Beophwagye

The Korean localization of Tiantai, the original Cheontae school of Buddhism that is based on the understanding of the teachings of the Lotus Sutra was present during the Goryeo. However, Buddhism was persecuted during the Joseon dynasty and the teaching of the Cheontae school of Buddhism collapsed.

Buddhism based on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Tiantai philosophy^{[n 2]} became available during the Japanese colonial administration of Korea.^[3] Korean Buddhism at that time also had to compete with propagation from religious groups such as Japanese Buddhism, Christianity, and Shinto. For example, the Nichiren-based Buddhist sects in Korea mostly had Japanese people as shown in this chart shown the numbers of followers in late December of 1939.^[4]

It was the 20th century Korean Buddhist monk, Hye-un (Korean: 혜운, 惠雲), who first created the modern day Beophwagye jongdan in Korea.^{[5][n 6]} He was the leading Korean person during the Japanese colonial period to study the Lotus Sutra as understood by Nichiren priests of his time. His greatest influences were two Japanese Buddhist priests: one from Honmon Butsuryū-shū and the other one from Honmon Hokke-shū.^[7]

There were conferences for the purpose of creating a modern Korean Buddhist tradition centered around the Lotus Sutra during the later part of the Japanese colonialism under Hye-un.^[8] After the Korean independence, Daeseung Bulgyo Beophwahoe (Korean: 대승불교법화회, 大乘佛敎法華會)^{[n 7]} was created under his leadership in 1945.^[9][10] Its goal was to Korean-ize the Nichiren Buddhist doctrine and practices. However, the death of Hye-un negatively affected the operation of Daeseung Bulgyo Beophwahoe that later created Buddhist orders led by his subordinates that later became five major Beophwagye jondan today.^[11]

There are other Beophwagye jongdan that did not root in Hye-un's involvements. The prominent examples are Yeongsan Beophwa Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 대한불교영산법화종)^{[n 8]} and the revived Cheontae Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 대한불교천태종).^[13][14][15] However, the Cheontae Order that currently exists today can arguably be classified as a Tiantai-based Buddhist order similar to how Tendai Buddhism in Japan is its own classification.

There are numerous organizations pertaining to the doctrinal understanding based on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra today.^[16]

• Daeseung Bulgyo Beophwahoe (Korean: 대승불교법화회, 大乘佛敎法華會)
  • Gwaneum Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 대한불교관음종, 大韓佛敎觀音宗)^{[n 9]}
    • Bulip Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 대한불교불입종, 大韓佛敎佛入宗)
  • Beophwa Order of Korean Buddhism [Daehan] (Korean: 대한불교법화종, 大韓佛敎法華宗)
  • Ilseung Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 대한불교일승종, 大韓佛敎一乘宗)
  • Beophwa Order of Korean Buddhism [Hanguk] (Korean: 한국불교법화종, 韓國佛敎法華宗)
• Bomun Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 대한불교보문종, 大韓佛敎普門宗)^{[n 10]}
• Bulseung Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 대한불교불승종, 大韓佛敎佛乘宗)
• Yeonhwa Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 대한불교연화종, 大韓佛敎蓮華宗)
• Yeongsan Beophwa Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 대한불교영산법화종, 大韓佛敎靈山法華宗)
• Cheontae Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 대한불교천태종, 大韓佛敎天台宗)
• Yeore Order of Korean Buddhism (Korean: 한국불교여래종, 韓國佛敎如來宗)

Just like Nichiren-shū, Beophwagye jongdan express no discrimination between the Jeokmun (Korean: 적문 section, 迹門)^{[n 11]} and Bonmun (Korean: 본문, 本門)^{[n 12]} sections of the Lotus Sutra,^[19] in accordance to the itchiha (一致派) approach in Nichiren Buddhism.^{[n 13]}

Nichiren Buddhist organizations such as Honmon Butsuryū-shū^[21] and Nichiren-shū exist in South Korea. However, Honmon Butsuryū-shū has weakened its presence and only one Nichiren-shū temple exists.^[22][23]

Nichiren Shōshū also exists in South Korea, although it has a negative public image.^{[n 14]}