist exchanges between Korea and Japan, focusing on the articles about immigrant priests that appear in “Nihon Ryoiki” and referring to “Nihon Shoki” and “Sangoku Isi”. In “Nihon Ryoiki”, immigrant priests from Baekje and Goguryeo came to Japan and performed miracles, were recognized by the imperial court and took high positions, and built temples and bridges. However, there is no story of a person who came to Silla, and only a combination of priest Dosho and tigers appears in Enoubase. This is due to the fact that Enoubase is closely related to Silla. In addition, the reason why it is written that it was not the people of Silla who requested priest Dosho to give lectures on the Hokekyo, but the tigers, is that Korea has had a deep connection with tigers since ancient times. Like priest Enko, who was a Silla monk but was recognized in China, where he studied, and was listed in the Toukosoden, and Gakutoku, who brought the Buddhist ashes to Silla for the first time, priest Dosho also studied in China. It is thought that he was able to come to Silla and lecture on the Hokekyo because he accumulated virtues and became a high priest. In other words, the story of priest Dosho and the 500 tigers of Silla is a good example of the bilateral exchange of Buddhist culture between Korea and Japan.