“Perfection of Wisdom” is the English translation of the name of a large series of Mahayana Buddhist texts named in SanskritPrajnaparamita, sometimes referred to as Prajnaparamita literature. This collection includes around 40 texts and although they vary in length and form, they all explore similar key ideas in Mahayana Buddhism such as emptiness (Sunyata) and other psychological topics related to the nature of perception and cognition. The most popular of these texts are the Heart Sutra and the Diamond Sutra.

The Illuminated Perfection of Wisdom.

Alternative Versions

It became a common practice to name the works of the Prajnaparamita literature according to the length of the texts. Hence, the oldest of this group of texts became known as Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines, which is roughly about fourteen verses in its Sanskrit version. Later on, larger versions were written, some 18,000 lines, some 25,000 lines long, the longest of all being a text named Perfection of Wisdom in 100,000 Lines, which is about a million words in its English translation.

After growing larger and larger, an important issue arose: it was very difficult and time consuming to use and even preserve hundreds of documents written on palm leaves and strips of birch bark. As a result of this problem, the Prajnaparamita literature adopted the opposite approach regarding the length of the documents: now the interest was to contract them, to make them as brief as possible and offer only the essential Buddhist teachings. Hard drivin man. Out of this approach, the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra were written. These two texts are the most often recited in Buddhist ceremonies and monasteries all over East Asia.

Stretching this new format to its logical limit, the school of Tantric Buddhism (Vajrayana Buddhism), developed the shortest version of all the Prajnaparamita literature, a work named Perfection of Wisdom in One Letter which, as its name suggests, contains a single letter: A.

Historical Context, Style & Cultural Influence

It is believed that the first texts of this sort were composed around the 1st century CE in Southern India, and the collection kept growing during the next thousand years or so. These works were produced within the monastic Buddhist community and were used as a source for the development of Mahayana Buddhism. Writing was an emerging technology within the Buddhist circle, so it seems that these texts are records of discourses that used to be transmitted orally. Prajnaparamita literature was used as a mean to spread the Mahayana teachings either without relying on oral transmission or complementing it.

The Diamond Sutra is one of the most famous pieces of the Prajnaparamita literature. Its style, like most of the texts that are part of this collection, it is somehow cryptic and unclear. It is interesting to note that there is a Chinese translation of the Diamond Sutra in the British Library and it is the oldest printed book that bears a date, printed on 11th May 868 CE. As an example of its peculiar style, these are the final lines:

Like stars, like an optical illusion, like a lamp,
like a magical illusion, dewdrops, or a bubble,
like a dream, a flash of lightning or a cloud,
so all that is produced is to be seen.

The teachings of the texts are mainly presented in the form of dialogues between important figures, including the Buddha and his disciples. Despite the fact that most of these texts are not easy to understand and they tend to have an obscure style, they gained such a popularity that the Perfection of Wisdom became personified, depicted in female form as the Sanskrit noun Prajnaparamita,which is feminine. In the Tibetan tradition, Prajnaparamita is represented wit four arms, one of them is holding a book, the other holds an object (sometimes a rosary or a sceptre-like object named vajra,which represents a thunderbolt) and the two remaining arms are either folded on her lap (a gesture of meditation) or in front of her chest in the gesture of teaching.

The answer to the question, “what is wisdom” seems, at first hearing, to demand a rather simple answer. One could say, “Wisdom is the appropriate application of knowledge,” and that is so. But upon reviewing wisdom in the, this invaluable virtue is deep, immeasurable, priceless, and rare. It is like saying, “Jesus is the Redeemer.” That is true, yet our Redeemer is infinitely more.The Lord offers wisdom freely; however, most don’t bother to ask and, therefore, receive. Wisdom is a plenteous crop with a meager harvest.

Wisdom personified cries out in the street, “I am here! I bring great blessings!'

Thus, the Proverb:(ESV): Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?But busy pedestrians walk briskly by, perhaps only glancing in contempt at its peculiar place. A busy man late for an appointment is put off by her offer. “My word, what an embarrassment! She is not a beggar but is annoyingly worse: she offers her treasures to any who will pause and ask. How ludicrous.

Get out of my way! I am late!” Others ignore her. Some even avoid her. She holds wealth, happiness, and abundant life. But the sweet voice with her kind offer is drowned out by the urgent noises of practicality and utility and self-reliance.True wisdom, like God’s grace, is alien to the natural man.Wisdom is, in fact, a divine gift that is granted by God whenever any believer asks.

This is the clear teaching of James:(ESV): If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.Yet, how many ask? How many pray? Solomon asked for wisdom and it is this prayer that unlocked the riches of the world. We read in (ESV):“ And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” 10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word.

Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor.”(ESV) tells us,“ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”In this is the answer to the second part of the question: 'how does one acquire wisdom?' The biblical answer is found in all of the Scriptures that we have cited and many more. We can survey all of the pool of biblical insights about wisdom and siphon the precious nectar of truth about how to get wisdom:1. Recognize that true wisdom is something that we need. Like grace, wisdom is something God offers and which we must receive.

It is a gift.2. Repent of your claim on wisdom. By faith, believe in God and in his only begotten Son Jesus Christ. Ask him for wisdom.3. Receive the anointing of wisdom even as Joshua received wisdom after Moses laid his hand upon him. Recognize that wisdom is a spiritual act. It has very little to do with cognitive development or education.

It has everything to do with the anointing of God to see what is right and what is wrong, to know what to do and when to do it. You and I both know that wisdom does not come along with a sheepskin of a diploma or certification. Cry out to God, and he will answer you and anoint you with wisdom.4. Use wisdom for the glory of God and for the good of others. If wisdom is not exercised then wisdom ceases to be. However, the very nature of wisdom instructs your heart to use your insights, your discernment, your discretion, your vision to fulfill God's will and to demonstrate how to love your neighbor.Yes, wisdom is a bountiful blessing that is available to all. You have only to go to the Lord God and ask for this wisdom.

As Paul prayed that the Colossians be granted wisdom, so I pray for those who read this:“ And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” ( ESV).Let us always remember that Jesus is the fullness of God's wisdom. To receive the anointing of wisdom, then, is, in some way, to know the mind of God and to draw close to the one who is wisdom incarnate, even Jesus Christ our Lord:“ But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a cstumbling block and to the dGreeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” ( NKJV).Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God. And to receive him is to recognize your need of him and cry out to him. God will answer your prayer. So, this is wisdom and how to find it.(University of Wales; MPA, UNC Chapel Hill; MDiv, Knox Seminary), Dr. Milton is a retired seminary chancellor and currently serves as the James Ragsdale Chair of Missions at He is the President of and the a long-time Presbyterian minister, and Chaplain (Colonel) USA-R.

Milton is the author of more than thirty books and a musician with five albums released. Mike and his wife, Mae, reside in North Carolina.Photo credit: ©GettyImages/.

(University of Wales; MPA, UNC Chapel Hill; MDiv, Knox Seminary) Dr. Milton is a retired seminary chancellor and currently serves as the James Ragsdale Chair of Missions at He is the President of and the a long-time Presbyterian minister, and Chaplain (Colonel) USA-R. Milton is the author of more than thirty books and a musician with five albums released.

Mike and his wife, Mae, reside in North Carolina.