The Muryangsugyeong-sulgi (Commentary on the Sukh?vat?-vy?ha),
a work of Shilla Uijeok, was found at the Minobu Libray in 2009.
Preserved is only the book I and it consists of explanations on these
things; 1)the course of Buddha’s attaining the Buddhahood - leaving
home, attaining the Enlightenment, preaching the way and lastly getting
the nirvana, 2)the merits of Buddha who got the nirvana, 3)Ananda’s
questions and Buddha’s answers to them.
There are some characteristics of this work not known before. First,
though Uijeok has been regarded as the follower of Huiyaun’s thoughts
on Pure Land, there are some phrases which dissent from Huiyaun’s
explanations. Second, there are very few citations from the earlier
scholars, most of the explanations are on the ground of the phrases
of the Huayan sutra, the Yogac?r?bh?mi, and the Dazhidulun. Third,
different from Uijeok’s other works, the Huayan sutra is most frequently
cited. Fourth, Uijeok’s own opinions are rarely pronounced. Fifth,
Maitreya is frequently addressed.
The Huayan sutra is cited six times in the work; for the explanations on the penances of Bodhisatva, the right rotation of Dharma-cakra, the
meaning of Nirvana, the notion of the storehouse of Buddha-Dharma,
and the merits of Samantabhadra. It is said that considering the not a
few citations from the Huayan sutra and the tendency to understand
the first part of the Sukh?vat?-vy?ha using the number of 10, Uijeok
must have been the disciple of Uisang and followed the Huyan school.
It can be admitted that Uijeok had deep knowledge of the Huayan
sutra, but it is hard to tell he belongs to Huayan school. There are no
phrases which hints any connection with Uisnag’s Huayan theory.
There are as many citations from the Yogac?r?bh?mi as the Huayan
sutra. Guiji, the disciple of Xuanzang, frequently cited the Huayan sutra
and the Shilla Yogacara monks had much interests on several Mahayana
sutras. Uijeok’s citation of the Huayan sutra consists with such
tendencies of the Yogacara monks at the time. So it is much more
reasonable to regard Uijeok as a Yogacara monk who debated with
Uisang, through which he deepened his understanding on the sutra.