Abstract

The current article proposes the potential of information in and utilization of dhāraṇīs, maṇḍalas, and talismanic seals during the Goryeo dynasty in order to understand the faith illiterate people could accept intuitively and to assess its signifcance in intellectual history. The examination of dhāraṇī was based on the Collection of Dhāraṇīs Written in Siddhaṃ, which has received much attention after the 2010s. The comparison of different editions revealed that even the same dhāraṇī could be expressed differently based on the thought forming the background. The estimation of when a certain faith entered Goryeo was also possible. Maṇḍala, which is a condensed illustration of the truth, is not material easily seen in the history of Korean Buddhism. The material of Goryeo is mainly Vajradhātu maṇḍalas, which, given the lack of material showing the Vajradhātu Esoteric Buddhism, contributes to a deeper and wider understanding of Esoteric Buddhism during Goryeo. Talismanic seals, which appeared as a result of the exchange with and influence of Daoism, show that the everyday faith had developed into a more intuitive and direct form and that the strict boundary between religions was vague, thus resulting in a more realistic manifestation of the Buddhist faith during Goryeo. These materials are not traditional research sources, nor were they recently discovered. However, they tell us about Buddhist faith during Goryeo from a new perspective. The rediscovery of these materials will be the first step in enriching our understanding of Buddhist faith during the Goryeo dynasty.