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. Or that by the time gutenberg got ink on his fingers nearly 600 years later and his revolutionary technology helped usher in the enlightenment. Due to the fairly medieval style of its illustrations, it was long thought to have been made. It is one of the most influential mahayana sutras in east asia. The story of the world s earliest dated printed book wood, frances, barnard, mark on. The diamond sutra, worlds oldest dated complete printed book.
The story of the worlds earliest dated printed book at. A buddhist holy text, the diamond sutra is considered to be the oldest surviving dated printed book in the world. The worlds oldest book the link below is to an article about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest surviving book, which was printed on the 11 may, 868. 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. The diamond sutra is an ancient buddhist sermon that generation of buddhists have memorized and chanted since at least the fifth century. The worlds oldest copyleft book friday, may 11, 2012 at 2. Til the worlds oldest printed book is the diamond sutra. Among the manuscripts was perhaps the oldest printed book actually a scroll in existence, the diamond sutra, dated 868. This printed book also has a beautifully illustrated front piece. Hidden for centuries in a sealedup cave in northwest china, this copy of the diamond sutra is the worlds earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. This copy of the diamond sutra in chinese language, complete with a beautifully illustrated frontispiece, is the worlds earliest dated, printed book. Unfortunately, its too fragile to go on permanent display. What the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest printed book.
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. For dharma practitioners, the fact that the diamond sutra is the worlds oldest book should matter mostly to historians. Ask people to name the world s oldest printed book and the common reply is gutenbergs bible. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest. Diamond sutra a new translation of the classic buddhist text.
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. Restoring the world s oldest book, the diamond sutra. Price translated into english around 50 pages of the diamond sutra republished by shambhala publishers, 1990. The diamond sutra vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra. 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. It was found in a holy site called the mogao or peerless caves or the. The diamond sutra is a sacred mahayana buddhist text that dates to the year 868 ce. The diamond sutra, as described by the british library, is the worlds earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. These are pages of the diamond sutra the oldest known. Til the worlds oldest printed book is the diamond sutra and it was created in 868 a. The vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra has been translated from sanskrit into english variously as the diamond sutra, the diamond cutter.
The very first printed book the diamond sutra scihi. Reverently made for universal free distribution by wang jie on behalf of his two parents. Also known by its sanskrit title vajracchedika, the diamond sutra posits that something is what it is only because of what it is not. Here are some of the oldest surviving books in the world. 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. Printed copy of the diamond sutra the british library. The story of the worlds earliest dated printed book wood, frances, barnard, mark on. 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. The worlds oldest surviving printed work is the diamond sutra a buddhist text dated to 868ad. 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 precise date makes this particular edition of diamond sutra the worlds oldest printed and dated book in existence. The diamond sutra is the earliest dated and printed book. Restoring the worlds oldest book, the diamond sutra.
It is, in the words of the british library, the earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. The diamond sutra is the worlds earliest dated printed book. It depicts the buddha, surrounded by monks and devotees. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds. It is an important buddhist text that has a long and profound history. 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. Smart news keeping you current five things to know about the diamond sutra, the world s oldest dated printed book printed over 1,100 years ago, a chinese copy of the diamond sutra at the british. The oldest japanese book diamond sutra was printed in 868 ce. The extraordinary discovery of the worlds oldest book posted. Five things to know about the diamond sutra worlds oldest dated printed book an overview of the diamond sutra wednesday evening dharma study 7.
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. 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. An important characteristic of the oldest japanese book diamond sutra is it contains six sheets of text and woodcut illustrations. Asked in geography, demographics, guinness world records what is the title of the worlds. Oct 10, 2018 recommended articles to read beforehand. 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.
The diamond sutra is the world s earliest dated printed book. Buddhisms most important philosopher by jones, richard open. 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 copy of diamond sutra worlds oldest known dated printed book. While the book dates back to the year 868 ad, it was found only in 1907. On may 11, 868, the diamond sutra was published in northern china this priceless religious teaching survives as the oldest dated, printed book.
It is a mahayana sutra from the perfection of wisdom genre. The buddhist text is a meditation upon the detachment necessary for transcendent wisdom. Equally incorrect are websites whose claims are based on the premise that a book is a printed object. Among these manuscripts, there were some of the worlds oldest surviving buddhist paintings and the book is known as diamond sutra from 863 ad. While this copy of the diamond sutra is now considered the oldest known printed book, its contents are central to indian buddhism, and are. The fascinating discovery of the worlds oldest 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 this copy of the diamond sutra had been hidden. One of the best known commentaries is the exegesis on the diamond sutra by huineng, the sixth patriarch of the chan school. The oldest book is the diamond sutra in the dinasty of tang of china. Another oldest book in the world is the diamond sudra. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
It was produced some 600 years before gutenbergs movable type printing in europe, and is clearly the product of a. 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. Writer and historian, frances wood, is head of the chinese section at the british library, where. In the lower lefthand corner of the illustration can be found the buddhas disciple subhuti, listening to buddha presenting the diamond sutra. That honour goes to the diamond sutra, a buddhist religious text. Ask people to name the worlds oldest printed book and the common reply is gutenbergs bible.
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 diamond sutra, worlds oldest dated complete printed. It was produced on the 11 may 868, according to the western calendar. Worlds oldest known printed book diamond sutra 868 ad found hidden in secret library part of caves of buddhas. Ask people to name the worlds oldest printed book and the common. Printed over 1,100 years ago, a chinese copy of the. The first is notable for being the oldest book in the world with a front cover still attached to it.
The buddhist text known as the diamond sutra is believed to be the oldest surviving printed book in the world. In 1907, archaeologist sir marc aurel stein discovered the diamond sutra, a 16 foot scroll containing the chinese translation of the sanskrit. 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. 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. Diamond sutra now recognized as one of the worlds great literary jewels, has recently undergone conservation. Smart news keeping you current five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book printed over 1,100 years ago, a. A chinese version of a key text in the mahayana buddhist tradition, this diamond sutra. It emphasizes the practice of nonattachment and nonabiding. Aurel stein found a copy of the chinese version among the dunhuang manuscripts in 1907.
Or the famous novel in malayalam indulekha was published in 1889. Tool of engraving is the burin, a sharp, vshaped instrument. The diamond sutra, now recognized as one of the worlds great literary jewels, has recently undergone conservation. State an important characteristic of the oldest japanese. Thus the oldest book in the world must surely be the gutenberg bible oldest printed book in the west, from c.
Diamond sutra wednesday evening dharma study ordinary. The oldest extant printed book is a work of the diamond sutra and dates back to 868 ad, during the tang dynasty. 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 core teaching of the book is that the words we use to name things are an illusion obscuring the timeless reality of things. Diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book numerical. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book. One exhibit highlight, especially for readers of this blog, is the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated complete printed book, according to the getty.