A Comparative Study of the Bieyi Za ahan jing in the Koryŏ Canon and the Chosŏng Canon

Abstract

The first edition of the Koryŏ 高麗 canon was later succeeded by the second edition, after the first version of the wood-blocks were lost in a fire at the time of the Mongol invasion. The Chosŏng 趙城 edition was used as the basis for the later Hongfa 弘法 edition of the Yuan dynasty. Sugi 守其, the editor-in-chief of the second Koryŏ edition, left his collation notes to the new carving of the canon. In order to elucidate the range of amendments that reflect preceding revisions of the Kaibao 開宝 canon in terms of its contents and entries, and also the issue of the affinity of Buddhist scriptures, I chose the Bieyi Za ahan jing 別訳雑阿含経as an object of this comparative study. The Bieyi Za ahan jing of the Northern Song canon lineage consists of 16 fascicles, and that of the Southern canon lineage, 20 fascicles. Differences were compared and similarities were analyzed among the lineage of the Kaibao–Koryŏ–Chosŏng, Qidan 契丹, and Southern canons such as the Qisha 磧砂 and others.