Myobeobyeonhwagyeong Gwon3~4, 5~7(2014)

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1164-2

Category

Books & Records

Era

성종연간(1470~1494년)

Designated year

2014

Location

성북구, 서울특별시— 서울특별시 성북구 보문사길 20 (보문동3가, 보문사)

Coordinates

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

Volumes 3-7 of Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra) published during the early Joseon Period (1392-1910) under the commission of the royal family have been preserved in their original condition except the covers, which have fallen off; they contain the postscript written by Kim Su-on (1410-1481), informing readers as to when and how the scripture was published. The books are printed neatly with uniform thickness of ink thanks to the use of woodblocks elaborately carved by top-class wood engravers of their time including Jang Mak-dong, Choe Geum-dong, Go Mal-jong, and Yi Yeong-san. On the spine of one book (Volumes 5-7) is a trace of silk fabric, suggesting that it was produced in wrapped-ridge binding format using silk cover. The Lotus Sutra has been one of the most important scriptures for Mahayana Buddhism since it was translated into Chinese by Kumarajiva (344-413). One of the foundational texts of Cheontae Order of Korean Buddhism, the scripture rapidly established itself as a key textbook in many Buddhist academies across Korea; it has grown into one of the two most important scriptures -- the other being the Avatamsaka Sutra (The Flower Garland Sutra) -- in the history of Korean Buddhism. The defaced characters and ruled lines in the texts collected in Bomunsa Temple reveal that it is not the original but one of the secondary editions published when the Joseon dynasty was under the rule of King Seongjong (1470-1494). The printing condition, preserved better than other texts of the same edition, and the use of fine-quality paper make it a valuable historical and cultural heritage item.