Artwork

Text, Folio 28 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)

Text, Folio 28 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Unknown. It dates from 14 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The object is a long wooden strip divided into three raised rectangular panels.

About this work

Overview

The object is a long wooden strip divided into three raised rectangular panels. Each panel is covered with uniformly spaced, indented dots arranged in orderly rows that continue across the three sections. These tactile markings constitute a form of Braille‑like script designed for blind readers, allowing the text of a Buddhist sutra to be sensed by touch rather than seen.

Subject & Meaning

The tactile panels encode portions of the *Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines* (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita‑sutra), a central Mahayana Buddhist scripture that expounds the concept of emptiness. By rendering the sutra in a format accessible to the visually impaired, the object reflects a historic commitment to inclusive religious practice and the transmission of spiritual teachings through multiple sensory modalities.

Technique & Style

Crafted from a single piece of wood, the strip’s surface was manually punctured to create raised dots of consistent size and spacing. The regularity of the dot matrix suggests a systematic approach, likely guided by a template or counting device, to ensure legibility for tactile reading. The minimalist visual design emphasizes function over ornamentation.

History & Provenance

The tactile manuscript originates from a period when Buddhist communities produced specialized texts for blind practitioners, though the precise date and place of manufacture remain uncertain. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition of Asian religious artifacts, where it is catalogued alongside comparable tactile objects.

Context

Blind readers in Buddhist traditions have historically employed tactile scripts to access sacred literature, a practice documented in several Asian monastic centers. This wooden strip exemplifies that tradition, illustrating how material culture adapted to accommodate sensory diversity within devotional contexts.