  Hwui-nieh, a Corean, set out for India 638 A.D., arrived at the Nalanda Temple and there studied the sacred books and reverenced the holy traces. I-tsing found some writing he had left in the temple, where also he had left his Sanskrit MSS. The priests said he died the same year, about sixty years of age. Hiuen Ta’i, a doctor of the law, a Corean, called by the Sanskrit name of SarvajÑanadeva. In the year Yung-hwei (650 A.D.) he went by the Tibetan road through Nepal to Mid-India; he there worshipped the relics at the Bodhi Tree. Afterwards going to the Tukhara country, he met Taou-hi, with whom he returned to the Tahsio Temple (Mahabodhi). Afterwards he returned to China, and was not heard of again. Hiuen-hau, a doctor of the law, a Corean, went with Hiuen-chiu, in the middle of the Chengkwan period, to India, and reaching the Tahsio Temple, he died there. Two priests of Corea, names unknown, started from Chang’an by the southern sea-route and came to Sribhoja. They died in the country of Po-lu-sse, to the westward (the western portion of Sumatra). Hwui Lun, a Corean, otherwise called PrajÑavarma, came by sea from his own country to Fuchau, and proceeded thence to Chang’an. Following after the priest Hiuen-chiu, he reached the West, and during ten years dwelt in the Amravat country and in the Sin-chÉ Temple (north of the Ganges). Passing through the eastern frontiers, and thence proceeding northward he came to the Tu-ho-lo (TukhÂra) Temple. Beal: Life of Hiouen-Tsiang, pp. xxix-xxx, xxxvi. But the special interest these facts have for us in connection with the great Buddha lies in the fact that it may have been here that Buddhism itself first entered Pakche. Buddhism was a foreign importation, being sent to the peninsular kingdoms by the Eastern Tsin dynasty of China (A.D. 317-19) and effecting an entrance almost simultaneously at two points—in the north into Koguryu and in the south into Pakche. Of this latter event the native historians tell us:—“In the year A.D. 384 the barbarian monk Maranant’a came from Tsin. King Chip-yu accorded him a most courteous and ceremonious reception and Buddhism was established as the national religion.” We do not know at what point the monk-missionary landed, but it is not so unlikely that he may have come to this well-known port, and that one day among the ships making up that inextricable mass of masts and rudders at Si-jin there may have come the imperial junk of Tsin bearing “the barbarian monk Maranant’a” with his images, incense, bells, books and vestments to plant in Korea that cult which was to dominate the people for a thousand years, thus landing close to the place where in later years the greatest monument that Buddhism possesses was to stand. And two hundred years later (A.D. 552) there probably embarked from this port that band of Pakche priests sent by their king to carry to the mikado of Japan the golden images of Buddha and the triad of precious ones, the sutras and sacred books, and to give the faith of Buddhism to the Sun-rise Empire. And it is said that these relics exist to this day and are preserved in the city of Nagano in Japan. Colossal Buddha: p. 62. Reckoning up the number of pillars supporting the building they were found to exceed 300. The Hall of the Buddha stood up high in the center, and the inscription board above was written Taikwang myung jun, “Great light glorious palace.” To the left was the Sun Tang or study hall, while to the right was the Oon-chip or assembly hall. The gate was marked Chak-kwang Moon, Hidden Light and the outer gate was called Panya or Likeness gate. Beyond this again was the Hai-tal Moon. There was a bell-pavilion also which was called the Pup-noi-kak, Kiosk of Buddha’s Thunder. The kitchen was named Hyang-juk, Kitchen House. There was a pond on the east side, where lotus flowers were planted; and on the west was a garden-park where flowers and trees grew. Behind the Cheung-jun palace the sacred books were in keeping, and this house was called Hai-Jang Chun or Sea Covering Hall. Also a pagoda was built of thirteen stories called sul-to-pa, Buddhist pagoda. Within it were placed the accumulated sari and the newly translated Wun-gak sutra. The palaces, halls, studies, guest-rooms, stores, kitchens, outhouses, had each their particular place. The whole was magnificent and well constructed, and the ornaments were lavish, imposing, beautiful, all in keeping and fair to see. Its equal was nowhere to be found. Also the drums, gongs, etc., necessary for the service, and other useful implements were abundantly provided for. Gale: Pagoda, p. 10. 1. The Pagoda was therefore built in 1464-1466 A.D. 2. The builder was King Se-jo, who reigned from 1456-1468 and all the workmen were Koreans. 3. The form of it was modelled after the Pagoda in Pung Tuk County, which had already been standing nearly a hundred years, and had been built by Chinese workmen. There is no evidence that this pagoda had ever been brought from Peking though it finds its final resting place now in Tokyo. 4. It was built to commemorate the excellence of the Wungak Sutra from which it takes its name. 5. It is by far the most interesting Buddhist monument in Korea. p. 22.
Monthly Magazine of Chosen Buddhism. Nineteen issues, from January 25, 1911 to August 25, 1913. Buddhist Magazine of the Eastern Sea. Eight issues from November 20, 1913 to June 20, 1914. Monthly Magazine of the Association of Rising Buddhism. Nine issues from March 15, 1915 to December 15, 1915. Kingdom of Chosen Buddhism. Three issues from April 5, 1916 to June 5, 1916. General Magazine of Chosen Buddhism, from March 20, 1917. Three numbers had appeared when I received this note in May 1917.
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