Transcription of Maha prajnaparamita Sutra (Perfection of Transcendental Wisdom) in Silver on Oak Paper, Volume 305

Maha prajnaparamita Sutra (Perfection of Transcendental Wisdom) deals largely with the concept that everything is vanity and, therefore, one should cut all kinds of attachment in order to find one’s true self. Translated by Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty, the sutra consists of 600 volumes, and this is the 305th volume of the collection. This volume measures 30.9 cm long and by 11.6 cm wide, and it can be folded like a folding screen. The title of this book is written in gold on the front cover, which is decorated with silver-colored flower designs. Marked under the title is the Chinese character “調 (jo),” suggesting that each volume of this sutra is compiled based on the Chinese characters’ order, and that this is Tripitaka Koreana. This volume -- along with the Transcription of Maha prajnaparamita Sutra (Perfection of Transcendental Wisdom) in Silver on Oak Paper, Volume 210 (Treasure No. 959-1) kept in Girimsa Temple -- seems to have been compiled around the mid-14th century, judging from the patterns on its front cover and the calligraphic style of its text.