The diamond sutra, the earliest surviving dated complete printed. It is, in the words of the british library, the earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. Ask people to name the worlds oldest printed book and the common reply is gutenbergs bible. The diamond sutra is an ancient buddhist sermon that generation of buddhists have memorized and chanted since at least the fifth century. 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 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. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book. A buddhist holy text, the diamond sutra is considered to be the oldest surviving dated printed book in the world.
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 first is notable for being the oldest book in the world with a front cover still attached to it. The diamond sutra is the world s earliest dated printed book. This book is the offering of no mind, born of compassion for all suffering beings. It is an important buddhist text that has a long and profound history. The buddhist text known as the diamond sutra is believed to be the oldest surviving printed book in the world. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds. Here are some of the oldest surviving books in the world. Of all the sutras that teach this teaching, this is the diamond. The story of the world s earliest dated printed book wood, frances, barnard, mark on. Ask people to name the world s oldest printed book and the common reply is gutenbergs bible.
A chinese version of a key text in the mahayana buddhist tradition, this diamond sutra. The diamond sutra, worlds oldest dated complete 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. Printed copy of the diamond sutra the british library. This copy of the diamond sutra in chinese language, complete with a beautifully illustrated frontispiece, is the worlds earliest dated, printed book.