The Nyi khri, or Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines, is regarded as the medium version of the Perfection of Wisdom sutras and holds widespread recognition across the Himalayan region. As part of the Prajnaparamitasutras, these scriptures are among the most important 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 provide the foundational teachings for the Middle Way, which gained prominence in the Tibetan and Himalayan cultures. In this collection, the Nyi khri is presented in four volumes, adopting a 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 a Buddha, and the second page includes detailed margin illustrations depicting the previous lives of Buddha Shakyamuni and a stupa. As a sacred relic, the collection is carefully preserved on traditional bookshelves within the Lama Lhakhang of the Dzong fortress, wrapped in multiple layers of cloth and protected by two wooden boards, securely fastened with a string.
Extent: 4 volumes of manuscripts.
Condition of original material: Partially damaged by worms along the margins on all four sides.
Alternative calendar and date: Tibetan, Iron Snake Year
Original institution reference: Nyi khri.
