Sadugan Jiniltaeja isippalsugyeong, the First Tripitaka Koreana Edition

This sutra was translated into Chinese by Zhu Fahu of the Western Jin dynasty; it bears the alternative title Hoigyeong, meaning Tiger-Ear Sutra, noted in smaller characters. In the Jaejo Tripitaka the title appears as Sadugan taeja isippalsugyeong, also called Hoigyeong, omitting the prince's name Jinil, a difference from this edition. Its content sets out in detail the story of a lowborn woman's desire and her release from desire, and the equality of the four castes, and goes on to explain astronomy, astrology and the constellations. It also discusses the Indian caste system in detail, making it useful for understanding ancient Indian society. This sutra, held in the Central Library of Yonsei University, comprises thirty-eight sheets forming a single scroll, each sheet 46.3 cm in size. It is bound in scroll-and-roller form, with the roller rod and cover generally well preserved. The lower part of the cover is damaged; the paper used for the binding is undyed mulberry paper, and the tie is a coarse hemp cord. The cover title is written in ink, without any particular formatting, as the short title Sadugan isippalsugyeong, and beneath it is recorded the character Sa, indicating its case number. When the scroll is unrolled, however, the title at its head reads Sadugan Jiniltaeja isippalsugyeong, followed in order by 'also called Hoigyeong' and the case number Sa. As for the printing format, the borders are of the single upper-and-lower-line type generally seen in scroll and accordion-fold bindings. The running title at the top of the block reads the short form Sadugan-gyeong, with the character for sheet given below it. The line count is twenty-two lines on the first sheet, but twenty-three lines from the second sheet onward, with fourteen characters per line, differing from the seventeen characters per line of the Jaejo Tripitaka edition. Compared with Chinese Northern Song editions or the Jaejo Tripitaka edition, the calligraphy is solid and neat regular script, showing outstanding craftsmanship in the block-carving. Carved in the eleventh century as part of the Chojo Tripitaka, it is a valuable resource for research into the Tripitaka Koreana, Buddhist studies and bibliography.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물