Prajnaparamita

Prajnaparamita is the mother of all Buddhas. After the 1st turn of the Dharma wheel, the Buddha traveled to Raghir, to the mountain called Vulture Peak where he gave teachings that are known as the Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajna: wisdom and Paramita: perfection).

I quote excerpts from this Sutra.

“…The Bodhisattva Mahasattva Arya Avalokiteshvara then replied to the Venerable Son of Sharadvati, “Shariputra, every son or daughter of the lineage who wishes to engage in the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom should apply himself in it in the following way: by correctly and repeatedly observing even the five aggregates as empty of an inherent nature.

Form is empty, emptiness is form, form is nothing but emptiness and emptiness is nothing but form. Similarly, sensations, discriminations, composition factors and consciousnesses are empty…”

“…The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is proclaimed:

TAYATA GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA”

Prajnaparamita is depicted by the golden-colored body with a face and 4 arms representing bramavihara, the four immeasurables: loving kindness, empathy in joy, compassion and equanimity. In one hand he holds a vajra; in his left hand he holds the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra.

The vajra represents the masculine aspect and compassionate method, the Sutra the feminine aspect and wisdom. The other two hands rest in dhyani mudra, in the gesture of meditation. The Heart Sutra is the essence of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra.

Thangka

Original size: approximately 50 cm x 72 cm

Technique: pigments and 23.5 kt gold on cotton

Completed: april 2024