Origins the text was originally discovered in 1900 by a monk in dunhuang, china, an old outpost of the silk road on the edge of the gobi desert. 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. I read this week that restoration work takes place at the british library in london on the worlds oldest printed book a much love buddhist text. The diamond sutra, the earliest surviving dated complete. 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. Oldest printed book published national geographic society. Today in history the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest surviving, dated, printed, book printed by wang jie and made into a scroll. 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. The oldest complete, printed and dated book to have survived is the diamond sutra. Thus the oldest book in the world must surely be the gutenberg bible oldest printed book in the west, from c. The diamond sutra is the worlds oldest printed book. Entertainment oldest printed book on display bbc news. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds. It is, in the words of the british library, the earliest complete survival of a dated printed book.
In 1900 a chinese monk, abbot wang yuanlu, discovered the sealed door to the cave, and in 1907 a hungarianbritish explorer named marc aurel stein was allowed to see inside the cave. A copy of the chinese version of diamond sutra, found among the dunhuang manuscripts in the early 20th. May 12, 2016 diamond sutra, first printed book on 11 may 868 ce may 12, 2016 diamond sutra sanskrit. May 11, 2016 this makes it the oldest surviving printed book, more than half a a millennium according to the date on the title page, an edition of the diamond sutra, one of the central texts of the. May 11, 2017 the oldest complete, printed and dated book to have survived is the diamond sutra. May 17, 2019 the last few lines of the text, the colophon, identifies who printed it, when and why. A complete woodblock printed scroll of the diamond sutra, dated 868 ce, was among several texts preserved in a sealed cave near dunhuang, in gansu province, china. The diamond sutra, as described by the british library, is the worlds earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. Or that by the time gutenberg got ink on his fingers nearly 600 years later and his revolutionary technology helped usher in the enlightenment. Name the name of the oldest printed book of japan social science print culture and the modern world. Jun 19, 2016 no one is sure who wang jie was or why he had the diamond sutra printed. 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.
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. The diamond sutra, now recognized as one of the worlds great literary jewels, has recently undergone conservation. A chinese version of the diamond sutra is the worlds oldest printed book, dating from may 868. 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 frontispiece depicts the buddha, surrounded by monks, devotees and deities. Background of the diamond sutra diamond sutra a new. It is made up of seven pages of paper pasted into a roll just over five metres long. The oldest printed text in the world the diamond sutra. 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. In the lower lefthand corner of the illustration can be found the buddhas disciple subhuti, listening to buddha presenting the diamond sutra. Written in chinese and featuring an illustrated frontispiece, the woodblock printed scroll is fivemetres long and dated 868ad. Thinking of the diamond sutra, the oldest printed book. Nov 05, 2012 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. This makes it the oldest surviving printed book, more than half a a millennium according to the date on the title page, an edition of the diamond sutra, one of the central texts of the.
On may 11, 868, the diamond sutra was published in northern china. Diamond sutra a new translation of the classic buddhist text. 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. Amongst these ancient treasures was a copy of the diamond sutra, which has been described as the worlds earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. The diamond sutra, which bears the date 868 ad, was found in a walledup cave in dunhuang, northwest china, in 1907, along with other printed items. 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. 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.
It was found in a holy site called the mogao or peerless caves or the caves of a thousand buddhas, which was a. According to national library of peking in 1961, the diamond sutra is described as. The diamond sutra is the first printed book in history, predating the gutenberg bible by almost 600 years. The oldest extant printed book is a work of the diamond sutra and dates back to 868 ad, during the tang dynasty. Equally incorrect are websites whose claims are based on the premise that a book is a printed object. Bbc news entertainment oldest printed book on display. Name the name of the oldest printed book of japan social. These are pages of the diamond sutra the oldest known. It is made up of seven pages of paper pasted into a roll just.
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. Ask people to name the worlds oldest printed book and the common reply is gutenbergs bible. The diamond sutra is part of a larger canon of early mahayana sutras known as the prajnaparamita meaning perfection of wisdom sutras. The buddhist text known as the diamond sutra is believed to be the oldest surviving printed book in the world. Or that by the time gutenberg got ink on his fingers nearly 600 years later and his revolutionary technology helped usher in the enlightenment this copy of the diamond sutra. 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. 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.
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. May 11, 868, a copy of the diamond sutra is printed. 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. This printed book also has a beautifully illustrated front piece. 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 diamond sutra, the earliest surviving dated complete printed. Belonging to the prajnaparamita, or perfect wisdom tradition, this sutra dates back to the year 868, centuries before the west had even started using paper, and it gathers buddhas.
The diamond sutra is the worlds earliest dated printed book. This gorgeous woodblock print is the front page of the oldest surviving print manuscript in the world. 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. Also known by its sanskrit title vajracchedika, the diamond sutra posits that something is what it is only because of what it is not. 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 now resides at the british library, along with an acknowledgement that it is the oldest dated printed book in existence. 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. Vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra is a mahayana buddhist sutra from the prajnaparamita, or perfection of wisdom genre, and emphasizes the practice of nonabiding and nonattachment. This chinese version of the buddhist diamond sutra was printed in northern china in 868. A book thought to be the oldest surviving printed book in the world has gone on display at the british library. The manuscript was one of many discovered in the mogao caves of dunhaung, china. The british library is also part of the international. The precise date makes this particular edition of diamond sutra the worlds oldest printed and dated book in existence.
Vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra is a mahayana sutra from the prajnaparamita sutras or perfection of wisdom genre. May 08, 2004 a book thought to be the oldest surviving printed book in the world has gone on display at the british library. Movements and types of graphics diamond sutra gone, gone, gone beyond, gone utterly beyond, enlightenment hail. Printed over 1100 years ago, a chinese copy of the diamond sutra at the. Aug 21, 2014 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. Nov 12, 2012 ask people to name the worlds oldest printed book and the common reply is gutenbergs bible. Restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra. 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. Dec 05, 2010 restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra.
What the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest printed book, has to say. Vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra is a mahayana buddhist sutra from the prajnaparamita sutras or perfection of wisdom genre. May 11, 868, a copy of the diamond sutra is printed in china, making it the oldest known 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. Restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra bbc. This priceless religious teaching survives as the oldest dated, printed book. The last few lines of the text, the colophon, identifies who printed it, when and why. At 6,000wordslong, the diamond sutra is short, but still among the great books in history. The earliest examples of woodblock printing are estimated to date as far back as 220 ce. Among the manuscripts was perhaps the oldest printed book actually a scroll in existence, the diamond sutra, dated 868. Reverently made for universal free distribution by wang jie on behalf of his two parents, 11 may 868. 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.
Which is the oldest japanese book to be printed 7154592 heya. It is a fascinating story how aurel stein discovered the diamond sutra and many many more ancient scrolls, and silks, and murals. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest. 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. It is an important buddhist text that has a long and profound history. It is meant for a general audience explaining the history of the sutra, how it lay buried for a years in dunhuang, and how it came to the british library. The diamond sutra, which bears the date 868 ad, was found in a walledup cave in dunhuang, northwest china, in 1907, along with other. Diamond sutra, first printed book on 11 may 868 ce history. What the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest printed book. This book is an excellent look at the diamond sutra at the british library, the oldest dated printed book.
Few venture that the answer is a revered buddhist text called the diamond sutra, printed in 868 a. Dec 20, 20 equally incorrect are websites whose claims are based on the premise that a book is a printed object. Sep 17, 2012 the copy of diamond sutra worlds oldest known 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. On may 11, 868, the oldest complete, printed and dated book to. Printed copy of the diamond sutra the british library. 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. Incidently, the diamond sutra has turned out to be the oldest printed book in the world, predating guttenberg by many many centuries. A complete woodblock printed scroll of the diamond sutra, dated 868 ce, was among several texts preserved in a sealed cave near.
The diamond sutra and the sutra of huineng by huineng. Newsela the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated. 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. It was produced on the 11 may 868, according to the western calendar. A daoist monk, wang yuanlu, discovered the socalled dunhaung manuscripts in 1900. This sutra a sanskrit word that means a religious teaching or sermon, in particular that of. It is a key object of devotion and study in zen buddhism. The diamond sutra, a sanskrit text translated into chinese.
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