Prajnaparamita, the Buddhist deity of transcendent wisdom

On either side of the goddess Prajnaparamita grow lotuses on which rest representations of books of transcendent wisdom, which she personifies. These books would have been made up of rectangular palm-leaf pages in stacks wrapped in fabric for protection. The wrappings can be seen represented here.

The goddess’s garments are carved with a flowered pattern. The absence of such carved patterns on most of the other sculptures in this gallery may indicate that the patterns were usually painted on rather than carved.

The backslab of this sculpture is inscribed with the “Buddhist creed.” An inscription on the base gives the donor’s name as Kikabhapurva.