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Secondary sourceBook1447

Seokbosangjeol

Prince Suyang · 1447

A 1447 Korean-language biography of the Buddha commissioned by the royal court, one of the earliest printed texts in Hangul.

This Korean biography retells the life and teachings of the Buddha for a new audience using a new alphabet.

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An open traditional bound book displayed under glass, printed on pale paper with vertical columns of Korean hangul and Chinese characters. Its page edges are dark and worn, and a bright reflection of a light sits on the glass.
Seokbosangjeol, compiled by Prince Suyang, 1447. National Library of Korea.

About this source

What it is

The Seokbosangjeol is a Korean-language life of the Buddha, together with a selection of his sermons, compiled by Prince Suyang (later King Sejo) in 1447. It was translated from Chinese Buddhist sources, including the Lotus Sutra. An original edition survives at the National Library of Korea in Seoul.

Why it matters

This book is the earliest known translation of Buddhist sutras from Chinese into Korean, and one of the first printed works using Korea's native Hangul script, created not long after Hangul itself. Prince Suyang made it after his mother's death, hoping it would help her in the next life, and it was also shared widely to spread Buddhist teaching. It shows how stories of the Buddha travelled across centuries and languages to reach new audiences, and how they were used to support both faith and a new writing system.

Look closer

  • Why might a royal family commission a biography of the Buddha for personal, religious reasons?
  • What does the mixture of Hangul and Chinese characters tell you about who could read books at this time?
  • Why would using a new, simpler script help Buddhist ideas reach more people?

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