이 글은 조선시대 문헌에 수록되어 있는 불교설화의 양상을 검토하고 그 의미를 당시 불교사의 특수성과 관련시켜 논한 것이다.조선시대 문헌 소재 불교설화는 이전 시대의 것 혹은 구전에 의한 것과는 다른, 특이한 양상을 띤다. 승려들의 다양한 생태 내지 부정적인 승려상, 배불 논쟁, 불사(佛事)에 대한 시비, 영험에 대한 희화화, 사찰 안팎의 기이한 풍속 등을 소재로 하여 불교를 부정적으로 다룬 설화가 많은 것이다.이는 이들 설화가 척불 국시라는 시대적 여건 속에서 그것을 주도하던 사대부 문인의 손에 찬집되었기 때문일 터이다. 사대부 문인들은 실제적으로도 불교를 배척하는 논리를 펴면서 불교 관련 사항을 부정적으로 바라본 외에 민간 신앙의 실상을 포착하는 데 소홀했을 것이기 때문이다.따라서 이 시대 문헌에 남겨진 불교설화는 양적으로도 적고 그나마 사대부 문인에 의해 다소 왜곡된 것이라 할 수 있다.

In this essay I tried to examine the aspects of the folk tales of Buddhism collected in the writings in the Chosun period and to discourse it's meaning in relation to the speciality of the history of Buddhism at that time. The folk tales are peculiar in aspects as compared with them of former times and of oral tradition. There are many the folk tales on the subjects of, the various life-style of monk, the negative image of monk, the argument of the agitation against Buddhism, the propriety of Buddhist service, the making a caricature of Buddhist miracle, and the odd custom in and around temple, in the folk tales. The reason is that the folk tales were compiled by Sadaebu-Munin(士大夫 文人) leading the national policy of the agitation against Buddhism at that times. They assumed the negative attitude on Buddhism promulgating the arguments of the agitation against Buddhism in reality. Moreover, they neglected the actual state of affairs of the popular belief at that time. Consequently, the folk tales of Buddhism collected in the writing in the Chosun period are not scarce and are distorted by Sadaebu-Munin at that.

In this essay I tried to examine the aspects of the folk tales of Buddhism collected in the writings in the Chosun period and to discourse it's meaning in relation to the speciality of the history of Buddhism at that time. The folk tales are peculiar in aspects as compared with them of former times and of oral tradition. There are many the folk tales on the subjects of, the various life-style of monk, the negative image of monk, the argument of the agitation against Buddhism, the propriety of Buddhist service, the making a caricature of Buddhist miracle, and the odd custom in and around temple, in the folk tales. The reason is that the folk tales were compiled by Sadaebu-Munin(士大夫 文人) leading the national policy of the agitation against Buddhism at that times. They assumed the negative attitude on Buddhism promulgating the arguments of the agitation against Buddhism in reality. Moreover, they neglected the actual state of affairs of the popular belief at that time. Consequently, the folk tales of Buddhism collected in the writing in the Chosun period are not scarce and are distorted by Sadaebu-Munin at that.

the folk tale of Buddhism, the folk tale collected in the writings, the folk tale in the Chosun period, the history of Buddhism in the Chosun period, the agitation against Buddhism, Sadaebu-Munin(士大夫 文人)