This study focused on Buddhist monks’ learning and training, specialization in education and study, and the guidance for Zen Buddhist meditation they received to understand academic activities developed in Buddhist temples during Goryeo. The study did not cover Buddhist monks’ study of Buddhism and writing of their academic activities.
Right after entering the Buddhist priesthood, Buddhist monks would gain elementary knowledge of the scriptures and then wander around many places like clouds or rivers. In the process, they would gain further learning from high priests and made further commitment to study with their peers. It was an often case that they formed a society and did training in groups, Buddhist monks usually developed a thorough understanding of their sects’ teachings and explanations and, at the same time, had some considerable understanding of other sects’ doctrines and even profound knowledge of Confucianism.
Many Buddhist monks gathered in Buddhist temples where high priests resided, The study of master Buddhist priests was transmitted to younger students through a process of teaching and instructing. There would be as many as 1,000 pupils in a Buddhist temple. Thanks to their learning, the study of master Buddhist priests was able to spread around the nation. Some would even leave a deep impression through the last teaching at Hasanso.
The Buddhist teachings and explanations went spreading through all sorts of events held in Buddhist temples. It was common that high Buddhist priests gave a lecture on Buddhist doctrines to a gathering of many Buddhist monks and secular people to attend a Nakseong event. The monks of Zen Buddhism made considerable achievements by training in a group at a Chongrim or Damseon rally for months. Splendid large-scale events held in Buddhist temples in and out of Gaeseong made an important contribution to the spread of Buddhist teachings and explanations. In addition. Buddhist priest qualification exams involving group discussions and questions & answers also contributed to the spread of Buddhist teachings and explanations.
Entering the late period of Goryeo, there was a shift among Buddhist monks from studying or training in groups to individual isolated training. which made them pay less attention to study through books. Another new trend was the rarity of Buddhist monks that studied many different disciplines of study. Disturbances among high-rank Buddhist priests and in the Buddhist priest qualification exam system caused poor academic activities in Buddhist temples.
Those activities performed in Buddhist temples helped Buddhist teachings and explanations be transmitted far and wide and have big influences on the secular world. It was through such a process that social discourse based on Buddhist teachings and explanations was able to form and spread.