Transcription of Saddharmapundarika Sutra (The Lotus Sutra) in Silver on Indigo Paper, Volumes 2, 4, 5 and 6

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.269-1

Category

Books & Records

Era

고려시대 후기

Designated year

1963

Location

용산구, 서울특별시— 서울특별시 용산구 서빙고로 137 (용산동6가, 국립중앙박물관)

Coordinates

37.524702, 126.977740Kakao address conversion

This English description was machine-translated and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the original Korean text for details.

The Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapundarika Sutra), often abbreviated as the Dharma Flower Sutra, propounds the central doctrine that the path to Buddhahood is accessible to all sentient beings. This fundamental scripture of the Tiantai School, alongside the Huayan Sutra, has profoundly shaped the development of Buddhist thought in Korea. The Geunji Silver Ink Lotus Sutra Volume 1 exemplifies the sophisticated manuscript arts of medieval Korea, executed on indigo paper using gold and silver inks. Composed of unfoldable pages forming continuous scrolls or sectioned panels, the refined covers feature gold-inscribed titles. The opening pages display meticulously executed religious pictorial narratives of exceptional beauty and precision. The main text is rendered in dignified silver-ink calligraphy of solemn grandeur. Although undated documentary records preclude precise chronological determination, the calligraphic style closely parallels that of contemporary epigraphs such as those at Beopsaja Temple and the Shinreuksabosejeongjasokjongbi monument (designated Treasure), indicating production during the late Goryeo period. The exceptional artistry of both calligraphy and decorative covers, combined with superior preservation, confers substantial historical and cultural significance.

Location