A translation of extracts from "The Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines" illustrated with ancient manuscripts from Cambridge University Library. The text represents the first formal expression of central Buddhist ideas such as the voidness of all things and the ideal of a bodhisattva - the ideal that we can become a Buddha-to-be ourselves. It is composed of conversations among Buddhas, bodhisattvas, gods and monks as they debate the nature of existence. The extracts have been chosen to illustrate the key themes of the text, and they are accompanied by commentary and a glossary. An introduction from the Dalai Lama explains the relevance of the text to Buddhist thought and the background of the illustrations. At the back of the book there are detailed notes to every image.