ID: 901000901 Page link: http://vocab.getty.edu/page/ia/901000901	Record Type: Character/Person

	Prajnaparamita (Buddhist character)

Note: Personification of the literature or of wisdom, sometimes called the Mother of All Buddhas. She is usually represented yellow or white in color, with one head and two arms (sometimes more), the hands in the teaching gesture (dharmachakra-mudra) or holding a lotus and the sacred book. Also frequently associated with her are a rosary, sword (to cleave away ignorance), thunderbolt (vajra, symbolizing the emptiness of the void), or begging bowl (renunciation of material goods being a prerequisite to the obtaining of wisdom). Images of the deity are found throughout Southeast Asia and in Nepal and Tibet. In Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhism, she is described as the female consort of the Adi-Buddha (first Buddha).

Names:

	Prajnaparamita (Buddhist character) (preferred,English-P,D,N)
	Prajñāparamitā (Buddhist character) (English,U,N)
	Mother of All Buddhas (Buddhist character) (English,U,N)

Hierarchical Position:

		Legend, Religion, Mythology (P)
		....<Buddhist iconography> (P)
		........<Buddhist characters> (P)
		............Prajnaparamita (Buddhist character) (I)

Related Iconography:

	personification of .... Prajnaparamita
	..........(Literature and Performing Arts, Named written and performed works, Literary works: Philosophy, Religion, Named sutras, Prajnaparamita (Buddhist sutras)) [901001851]

Other Relationships:

	role/characteristic is .... personification
	.....(artistic devices, artistic concepts, concepts in the arts and humanities, Associated Concepts (hierarchy name)) (AAT)

	culture/religion is .... Buddhism
	.....(religions (belief systems, cultures), religions and religious concepts, Associated Concepts (hierarchy name)) (AAT)

	role/characteristic is .... mother goddess
	.....(goddesses, deities, people in religion, people in religion and related occupations, people in the humanities, people by occupation, people (agents), People (hierarchy name)) (AAT)

Sources:

	Prajnaparamita (Buddhist character)
	................Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)
	................Los Angeles County Museum of Art online (2002)
	Prajñāparamitā (Buddhist character)
	................British Museum [online] (1999-)
	Mother of All Buddhas (Buddhist character)
	................Encyclopedia Britannica Online (2002-)

Iconography Record Sources:

	................ Los Angeles County Museum of Art online (2002)
	................ British Museum [online] (1999-) http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=224026&partId=1&searchText=Prajnaparamita&page=1