The term “diamond” symbolizes the sharpness and enlightenment of wisdom. Just as a diamond can cut through many materials, wisdom can sever ignorance and illusion, guiding humanity towards enlightenment.
Printed over 1,100 years ago, the “Diamond Sutra” from China, currently housed at the British Library, is one of the most fascinating documents in the world.
The Diamond Sutra currently housed at the British Library. (Photo: British Library).
When asked about the oldest book in the world, most would likely respond with the Gutenberg Bible. However, it is not the Bible but rather the Diamond Sutra – a Buddhist text that is the oldest known printed book in existence.
This book serves as a prime example of ancient printing technology, showcasing historical advancements in book production during the Tang Dynasty.
When Was the Book Printed?
According to Smithsonian (an American science and nature magazine), no one knows for sure who Wang Jie was or why he printed the Diamond Sutra. However, the end of this Sutra contains a note that specifies the exact date of its creation. The concluding line reads: “Wang Jie, on behalf of his parents, respectfully established this for the propagation of the Dharma, May 11, 868.” From this, it can be determined that the Sutra was commissioned by Wang Jie in 868.
In addition to its significance in Buddhist history, the 868 printing demonstrates the level of printing skills that had developed in ancient China by the 8th century.
When Was It Discovered?
The Diamond Sutra is an ancient Buddhist text originally written in Sanskrit. Wang Yuanlu – a Chinese monk – discovered this Sutra in the Cave of Heavenly Buddha (a cave complex along the Silk Road in Dunhuang, northwestern China). This is one of 4,000 scrolls and documents dated to around the year 1000.
In 1907, a Hungarian-born British archaeologist named Marc Aurel Stein was mapping the ancient Silk Road when he heard about this mysterious library. He spent a sum of money to acquire thousands of documents, including the Diamond Sutra.
He later donated it to the British Museum. Today, the Sutra is preserved in the British Library and is recognized as the oldest known printed book still in existence.
An illustration of Buddha delivering a sermon on the first page of the Diamond Sutra. (Photo: Britannica).
Not Your Ordinary Book
According to India Times, the Diamond Sutra is not an ordinary book but a scroll. It measures about 5 meters long and 27 cm wide, with the text printed using woodblock printing techniques, in which each page is carved into a wooden block. These blocks are then inked and pressed onto paper or cloth.
The scroll’s length of 5 meters is made up of 7 sections glued together. When reading, one unfurls the scroll from a tube or wooden rod serving as a spindle, reading from top to bottom and left to right.
It is a concise text comprising about 6,000 words, one of many sacred texts typically referred to as “sutras” in Mahayana Buddhism, the most popular branch of Buddhism in China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.
Many practitioners believe that Mahayana Sutras were directly taught by the Buddha, and the Diamond Sutra takes the form of a dialogue between the Buddha’s disciple Subhuti and the Buddha himself, depicting a profound exchange on wisdom and deep understanding.
The Essence of the Diamond Sutra
In the Diamond Sutra, the term “diamond” represents the sharp and enlightening nature of wisdom. Just as a diamond can easily cut through various materials, wisdom can cut through ignorance and illusion, guiding individuals towards enlightenment.
Wang Yuanlu, the monk who discovered the Diamond Sutra in the Cave of Heavenly Buddha.
Essentially, the book conveys the idea that wisdom, like a diamond, enables the practitioner to recognize the true nature of reality and liberate oneself from suffering.
The significance of the Diamond Sutra transcends geographical and cultural boundaries. In 2013, the British Library successfully launched a decades-long initiative focused on preserving the oldest known printed book in the world.
Executed by the Dunhuang International Project at the British Library, a short film was produced to recount the journey of this ancient scroll, including its historical significance, scientific aspects, and the meticulous conservation efforts undertaken.
The full translated title of this document is “The Diamond That Cuts Through Illusion.” Susan Whitfield, Director of the Dunhuang Project, explains that this Sutra helps to cut through our perception of the world and the illusion of it.
“We think we exist as individuals, but in reality, we are not in a completely dualistic state: there are no individuals, no sentient beings,” Whitfield writes.
