Study on Contemporary of Kasaya in Asia

아시아 지역의 가사 착용현황에 관한 고찰

This paper examined the contemporary kasaya of each country in Asia, focussing on the Kasaya Kongyang ceremony and kasaya varieties. As well, the countries in Asia were divided into the southern Buddhist countries, northern Buddhist countries, and Tibetan buddhist countries, and were comparatively analyzed. 1. In terms of the Kasaya Kongyang ceremony, now days the southern Buddhist countries perform the Katina ceremony, passed down from the time of the Buddha. In the northern Buddhist countries, namely China, the kasaya is bestowed to the monk at the end of the precepts ceremony, while in Korea, the kasaya is bestowed to the monk at the end of the ceremony of "opening the eye" of an image. There is no Kasaya Kongyang ceremony in Japan and Tibetan Buddhist countries. 2. In terms of the varieties of kasaya, because the Katina ceremony is performed with 5 jo in southern Buddhist countries, their kasayas are made up of 5 jo, with the exception of Myanmar's sungari. In Taiwan and Korea, which are of the Zen order and part of the northern Buddhist countries, there are 5-25 jo. In Japan, which is of the Kyo, or doctrinal order, it is made up of 5-9 jo. The Tibetan Buddhist countries have only jo that are 7 and 23. In conclusion, when Buddhism was transmitted from the southern Buddhist countries to the northern Buddhist countries, we can see that the Kasaya Kongyang ceremony and the from of the kasaya itself changed from practical robes to majestic ones, in accord with the Mahayana doctrine of saving all sentient being. Therefore, the kasaya simbolizes the Buddhist philosophy that Mahayana claims the existence of many Buddhas at one and the same time.same time.