At Heinsa Temple there are four buildings full of carved wooden blocks called the 'Tripitaka Korean' which is the three main books of the Buddhist canon... Quote: "The Sanskrit "Tripitaka"(Pali:Tipitaka) means "three collections" or "three baskets," referring to the Buddhist canon in its entirety up to the time of compilation. It consists of regulations of monastic life(Vinaya-pitaka), discourses with the Buddha(Sutta-pitaka) and commentaries on the sutras by renowned monks and scholars(Abhidhamma-pitaka)." Quote: "Tripitaka Koreana - The blocks on display today were carved between 1237 and 1248... Monks used wood from silver magnolias, white birches, and cherry trees from Korea's southern coast. They soaked the raw wood in water for 3 years, then cut the individual blocks. Each section was then boiled in salt water to prevent decay and insect damage. Then they were thoroughly dried before being planed and carved." See next photo...
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