Buddhist diamond sutra, translated into chinese by kumarajiva. Price and wong moulam the diamond of perfect wisdom sutra. The diamond sutra was printed by method of woodblock printing, a strenuous method in which the text to be printed would be carved into a woodblocks surface, essentially to be used to stamp the words onto the writing surface medium. The sixteenfoot buddhist scroll was discovered among the artifacts in the dunhuang caves, also mogao caves or caves of the thousand buddhas. Finding new meaning in one of the worlds oldest books since at least the fifth century, generations of buddhists have memorized and chanted the diamond sutra, a short mahayana buddhist scripture. Full text of the diamond sutra chin kang ching, or, prajnaparamita see other formats. The oldest extant printed book is a work of the diamond sutra and dates back to 868 ad, during the tang dynasty.
The diamond sutra is one of the most influential mahayana sutras in east asia, and is a key object of devotion and study in zen buddhism. The worlds oldest dated book, the diamond sutra, was published by wang jie on behalf of his parents on the fifteenth of the fourth moon of the ninth year of xian long this day in 868. The document was discovered in the mogao caves of dunhuang, china in the beginning of the 20th century by a taoist priest and dates back to 868 ad. It was produced on the 11 may 868, according to the western calendar. Few venture that the answer is a revered buddhist text called the diamond sutra, printed in 868 a. Conrad walters, coauthor of journeys on the silk road, explains the symbolism behind the opening image of the worlds oldest printed book the diamond sutra of 868ad.
The exact date of the composition of the diamond sutra in sanskrit is uncertainarguments for the 2nd and 5th centuries have been made. It is known as the diamond sutra because its teachings are said to be like diamonds that cut away all dualistic thought, releasing one from the attachment to objects and. Background of the diamond sutra diamond sutra a new. The oldest printed text in the world is believed to be the diamond sutra, a book of mahayana buddhism that was found in a cave 1146 years ago. What the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest printed book. May 11, 2016 thinking of the diamond sutra, the oldest printed book may 11, 2016 james ford patheos explore the world s faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality.
This sutra a sanskrit word that means a religious teaching or sermon, in particular that of the buddha is commonly regarded as one of the most revered. The world s oldest extant printed book all conditioned dharmas. It is a key object of devotion and study in zen buddhism. English translation, lapis lazuli texts diamond sutra. The title properly translated is the diamond cutter of perfect wisdom although it is usually just called the diamond sutra. Diamond sutra a new translation of the classic buddhist text. The first chinese translation dates to the early 5th century, but, by this point, the 4th or 5th century monks asanga and vasubandhu seem to have already authored authoritative commentaries on its content the vajracchedika sutra was an influential work in. The world s oldest copyleft book friday, may 11, 2012 at 2. A copy of the chinese version of diamond sutra, found among the dunhuang manuscripts in the early 20th century by aurel stein, was dated back to may 11, 868. A copy of the mahayana buddhism sacred text called the diamond sutra is the worlds earliest complete example of a dated printed book. This sutra a sanskrit word that means a religious teaching or sermon, in particular that of the buddha is commonly regarded as one of the most revered texts of mahayana buddhism. Thinking of the diamond sutra, the oldest printed book. The frontispiece of the diamond sutra from tang dynasty china, the worlds earliest dated printed book, ad 868 british museum on may 11, 868, the earliest dated printed book was issued, a chinese copy of the socalled diamond sutra, one of the most important textbooks of buddhism, originally written in the 1st c.
English translation, by chung tai translation committee romanized sanskrit and devanagari of the diamond sutra in the digital sanskrit buddhist canon. The diamond sutra, composed in india in the fourth century ce, is one of the most treasured works of buddhist literature and is the oldest existing printed book in the world. For dharma practitioners, the fact that the diamond sutra is the worlds oldest book should matter mostly to historians. Atrendtowardshortversions,whichincludestheheartand diamondsutras,occursinthefourthcenturyce. The diamond sutra of 868 now lives at the british library, whose turning the pages project includes close looks online at the worlds oldest printed book. Diamond sutra wikipedia diamond sutra from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia jump to navigation jump to search this article contains sp. Sep 27, 2018 the diamond sutra is one of the most revered texts of mahayana buddhism. This relic of buddhism isnt the outright oldest book woodblock printing was invented some 200300 years prior but its the oldest surviving book with the. This consists of a scroll, over 16 feet long, made up of a long series of printed pages. I wanted to read this book to learn more about the history of the silk road region. The image depicts the frontispiece to the worlds earliest dated printed book, the chinese translation of the buddhist text the diamond sutra.
Jul 11, 2016 explore the many facets of the diamond sutra, the world s oldest dated, complete printed book with susan whitfield, director of the international dunhuang project. Nov 05, 2012 conrad walters, coauthor of journeys on the silk road, explains the symbolism behind the opening image of the world s oldest printed book the diamond sutra of 868ad. Restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra bbc. A fundamental mahayana scripture for those working on the nature of the mind, it tells how ananda searches for mind s location in 7 places. Diamond sutra, first printed book on 11 may 868 ce history. Vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra is a mahayana sutra from the prajnaparamita sutras or perfection of wisdom genre. Long before the gutenberg galaxy, the orient was already printing hidden gems of wisdom in the form of books. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Also known by its sanskrit title vajracchedika, the diamond sutra posits that something is what it is only because of what it is not. The oldest complete printed and dated book is a buddhist text known as the diamond sutra, a name apparently suggested by the buddha himself, as the text is designed to cut like a diamond blade through worldly illusion to illuminate what is real and everlasting. The sutra, which meditates on the illusory nature of the material world the central theme of buddhism, was originally written in sanskrit in india, from which it was translated to chinese in 401 ad. Made in 868 ad and written in chinese, the text contains a significant dialogue on perception, and is one of the most important sacred works of the buddhist faith. Jul 01, 2011 a history of the discovery of the world s oldest printed book the diamond sutra, and the westerner who took the book from the chinese and brought it to england. It was found in a holy site called the mogao or peerless caves or the caves of a thousand buddhas, which was a. Follow the silk road, book by book the new york times. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book no one is sure who wang jie was or why he had the diamond sutra printed.
The diamond sutra is one of the most revered texts of mahayana buddhism and a jewel of the world s religious literature. English translation, by chung tai translation committee devanagari of the diamond sutra in the digital sanskrit buddhist canon. The diamond sutra, the worlds oldest printed book with a known date, was excavated in dunhuang. British library displays world s oldest printed book edward conze, the great scholar of the perfection of wisdom literature of which the diamond sutra is one of the most famous examples, identified occurrences of selfcontradiction in no fewer than seventeen of diamond sutra s thirtytwo short sections or chapters, and he did not even include. Thinking of the diamond sutra, the oldest printed book may 11, 2016 james ford patheos explore the worlds faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book printed over 1,100 years ago, a chinese copy of the diamond sutra at the british library is.
The story of the world s earliest dated printed book. Ten of the oldest everyday items ever found ancient origins. Jun 25, 2019 the diamond sutra is one of the most revered texts of mahayana buddhism and a jewel of the worlds religious literature. The diamond sutra project gutenberg selfpublishing. Our project is dedicated to republishing william gemmells 1912 translation of the diamond sutra, one of the earliest, most revered and widely read philosophical works in buddhist literature.
Jun 19, 2016 no one is sure who wang jie was or why he had the diamond sutra printed. The story of the worlds earliest dated printed book. Restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra. If you would like to know more about the diamond sutra as a buddhist teaching, one of the most accessible ways to learn is through videos by an american monk named hyungak paul muenzen. The diamond sutra is an ancient buddhist sermon that generation of buddhists have memorized and chanted since at least the fifth century. The work, which offers meditations on illusion and perception, was originally written in sanskrit and first translated into chinese in 402 a. Printed copy of the diamond sutra the british library. The sixteenfoot buddhist scroll was discovered among the artifacts in the dunhuang caves, also mogao caves or caves of the thousand buddhas in china. The vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra has been translated from sanskrit into english variously as the diamond sutra, the diamond cutter sutra, the vajra sutra and the vajra cutter sutra.
Jun 28, 2016 the vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra has been translated from sanskrit into english variously as the diamond sutra, the diamond cutter sutra, the vajra sutra and the vajra cutter sutra. The diamond sutra the book show abc radio national. William 18711947 was one of the earliest of european scholars to endeavour to make the truths of the buddhas teachings accessible to a western. Buddha channel best buddhism videos for buddhist 2,441,295 views 26. Price translated into english around 50 pages of the diamond sutra republished by shambhala publishers, 1990. This copy of the diamond sutra in chinese language, complete with a beautifully illustrated frontispiece, is the worlds earliest dated, printed book. May 11, 2016 five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book printed over 1,100 years ago, a chinese copy of the diamond sutra at the british library is one of the most. British library, 2010 isbn 9780712350907 joyce morgan and conrad walters, journeys on the silk road. Aug 02, 2009 the diamond sutra is one of the most historically important texts in the buddhist faith, in part because a copy of it is the oldest surviving dated printed book in the world 868 a. The first translation of the diamond sutra into chinese is thought to have been made in 401 ce by the venerated and.
On may 11, 868, the diamond sutra was published in northern china this priceless religious teaching survives as the oldest dated, printed book. A landmark publication when it first appeared in 1958, buddhist wisdom offered western readers a unique combination of both the diamond sutra one of the cornerstone texts of mahayana buddhism and the heart sutra, perhaps the most important of all buddhist texts, in a single authoritative volume. According to national library of peking in 1961, the diamond sutra is described as. Among the manuscripts was perhaps the oldest printed book actually a scroll in existence, the diamond sutra, dated 868. May 11, 2020 among these writings whose stacks stein claimed stood almost 10 feet high was a copy of the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book, which was created in 868 and is. The diamond sutra is one of the most revered texts of mahayana buddhism. Belonging to the prajnaparamita, or perfect wisdom tradition, this sutra dates back to the year 868, centuries before the. British library, 2010 isbn 9780712350907 van schaik 201112. Prajna paramita heart sutra mantra with lyrics duration. The oldest printed text in the world the diamond sutra. Sanskrit heart sutra, buddhist texts, history of buddhism. Translated into a variety of languages over a broad geographic range, the diamond sutra is one of the most influential mahayana sutras in east asia, and it is particularly prominent within the chan or zen tradition, along with the h. The story of the world s earliest dated printed book is a tale of a wandering buddhist monk, a devoted son and ambitious explorers. This earliest datable printed book was the translation of the diamond sutra done by kumarajiva in 401.
A copy of the mahayana buddhism sacred text called the diamond sutra is the world s earliest complete example of a dated printed book. The diamond sutra is one of the most revered texts of mahayana buddhism and a jewel of the worlds religious literature. Estimates for its date of composition range from the second century b. Buddhas secret library, and the unearthing of the worlds oldest printed book, picador australia, 2011, isbn 9781405040419. The diamond sutra is the worlds earliest dated printed book. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds. May 11, 2014 the worlds oldest dated book, the diamond sutra, was published by wang jie on behalf of his parents on the fifteenth of the fourth moon of the ninth year of xian long this day in 868. Conserving the diamond sutra, idpukvideo published on 31 jan 20. A typical english translation contains about 6,000 words, and an average reader could finish it in less than 30 minutes, easily. The extraordinary discovery of the worlds oldest book posted. The diamond sutra goodreads meet your next favorite book. The diamond sutra is relatively short, only 6,000 words and is part of a larger canon of sutras or sacred texts in mahayana buddhism, the branch of buddhism most common in. A typical english translation contains about 6,000 words, and an average reader. Transforming the way we perceive the world by mu soenq gick here for the reluctant messenger host site the diamond sutra the walled city of dunhuang shachou was an outpost on the northwestern frontier, whose.
He completed the first published english translation of the platform sutra of the sixth patriarch in 1930. The very first printed book the diamond sutra scihi. The manuscript was one of many discovered in the mogao caves of dunhaung, china a daoist monk, wang yuanlu, discovered the socalled dunhaung manuscripts in 1900. Red pines translation of the diamond sutra the diamond sutra is a spiritual treasure and a key text of mahayana buddhism. In addition to the actual text of the diamond sutra this web site provides a diamond sutra background page which explains the origins of the diamond sutra and information about how this new translation was done. The manuscript of the vajracchedika found at gilgit, in studies in the literature of the great vehicle. The buddhist text known as the diamond sutra is believed to be the oldest surviving printed book in the world. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book printed over 1,100 years ago, a chinese copy of the diamond sutra at the british library is one of the most. At the beginning of the 20th century, an abbot named wang yuanlu came to dunhuang area, discovered the sand covered stone grottoes, took up residence in one cave and began to clear out the others. A copy of the chinese version of diamond sutra, found among the dunhuang manuscripts in the early 20th. It is an important buddhist text that has a long and profound history. The diamond sutra, as described by the british library, is the worlds earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. See more ideas about books, buddhism and mahayana buddhism. The diamond sutra and the sutra of huineng book depository.
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