직지심체요절 (Anthology of Great Buddhist Priests' Zen Teachings — World's Oldest Movable Metal Type, 1377)

Jikji Text (Left Page)

Korean 109

◯ This is truly using one's intention, a brave man must remember: do not listen to the teachings of others, nor does one need to consult the ancient sages to serve as a guide.
◯ Although the old pavilion has idle fields, once you have attained it, you do not need to know about zazen seated meditation. The unwavering honored one, like the wind moving over the grass, discusses it all.
Now, the four seas are clear as a mirror; every object and every thing is all my own hearing. Long, short, square, and round are known only to oneself. From the beginning, not a single strand of silk hair has ever moved. If you ask what the matter of zazen seated meditation accomplishes: the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
Zen Master Dazhu was asked by a monk: "All sentient beings have the Buddha-nature, how does one use it?" The Master said:
◯ "Using it as a Buddha is the Buddha-nature; using it as a thief is the thief-nature; using it as a sentient being is the sentient-being nature." The nature has no shape or form; it follows its use to establish a name. Therefore, the sutra says: "All sages and worthies attain their differences only through the asamskrta-dharma unconditioned reality." Again, a monk asked: "There is no dharma truth/teaching to preach, yet this is called preaching the dharma truth/teaching. How does the Zen Master explain this?"

Don 9832

A red circular archival stamp of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France: 'NATIONAL LIBRARY / ORIENTAL MANUSCRIPTS'.

Labels (Right Page)

H. VEVER
4 francs

The provenance label of Victor Collin de Plancy, a French diplomat and collector, is displayed. The central cartouche contains the Chinese character '葛' (Ge), surrounded by the Latin inscription 'EX LIBRIS COLLIN DE PLANCY' (From the library of Collin de Plancy). Handwritten notes in French identify the volume's historical significance.

The oldest printed book
known in Korean — Dated 1377

EX LIBRIS COLLIN DE PLANCY

B. c. no 3738

A printed collection label of Henri Vever (1854–1942), a famous French jeweler and art collector, is visible.

COLLECTION H. VEVER

PARIS 1911-1943