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E X C E R P T F R O M T H E K O R Y Ŏ S A : P A K C H ’ O , A N T I ‐ B U D D H I S T M E M O R I A L IntroductionNeo‐Confucianism, which interpreted Confucian doctrine through the teachings of the Chinese scholar Zhu Xi(1130‐1200),wasasociallyactivistandreformistphilosophicalmovementthatbegantobecomeinfluentialontheKorean peninsula late in the Koryŏ period. Pak Ch’o (1367‐1454) was amember of Koryŏ’s National Academyduring thereignof its lastking,Kongyang (r.1389‐92).Heexpresseshostility towardsBuddhismtypicalofNeo‐Confucian scholars at the end of Koryŏ, but contrary to the relatively tolerant attitude of most scholars andofficialsearlierinKoreanhistory.DuringtheChosŏndynasty,whichbeganin1392followingacoupledbyGeneralYiSŏnggye(1335‐1408),Neo‐Confucianismwouldfurthergaininfluencetobecomethecentralstateideologyandablueprintforsocialreform—andBuddhismwouldbeincreasinglydriventothemargins.SelectedDocumentExcerptwithQuestions(Longerselectionfollowthissection)FromSourcebookofKoreanCivilization,editedbyPeterH.Lee,vol.1 (NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1993),373‐374.©1993ColumbiaUniversityPress.Reproducedwiththepermissionofthepublisher.Allrightsreserved.

ExcerptfromtheKoryŏsa:PakCh’o,Anti‑BuddhistMemorial

WhatkindofmanisthisBuddhawhomakesasonthatshouldcarryonthefamilyline

betrayhisfatherandsevertheaffectionbetweenfatherandson;whomakesmenresisttheSonofHeavenanddestroytherighteousnessbetweenlordandminister;whosaysthatformenandwomentolivetogetherisnottheWay;whosaysthatformentoplowandwomentoweaveisnotrighteous,thusseveringthewayofgeneratinglifeandblockingoffthesourceoffoodandclothing;andwhothinksthatthroughhiswayhecantransformallunderheaven?…

[TranslatedbyJohnDuncan]

Question:1. What is wrong with Buddhism for Pak?What sort of Buddhist practices

might he have been thinking of when he gave his long list of Buddhistfailings?

PrimarySourceDocumentwithQuestions(DBQs)onEXCERPTFROMTHEKORYŎSA:PAKCH’O,ANTIBUDDHISTMEMORIAL

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LongerSelectionFromSourcebookofKoreanCivilization,editedbyPeterH.Lee,vol.1 (NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1993),373‐374.©1993ColumbiaUniversityPress.Reproducedwiththepermissionofthepublisher.Allrightsreserved.

ExcerptfromtheKoryŏsa:PakCh’o,Anti‑BuddhistMemorial

I,HisMajesty’ssubject,haveheard that itwasafterheavenandearthexisted that themyriadthingscameintobeing;thatitwasafterthemyriadthingsexistedthatmanandwomancame into being; that itwas afterman andwoman existed that husband andwife came intobeing;thatitwasafterhusbandandwifeexistedthatfatherandsoncameintobeing;thatitwasafterfatherandsonexistedthatkingandministercameintobeing;that itwasafterkingandministerexistedthatseniorandjuniorcameintobeing;andthatitwasafterseniorandjuniorexisted that ritualandrighteousnesswereestablished.This is theuniversalwayof theworldand the normal law of all times that cannot be disregarded even briefly. If it is abolished,heavenandearthwillnottolerateitsabandonment,thesunandmoonwillnotshine,theghostsandspiritswillcarryoutexecutions jointly,andall thegenerationsunderheavenwillconcurwiththejointbeheading.

WhatkindofmanisthisBuddhawhomakesasonthatshouldcarryonthefamilyline

betrayhisfatherandsevertheaffectionbetweenfatherandson;whomakesmenresisttheSonofHeavenanddestroytherighteousnessbetweenlordandminister;whosaysthatformenandwomentolivetogetherisnottheWay;whosaysthatformentoplowandwomentoweaveisnotrighteous,thusseveringthewayofgeneratinglifeandblockingoffthesourceoffoodandclothing;andwhothinksthatthroughhiswayhecantransformallunderheaven?Ifhiswaywerereallycarriedout,humanitywouldbefinishedinahundredyears.Heavenwouldcarryonaboveandearthwouldbearbelow,buttheonlythingstogrowwouldbegrassesandtrees,birdsandbeasts,fishesandturtles,anddragonsandsnakes.How,finally,couldtheWayoftheThreeBondsandtheFiveRelationsendure?

This Buddha was originally a barbarian whose language was not like that of China,

whosedresswasweird,whosemouthdidnotspeakofthekinglywayofold,andwhosebodydid not wear the sacerdotal clothing of the kings of old. He gave false revelations of threeunhappyways(tothehelloffire,ofblood,andtotheasipattrahellofswords)andincorrectlypropounded the sixwaysof sentientexistence,ultimately leading the foolishand ignorant toseek senilely for merit, fearing not the norms and carelessly violating the basic law.Furthermore,although lifeanddeathand longevityandbrevityoriginate innature,althoughpowerandfortuneandpunishmentandvirtuearelinkedwiththerulerofmen,andalthoughpovertyandwealthandnobilityandbasenessderivefromaccumulatedmerit,foolishdeceivingmonks all attribute these things to Buddha, thus stealing the authority of the ruler of men,treatingarbitrarilythepowerofcreation,dimmingtheeyesandearsofthepeople,plungingallunder heaven into corruption, living in intoxication and dying in a dream without everrealizingit.Thustheybuildpalacesandhalls,whichtheyserve;theydecoratethemwithstone,

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wood, copper, and ironwhich they form;and they shaveoff thehairof commonermenandwomenwhomtheymakeresidethere.EventhoughtheBuddhists’palacessurpassthepalacesandhallsofChiehofHsia[trad.2205‑1766B.C.],thebeautifulpalaceandDeerTerraceofChouofShang[trad.1766‑1122B.C.],theChang‑huaTerraceofKingLingofCh’u[740‑330B.C.],andtheA‑p’angpalaceoftheFirstEmperorofCh’in[221‑209B.C.],dotheynotallcomefromtheresourcesofthepeople?Howdistressful!Whowillcorrectthissituation?Itcanonlybesetrightafterhewhoisabovedemonstratesproprietybycultivatinghimselfwithvirtueandinstructingthosebelowandleadsthepeopletoknowwhereintheprincipleofheavenresides.

…[TranslatedbyJohnDuncan]

Questions:1. What is wrong with Buddhism for Pak?What sort of Buddhist practices

might he have been thinking of when he gave his long list of Buddhistfailings?

2. What, forPak,mightbe the consequencesof abolishingordenying suchrelationships?

3. Pakbeginsbywritingof thecreationofheavenandearthandofhumanrelationships. In what way, for him, do these relationships constitute“ritual and righteousness”? What might be some concrete examples ofwhathemeans?