The image forged by Ûisang is therefore implicated in the development of a particular tradition of Hwaôm in Korea that is an amalgamation of the more universal Hua － yen philosophy as originally created in China , a faith in Kuan － yin , and Esoteric Buddhist mudra and dharani seals , and the belief in a divine army or assembly of guardian deities of the Hua － yen ching . Because he supposedly helped rescue Silla from the T ' ang armies and successfully advised King Munmu in 681 to halt reconstruction of the walls around Kyôngju and rather devote himself to good government , and yet refused royal gifts of fields and slaves , preferring to keep only the essentials of robes and a bowl proper to a monk in the name of equality and having the Dharma － realm 法界 as his home ; he became a most revered figure in Silla and Koryô . He was credited with the foundation of many monasteries throughout the country , was thought to have been an avatar of the Buddha Kûmsan Po ' gae Yôrae 金 山 寶蓋 如來 , the founder of Kuan － yin worship in Korea , and with even being superior to his illustrious companion of his early years , Wônhyo 元曉 . He was even connected to the transmission of Taoism in Korea by the Koryô period Haedong chôndo nok 海東 傳道 錄 .