Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what its early practitioners saw as inconsistencies within the Mahayana Buddhist traditions that they received from foreign countries. … See more

When Buddhism was introduced to Korea in the 4th century CE, the Korean peninsula was politically subdivided into Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo in the north (which included territory currently in Russia and China), Baekje in the southwest, and See more

In the eighth century, Korean Buddhism and its gods were associated with prosperity.
Unified Silla (668–935)
In 668, the kingdom … See more

In 1388, an influential general named Yi Seonggye (1335–1408) carried out a coup d'état and established himself as the first ruler of the Joseon dynasty in 1392 with the support of this … See more

Arrival and spread of Buddhism
When Buddhism was originally introduced to Korea from Former Qin in 372, about 800 years after the death of the historical Buddha, shamanism was the indigenous religion. The Samguk yusa and Samguk sagi See more

Rise of the Seon
As Buddhism in medieval Korea evolved, it served to legitimize the state.
Initially, the new Seon schools were regarded by the … See more

During Japan's Meiji Restoration in the 1870s, the government abolished celibacy for Buddhist monks and nuns. Japanese Buddhists won the right to proselytize inside cities, ending … See more