While studies on Dabotaps in Korea have focused on formative and external features necessary for protecting cultural properties, studies on ideological features of these pagodas have been generally neglected. As a result, comparative studies on the roles and functions of Dabotaps in Korea, China, and Japan cannot have been done that establish a standard to understand those features.
This study seeks both to search the differences among the attitudes that formed Dabotaps and to compare the efforts and pursuits to settle down Mahayana Buddhism in the three countries. The differences are:First, there were the difference in the ideological background. While Bulguksa in Gyǎngju is a temple organized from Hwaǎm-faith(華嚴思想) with Buddhist esoterism, the central ideological background was Bǎbhwa-faith(法華思想). As the name Bulguksa proclaimed, Dabotap was necessary to show that Shilla Dynasty was a Buddhist land. Chinese Dabotaps were formed from Bbhwa-faith(法華信仰) which represented Mahayana Buddhism because Chinese cultural tradition could adopt the doctrines of Mahayana Buddhism more easily than those of Hinayana Buddhism. Japanese Dabotaps were built to represent the characteristics of individual sect while their fundamental basis, Bǎbhw-faith accommodated the doctrines of each sect.
Second, there were differences among the positions of two paralleled statues, one of the characteristics of Dabotaps. While the three countries shared the positioning of two paralleled statues, there were some differences in the method of positioning. In China, statues of Sakyamuni and Dabo followed the formation of the two paralleled statues in a three-tiered pagoda at the rock caves such as Yungang, Longmen, Dunhuang, and Maijisan. In later cases, those two statues joined that of Maitreya to set on the position of main Buddha(主尊) at right wall(正壁) like Samsebul(三世佛). In Japan, two paralleled statues emerged from the Nara period to represent the Japanese faith in Dabotaps. Only Ilyen Society developed a distinctive style which positioned Namumyobǎbyǎnhwakyǎng(南無妙法蓮華經) in the center and the statues of Dabo(多寶) and Sakyamuni at each side. Meanwhile, two paralleled statues formation has not been found at Dabotaps in Korea.
Third, a comparison can be made with the presence of twin pagodas. Twin pagodas originated from the 5-6th century Northern Wei era and were widely adopted until Tang era. The emergence of twin pagodas in China resulted from: 1) Chinese special preference for symmetry; 2) the effort to reinforce the use of pagodas in order to deal with the statue-centered worship; 3) add the sublimity of the temple; 4) express the GyenBodabpum(「見寶塔品」) of Bǎbhwakyǎng(『法華經』). Similar viewpoints with those of China have been found in Korea. However, while they represented the universality of Bbhwa-faith in China, they focused on the particularity of Bbhwa-faith(法華信仰) necessary to show that Shilla was a Buddhist land through its unity and harmony from the unification of Shilla. In contrast, twin towers have not been found in Japan. It might be resulted from the view that regarded Dabotaps as Daeilyǎrae(大日如來) itself since the 11th century. Apparently, the view resulted in the single form of Japanese Dabotaps and a great quantity of Dabotaps were produced in the same style.
Fourth, the number of Dabotaps differs among the countries. While documents show that China built a good number of Dabotaps, Chinese Dabotaps do not exist. Bulguksa Dabotap is the only Dabotap that exists today. Japan has 69 existing Dabotaps while one hundred of Dabotaps were built as different sects built different numbers of Dabotaps; Jǎngto Society(淨土宗) 3, Zen Society(禪宗) 4, Ilyen Society(日蓮宗) 10, Chǎntae Society(天台宗) 15, and Jinǎn Society(眞言宗) 68. In Japan, Jinǎn Society was the major sect for Dabotap building partly because Jinǎn Society laid greater stress on the Bǎbsali(法舍利), a scripture than on the Yuksali(肉舍利), a hyǎnsinbul(現身佛) and partly because Jinǎn Society saw a pagoda as a Daeilyǎrae.
Fifth, Dabotaps in three countries differs in architectural forms. Like Japanese Dabotaps, as shown in Dunhuang murals, Chinese Dabotaps are thought to be made with wood following the Indian stupa's architectural form. Although we could not specify the characteristics of Chinese Dabotaps as none exists today, we believe Chinese Dabotaps were very similar with Korean and Japanese Dabotaps, as shown in Dunhuang Murals. Common features are found in stereobates, stairs, railings, and two-story tower. Korean and Japanese Dabotaps followed these fundamentals of Chinese Dabotaps. Koreans added Korean styles such as octagonal top and pillars with bamboo joints. Japanese Dabotap suits a two-storey tower with squared base, circular top and belly of tortoise(龜腹) shape since mid-Heian(平安) age. Japanese recon this a prototypical form of Japanese Dabotaps.
In sum, Korean and Japanese Dabotaps are basically similar with each other as the architectural form of Chinese Dabotap influenced both of them. Meanwhile, Korean and Japanese Dabotaps became distinctive as they added their own features; Shilla Dynasty tried to embody the Buddhist land, a philosophy for the national foundation into its Dabotap while Japanese Dabodaps varied according to the religious styles of many sects.