Buddha’s first discourse, watercolour feature of a Perfection of Wisdom Sutra manuscript from Nalanda, circa 700-1100 CE
The picture above is a painted detail from an 8th-12th Century palm leaf manuscript of the “Perfection of Wisdom Sutra in 8,000 Lines”, produced by the Nalanda Buddhist University. It survived the sacking and burning of Nalanda University, was preserved in Tibet for hundreds of years and now forms part of the collection of the Asia Society Museum. It depicts Buddha Shakyamuni’s first discourse, turning the Dharma Wheel.
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