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.This composite manuscript primarily comprises of two sections, the first Saptaśatikā Prajñāpāramitā with 3 dhāraṇī texts and the second section, being a collection of various dhāraṇīs. Section I begins with the Saptaśatikā Prajñāpāramitā along with its introduction (fols. 1b1–37b3), followed by the Vajrasattvakāyebhyaha tathāgata-vyāpta-śata (fols. 37b4–39a4), the Vajrasattvanāmahṛdaya (fols. 39a4–39a6), and the Vairocana-dhāraṇī (fols. 39b1–39b5). The foliation is marked on the right-hand margin and corner but shows inconsistencies beginning after fol. 5; notably, the bottom left corner of fol. 5 is torn. From section II onward, Matsunami has divided the manuscript into subsections II–XXII, beginning with the Ugratārā Dhāraṇī (fols. 1a1–a4) and concluding with what appears to be a single leaf titled “Grahā,” likely referring to the Grahāmātṛkā Dhāraṇī. Each subsection is separated by small inserted paper slips and contains a collection of dhāraṇīs, often accompanied by short stotras and stavas. Approximately 120 dhāraṇīs and stotras are documented in this portion of the manuscript, as recorded in Matsunami’s Notebook 18 (p. 64 ff.) and Notebook 32 (p. 7 ff.), which also detail missing folia and the numbering of texts. Although the core documentation ends around 50 dhāraṇīs, the final folios—despite being jumbled, damaged, and incomplete—contain dhāraṇīs numbered well beyond 200, indicating a much larger collection. Front and back wooden covers illustrated beautifully with Buddhist deities.