Astasahasrikaprajnaparamita, The Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines Sri Hlam Monastery, Nepal, 1015. (Add.1643). Another important Sanskrit palm leaf manuscript, almost a thousand years old, is also a Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines (Astasahasrikaprajnaparamita) but this one comes from Nepal and is thought to be the earliest dated illustrated manuscript from that country, written there in the year 1015. A selection of illustrations from this manuscript is shown here, on the theme of pilgrimage. It is remarkable that in the year 1015 colour illustrations of images, buildings and places from such a wide geographical range could be seen: Sri Lanka, China, Bihar, Orissa, Gujarat, Bangladesh, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Pakistan, Mumbai, Java. Some sites depicted remain unidentified, some can be visited to this day. Click to enlarge

Perfections – Seven female Paramitas, all seated Indian style, framed by ornate curtains, with tassels hanging between the panels. Prajnaparamita is in the centre. Add.1643: cover. Click to enlarge

Bodhisattvas – Seven bodhisattvas are depicted: a yellow Maitreya, the future Buddha; a green Samantabhadra; a yellow Candraprabha; a red four-armed Avalokitesvara Sadaksari; a red Jaliniprabha; a green Gandhahasti and a yellow Sagaramati. Add.1643: cover. Click to enlarge

Sri Lanka. A yellow Jambhala in Sri Lanka, holds his mongoose vomiting jewels. He sits Indian style on a cushion on a lotus throne, supported by a throne back of some sophistication, his right leg hanging down, his right arm in the gesture of giving but holding a citron, a fruit a little larger than a lemon. He has two female attendants, a yellow Vasudhara and a white Tara. In the background there are mountains and woods. Add.1643 : folio 80 verso, right panel

China. A green Samantabhadra in China, sitting astride his fine white elephant with a red trunk. He is making the gesture of teaching, while holding a golden sceptre. He is in a halo, with trees and mountains in the background. Add.1643 : folio 127 recto, left panel

Bihar. The ornate white Asokan stupa at Radhya (northern Bihar). To the right is its one storey monastery with a green monk wearing a red robe seated on the veranda. On the far left there is a white pillar surmounted by a half bird, half human, king of the birds, a garuda. Both the monk and the bird are making a gesture of honouring. A curtain and garlands hang from the sky. The architectural detail is exquisite. The pillar can be visited to this day, though the distinctive top has not survived. That makes this illustration all the more valuable both in showing what was once there and as an identification aid if a top was ever found. Add.1643 : folio 127 recto, right panel

Orissa. An ornate green and gold stupa in Odradesa (northern Orissa). Its red parasol is unconnected to the stupa and appears to be floating in the air, but presumably it is attached to the cave ceiling. A yellow monk in a red robe, shoulder uncovered, honours the stupa, and to the left are four bodhisattvas — possibly a red Amitabha, a green Samantabhadra, a yellow Maitreya and a blue Vajrapani. Two small stupas are in the background. There is a border of stones at the front and some sort of balustrade on the left, perhaps a cave temple door. Add.1643 : folio 169 recto, left panel

Gujarat. A green Tara, in Tarapura in Latade | a (Gujarat), her right hand in the gesture of giving and her left arm bent holding a blue lotus. Her assistant is a bluish white bodhisattva, presumably a Tara. They are in a temple cut into the rock with a cupola and masonry. There are four other cave temples. One has a yellow monk, standing, in a red robe. The next has a white god (devata). The next has a seated Buddha, the last has a wrathful blue attendant wearing a stylish spotted dhoti, holding a club and a noose, perhaps Ugratara. To the left of the green Tara is a small
blue attendant riding a mule, presumably Kaladevi. Add.1643 : folio 169 recto, right panel

Bangladesh. A white Avalokitesvara on Jaya Mountain in Samatata (eastern Bangladesh), seated Indian style, his right leg hanging down, his right hand in the gesture of giving and his left hand holding a pink lotus. He has two attendants, a green Tara and a red Marici making the gesture of remembering the Buddha, below two trees. Add.1643 : folio 193 recto, left panel

Tamilnadu. A yellow Vasudhârâ in Kancinagara (modern Kancheepuram in northern Tamilnadu), with six arms, seated Indian style, her right leg hanging down. One hand is in the gesture of giving, the next holds a jewel, the next is in the gesture of remembering the Buddha, the next holds a book, the next a stalk, the next is holding a pink lotus. On either side green female attendants are each holding a full golden dish. All are in a temple, above which on each side is a small portico. Kancinagara was the capital for the south Indian Pallava dynasty (third century to tenth century) and was a renowned centre of learning and religious authority. Both Buddhism and Jainism, as well as Hinduism, flourished in the city. Political figures and scholars were frequent visitors. Bodhidharma, who is said to have introduced Dhyana Buddhism (Chan or Zen) into China in the sixth century lived there. The fifth century logician Dinnaga, is associated with the city as are many other well known figures. Add.1643 : folio 200 verso, left panel

Pakistan. A wrathful red Marici in Uddiyana (the Swat valley, northern Pakistan), with three faces, white, red and blue, each with three eyes. She is swinging her eleven arms in a halo of flames. She holds a club, an elephant goad, a thunderbolt, an arrow, a sword, a red Asoka flower (Saraca indica), a bow, a thread, Brahma’s severed head, and a noose. She is making a threatening gesture (tarjani mudra) and is known for paralysing, bewildering and killing wicked beings. Indistinctly on the left there may be a twelfth hand, possibly between the thunderbolt and the arrow? MS Add.1643: folio 200 verso, right panel

Bihar. A white stupa in Tirabhukti (modern Tirhut, northern Bihär), its cupola sitting on ten terraces with a golden top, banners flowing. Two green monks in yellow clothing honour the image. Add.1643 : folio 214 verso, left panel

Mumbai. The ornate white Rhinoceros Horn stupa on the Black Mountain in Konkan (a rhinoceros horn is the symbol of a solitary pratyekabuddha, so called because he is a solitary being like a rhinoceros). The stupa is bordered by cave temple walls and monks’ cells are carved among the rocks. Three monks make gestures of honouring and a fourth holds a book. Presumably we are looking at the famous Kanheri Caves, not far north of Mumbai (Bombay), where the majority of the caves consist of small single room cells and the remains of several stupas can be seen. Add.1643 : folio 214 verso, right panel

Astasahasrikaprajnaparamita, The Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines Bihär, India, 997. (Add. 1464). Amongst the many Buddhist works in the collection at Cambridge University Library is a very important Sanskrit palm leaf manuscript, about a thousand years old, which has one of the most famous titles in the world literature — The Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines (Astasahasrikaprajnaparamita). It is thought to be the oldest dated illustrated Indian manuscript in the world, written in the year 997 and was produced during the reign of Mahipala I, the Pala king who, between 992-1042, ruled over what are now parts of northern India and Nepal. For the first time all the illustrations from this manuscript are exhibited. Click to enlarge

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Death of the Buddha at Kusinagara (near Gorakhpur, eastern Uttar Pradesh), his entry into final nirvana (parinirvana) beneath two sala trees (Shorea robusta). He is lying on his right side, his face facing this way, his right arm folded under his head, his left arm along the side of his body. Leaning over him is a yellow monk in a red robe, and seated leaning in front of him on one arm is another yellow monk in a red robe. There is a stupa in the background in the upper right, though it is not very clear. The legs of the couch are also hard to make out. Add.1464 : folio 226 verso, centre panel

Green Tara. A green Tara, her right hand in the gesture of giving and her left hand on her hip, probably holding a blue lotus. She has two attendants, a yellow Marici, and presumably a blue Ekajata. Add.1464 : folio 226 verso, right panel

Avalokitesvara on a lion throne. A white Simhanada Avalokitesvara, bare of all jewellery, seated on a lion. A red sacred cloth, rather like a sacred thread, holds his right leg in position. A lotus is on the right. Add.1464 : folio 227 recto, centre panel

Mara’s daughters tempt the Buddha. The historical Buddha calls the earth to witness with his right hand, at Bodhgaya (Bihar). Mara, in the form of the god of desire Kama, shoots an arrow at the Buddha. The sensually beautiful daughters of Mara are attempting to distract his attention. When the Buddha was a bodhisattva on the verge of enlightenment, the evil Mara and his army began this final attack upon him. The Buddha stroked his head, then touched the seat on which he sat, and then the earth. The earth acted as his witness with a great earthquake, terrifying Mara’s followers, who ran away. An earthquake is a powerful symbol emphasising the impermanence of the world. Add.1464 : folio 2 recto, centre panel

Heaven of the Thirty-Three Gods. The historical Buddha at Samkasya (western Uttar Pradesh), after descending from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three Gods where he had been teaching his deceased mother for three months. His right hand is making the gesture of giving and his left hand is making the gesture of explanation. A white Brahma, representing gods from the realm of form (rupadhatu), is on the left, his hair an ascetic’s crown of matted locks, a yellow Indra, representing gods from the realm of desire, is on the right wearing a three-crested crown. Both are honouring the Buddha. In 400, when Fa Xian visited India, this site was a significant centre of pilgrimage. He reports Asoka to have erected a Buddha image at the site. Could that image be the model for this depiction? Add.1464 : folio 128 recto, right panel

Yellow Tara. A yellow Tara, her right hand in the gesture of giving and her left hand on her hip, probably holding a lotus. A green Tärä is on the right and seems to be holding a pink lotus, offering it. Nothing is clear due to the condition of the illustration. Add.1464 : folio 227 recto, left panel

Manjughosa on a lion throne. A yellow Manjughosa, his hands making the gesture of teaching, seated Indian style on a blue lion, his left leg hanging down. Very indistinctly he has a blue lotus entwined around his arm. Even less clearly the lotus is bearing a book, which would be expected to be the Perfection of Wisdom. He has two attendants, bodhisattvas, a golden yellow Sudhanakumara making a gesture of honouring and a blue Yamari (a form of Yamantaka), short, chubby, with bulging eyes and orange hair, wearing a leopard skin dhoti. His posture might suggest he is leaning on a staff. Manjughosa’s mandorla is similar to that of the Buddha in the centre panel of this folio, even in detail like the hatching on the throneback cushion. The first panel of this folio also has a mandorla, though less pronounced in its present condition. Add.1464 : folio 2 recto, right panel

Monkey. The historical Buddha seated under a tree in the mango grove at Vaisali (northern Bihar), holds a begging bowl full of honey, given by a monkey. The five other figures are all one character, the monkey climbing the tree to get the honey, the monkey offering the honey to the Buddha, the monkey dancing with joy until he falls to his death down a well (impaled on a tree stump in some versions), and the monkey flying in the sky, reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three Gods. Add.1464 folio 127 verso, left panel

Avalokitesvara. A white Avalokitesvara, his right hand in the gesture of giving, his left arm bent. He is wearing a loose meditation cord. There is an uncoloured lotus to his left. One of his attendants is a golden yellow Prince Sudhana, making a gesture of honouring, holding a book to his chest, and wearing a five leafed crown. The other seems to be a red Hayagriva, holding his staff. His gaze is towards Avalokitesvara, and he is short and chubby with a hair style associated with Gupta images from around the fifth century. Add.1464 : folio 2 recto, left panel

Birth. Queen Maya, after giving birth to the historical Buddha. She stands under a sala tree (Shorea robusta) in the Lumbini grove near Kapilavastu (Tilaurakot, southern Nepal), supported by her sister. The child was born from her right side and is portrayed to the left, as a miniature Buddha, standing. The seven steps he took at birth are represented on the ground and Indra, wearing a three crested crown, offers a cloth to the Buddha. Add.1464 : folio 127 verso, right panel

A former Buddha, Dïpamkara, in Java with attendant bodhisattvas each holding a blue lotus. A lotus symbolises Buddhist teaching because it is a beautiful flower which blossoms even in filthy water. 1015 CE MS Add. 1643: folio 2 verso

The Hindu figure Krsna plays his flute to entice the cowgirls in an illustration from a seventeenth century kalâpustaka, a lavishly illustrated manuscript from Nepal. MS Add.864: folios 137 and 138

Avalokitesvara. A white Avalokitesvara, his right hand in the gesture of giving, his left arm bent. He is wearing a loose meditation cord. There is an uncoloured lotus to his left. One of his attendants is a golden yellow Prince Sudhana, making a gesture of honouring, holding a book to his chest, and wearing a five-leafed crown. The other seems to be a red Hayagriva, holding his staff. His gaze is towards Avalokitesvara, and he is short and chubby with a hairstyle associated with Gupta images from around the fifth century. Add.1464 : folio 2 recto, left panel

First teaching. The first teaching of the historical Buddha with his disciples at the Deer Park, at Sarnath near Varanasi (eastern Uttar Pradesh). The central figure is the Buddha seated Indian style, making the gesture of teaching. On each side are two disciples in red robes honouring the Buddha, two of the five ascetics who were the first disciples. At the front of the lotus throne there is a wheel of the law and two deer. Add.1464 : folio 127 verso, centre panel

Mad elephant. Calming the mad elephant Nalagiri at Räjagrha (Rajgir, central Bihar). Devadatta, a cousin of the Buddha, had such pride and jealousy of his cousin that he provoked the crazed elephant Nälägiri to kill the Buddha. But without any weapons the simple presence of the Buddha calms the elephant, shown here enraged and then calmed. The fear of the two disciples is vivid as they cling like children to the Buddha. His shoulder is uncovered, he makes a gesture of reassurance and his left hand makes the gesture of explanation. The latter hand is evocatively echoing fire to the right, the essence of spiritual power. Springing from the five fingers of his right hand are five lions, simply drawn, looking somewhat equine, representing the teachings of the Buddha. Add. 1464 : folio 128 recto, left panel.

Avalokitesvara. A six-armed white Avalokitesvara, making the gesture of giving with one right hand, making the gesture of explanation with another right hand, the other hands are not clearly distinguishable, though the final right hand is perhaps in the gesture of knowledge at his chest and the upper left hand seems to be holding something blue, and there is a pink lotus. One of his attendants is a golden yellow Prince Sudhana, not overly clear but presumably making a gesture of honouring, and maybe holding a book to his chest and wearing a five leafed crown. The other seems to be a red Hayagriva, perhaps holding his staff. His gaze is towards Avalokitesvara, and he is short and chubby with a Gupta hair style. He seems to be offering the pink lotus. Add.1464 : folio 226 verso, left panel

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Hyakumanto dharani Japan, 764-770 A dharani is a Buddhist invocation. The Hyakumanto dharani [One million pagoda charms] are among the earliest datable printed documents in the world. There are four surviving texts, which are called Kompon, Sorin, Jishin ‘in and Rokudo, each found in short and long form. Each text was originally rolled up as a tiny scroll and placed in a recess in the middle of a miniature pagoda made of cypress and cherry wood; these were then distributed to Buddhist temples in Japan. It is not known exactly how many were printed, but thousands of these scrolls survive today. Exhibited here are Sorin in short form and Jishin ’in in long form. FG. 870.3-1

Fa-wu Shaku makaen ron son gensho Mount Koya, 1288. This is a commentary on Shaku makaen ron written by a Chinese Buddhist scholar Fa-wu at the request by Emperor Tian-you (De-zong) of Kara-Khitai (Western Liao). Shaku makaen ron is also a commentary on Daijo kishin ron, a Chinese translation of a work in Sanskrit by Asvaghosa. Shaku makaen ron san gensho was introduced into Japan through Korea in 1105, and this particular edition, known as the Koya edition, was printed at Mount Koya in 1288. This is the fourth of five volumes. FG.710.135

Fo shuo da cheng guan xiang man na luo jing zhue qujing. Fuzhou (South China), 1107. This is the oldest printed book in Cambridge University Library and is a Chinese translation from Sanskrit of a work from the Buddhist canon, Buddhabhasita-prasadaka-sutra, a Sutra [word of the Buddha] on purification from evil, translated by Faxian (circa 337-422). The oldest known extant dated printed book, printed in 868, is also a Chinese translation from Sanskrit of a Buddhist work: the Diamond Sutra (now in the British Library). In Buddhist belief, the multiplication of sacred texts such as these in itself constituted an act of merit. This book is printed on mulberry paper, and (as was usual in the Far East) is printed from a number of wooden blocks, on each of which was cut a mirror-image of a section of the text. FH.20.61

Kalapustaka Nepal, [cl600]. A lavishly illustrated seventeenth-century “kalapustaka” from Nepal. Seventy-two folios of brilliantly painted handmade paper glued together in the fashion of a concertina so that the complete manuscript can be unfolded to be viewed in its entire length. The texts illustrated include the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, Vikramaditya’s Vetalapancavimsati, the Asvasastra, a few Vaisnava legends and the Buddhist story of Sudhanakumara and Manohara. Illustrations of a few of the sixty-four siddhas, of horses and of other animals are also included. The folios displayed here concentrate on the dicing game and a few scenes from the eighteen day battle in the Mahäbhärata between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. Each folio is painted on both sides, and therefore the manuscript needs to be reversed to view the second run of illustrations which can be seen reflected in the mirror, (when you visit the exhibition) upside down, but they are recognisably scenes from the Ramayana. (Add.864) The eldest Kaurava, an orange Prince Duryodhana playing dice (with his uncle Sakuni’s expert help) against his Pandava rival a white Prince Yudhisthira, the scoreboard between them. On the left a red Prince Bhima watches, while on the Kaurava side a grey Prince Duhsasana watches. Duryodhana wins handsomely, gaining everything Yudhisthira has, including his brothers and their wife Draupadi. Then Duryodhana and Duhsasana humiliate Draupadi, Duhsasana dragging her by her hair, lewdly trying to undress her in front of everyone, and Bhima vows loudly that there will come a time when he will drink the blood of Duhsasana and smash the thigh of Duryodhana. 20/21 recto

Twenty-two folios further into the story Prince Bhïma on the left has just finished drinking the blood of the dying Daljéâsana, fulfilling part of his vow. To the right the duel between Arjuna and Kama is shown, the wheel of Kama’s chariot is sinking into the ground and he is struggling to push it free, but Arjuna’s arrow has severed his head, and the severed head is rolling in front of Che sinking wheel almost onto the next folio. 42 recto. On the lower right Duryodhana has concealed himself in the water amongst the fish, exhausted he has left the battlefield. On the left the hunters, carrying meat, have told Bhima where to find Duryodhana. 43 recto

Bhima coaxes Duryodhana from the water and they fight with clubs. Duryodhana’s thigh is broken. Bhima kicks Duryodhana’s head with his left foot. So now both of Bhima’s vows have been fulfilled. 44 recto. Much of the battle has ended, and scavenging black ravens asleep in a banyan tree on the battlefield are being killed by an owl. The three uninjured survivors of Duryodhana’s army watch this killing, giving them an idea. 45 recto

Draupadi wants revenge for the slaying of her five children in their sleep, but she is persuaded that the killer’s jewel be taken instead and it is placed in Yudhisthira’s crown. 50 recto. On the left Sakuni. the gambler behind Duryodhana in the game of dice, is killed. Uttara gives birth to Pariksita, the baby on the far right, Arjuna’s grandson who was killed in her womb but is brought back to life. He will succeed Yudhisthira and rule for sixty years. 51 recto

Asiatic Society of Bengal. Asiatick researches: or, transactions of the society, instituted in Bengal, for inquiring into the history and antiquities, the arts, sciences, and literature, of Asia. Calcutta, 1788-1839. Hindu deities were first presented to English language readers in the article, “On the gods and goddesses of Greece, Italy, and India”, based on a paper written in 1784 and given by Sir William Jones to the Asiatick Society in Calcutta on 24 March 1785 and then published in 1789 in Asiatick researches. The illustrations are hand engraved on copper plates and printed on a rolling press. Only the original Calcutta edition had the full sized single plates. “Printed verbatim from the Calcutta edition” presumably refers to the words alone, the plates are very different. Here the illustration depicts Brahma, the god of creation. Originally he had five heads but lost one. T620.b.46.1

Asiatic Society of Bengal. Asiatick researches… London, 1799. Brahma and Visnu. Visnu is the god who preserves the universe. In comparing Brahma in the two editions note the Calcutta edition has a much finer plate, with an ornate border, a clear romanised name label at the top, and a fine devanâgarïlabel at the bottom. The London plates are cramped, less stylish and much smaller. RCS.Per.256.1

Indra & Kubera. Indra is the thunder, rain and war god prominent in the Rgveda, the earliest of the Vedas. Kubera is the god of riches. Huntingdon 27.8

Asiatic Society of Bengal. Asiatick researches… London, 1806. Ganesa & Isvara. Ganesa has the head of an elephant with just one tusk. His rat is by his side. He is the god of success and overcoming obstacles, and is also associated with wisdom, learning, prudence, and power. Isvara is the supreme personal god

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