Examined in this article is the relationship between Zen-Buddhist master Chejing and Shilla king Heon’an-wang, which is described in the pagoda epitaph for Master Bojo(〈Bojo Seonsa Tapbi〉. It is examined to determine the nature of relationship that would have existed between the Shilla royal family and the Zen-Buddhist school in the Shilla Hadae period, as well as certain changes that occurred in the royal family’s policy concerning Zen Buddhism.
Previous studies figured that Chejing’s line was originally from the royal family, which would have later diverged and deteriorated. They also believed that the Borim-sa monastery was founded as Chejing needed support and the royal court needed to appease (and also check) local factions. Interestingly enough, Chejing remained unrecognized for over 20 years in Ungju, and was only discovered by Kim Eon-gyeong and introduced to the society ‘after’ he moved to Muju. When King Heon’an-wang decided to convert the Gajisansa monastery -which was originally a non-Zen temple- to a Zen one, he put Kim Eon-gyeong in charge of the task and named Chejing, who previously had no relations with the region, as head of the monastery. In other words, the Shilla royal family secured a monastery, designated a supporter, and invited a Zen master to stay there. This was a deviation from the norm, in which a Zen master would found a monastery with the aid of Dan’weol supporters from the capital and local regions, and only after the monastery became well known the royal family would offer their support. We can see that the Gajisansa monastery was a Zen temple designed and created by the king. That seems to be the reason for Chejing’s last name being referred to -in the epitaph- as the “last name of the royal family(宗姓),” and the fact that the monastery was in the Gaji sanmun line highly emphasized.
Heon’an-wang did not stay in throne that long, so it is difficult to find other traces of his Zen Buddhism policy, but this new aspect in the ‘royal court-Zen master’ relationship featured during his reign, should be considered as the royal court’s new view upon Zen-Buddhism.