Prajnaparamita texts constitute an important genre of Mahayana literature. They describe various perfections (paramitas) associated with the bodhisattva path to Buddhahood, including the extraordinary insights constituting the perfection of wisdom (prajna). The perfection of wisdom came to personified as a goddess, who is enthroned in the center of this manuscript cover. She is flanked on the left by Buddha Shakyamuni calling the earth to witness his right to achieve Enlightenment or the Jina Buddha Akshobhya, and on the right by Amitayus, the Buddha of Eternal Life. The figures are set against a dense background of scrolling foliage enlivened with leaping leogryphs. The exterior of the cover was originally painted in gold with red and black highlights.