Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra) (1981)

The Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra), sometimes referred to by the shorter name Beophwagyeong, is the fundamental scripture of the Cheontae order in Korea, and its central teaching is that the path to Buddhahood is open to everyone. Together with the Avatamsaka Sutra (Hwaeomgyeong), it had a major influence on the establishment of Buddhist thought in Korea, and it is the most frequently printed of the Buddhist scriptures that have circulated here. This copy of the Lotus Sutra was made small for ease of carrying, with all seven fascicles carved in small characters on 95 printing blocks comprising 100 sheets. A note by Seongmin at the end of the text makes it possible to establish the date of publication with certainty: in 1286 his disciples Jogeun and Yi Hui-ryeo together made the woodblocks and printed the text. It was printed on very thin mulberry paper without an outer cover, keeping its bulk small, which suggests that it was originally made to be placed inside a Buddha statue as a votive deposit (bokjang). Though a small volume, the carving of the blocks is fine and the characters neat, and the paper is white and clean, as if it had not long been removed from inside the statue. Published in the Goryeo period and placed inside a Buddha statue, it is an important work whose date and circumstances of publication can be established with certainty.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물