Text, Folio 26 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

Text, Folio 26 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is a 14 unspecified by Unknown, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 14
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This is a long, narrow wooden board covered in tiny, precise holes arranged in neat rows. The holes form what looks like printed text, but it’s not ink—just empty spaces against the wood. Two small circular marks sit near the middle, like tiny buttons. This is actually a stencil or block used to print Buddhist scripture. The text is so packed it’s almost like a code, but it’s meant to be read aloud as a sacred chant. If you want to see more like this, check out The Cleveland Museum of Art.