Korea Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

Although there has been quite a bit of research on the Tripitaka Koreana, when and how these Buddhist scriptures ended up at Haeinsa Temple has remained a mystery. The reason for this has been the lack of original material giving the details of this move. For example, the Taejo Annals offer only a brief account that, while confirming that the Tripitaka Koreana came from Ganghwa Island, gives little other detail on how they were actually moved to Haeinsa Temple. As a result scholars have not relied at all on the Annals.This was a tumultuous time in Korean history, with the ending of the Goryeo Dynasty and the Sejo Period. Scholars Han Yong-Un and Kim Young-Soo offered a new theory as to how the Tripitaka was transferred based on newly discovered records. Gyunyeo’s annotations in the Seokhwaumgyuobunki –Wontongcho, references Chung-Hyun’s statements made in 1405 that the work on the “Panjeon” or the initial versions of the Tripitaka Koreana had already begun by 1397 and the Tripitaka Koreana had by May, 1398 left Gangwha Island and had arrived at Haeinsa Temple by January 1399.After reviewing Han and Kim’s research material I agree with the conclusions Han and Kim reached. Transportation of the Tripitaka Koreana must have been by both land and over water. They probably left Ganghwa Island by ship and arrived at the Han River and then by land on to Chungju passing Mungyeong and heading south. At Nakdong they again were transferred to a ship, arriving at Gaepo-ri at Goryeong and then switching to land again and finally arriving at Haeinsa Temple.One other important clue is offered by Chung-Hyun as to where the Tripitaka Koreana was initially engraved and stored. About the Tripitaka, Chung-Hyun writes: they “come out from land”, which likely refers to the Tripitaka Koreana’s leaving an island and arriving on land.The issue of the location of the Tripitaka Koreana’s engraving has been a source of heated debate with various localities and temples such as Dansoksa Temple, Haeinsa Temple, and Dongchunsa Temple, claiming that they also participated in the production of the Tripitaka Koreana. Some have even argued the works were not produced at all in the Ganghwa Island and that all the engravings were done at Haeinsa Temple and surrounding localities. However, because Chung-Hyun’s writings are only 7 years after the Tripitaka Koreana arrived at Haeinsa Temple their value as a credible source of how the Tripitaka Koreana came to be at Haeinsa Temple remains very high. Clearly, the evidence points to the conclusion that the Tripitaka Koreana came from an island and arrived on land and therefore lends credence to the theory that they were first produced at Ganghwa Island and then transported over water and by land, and finally ending up at Haeinsa Temple.