This text is a crucial document in the history of both Korean Buddhism and the Korean language. Furthermore, the contents can be usefully compared and contrasted with later editions to reveal the general approach to translation in the early days of the Korean language.

History of the Object

This text is the first Hangeul translation of the Lotus Sutra, one of the most important Buddhist scriptures. This text, based on the fifth-century Chinese translation of the sutra by the famous monk Kumarajiva, was published in 1463 as a woodblock print with seven volumes and seven chapters. This was the second publication by a special institution named Gangyeongdogam, which was charged with translating Buddhist scriptures into Hangeul. The institution’s first publication was a translation of the Shurangama Sutra. Both of these translations were printed using the similar systemic techniques, but the details of the second publication are more advanced. Several copies of these early publications still exist in libraries and private collections, but this is one of the few that remains in excellent condition. Over the years, this text has been republished many times, including editions from 1523 and 1547, made at Ssanggyesa Temple, and a 1768 edition made at Gayasa Temple. Because these reprints were based on the original script, they are considered to be important historical artifacts illustrating the style of Hangeul in the fifteenth century. However, the text does include some errors that occurred in the transcription process.