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. Copying and recitation of the diamond sutra was a widespread devotional practice, and stories attributing miraculous powers to these acts are recorded in chinese, japanese, tibetan, and mongolian sources. May 11 today in history, birthdays, holidays and celebrations. 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. Vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra is a mahayana buddhist sutra from the prajnaparamita, or perfection of wisdom genre, and emphasizes the practice of nonabiding and nonattachment. May 10, 2017 the printing itself was done using large wooden blocks and, although earlier printed books have survived, this copy of the diamond sutra is the oldest that bears a specific date. Oct 10, 2012 d prajna paramita hrdaya sutram sanskrit. The story of the worlds earliest dated printed book wood, frances, barnard, mark on. The earliest dated printed book known is diamond sutra, printed in china in 868 ce. While individual sheets of woodblock printed paper have been found dating to the early tang dynasty 7th century, the diamond sutra is the earliest complete book to be found intact. 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. Everything you need to know about the ancient diamond sutra. However, it is suspected that book printing may have occurred long before this date. The original manuscript was one of many discovered in the mogao caves of dunhaung, china.
It is made up of seven pages of paper pasted into a roll just. On may 11, 868, the earliest dated printed book was issued, a chinese copy of the socalled diamond sutra, one of the most important. Restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra. Dec 05, 2010 restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra. The diamond sutra is the worlds earliest dated printed book. Hidden for centuries in a sealed cave in northwest china, the remarkable discovery of the worlds earliest printed book, and one of the most important sacred works. The development of printing in china in the 8th century paved the way for this book. Back then, printing was limited in the number of editions made and nearly exclusively decorative, used for. May 11, 2014 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.
While this copy of the diamond sutra is now considered the oldest known printed book, its contents are central to indian buddhism, and are believed to have been translated from sanskrit to chinese in about 400 ad. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The diamond sutra, the oldest printed text in the world, goes to press save. The diamond sutra, the earliest surviving dated complete. Diamond sutra, first printed book on 11 may 868 ce history. The diamond sutra, the earliest surviving dated complete printed. The whole text of the earliest dated printed book the diamond sutra will be on display at the british library for the first time over a period of eighteen months between march 2014 august 2015 following extensive conservation, the diamond sutra scroll currently remains in separate panels giving the unique opportunity to show all the panels in turn see timetable below. When it comes to ancient texts, most are familiar with the big names. According to national library of peking in 1961, the diamond sutra is described as. Background of the diamond sutra diamond sutra a new. 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.
May 11, 2019 the diamond sutra now resides at the british library, along with an acknowledgement that it is the oldest dated printed book in existence. In the centuries that followed, all memory of this vast storehouse seems to have been lost, but the precious artifacts survived in safety until the 20th century, when they were rediscovered by an appreciating world. These are pages of the diamond sutra the oldest known. The diamond sutra the diamond sutra at the british library is the worlds earliest dated printed book, and was made in ad 868. It was found in a holy site called the mogao or peerless caves or the. 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. May 17, 2019 the scroll comprises of seven panels of paper, each of which was printed from a single block and stuck together to create a single scroll. One of the best known commentaries is the exegesis on the diamond sutra by huineng, the sixth patriarch of the chan school. The story of the worlds earliest dated printed book. 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. 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. The story of the worlds earliest dated printed book at.
The diamond sutra now resides at the british library, along with an acknowledgement that it is the oldest dated printed book in existence. Thus the oldest book in the world must surely be the gutenberg bible oldest printed book in the west, from c. Diamond sutra a new translation of the classic buddhist text. Back then, printing was limited in the number of editions made and nearly exclusively decorative, used for pictures and designs. A central text of indian buddhism, the diamond sutra was first translated. Worlds oldest known printed book diamond sutra 868 ad found hidden in secret library part of caves of buddhas nothing exists as an isolated self, because it is dependent upon and connected to everything else. Bbc news restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra. The very first printed book the diamond sutra scihi blogscihi blog. It was discovered by accident in the early twentieth century along with tens of thousands of other scrolls in a hidden cave at the buddhist mogao cave site in dunhuang, northwest china. The diamond sutra vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra. The very first printed book the diamond sutra scihi. The diamond sutra project gutenberg selfpublishing.
It was produced on the 11 may 868, according to the western calendar. The diamond sutra free pdf book 1912 earliest surviving. The book of kells, the gutenberg bible, and the dead sea scrolls. The project team is led by williams grandson william b. Mar 18, 2019 the earliest dated printed book known is diamond sutra, printed in china in 868 ce. For a close reading of the texts rhetoric, see chapter 4. Sep 04, 2018 when it comes to ancient texts, most are familiar with the big names. The chinese diamond sutra, the oldest known dated printed. 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. Too fragile to go on permanent display, it can be viewed online in greater.
It is an important buddhist text that has a long and profound history. The british library is also part of the international. The buddhist text known as the diamond sutra is believed to be the oldest surviving printed book in the world. A copy of this sacred text, which was discovered in the mogao caves of dunhuang, china, has been described as being the worlds earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. It was produced in ad 868, predating gutenbergs movable type printing in europe by some 600 years. Time for a new translation a message from alex johnson one day i was reading a text of the diamond sutra and i thought to myself, why is this so hard. Printed over 1100 years ago, a chinese copy of the diamond sutra at the. Mark barnard describes the book produced in ad 868 and found in 1907. Among the manuscripts was perhaps the oldest printed book actually a scroll in existence, the diamond sutra, dated 868. Historically a copy of the diamond sutra is the oldest known printed book circa 868 ce the term diamond refers to the diamond sword, an allusion to the ease which buddhist teachings cut. Found in a walled up cave in china along with other printed materials, the book is made up of chinese characters printed on a scroll of grey printed paper, wrapped along a wooden pole. Mar 11, 2020 a copy of this book in the british library dates to the year 868 ce.
Prajna paramita heart sutra mantra with lyrics duration. 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 and is the earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. 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 diamond sutra project is a notforprofit endeavour aimed at furthering the life work of william gemmell 18711947.
Printed copy of the diamond sutra the british library. Did you know the diamond sutra, the worlds earliest dated printed book, is in the british library. The first translation of the diamond sutra into chinese was done sometime around the beginning of the fifth century by the venerated and prolific. Paternal seductions in early mahayana buddhist literature berkeley. You might think the it was johannes gutenberg who invented modern printing. This copy of the diamond sutra is the worlds earliest, dated, printed book ad 868. 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. 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 oldest complete, printed and dated book to have survived is the diamond sutra. In 1900, at the cave of the thousand buddhas in dunhuang, china, the worlds oldest surviving, dated, printed document was discovered. The attached image is the diamond sutra, which is the buddhist text that is being referred to in this quote. Equally incorrect are websites whose claims are based on the premise that a book is a printed object.
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. It is a key object of devotion and study in zen buddhism. 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. Diamond sutra, first printed book on 11 may 868 ce ulta din. The oldest known printed book in the world ancient origins. Nov 12, 2012 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. 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 the diamond sutra. But one that most people dont know about is the diamond sutra the worlds earliest dated and printed book. This copy of the diamond sutra in chinese language, complete with a beautifully illustrated frontispiece, is the worlds earliest dated, printed book. The diamond sutra is part of a larger canon of early mahayana sutras known as the prajnaparamita meaning perfection of wisdom sutras. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds. 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. While individual sheets of woodblockprinted paper have been found dating to the early tang dynasty 7th century, the diamond sutra is the earliest complete book to be found intact.
It is, in the words of the british library, the earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. Illustrate how historical documents, artifacts, and sites are critical to world history. The oldest extant printed book is a work of the diamond sutra and dates back to 868 ad, during the tang dynasty. A copy of the tangdynasty chinese version of the diamond sutra was found among the dunhuang manuscripts in 1900 by daoist monk wang yuanlu and sold to aurel stein in 1907. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest. But one that most people dont know about is the diamond sutra the worlds earliest dated and printed book the messages of this ancient text are just as powerful today as they were a thousand years ago. The scroll comprises of seven panels of paper, each of which was printed from a single block and stuck together to create a single scroll. The diamond sutra, now recognized as one of the worlds great literary jewels, has recently undergone conservation. 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. Discover this and other landmarks of printing in the librarys collections. Buddha channel best buddhism videos for buddhist 2,441,295 views. A buddhist holy text, the diamond sutra is considered to be the oldest surviving dated printed book in the world.
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