Composite text

This is a composite manuscript that appears to be a collection of multiple works. The combination of the Saptaśatikā Prajñāpāramitā with a collection of various dhāraṇī texts is a typical feature of such composite manuscripts, as noted by Edward Conze and Francesco Bianchini (see Bianchini’s dissertation, p. 133). While Conze emphasizes the esoteric influence in these texts—particularly the condensation of Prajñāpāramitā (PP) sūtras into dhāraṇīs—Bianchini cautions against conflating the traditions, urging instead that these PP dhāraṇī manuscripts be studied as a distinct genre of “spell literature,” particularly in connection with the Pāla Buddhist period. These collections appear to have been written in Nepal after the 18th century.