Printing One of the World’s Oldest and Most Complete Woodblock Editions of the Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sutra at Phật Quang Buddhist Temple in Phan Thiết is one of the world’s most precious Buddhist treasures.
According to the inscription “Long Đức tam niên tuệ thứ Giáp Dần, tứ nguyệt thơ nhất nhật khánh tạo,” which translates to “The third year of the Long Đức era, the first day of the Fourth lunar month of the Giáp Dần year, construction began,” this artifact was created in 1704 during the Revival Lê period. Over the next 28 years, three Buddhist masters (Master Minh Dung a.k.a. Pháp Không, Master Khánh Tài a.k.a. Thiện Huệ, and Master Thiện Pháp a.k.a. Bảo Hương) and 12 disciples diligently carved 600,000 Chinese characters, faithfully reproducing the entire 7 volumes and 28 chapters of the Lotus Sutra. Remarkably, the characters were carved in reverse yet remain incredibly accurate, a testament to the extraordinary skill of the artisans.
This is one of the oldest and most complete woodblock editions of the sutra in the world, carrying immense historical and cultural value. The woodblock collection is not only a masterpiece of art but also a vivid testament to the development of Buddhism in Viet Nam.
To safeguard and celebrate the historical value of the Lotus Sutra woodblocks, Phật Quang Temple undertook a printing project in 2007. Supervised by Nam Ngọc Hiên, the printing process was carried out with utmost precision to create exact prints of the original woodblocks. This project not only enabled wider access to the sutra but Nam Ngọc Hiên also ensured that the original woodblock would not be affected. A total of 600,000 Chinese characters on 118 red Siamese rosewood boards, illustrations and decoration patterns were meticulously printed.
Of all the surviving ancient editions of the Lotus Sutra, the one housed at Phật Quang Temple stands out as the sole edition that remains nearly intact. In contrast to the severely damaged Chinese copper and stone sutras, this sutra, carved on resilient red Siamese rosewood, has weathered centuries remarkably well. As a result, after over 300 years, it retains its original carvings and content, making it a unique cultural artifact and an invaluable resource for Buddhist scholars globally.
