Transcription of Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra) in Silver on Indigo Paper

The Lotus Sutra, Beophwagyeong for short, is the fundamental scripture of the Korean Cheontae school, and its central teaching is that the way to Buddhahood is open to all. With the Avatamsaka Sutra it did most to shape Korean Buddhist thought, and it has been the most widely circulated Buddhist scripture since the Three Kingdoms period. This is Kumarajiva's translation from Later Qin, copied by Yi Sin-gi in 1330, the seventeenth year of King Chungsuk of Goryeo. It opens out like a folding screen, 28.3 cm high and 10.1 cm wide when folded. The title is written in gold on the cover, with four lavish flowers in gold and silver around it. The text is in silver on dark blue paper; there are signs of damage here and there, but it is in good condition overall. A note at the end of volume 7 shows that Yi Sin-gi made it to pray for his living father's long life and his dead mother's repose. It is fairly early among devoted copies of the Lotus Sutra, and as a complete set of all seven volumes it is regarded as precious.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

National Treasure · 국보