Printed in china in 868 ad, it was found in the dunhuang caves in 1907, in the north western province of. The diamond sutra and the sutra of huineng by huineng. 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. It is one of the most influential mahayana sutras in east asia. However, the honour of being the earliest printed book goes to a buddhist text, known in english as the diamond sutra, printed in chinese in ad 868 on paper using woodblocks, a copy of which was brought from a cave in western china to the british museum in 1909 by the hungarianborn, britishfunded explorer and archaeologist of central asia, sir aurel stein. It was produced some 600 years before gutenbergs movable type printing in europe, and is clearly the product of a mature printing industry in china.
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 story of the worlds earliest dated printed book wood, frances, barnard, mark on. Diamond sutra, first printed book on 11 may 868 ce ulta din. In fact, it is a earliest printed book which has a printed date. The diamond sutra, as described by the british library, is the worlds earliest complete survival of a dated printed book.
This discovered text was made over 500 years before the gutenberg printing press in 1450 c. It is, in the words of the british library, the earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. Or the famous novel in malayalam indulekha was published in 1889. The very first printed book the diamond sutra scihi.
Vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra is a mahayana buddhist sutra from the prajnaparamita, or perfection of wisdom genre, and emphasizes the practice of nonabiding and nonattachment. Printed copy of the diamond sutra the british library. It was produced on the 11 may 868, according to the western calendar. Public domain it is believed that the diamond sutra was first translated into chinese in 401 ad by a buddhist monk by the name of kumarajiva. A central text of indian buddhism, the diamond sutra was first translated. The story of the worlds earliest dated printed book at. The diamond sutra, the earliest surviving dated complete printed. Aurel stein found a copy of the chinese version among the dunhuang manuscripts in 1907. This copy of the diamond sutra in chinese language, complete with a beautifully illustrated frontispiece, is the worlds earliest dated, printed book. Diamond sutra, first printed book on 11 may 868 ce may 12, 2016 diamond sutra sanskrit.
The diamond sutra is the worlds earliest dated printed book. Oldest printed book published national geographic society. This new book, the first to focus on the diamond sutra, describes the discovery of the sutra by sir aurel stein in may 1907 in a. Do you, however, know which the oldest dated printed book still in existence even today is. It is the earliest dated, printed book known in the world today and is commonly called the diamond sutra. Diamond sutra, first printed book on 11 may 868 ce diamond sutra sanskrit. 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. It is no small irony that the oldest extant printed book in the world a ninthcentury blockprint of the diamond sutra is a work that seeks systematically to undermine all clinging to words, and renders. An important characteristic of the oldest japanese book diamond sutra is it contains six sheets of text and woodcut illustrations. This copy of the diamond sutra is the worlds earliest, dated, printed book ad 868. 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 date it was published printed on it. The frontispiece of the worlds oldest surviving book, the diamond sutra printed in the year 868, was discovered at dunhuang cave, along the silk roadfour great inventions. For a close reading of the texts rhetoric, see chapter 4. The book, in the form of a roll, is the earliest woodcut illustration in a printed book.
State an important characteristic of the oldest japanese. The story of the worlds earliest dated printed book. The diamond sutra a chinese block printed book 868 ce the diamond sutra. Written in chinese and featuring an illustrated frontispiece, the woodblock printed scroll is fivemetres long and dated 868ad. The diamond sutra, the oldest printed text in the world, goes to press save. 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 bringing one to the further shore of. 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. 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. U cal press, 2005 entitled be all you cant be, and other gainful losses in the diamond sutra. This consists of a scroll, over 16 feet long, made up of a long series of printed pages. The diamond sutra and the sutra of huineng by wong mou. It is a mahayana sutra from the perfection of wisdom genre. Translated from the sanskrit, the title of wang jies book is the perfection of wisdom which cuts like a thunderbolt. This rare document is now in the british museum collection of early printed books.
The earliest printed book diamond sutra was found in china. 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. Restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra bbc. Printed sutras literally, sutra rubbings are mentioned in the court journals of heianperiod aristocrats such as fujiwara no michinagas 9661028 mido kampakuki. The diamond sutra was displayed in the british library at one stage near a gutenberg bible with the latter labeled as the worlds earliest printed book. But the degree of perfection in printing we see in diamond sutra manuscript reveals a long way of effort and experimentation necessary for. 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. Diamond sutra a chinese version of the diamond sutra is the worlds earliest complete survival of a dated block printed book, made in 868 ce. You might think the it was johannes gutenberg who invented modern printing. Restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra.
In 1907, archaeologist sir marc aurel stein discovered the diamond sutra, a 16foot scroll containing the chinese translation of the sanskrit buddhist text, from the caves of the thousand buddhas in dunhuang, china the discovery in itself is fascinating, but thats a different story. It emphasizes the practice of nonattachment and nonabiding. A central text of indian buddhism, the diamond sutra was first translated from sanskrit into chinese in about ad 400. The first translation of the diamond sutra into chinese was done sometime around the beginning of the fifth century by the venerated and prolific.
The manuscript consists of a scroll, over 16 feet long, made up of a long series of printed. 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 bringing one to the further. The diamond sutra, the earliest dated example of woodblock printing, and the earliest surviving dated complete book, was published in china on may 11, 868. The image depicts the frontispiece to the worlds earliest dated printed book, the chinese translation of the buddhist text the diamond sutra. 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.
Sure, printing with metal movable types including a printing press and a suitable ink. It was found in a holy site called the mogao or peerless caves or the caves of a thousand buddhas, which was a. 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. But there is no record of exact printed date in these books. The diamond sutra has the colophon at the inner end that reads. The first known movable type system was invented in china around 1040 c. It is an important buddhist text that has a long and profound history.
Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest. It is known as the diamond sutra because its teachings are said to be like d. A central text of the indian buddhism, the diamond sutra was first translated from sanskrit into chinese in about ad 400. Printed over 1100 years ago, a chinese copy of the diamond sutra at the. The diamond sutra is the earliest dated and printed book. In china, during the 9th century ad, a man named wang jie copied a book significant to his buddhist religion. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds. Paternal seductions in early mahayana buddhist literature berkeley. What the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest printed book. The exact date of the composition of the diamond sutra in sanskrit is uncertainarguments for the 2nd and 5th centuries have been made. The diamond sutra and the sutra of huineng shambhala.
The diamond sutra is the worlds oldest printed book. 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. Perhaps not only buddhists, but everyone should study the diamond sutra. Diamond sutra a new translation of the classic buddhist text. Dated 587 years before the gutenberg bible, the diamond sutra is the oldest surviving printed, dated book. The oldest japanese book diamond sutra was printed in 868 ce. It is a key object of devotion and study in zen buddhism. Diamond sutra, first printed book on 11 may 868 ce history. A copy of the diamond sutra, found among the dunhuang manuscripts in the early 20th century, is, in the words of the british library, the earliest complete survival of a dated printed book 1. Carved wooden blocks were used to print this copy on. On may 11, 868, publishers in china printed the diamond sutra, today the oldest surviving dated, printed book. Written in the chinese language, the diamond sutra chronicles a gathering of disciples to hear the teachings of buddha and is dated the 15th of the 4th moon of the 9th year of xiantong, which translates to 11 may 868.
The frontispiece depicts the buddha, surrounded by monks, devotees and deities. In 1971, koreans found a printed book from a stone monument constructed in ad 751. 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. The diamond sutra, now recognized as one of the worlds great literary jewels, has recently undergone conservation. The diamond sutra, the earliest surviving dated complete. The diamond sutra project gutenberg selfpublishing. On may 11, 868, the diamond sutra was published in northern china this priceless religious teaching survives as the oldest dated, printed book. This image depicts the frontispiece to the worlds earliest dated printed book, the chinese translation of the buddhist text the diamond sutra. The buddhist text known as the diamond sutra is believed to be the oldest surviving printed book in the world.
948 109 602 1258 1512 217 288 220 1353 1339 1407 484 364 1051 740 364 418 189 798 823 572 1002 136 695 1436 1408 942 582 1307 505 767 257 990 287 1154 485