The Perfection of Wisdom (Wheel Series, 1)

Being the only translation of the prajna paramita in 8,000 lines I find it very insightful. I have been studying the shorter Sutras, The Prajna Paramita in 300 lines (The Diamond Sutra) and the one page Heart Sutra for 11 years and really find the more fleshed out details of this longer, more fleshed out prajna paramita sutra helpful in a notoriously difficult 'topic'. For any serious student of the unbecomed ultimate, this is the Sutra for you. I really feel Edward Conze did justice to this Sutra in relation to what I studied on prajna wisdom.

A beautiful and intricate sutra. Edward Conze was a prolific and skillful translator; I personally believe that he had a fine understanding of the meanings behind the sutras as well. The language is a little bit antiquated in some spots, dense in others, and those less well versed in Buddhist terms may need to look a few things up. That being said, it's still clear and accessible if a person puts in a bit of effort...and it is well worth it.

The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines and its Verse Summary is profound, and a treasure to study, there is so much Wisdom and good guidance in it, excellent too to read out loud in a group through turn taking. Nice to keep it wrapped in a silk cloth on an altar. Each time one reads it or repeats reading it, it's Wisdom deepens in the mind. It truly is a Blessing for mankind.May you enjoy it too,Ulrike

Excellent book

Excellent text with informed commentary.

Should have spent the extra $2 for brand new version.

This book is everything it has been said to be...

very satisfactory

This book contains the only complete translation, from the Sanskrit, of both the Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra (Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 lines) and the Ratnagunasancaya Gatha (considered a verse summary of the sutra itself).The Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 lines is generally considered to be among the oldest of the Prajnaparamita group of texts and among the earliest of the Mahayana Sutras.The renowned scholar Edward Conze (1904-1979) devoted his life to the translation of the Prajnaparamita sutras, or Perfection of Wisdom texts, which deal with the Buddhist doctrine of emptiness and the ultimate nature of reality.This is not a particularly easy work and requires some effort on the part of the reader but as with any religious text this is no bad thing.For those who are interested there is a "contemplative expansion" of 40 sections from the Sutra produced by Lex Hixon ( Mother of the Buddhas ), which I also highly recommend.For those who are interested in other Prajnaparamita Sutras, the most popular texts from this group are the Diamond Sutra (Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra) and Heart Sutra (Prajnaparamita Hrdaya). There are a number of fine translations of both these Sutras available. Award winning translator Red Pine has produced translations and commentaries on both texts ( The Diamond Sutra: The Perfection of Wisdom  and  The Heart Sutra ). There are also texts with commentaries by Thich Nhat Hanh ( The Diamond That Cuts Through Illusion  and  Heart of Understanding: Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra ). There is also a fine translation and commentary on the Diamond Sutra by Hsing Yun ( Describing the Indescribable: A Commentary of the Diamond Sutra ). All of these works I recommend. Mother of the BuddhasThe Diamond Sutra: The Perfection of WisdomThe Heart SutraThe Diamond That Cuts Through IllusionHeart of Understanding: Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart SutraDescribing the Indescribable: A Commentary of the Diamond Sutra

I don't rate this edition at all. The binding is not right as the book fell apart as soon as I opened it. Then I couldn't get my money back instead Amazon gave me a credit for the book and then I have to join up Amazon. I don't want to belong to Amazon I just wanted to buy a book, so now I've done my £20 over what is a cheaply produced poor quality 3rd world production at 1st world prices backed up by a 1st world global corporation. Rubbish!!!! Back to the book shop for me.

Beautifully written, but astonishing repetitive and tedious. If you read the first four or five chapters, the rest is redundant.

Questo è considerato il primo Sutra sulla Perfezione della Saggezza, un testo denso e profondo su un'intuizione inedita in occidente ovvero che tutti i fenomeni sono privi di una realtà inerente, non c'è alcuna sostanza. Il fine però non è un'altra teoria sulla realtà ma la realizzazione della fine della nostra sofferenza, insoddisfazione intrinseca nel nonstro voler afferrare qualcosa che in se stesso non esiste, essendo il segno che attribuiamo ai fenomeni una nostra imposizione. Per chi conosce già il Buddhismo o per chi è seriamente intenzionato ad aprofondire. Un testo da studiare che aprirà un mondo se sapremo metterlo alla prova nelle nostre vite.

This book is a wonderful guide to help all beings to full enlightenment so that we can attain that and help each other attain that too. It is a treasure to wrap in silk and place it on your alter. May it be available to all beings throughout all eons to help them. It could be read out loud by yourself or with a group a page or so and then meditated upon so that its Wisdom penetrates the mind deeply. It is something one can reread many many times. May you enjoy and benefit from it too and may it's Wisdom spread throughout the world.