Chojobon Suyongsamsuyohaengbeop

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.1530

Category

Books & Records

Designated year

2007

Location

서대문구, 서울특별시— 서울 서대문구 연세로 50, 연세대학교중앙도서관 (신촌동,연세대학교)

Coordinates

37.564660, 126.939484

With the full title Suyong samsu yohaengbeop (Essential Actions for the Use of Water, or Shouyong sanshui yaoxingfa in Chinese), this sutra for teaching the right ways to use water was compiled by Tripitaka Master Yijing during the Tang Period and printed at the Directorate of Tripitaka Publications of the Goryeo Dynasty in the 11th century. The sutra explains for clerics and laymen the proper usage of three kinds of water, that is, non-seasonal water, seasonal water and touching water. It says those who violate the teachings would commit six kinds of sin, which can further be classified into 15,480 different kinds of sin. The teaching is known to have been based on the monastic regulations of the Sarvastivada School of early Hinayana Buddhism. This is a short sutra consisting of five pages printed on a scroll, each page 46.3cm wide. The scroll has a handle at the end but the front cover has been lost. The first page has the sutra name and underneath is the Chinese character ‘英’ used for pagination. The following line reads, Translated and compiled by Tripitaka Master Yijing. Each page has single boundary lines at the top and the bottom, a style often found in both rolling and folding scroll books. Missing from the text is the last stroke of the Chinese character ‘敬’, which formed the name of Song emperor Taizu's grandfather. The regular script type was carved with outstanding skill. The type looks solid and neat when compared with those of the Northern Song edition of the Tripitaka and the second edition of the Tripitaka Koreana. The sutra is in good condition. It is a rare and valuable material for study of Korean Buddhist history and bibliographical research.

Location