Myobeobyeonhwagyeong Gwon3~4(1993)

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1164-1

Category

Books & Records

Era

1470년

Designated year

1993

Location

단양군, 충청북도— 충청북도 단양군 백자길 9 (영춘면, 대한불교천태종 불교천태중앙박물관)

Coordinates

No precise coordinates are available, so this item is not shown as a map marker. To be added later.

Myobeopyeonhwagyeong (Saddharmapundarika Sutra), or Beophwagyeong for short, is the basic sutra of the Cheontae Order. Its basic idea is that everyone can be a Buddha. Together with Hwaeomgyeong (Avatamsaka Sutra), it had great influence on the establishment of Korean Buddhism. Wood block-printed on mulberry paper, it is 34.4 cm long and 21.8 ㎝ wide. It consists of volumes 3 and 4 out of the entire 7 volumes. It does not have a publication record, but it was made in a calligraphic style similar to that of Treasure No. 936 and No. 950. Thus, this book seems to have been printed with the same wood blocks, which were engraved by Queen Jeonghee, wife of King Sejo, in the 1st year of King Seongjong’s reign (1470) to pray for the repose of the souls of her second son Yejong, Sejo, and Deokjong. The name of the person who engraved the wood block is indicated on the lower right side of each page; thus, this shows that several people participated in the engraving of wood blocks. Round dots are placed in the main text for easy reading. Since the main text does not have additional annotations, this book seems to have been used for reciting Buddhist scriptures. It provides important information in studying the practice of Buddhism within the royal family of the Joseon Dynasty.