The Old Man and the Diamond Sūtra: A Case Study of the Production of Religious Manuscripts in Dunhuang during the Early Tenth Century

Abstract This paper is a case study of the manuscripts of the Diamond Sūtra completed by an old man who lived in Dunhuang during the early tenth century. It investigates the textual and physical aspects of these manuscripts and reconstructs their production and use in an attempt to offer additional information on local religious life and the reproduction and transmission of the Diamond Sūtra during the medieval period. The first section focuses on a special version of the Diamond Sūtra which survives in the old man’s manuscripts and examines its textual and paratextual characteristics. This version, originating in Xichuan, provides valuable clues regarding the function and use of the Diamond Sūtra during the medieval period. The second section, based on the examination of paleographic and codicological features of the manuscripts, delineates the religious practices and motivations involved in their production and sheds light on medieval Buddhist manuscript culture.