Study of Prajnaparamita Text Recitation Ritual: Cultural Implications of an Event

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Abstract
Prajnaparamita is one of the influential texts of Newar Buddhist community of the Kathmandu Valley. Newar Buddhist society is surrounded by webs of meanings based on the philosophy of Prajnaparamita text and its recitation ritual. In Hiranyavarna Mahavihara of Lalitpur, an old manuscript of Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita text is daily recited by Vajracharya priests in the request of clients. In this study, an attempt has been made to analyze the meanings embodied by Prajnaparamita text recitation ritual and to relate this ritual to socio-cultural processes of Newar Buddhist community of Kwabaha, Lalitpur.