Transcription of Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra) in Ink on White Paper, Volume 7

The Lotus Sutra (Myobeop yeonhwagyeong), often abbreviated as Beomhwagyeong, holds as its central teaching that the path to Buddhahood is open to all people. As the foundational scripture of the Cheontae (Tiantai) school, together with the Avatamsaka Sutra it exerted great influence on the establishment of Korean Buddhist thought. This volume, written in ink on white paper, is the last of the Lotus Sutra's seven fascicles, in an accordion-fold format that opens like a screen, measuring 35.6 cm in height and 139 cm in width. According to a colophon written at the end of the book by Gakji in 1405, the fifth year of King Taejong of Joseon, the monk Sinun published the volume to pray that his deceased parents might be released from suffering and affliction and attain nirvana. At the time, alongside the Lotus Sutra, the Brahma Net Sutra, the Diamond Sutra and the Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra were also produced as a set, the main text written in ink and the covers elaborately decorated in gold and silver; however, the covers no longer survive, so their original appearance cannot be confirmed. Although a small portion is missing from the beginning of the book, it is an important source for the study of early Joseon sagyeong (devotionally transcribed and elaborately adorned Buddhist scripture).

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물