Daebuljeongyeoraemirinsujeungyouijebosalmanhaengsuneungeomgyeong(eonhae) Gwon3(2010)

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.948-2

Category

Books & Records

Era

1461년

Designated year

2010

Location

광주시, 경기도— 경기도 광주시 현산로361번길 29-11 (초월읍, 대법사)

Coordinates

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

The Shurangama Sutra is one of the most important sutras of Mahayana Buddhism which is largely focused on the importance of reaching total liberation from defilements through Seon (Chan or Zen) practices. It was translated into Chinese by an Indian monk Sramana Paramiti in 705 and annotated by a Song scholar monk Jiehuan. The publication of this book containing the original Chinese text of the sutra combined with Korean translations was proposed by Prince Hyoryeong (1396-1486) in 1461, which led King Sejo (r. 1455-1468) to order his scholar-officials, including Han Gye-hui (1423-1482) and Kim Su-on (1410-1481), and an eminent monk Sinmi (fl. 15th c.) to translate the sutra into Korean and publish it. The book was printed with the Eulhae Types in three sets of different sizes, Large, Medium and Small, and one set of Hangeul types, and came out in ten volumes. Corrections made in red ink across the main text suggest that this particular book is one of the first impressions produced for proofreading. The use of diacritic points for the newly-devised Korean alphabets provides the book with a valuable source of knowledge on the Korean language in the medieval period. The book is also widely regarded as a wealth of information about the development of Korean Buddhism and movable type printing during the early Joseon Period (1392-1910). That there is only one other of the same edition known to have been remaining (i.e. in Dongguk University in Seoul) creates extra value for this book.