Manuscript cover with title page of the Prajñaparamita Sutra
See it in the Museum
India and Nepal
Orientation 3
Furniture 4
ABM 040
Code: ABM 040
Country: Tibet
Style:
Date: 1400 - 1500
Dimensions in cm WxHxD: 69.3 x 25.5 x 2.5
Materials: Painted and sculpted wood
Book cover with the title page of the Ashtasahasrika Prajñaparamita Sutra – The Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 lines
This large, richly decorated book cover testifies to the care taken in copying the sacred books, a source of merit for the patron. The letters are written in gold on a dark background. It is the cover and title page of the Prajñaparamita, “the perfection of wisdom,” in its 8000 stanza version. The sides and bottom registers are decorated with images of goddess Prajñaparamita, historical Buddha Shakyamuni and mantras in Sanskrit.
This sutra, dealing with emptiness and the way of the bodhisattva, is one of the most emblematic texts of Mahayana Buddhism. As is customary, the first pages include miniatures representing the Buddha, bodhisattvas and especially the personified Prajñaparamita. With its imposing size and rich decoration, this book cover celebrates both the skill of the artist and the importance of the teaching.
Traditional Tibetan books are composed of elongated sheets of paper, usually unbound and kept together between two boards; a format inspired by Indian palm leaf manuscripts. Some early copies are bound by a string passed through two holes in each leaf. From the fifteenth century onward, the development of xylographic printing allowed for printed volumes.
This large, richly decorated book cover testifies to the care taken in copying the sacred books, a source of merit for the patron. The letters are written in gold on a dark background. It is the cover and title page of the Prajñaparamita, “the perfection of wisdom,” in its 8000 stanza version. The sides and bottom registers are decorated with images of goddess Prajñaparamita, historical Buddha Shakyamuni and mantras in Sanskrit.
This sutra, dealing with emptiness and the way of the bodhisattva, is one of the most emblematic texts of Mahayana Buddhism. As is customary, the first pages include miniatures representing the Buddha, bodhisattvas and especially the personified Prajñaparamita. With its imposing size and rich decoration, this book cover celebrates both the skill of the artist and the importance of the teaching.
Traditional Tibetan books are composed of elongated sheets of paper, usually unbound and kept together between two boards; a format inspired by Indian palm leaf manuscripts. Some early copies are bound by a string passed through two holes in each leaf. From the fifteenth century onward, the development of xylographic printing allowed for printed volumes.