Illustrated Manuscript of the Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra

INDIA

This illustrated palm leaf manuscript of the Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra is made up of a total of 188 pages. The four pages shown here are illustrated with two events from the Life of the Buddha and two seated Bodhisattvas. In the top image, which portrays the Birth of Prince Siddhartha, Queen Maya, supported by her sister Mahaprajapati, holds on to the asoka tree while the prince emerges from her right side. In the next picture, Teaching the Dharma, the Buddha, with a nimbus and a usnisa, is shown seated in full lotus position. He is dressed in a red monastic robe that covers both shoulders, and his hands form the vitarka (teaching) mudra. Two disciples kneel beside the Buddha, joining their palms in reverence as they listen to the Dharma. The bottom two pages are both painted with images of smiling Bodhisattvas who sit in relaxed poses and form mudras. One Bodhisattva has long hair and yellow skin, while the other has white skin and wears a headdress.