Brahmajala Sutra (The Sutra of Brahma’s Net)

The Brahmajala Sutra (The Sutra of Brahma's Net) consists of the lower volume (卷下) of the Brahmajala Sutra's chapter on Vairocana Buddha's Teaching on the Bodhisattva Mind-ground Precepts, translated by Kumarajiva of the Later Qin dynasty; the Subosalgyebeop (受菩薩戒法), compiled by Yanshou of the Northern Song, which sets out the procedures and rules for bodhisattva-precept ceremonies and precept-conferring assemblies centred on this sutra; and the Subosalgyeui (受菩薩戒儀), written by Huisi of the Chen dynasty. According to the postscript by Sengzhao, the original Sanskrit Brahmajala Sutra comprised 112 volumes and 61 chapters, but it was never translated into Chinese in its entirety. The sutra consists of an upper and a lower volume; in Korea only the lower volume was extracted separately and adopted as the Bosalgyebon (Text of the Bodhisattva Precepts), serving as a code of religious practice for Buddhists. Its contents set out the practical virtues a bodhisattva must observe, including the Ten Major Precepts and the Ten Wholesome Precepts, prescribing proper conduct, speech and attitude of mind. Since the Silla period it has been a sutra that greatly influenced the organisation and maintenance of Korean Buddhist orders. Judging from the fact that both sides of the paper were printed, together with the printing condition and the content of the colophon, this edition is thought to have been carved by Goryeo people in the Yuan dynasty after 1306 and printed on Yuan paper.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Cheongju, Chungbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물