Asthasahasrika Prajnaparamita

ca. 1112

Folio from an Asthasahasrika Prajnaparamita manuscript, in gouache and ink on palm leaf. Text commencing: Namo Bhagavatyai Aryaprajnaparamitayai - then Rahulabhadra's Hymn (Conze Buddhist Texts No 142) until: ca vadinam (verse 11) tvam eva trasa-jana-. The verso is blank. Left: The Bodhisattva Samantabhadra attended by Tara or perhaps Avalokitesvara (yellow), seated on a pink lotus seat with hands in anjali mudra and the dwarf, Acharya Vajrapani (blue) with third eye and wearing a tiger skin. Samatabhadra is coloured green (representing compassion) and holds a blue lotus in his left hand. He sits on a white lotus seat in maharajalilasana. Centre: Amitabha, the celestial Buddha of Infinite Light, seated on a pink lotus throne in dhyana, his characteristic mudra. He is attended by the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (yellow complexion) on his left and Manjusri (white) on his right. The Buddha is coloured red and wears a yellow robe. Right: The Bodhisattva Maitreya (the future Buddha) seated on a blue Naga (half elephant, half snake monster) in lalitasana with hands in dharmachakramudra as a teacher. His audience consists of Avalokitesvara (yellow) with hands in anjalimudra on his left and Hayagriva (red) wearing a tiger skin on his right, both on white lotus seats, Maitreya is coloured yellow.