Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines and Its Verse Summary: No. 132 (Bibliotheca Indo-Buddhica S.)

Book Title: The Perfection of Wisdom: The First Two Works from South India
Author: Edward Conze
Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications
Language: English
Edition: 1994
ISBN: 9788170304050
Pages: 351
Cover: Hardcover
Dimensions: 22.5 cm x 14.5 cm
Weight: 520 gm

About the Book

From the Jacket
After the Torah, the Koran, and the Gospels, the Indian literature on the Perfection of Wisdom has had one of the greatest impacts on the religious consciousness of humanity. Spanning over seven centuries, this body of work remains an essential component of spiritual and philosophical thought. In this volume, the first two works composed in South India between 100 B.C. and A.D. 100 are presented. These ancient texts are indispensable for those seeking to understand the Eastern mentality and still offer potent spiritual insights, making them a valuable resource for personal growth and contemplation.

Preface
This book presents the same text in two different versions: one in verse and the other in prose. Such variations are common for early Mahayana Sutras, with verse forms often preceding prose versions. The verses, composed in "Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit," reflect a dialect that has been preserved in translations, while the prose form is more aligned with the correct Sanskrit. This dual presentation offers readers both the direct, poetic form and the more structured prose, providing a fuller understanding of these ancient texts.

The Ratnaguna
The Ratnaguna Sutra, presented in verse form, contains 302 verses on the Perfection of Wisdom. These verses are key to understanding early Mahayana Buddhism and its focus on the "Mother of the Buddhas." While this text was revised and reorganized in the 8th century under the Buddhist Pala dynasty, its core remains largely unchanged. The verses present a clear, human, and vital statement of early Buddhist thought, and the text remains influential, especially in Tibet.

The Ashta
The Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra, often referred to as the Ashta, contains 8,411 slokas and is one of the most revered Mahayana texts. This Sutra, translated and modified many times over centuries, is presented here in its well-established Sanskrit form, and it is carefully aligned with Tibetan translations. It offers deep philosophical insights into the nature of wisdom, enlightenment, and the Bodhisattva path, as well as the relationship between Buddhist and Brahminical deities.

Speakers in the Sutra
The Sutra features dialogues between the Buddha and his foremost disciples, including Subhuti, Sariputra, and Ananda, each contributing unique perspectives on wisdom and the nature of the Buddha's teachings. These dialogues represent a profound exchange on key concepts such as the nature of emptiness and the Bodhisattva path, further expanding on earlier Buddhist teachings.