The Tripitaka Koreana was a “fake.”

Scholar Oh Yun-hee made waves when he claimed in his recently published book that the Tripitaka Koreana was a “fake.”

But the former director of the Tripitaka Koreana Research Institute says he has good reason for making such a controversial remark.

Oh has been researching the Korean version of the Buddhist scriptures for the past 20 years and believes that Korean pride in housing the oldest extant version of the text prevents people from seeing its value.

Known as “Palman Daejanggyeong,” the Tripitaka Koreana was carved onto 81,258 wooden printing blocks during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) and was modeled after the original Chinese version of the text that was created during the Song Dynasty in 983. It is the only complete edition of the Buddhist canon extant on the Asian mainland.

An improved edition of the Tripitaka Koreana was crafted in 1094, but both Korean versions were destroyed during a Mongolian invasion in 1232.

The current version of the text that is housed at Haein Temple in South Gyeongsang is actually the second edition from Korea and the third edition in the world if the edition from China is counted.

Many Koreans, however, incorrectly believe that the text originated in Korea.

In his recently published book, “Tripitaka Koreana: A Vessel Embracing the Wisdom of a Thousand Years,” Oh attempts to correct this perception while also providing new insight into the ancient text.

Read more here.