Artwork
Text, Folio 40 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 40 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1119 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The object is a narrow wooden strip, likely a folio from a manuscript of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra, a Buddhist text known as the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines. The surface is light‑brown wood, smooth to the touch, and bears black ink calligraphy arranged in three distinct sections, each with its own layout and decorative framing.
Subject & Meaning
The inscription contains passages from the Prajnaparamita sutra, a key Mahayana scripture that expounds the concept of emptiness and the perfection of wisdom. The division into three parts may reflect a structural division within the sutra, emphasizing different doctrinal themes or liturgical functions.
Technique & Style
The text is rendered in black ink applied with a fine brush, producing crisp, uniform strokes that contrast sharply with the pale wood. Small drilled holes punctuate the strip, possibly serving as binding points or as markers for a ritual function. The layout combines linear script with ornamental borders that frame each section, a typical feature of East Asian religious manuscripts.
History & Provenance
The folio originates from a larger codex of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra, a work copied and circulated in Buddhist monastic centers. While the precise date and place of production are not specified, such wooden manuscript leaves were common in East Asian Buddhist contexts from the early medieval period onward.
Context
Manuscripts of the Prajnaparamita were used for study, recitation, and ritual transmission of Buddhist teachings. The use of wood as a writing support reflects practical considerations in regions where paper was scarce or where durability for repeated handling was required.
Artist & collection
Text, Folio 8 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 6 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 38 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)