Surangama Sutra (eonhae) vol. 7, 8, 9, 10

The Surangama Sutra is also known in abbreviated form as "Daebuljeong Suneungeomgyeong" or simply "Neungeomgyeong"; its central teaching holds that the Buddha's words should not merely be understood intellectually but personally experienced and realised. The Neungeomgyeong comprises ten volumes in total and is a scripture that monks are required to study in the course of their training. This eonhae (vernacular Korean) edition of the Surangama Sutra, Volumes 7 to 10, renders into Hangeul the text translated by the Tang-dynasty monk Banjamilje and annotated by the Song-dynasty monk Gyehwan. It is a movable-type edition printed on yellowish paper made from a mixture of rice straw and mulberry fibre, measuring 37 cm in height and 24.6 cm in width; of the ten original volumes, Volumes 7 to 10 survive as four books. A movable-type edition is one printed by carving individual characters and setting them in a fixed frame; because this type was cast in an eulhae year, it is known as the Eulhaeja (Eulhae-type) edition. The Eulhaeja edition originated when Prince Suyang (later King Sejo) undertook the translation by royal command in 1449, the thirty-first year of King Sejong; the work was left unfinished and delayed until 1461, the seventh year of King Sejo, when it was completed with the full mobilisation of eminent monks and Confucian scholars. The Eulhaeja edition served as the standard for the publication of Buddhist scriptures at the Ganggyeong Dogam (an office established in 1461, the seventh year of King Sejo, to translate Buddhist scriptures into Hangeul and publish them), and as few copies of this movable-type edition survive, it is regarded as a valuable resource.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물