Wood, Paper, Leather
Collection of the NewarkMuseum
Purchased 1988, Thomas Raymond
Bequest Fund and
Mrs. Suydam Cutting BequestFund (88.288)
Books are an extremely important part of theTibetan Buddhist tradition. They are the primary means of preservingthe words of the Buddha, and have become the basis of religious practice. The sacred texts came from India with early monks and teachers as earlyas the eighth century, and were translated from Sanskrit in order to preservethe teachings within the Tibetan tradition. Books are additionallyimportant to the practice of Buddhism in Tibet because though many Tibetansare technically unlettered, most of them do learn to read prayer booksand other religious texts. Even Buddhists of other nationalities,such as Mongolians, Russians, and other Himalayan people learn to followsacred texts in Tibetan without knowing to speak the Tibetan language (Liptonand Ragnubs, 120).In the fourth century, a concerted effort wasmade to compile Buddhist scriptural texts in India. At that time,sacred teachings were written on palm leaves and collected into books inorder to preserve them and pass them on. This custom was introduced inTibet in the 7th century, and although Tibetans developed their own paper-makingtechniques, which replaced the use of palm leaves for pages, the long,narrow, rectangular shape of the leaves was still reflected in the shapeof all Tibetan sacred books (Precious Deposits, vol.1, 108).
The Book
The unbound pages of thisvolume of the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita are held together bytwo rectangular wooden covers. Each cover is about half an inch thickand is ornamented with identical incised patterns. In the centerof both rectangular panels is a circle. Within this circle, a stylizedwater pot is depicted, surrounded by what appear to be four petals of alotus, the symbol of purity. From inside the pot grows a mass ofvines, which surrounds the circle in an asymmetric design. The ornatelyintertwining vines fill the entire surface of the cover and are surroundedby a border, which acts almost like a fence to tame the growth of theseauspicious plants. In contrast with the cover’s elaborate center,the border is entirely geometric. It is made up of a series of T-shapeddesigns, which repeat to create a maze-like pattern around the perimeterof the cover. This pattern extends over the edge of the wooden blockto decorate the sides of the book as well. The wood itself is ofa rich reddish-brown color, but shows discoloration in many parts, presumablydue to age. While the border maintains its rich, varnished appearance,the more intricately designed center appears significantly duller, a differencethat can perhaps be attributed to handling.
The stack of pages containedby the two wooden book covers has a thickness of about an inch-and-a-half. Volumes of this kind typically consist of 320-380 pages of darkened paper,written on in gold and silver calligraphy (Reynolds, 121). A leatherstrap, wrapped several times around the center of the book, holds it together. It has a metal buckle, with the sculpted image of a dorje, representingcompassion, or the male element as defined in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
Although we do not knowwhen this particular book was made, the decoration of the its cover leadsus to believe that it dates to around the fourteenth century, when booksof this kind first began to be assembled in Tibet. From the fourteenthto the eighteenth centuries in Tibet, there was a significant change inthe styles of decoration of book covers. The cover designs were simpleand restrained at first, with more of an evident relationship in its treatmentto the style of Nepalese manuscripts. Over time, however, the decorationof Tibetan book covers became much more intricate. Out of the appropriationof elements of many foreign styles emerged a unique and assured Tibetanstyle (Lowry, 77). The relative simplicity of the cover on the VajracchedikaPrajnaparamitavolume suggests that it comes from an early period inthis book-making tradition. Its small size, in addition to its simplicity,also suggests that this sutra was a private possession, belonging morelikely to a family than to a temple or monastery.
The Making
The process of making books of this kind is quiteinvolved. To prepare the book’s cover, the wood must be cooked inliquid butter and then dried in the sun. This process must be repeatedseveral times in order to prevent the wood from warping (Lipton and Ragnubs,160). The technique still used for making paper in Tibet wasintroduced to the country in the third century B.C. The paper ismade of Re-Icaq, a root fiber from a grass found in Tibet. The fibers themselves are long and very tough, making them substantiallyresistant to the damaging effects of climate and age (Precious Depositsvol.4, 266). Once the paper has been made and the text hasbeen written upon it, the pages are wrapped in colored cloth and placedbetween the two wooden covers. A piece of brocade, bearing the nameof the book, is then hung from one end of it (Lipton and Ragnubs, 160). This book is missing the cloth accoutrements, due either to deterioration,or perhaps to the use of the book in a setting where such formal treatmentwas not required. Regardless of the intricacy of the book’s preparationand appearance, however, it is the text within it that is truly important.
The Text
The Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita is onevolume of the prajnaparamita sutras, which are the primary scripturesfor MahayanaBuddhism. Prajnaparamita is a deity who is consideredthe female personification of “Perfection of Wisdom”. She is oftenreferred to as the “mother of all buddhas and boddhisattvas”because it is believed that following the teachings named for her leadsto becoming a boddhisattva, (a being of wisdom), and to attainingbuddhahood. Her collection of sutras is a philosophical work explaininghow to behave towards others as a means of achieving these aspirations.The prajnaparamita sutras include discussions of the ten paramitas(perfections). These ten virtues include charity, morality, discipline,patience, willpower, meditation, wisdom, vows, strength and knowledge (Liptonand Ragnubs, 159).
The teachings of the prajnaparamita sutrasare contained in 40 volumes. The title of the volume displayed onthe altar of the Ackland Museum exhibit, the Vajracchedika Prajnaparmita,is literally translated as the “Diamond-Cutter Perfection of Wisdom” sutra. The teachings of this book are meant to cut through the illusions of thematerial world and lead the reader to the awareness of a Supreme Enlightenedmind. This awareness is based on the acceptance of emptiness, whichis the main subject matter for all of the prajnaparamita sutras.The text is set up as a lesson, given by the BuddhaSakyamuni to an elder named Subhuti. The Buddha’slesson is meant to explain how the Supreme Enlightened mind, having attained buddhahood, should abide. In part of the scripture, it is writtenthat if one man should give as much in charity as there are grains of sandin the Ganges, and another man should learn even a four-line stanza ofthis particular text, the merit of the latter man shall far surpass themerit of the first. Thus, it is clear that in the MahayanaVehicle,the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita sutra is an absolutely essentialvolume of the Buddhist canon.
Clickhere to view an English translation of the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita.
--Carolyn Shook
Bibliography
Lipton, Barbara, and Ragnubs, Nima Dorjee, Treasuresof Tibetan Art, collections of the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art.New York, Oxford Unversity Press, 1996.
Lowry, John, Tibetan Art. London: CrownCopyright, 1973.
Precious Deposits: Historical Relics of Tibet,China, Vol. One. China, Morning Glory Publishers, 2000.
Precious Deposits: Historical Relics of Tibet,China, Vol. Four. China: Morning Glory Publishers, 2000.
Reynolds, Valrae, From the Sacred Realm: Treasuresof Tibetan Art from the Newark Museum. New York: Prestel Verlag,1999.
