The Khri Brgyad Stong Pa, or Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines, is one of the key versions of the Perfection of Wisdom sutras, widely recognized across the Himalayan world. These sutras, also known as Prajnaparamita Sutras, are among the most significant Mahayana scriptures, addressing the profound topic of the emptiness of all phenomena. While Mahayana followers consider them to be the direct words of the Buddha, modern historians suggest they were composed between the first century BCE and the second century CE. These sutras form the foundational teachings of the Middle Way, which gained prominence in Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhist traditions. This collection of the Khri Brgyad Stong Pa is presented in three volumes, following the traditional loose poti format. The text is inscribed in uchen script with black ink on cream-colored Bhutanese handmade paper. The first page of each volume features a central illustration of the Buddha, while the second page showcases 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: 3 volumes of manuscripts.
Original institution reference: Khri brgyad.
