Sutra of the Five Protectresses (Pañcarakṣā sūtra), Nepal, Kathmandu, 1746 (Sambat 867), Pigment and carbon black ink on paper, On loan from the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Tibetan MSS 00015

Sutra of the Five Protectresses (Pañcarakṣā sūtra), Nepal, Kathmandu, 1746 (Sambat 867), Pigment and carbon black ink on paper, On loan from the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Tibetan MSS 00015

The oblong pages of this palm-leaf format (pothi) book contain powerful spells or mantras to treat illness, prevent disaster, and grant wellbeing. The five protective goddesses pictured here embody the five mantra collections that make up the text. Buddhist mantras, also called dharanis, were often copied onto wearable objects for spiritual protection - for example, a cloth that could be tied to the wrist, or paper that could be carried in an amulet. Books like this one continue to be used in today's Nepal.

1746 (Sambat 867)

Dimensions: 8.7 x 34.7 x 4.3cm

Material: Pigment and carbon black ink on paper

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Tibetan MSS 00015

Kathmandu, Nepal

Photographer credit: Paul Armstrong (photographer), courtesy of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

1746 (Sambat 867)

Sanskrit

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

The Tantra of the Five Protectoresses (Pancaraksatantra)