Transcription of Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra) in Silver on Indigo Paper, Volume 3

The Transcription of Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra) in Silver on Indigo Paper, Volume 3, is one of two surviving fascicles — Volume 3 and Volume 7 — from an original set of seven, copied out in silver ink on indigo-dyed paper. The set was based on Kumarajiva's Chinese translation of the Lotus Sutra and was commissioned in 1422, the fourth year of King Sejong, by the monk Deokmyeong, who prayed for his mother's rebirth in the Pure Land. The cover is decorated with four bosanghwa (auspicious floral scroll) blossoms, their petals rendered in gold ink and their stems mostly in silver ink. At the start of the volume is a frontispiece painting in gold ink illustrating the sutra's content, followed by the volume's title and a note naming Kumarajiva as translator. The calligraphy follows the style of Zhao Mengfu, characteristic of formal sutra transcription. On the reverse of the manuscript the temple name Gwangdeoksa appears, written in both black ink and red ink. This suggests that the sutra was either copied at Gwangdeoksa Temple in Cheonan or later placed there as part of the consecrated contents of a Buddhist statue. Sutras bearing the same temple name in red ink on the reverse, and matching this one in size, format and script, include the treasure "Transcription of the Lotus Sutra in Silver on Indigo Paper, Volume 1" and, among the treasure "Goryeo-period Sutras of Gwangdeoksa Temple", the volumes "Transcription of the Lotus Sutra in Silver on Indigo Paper, Volumes 2, 4, 5 and 6". Combining this previously designated Volume 3, held by Dong-A University, with Volume 7, held by the National Museum of Korea, completes a full set of seven fascicles. This is a rare case among surviving hand-copied sutras in which an entire original set has been identified, which gives it all the greater significance.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Seo-gu, Busan

Designation

Treasure · 보물