[Report] Gounsa Temple Rises as a 'Cultural Heritage Capital' with Donation of Rare Buddhist Scriptures

From 15th-Century Early Printed Editions to Korean Translations of Buddhist Scriptures
A Groundbreaking Milestone for Temple Culture, Buddhist Studies, and the Study of Korean Linguistic History

Gounsa Temple, a thousand-year-old temple founded by the Unified Silla monk Uisang, is emerging as a central hub for Korean Buddhist culture and classical literature research following a large-scale donation of rare Buddhist scriptures.

Around 2 p.m. on the 18th, Donun Monk of Gounsa Temple and donor Mr. K are seen displaying rare Buddhist scriptures together at the tea room of Donun Monk at Gounsa Temple. Photo by Byungkeun Kwon

The scriptures recently donated to Gounsa Temple are rare editions published from the early Joseon period to the Japanese colonial era, and are highly regarded for their exceptional academic and cultural value.

This donation marks the first time since the founding of Gounsa Temple that Buddhist classics have been donated to the temple. The donated scriptures include a total of five works: ▲ the 1642 woodblock edition of the Surangama Sutra published at Bohyeonsa Temple, ▲ the 1926 Korean translation of the Surangama Sutra by Monk Baek Yongseong, ▲ volume 5 of the 1547 edition of the Lotus Sutra published at Jeongsusa Temple on Ganghwado Island, ▲ the 1457 metal movable type edition of the Diamond Sutra with Five Commentaries published under King Sejo, and ▲ the 1574 edition of the Sutra of the Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva published at Ssangbongsa Temple in Neungseong.

◆ The 1642 Woodblock Surangama Sutra: A Core 17th-Century Buddhist Classic Containing Royal Prayers

The Surangama Sutra edition published at Bohyeonsa Temple in 1642 features an illustration at the beginning that includes the names of Sumun Chan and Hwasa Chiil, and the margins of the book list the names of donors and manuscript annotations.

Notably, this edition is based on the original text published by order of King Taejo, and contains the royal prayer inscribed within: "May His Majesty the King live ten thousand years, may Her Majesty the Queen live a thousand years, may His Highness the Crown Prince live a thousand autumns."

The Surangama Sutra, along with the Diamond Sutra, the Perfect Enlightenment Sutra, and the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, is one of the Four Doctrinal Classics (Sagyo-gwa) and has long served as a core text in Buddhist monastic education in Korea.

◆ The Korean Surangama Sutra: A Buddhist Scripture Preserving National Culture Translated by Monk Baek Yongseong

The Korean Surangama Sutra, translated in 1926 by Monk Baek Yongseong, one of the 33 national representatives of the March 1st Movement, is a symbolic scripture that achieved both the Buddhist spirit of the March 1st Movement and the preservation of national cultural heritage.

The donated edition is identical to Registered Cultural Property No. 632 and is recognized as a pioneering work in Korean-language Buddhist scriptures, highly valued in the fields of Korean linguistics and literature.

◆ The 1547 Lotus Sutra, Volume 5: A Gukyeol Edition That Has Withstood 476 Years

Volume 5 of the Lotus Sutra, published at Jeongsusa Temple on Ganghwado Island in 1547, is the only surviving final volume out of a seven-volume set. The end of the book lists the names of donors, and the presence of detailed gukyeol (Korean annotation marks) makes it a valuable resource for the study of Korean linguistic history. This edition is identical to Gyeonggi-do Cultural Material No. 186.

◆ The Diamond Sutra with Five Commentaries: A Masterpiece of Metal Movable Type Published Under King Sejo's Decree

In 1457, King Sejo ordered the nationwide distribution of the Diamond Sutra with Five Commentaries, a metal movable type edition based on the commentary written by Gihwa in 1417. This work is a representative example of early Joseon movable type culture and is recognized by academia as valuable evidence of the institutionalized publication of Buddhist scriptures during a pivotal period in Korean printing history. Later, a woodblock edition of the Diamond Sutra was published in the late Joseon period.

◆ The Sutra of the Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva: A Rare 16th-Century Hanmun Gukyeol Edition

The 1574 edition of the Sutra of the Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, published at Ssangbongsa Temple in Neungseong, Jeollado, is a Hanmun (classical Chinese) text annotated with gukyeol, belonging to the Korean translation lineage. The colophon at the end of the volume reads, "In the second year of Wanli, the year of Gap-sul, tenth month, at Ssangbongsa Temple, Neungseong, Jeollado." Currently, aside from the copy held at Neunggasa Temple in Goheung, this is the only known surviving edition, making it a crucial resource for understanding the translation process and linguistic development of 16th-century Buddhist texts. One volume of the Sutra of the Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is presumed to be a mid-Joseon manuscript.

◆ Donun, Abbot of Gounsa Temple: "Reflecting on the Temple's Responsibility and the Public Nature of Cultural Heritage"

Donun, abbot of Gounsa Temple, stated, "This donation serves as a reminder that Gounsa Temple is not merely a place of spiritual practice, but also bears the academic responsibility of inheriting and disseminating Buddhist cultural heritage." He added, "I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the donor, and I will strive to ensure that these precious materials serve as a bridge between scholarship and the public."

The donor, Mr. K, said, "Although these scriptures have been cherished as family heirlooms for generations, I believe their noble teachings should resonate with the public rather than remain in private hands. I am convinced that Gounsa Temple, with its thousand-year history, will provide a proper home for these scriptures, allowing them to live and breathe once again. I am confident that their value will be fully conveyed to future generations, which is why I decided to make this donation."

With a thousand years of history since its founding by Uisang, Gounsa Temple has, through this donation, laid the foundation not only for the collection and preservation of Buddhist scriptures, but also for the academic and public use of the temple's cultural assets. The donation of old books is becoming a model for realizing the public value of cultural heritage, going beyond mere entrustment.

Even as time passes and values fade, there are those who quietly preserve tradition, and others who revive its meaning in the world. Now, as the noble decision of an individual breathes new life into the thousand-year-old Gounsa Temple, we are reminded of the true significance of cultural heritage and our responsibility toward it.

The silent resonance of a single Buddhist scripture reaches us today as an even greater teaching.

Abbot Deun of Gounsa Temple is displaying a rare Buddhist scripture donated to him. Photo by Byunggun Kwon