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This precious text fragment is one of the earliest calligraphies in the collection. The text is copied from the <em>Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra</em> (also called the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (Chinese: 摩訶般若波羅蜜多經; Móhā Bōrĕ Bōluómìduō jing). The passage is part of a collection of sacred Buddhist texts written in India around 100 BC to AD 600 that were translated in the 700s by the Chinese monk Xuanzang. The paragraph is written in regular script style (<em>kaishu</em>) with deep black characters on brown aged paper that may have originally been dyed yellow. Mahāyāna Buddhism teaches that faithfully copying sutra texts is a good deed that helps one accumulate merit and the Buddha’s blessings—a way to gain rebirth in the Western Paradise.

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Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
32066c575f8559cf
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
114210
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
{
    "id": "114210",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Text of the Perfection of Wisdom (Mahāprajñāpāramitā) Sūtra",
    "description": "This precious text fragment is one of the earliest calligraphies in the collection. The text is copied from the <em>Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra</em> (also called the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (Chinese: 摩訶般若波羅蜜多經; Móhā Bōrĕ Bōluómìduō jing). The passage is part of a collection of sacred Buddhist texts written in India around 100 BC to AD 600 that were translated in the 700s by the Chinese monk Xuanzang. The paragraph is written in regular script style (<em>kaishu</em>) with deep black characters on brown aged paper that may have originally been dyed yellow. Mahāyāna Buddhism teaches that faithfully copying sutra texts is a good deed that helps one accumulate merit and the Buddha’s blessings—a way to gain rebirth in the Western Paradise.",
    "date": "c. 700s-800s",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1933.454",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q60759130"
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Bound Volume"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.454/1933.454_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.454/1933.454_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.454/1933.454_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 26.2 x 9 cm (10 5/16 x 3 9/16 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "China, Tang dynasty (618-907)"
    ],
    "accession": "1933.454"
}

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Document identity
{
    "localId": "114210",
    "label": "Text of the Perfection of Wisdom (Mahāprajñāpāramitā) Sūtra",
    "core": "obj",
    "dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
    "id": "114210",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Text of the Perfection of Wisdom (Mahāprajñāpāramitā) Sūtra",
    "description": "This precious text fragment is one of the earliest calligraphies in the collection. The text is copied from the <em>Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra</em> (also called the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (Chinese: 摩訶般若波羅蜜多經; Móhā Bōrĕ Bōluómìduō jing). The passage is part of a collection of sacred Buddhist texts written in India around 100 BC to AD 600 that were translated in the 700s by the Chinese monk Xuanzang. The paragraph is written in regular script style (<em>kaishu</em>) with deep black characters on brown aged paper that may have originally been dyed yellow. Mahāyāna Buddhism teaches that faithfully copying sutra texts is a good deed that helps one accumulate merit and the Buddha’s blessings—a way to gain rebirth in the Western Paradise.",
    "date": "c. 700s-800s",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1933.454",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q60759130"
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Bound Volume"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.454/1933.454_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.454/1933.454_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.454/1933.454_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 26.2 x 9 cm (10 5/16 x 3 9/16 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "China, Tang dynasty (618-907)"
    ],
    "accession": "1933.454"
}
Document source extras
{
    "tec": "Album leaf, ink on dyed paper",
    "tombstone": "Text of the Perfection of Wisdom (Mahāprajñāpāramitā) Sūtra, c. 700s-800s. China, Tang dynasty (618-907). Album leaf, ink on dyed paper; overall: 26.2 x 9 cm (10 5/16 x 3 9/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Edward L. Whittemore Fund, 1933.454",
    "collection": "China - Tang Dynasty",
    "inscriptions": [
        {
            "inscription_translation": "The Heart Sutra\n\nThe Maha Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutra\n\nAvalokitesvara Bodhisattva when practicing deeply the Prajna Paramita perceives that all five skandhas are empty and is saved from all suffering and distress. Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. That which is form is emptiness, that which is emptiness form. The same is true of feelings, perceptions, impulses, consciousness. Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they do not appear or disappear, are not tainted or  pure,  do  not  increase or decrease. Therefore, in emptiness no form, no feelings, perceptions, impulses, consciousness. No eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no color, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no object of mind; no realm of eyes and  so  forth until  no realm of mind consciousness. No ignorance and also no extinction of it, and so  forth  until  no  old  age and death and also no extinction of them. No suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path, no cognition, also no attainment with nothing to attain. The Bodhisattva depends on Prajna Paramita  and  the mind is no hindrance;  without  any  hindrance  no fears exist. Far apart  from  every  perverted  view one dwells in Nirvana.  In  the  three  worlds  all Buddhas depend on Prajna Paramita and attain Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi. Therefore know that Prajna Paramita is the great transcendent mantra, is the great bright mantra, is the utmost  mantra,  is  the supreme mantra which is able to relieve all suffering and is true, not false. So proclaim the Prajna Paramita mantra, proclaim the mantra which says: gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha.\n\n© Kwan Um School of Zen"
        }
    ],
    "url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1933.454",
    "creditline": "Edward L. Whittemore Fund",
    "updatedAt": "2026-06-10 21:01:25.186000",
    "imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.454/1933.454_print.jpg",
    "sourceId": 114210,
    "dept": "Chinese Art",
    "coll": "China - Tang Dynasty",
    "med": "Album leaf, ink on dyed paper",
    "thumbnail_url": null,
    "image_url": null
}
Page context
{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.454/1933.454_web.jpg",
    "mediaId": "32066c575f8559cf"
}