The Diamond Sutra, the World's Oldest Printed Book

The Buddhist Channel, October 9, 2023

London, United Kingdom -- Nestled within the British Library resides a relic of profound historical significance: a Chinese copy of the Diamond Sutra, a sacred Buddhist text, printed over 1,100 years ago.

This scroll, commissioned by a mysterious figure named Wang Jie in 868 A.D., stands as a testament to the ancient art of printing and its role in disseminating wisdom.

The origins of the Diamond Sutra trace back to the remote outpost of Dunhuang, China, situated along the Silk Road's fringes near the Gobi Desert. In 1900, a monk unearthed this Sanskrit text, translated into Chinese, within the confines of the "Cave of a Thousand Buddhas," a hidden library containing 40,000 scrolls and documents. Fearing the incursions of neighboring kingdoms, the library had been sealed around the year 1,000, concealing its treasures for centuries.

Enter British-Hungarian archaeologist Marc Aurel Stein, who, in 1907, learned of this secret trove during an expedition aimed at mapping the ancient Silk Road. Stein employed subterfuge and bribery to spirit away thousands of documents, including the Diamond Sutra, from the guardianship of the monastic order overseeing the cave.

Today, the International Dunhuang Project is engaged in digitizing these invaluable manuscripts, offering access to scholars and enthusiasts worldwide.

The Diamond Sutra itself is relatively concise, spanning a mere 6,000 words. It belongs to the Mahayana Buddhist canon, the predominant branch of Buddhism in China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Within its pages, the sutra unfolds as a dialogue between the Buddha's disciple, Subhuti and his revered master.

The sutra's title, "The Diamond That Cuts Through Illusion," reveals its profound essence. Susan Whitfield, Director of the Dunhuang Project, explains that the Diamond Sutra serves as a tool to cut through the illusions that cloud our perceptions of the world. It prompts us to recognize the non-duality of existence, challenging our notions of individuality and sentient beings.

But why did Wang Jie commission the printing of this sacred text? In the context of Buddhist belief, duplicating images or words of the Buddha was considered a virtuous act, a means of accumulating merit in Jie's culture. Monks would likely unroll the lengthy scroll and chant the sutra aloud regularly. This early recognition of the benefits of printing technology by Buddhists contributed to the rapid development of printing in China.

While the Diamond Sutra brims with wisdom, one passage, masterfully adapted to English by Bill Porter, also known as "Red Pine," stands out:


As the Diamond Sutra continues to illuminate the minds of scholars and spiritual seekers, it remains an enduring testament to the enduring power of ancient wisdom and the art of printing. In a world driven by digital innovation, this 1,100-year-old scroll remains a symbol of enlightenment and the enduring quest for truth.