In the history of Korean Buddhism practicing Seon, Chanting Buddhist prayer and reading Buddhist scriptures have built the foundation of Korean Buddhism in Chosun dynasty. In this paper I have studied the meaning, formulation and background of Yeombul Seon(念佛禪) and the formulation and development of Yeombul Seon in Koryo and Chosun dynasty which has influenced the Yeombul Seon in modern ages. As results I could get some meaningful conclusions which shows Yeombul Seon as a major topic of history, thought and culture in Korean Buddhism like followas.
Firstly, Chanting Buddhist prayer was formulated and developed since the age of Shakyamuni Buddha. Chanting Buddhist prayer was developed its fundamental and foundations that in the age of Sectarial Buddhism practitioner developed the object of chant and in the age of Mahayana Buddhism.
Secondly, the process of accepting Pureland Buddhism in China was to overcome the doctrinal faults of Synonym Buddhism(格義佛敎) which Damran(曇鸞), Dojak(道綽), Seondo(善導), thinkers of Chinese Buddhism and Jirugacham(支婁迦讖) and Hyeonjang(玄奘), translators of Buddhist scriptures led the formation of Chinese Pureland Buddhism.
Thirdly, in Korean Buddhism the Pureland Buddhism in Silla dynasty already formed a major belief by Wonhyo(元曉) and Kim Musang(金無相). Wonhyo give doctrinal foundation of Pureland Buddhism as a Seon practice in his major Work, Dae seung gi sin ron[Relieving Mahayana Belief, 大乘起信論] that the Pureland Buddhism and Seon Buddhism conjoins same principles of Buddhist practices. Kim Musang was a founder of Chanting Seon[淨衆禪] who founded most of principle of Chanting Seon that the master asserted the sameness of Pureland Buddhism and Seon Buddhism from the foundation of practice of chanting Buddha's name.
Fourthly, by the influence of Hoetong Buddhism[會通佛敎] which regards Seon as major Buddhist practice that integrated doctrinal Buddhism that equally pervaded in rulers and masses in Koryo dynasty.
Fifthly, Seon Buddhism in Chosun dynasty put emphasis on Gate of Sudden(徑截門) that Chosa Seon[祖師禪] and Ganhwa Seon[看話禪] was a major practice, which especially Gihwa[己和] integrated Seon Budhdism and Pureland Buddhim put emphasis on the theory of Mind only Pureland and Amitabha as self-nature.
Sixthly, a major master who revived Yeombul Seon is Cheonghwa whose theory is based on Bo ri bang pyeon mun[菩提方便門] written by master, Geumta[金陀] and Dae ji do ron[大智度論] written by Nagarjuna. Master Cheonghwa integrated all the traces of Korean Buddhism which the master is r4egarded as history and live witness of Korean Pureland Buddhism.
As mentioned above Korean Buddhism is designated as Hoetong Buddhism and Tong Buddhism[通佛敎] that integrates the multiple elements of Seon, chanting Buddhism and Dharani which those tendencies is represented by rites, education and literatures in the overall of Korean Buddhism. Especially as the rites of Chanting Buddhism includes will of reincarnation in Pureland the rite was carried out for the purpose of reincarnating the dead person in Pureland and also for the purpose of recommending practice of Chanting Buddhism for live people that reminding virtue of it.
The importance of Chanting Buddhism and Yeombul Seon is that those are practices of realizing the practitioner's mind is Buddha's mind which light practitioner's mind in everyday life which was taught by masters of Korean Buddhism by way both of immediate teaching and merciful expedient.
In modern age the reflect of Chanting Seon in Korean Buddhist history it shows new foundation of Buddhist practice that may be useful of modern age of Korean Buddhist.