The Nyi Khri, or Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines, is considered the medium version of the Perfection of Wisdom sutras and is widely recognized across the Himalayan region. As part of the Prajnaparamita Sutras, these scriptures are among the most significant Mahayana texts, exploring the concept of the emptiness of all phenomena. Believed by Mahayana followers to be the direct words of the Buddha and dated by modern historians to have been composed between the first century BCE and the second century CE, they form the foundational teachings of the Middle Way, which gained prominence in Tibetan and Himalayan cultures. In this collection, the Nyi Khri is presented in four volumes, following the traditional loose poti format. The texts are inscribed in uchen script with black ink on cream-colored Bhutanese handmade paper. Each volume opens with a central illustration of the Buddha, and the second page features detailed margin illustrations depicting the previous lives of Buddha Shakyamuni and a stupa. An additional opening page, known as the tog, is elegantly adorned with gold ink on dark blue paper, featuring a central illustration of the Buddha. Regarded as a sacred relic, the collection is housed on traditional bookshelves within the Lama Lhakhang of the Dzong fortress. Each volume is carefully wrapped in multiple layers of cloth, sandwiched between two wooden boards, and securely fastened with a belt, ensuring its preservation and continued reverence for generations to come.
Extent: 4 volumes of manuscripts.
Original institution reference: Nyi khri.
